Happy Wednesday Maharanis! Today's enchanting love tale entails all the details Indian brides yearn for. For the morning of her Indian wedding event, Kamini slipped into a classical crimson pink lengha. The bride wore the traditional jewelry pieces you would find on a South Asian bride that included a gold headpiece, matching choker, and gold bangles. I love all the details and the bridesmaids' dresses in rich blue was a striking contrast to the bride. One of my favorite parts of my own Indian wedding was the exhilaration of slipping into that dress you had been searching for; it truly creates an energetic vibe. Kamini's dream team consisting of a powerful Indian wedding vendor list with planning and design by BEL Event Productions and floral and décor glam team Deepti's Floral Designs & Mandaps. I will be dishing out all the details in the next two features to come! To take a sneak peek into the event, head into the gallery with all the images captured by Greycard Photography.
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Shyam and I have known each other since I was 7 years old! Our parents were good friends and a part of the same circle of friends. We actually traveled together many times and we saw each other very frequently. He was actually forced to play with me since he was one of the younger ones. We remained friends over the years but it wasn't until 2012 that we caught each other's eye. We were at my brother's wedding and a mutual friend helped us realize that we were destined to be. I spent the next 2 years finishing up my doctorate program in Arizona, in a long distance relationship, and I didn't realize he was the one until I moved back. Once I moved back, we were able to spend more time together, go on random date nights, and travel together. It's something about the way he treats me and looks at me that I realized, this is him! Did I mention I had a crush on him since age 7-13?
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
One random day in February, Shyam called me after work to ask me what weekend I was free (I worked weekends at that time). I told him April 3 and he said "Oh okay. Save that date. I booked us a Groupon." This immediately made my mind wonder, especially because he gave me no other information! Shyam never plans anything, let alone a surprise. So I knew it had to be something big... like my proposal!
Fast forward to April, he had told me I had to be dressed up and out the door by 4:30 am to make it to Temecula by 6 am. He wouldn't tell me why but I figured it out. We were going there for a sunrise hot air balloon ride! We pulled up into the parking lot, both of us dressed up with me in a dress and wedge and everyone else in warm clothing. We then got separated into two vans and we had our own van. I didn't think much of it at the time. But then we passed the other van and kept driving to a secluded location. We got into the balloon and off we went. About a min into the ride, Shyam was pointing out at something for me to look at... it was a giant banner that said: "Will you Marry me?". I immediately looked around to see who was getting engaged, I turn my head to the left and see Shyam holding an engagement ring and then kneeling.
After the ride, we were the first back to the vineyard and were able to enjoy the moment alone with some snacks and champagne. He told me to not eat a lot because we had brunch reservations. We walk into the Wilson Creek winery, and there are 20 of our closest friends to help us celebrate!
Tell us how you went about planning your wedding, and your overall experience with the Venues, Hair & Makeup, Outfits, Decor Theme, and all of the other important details.
theme -- I love love love flowers and Shyam is indifferent about them. So I had to find a way to incorporate a lot of flowers (such as my mandap) and also keep it to a minimum so Shyam enjoyed the decor was well (reception).
Bridal party outfits -- Shyam & I both love the color blue and love bold colors. While shopping in India, I wanted my girls to be comfortable and avoided using sari's and was able to find the longer lengha with pants. With the matching outfit for the boys, as gold being the dominant color.
Hair & Makeup -- When my brother got married in 2012, I was a bridesmaid in the wedding and absolutely loved how my hair and makeup was done. But I never got the artist's information. Fast forward to 2016 when I was a bridesmaid in a wedding and loved my hair and makeup there as well. I inquired with the bride, seems like Nida Gazi had done both weddings and knew she had to be my artist! So I booked her as soon as the venue date was selected. She was the first vendor I booked!
Venue -- Pacific Palms was just perfect. It was a hidden gem in LA county. The outdoor golf course with the backdrop of the San Gabriel Valley was perfect locations. We choose a simple mandap background to allow the nature beauty of the venue shine. And we instantly fell in love with the reception hall. From the large hall, gorgeous chandeliers and amazing stage area.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I wanted to be traditional and have a red and gold outfit. When I purchased my outfit, I was absolutely head over heels with my lengha but didn't think the blouse (all red) was the direction I wanted to go in. While in India with limited time, I was able to find the perfect gold material to recreate a simple blouse while using the original sleeves and adding an elaborate and intricate design on the back of the blouse.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Going to India and watching my dream and vision come through. Everything from finding the perfect outfit for myself for every occasion, to creating the perfect invitations, and making all the small fine details come to life. The best part was seeing all the hard work come to life during the wedding week. It was an overall magical day and week from all the love from friends and family and how it made Shyam and me closer than ever before.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think our guest loved our grand entrance. Everything from the confetti cannon during the grand entrance, to first dance that transitioned from a slow dance to a Bollywood hit that showed our mutual love for dancing.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Is it a clique to say my first look? My heart melts when Shyam looks at me with his loving eyes so I'd have to say the whole wedding ceremony. The way he looked at me throughout the ceremony, that large smile on his face and ready to make me his wifey! And he sat in the sun the whole time and didn't mention the heat once!
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Enjoy the day and forget the small details gone wrong because the best part is that you get to marry your best friend.
We have the wedding details coming right up! See you then!
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