Hello, ladies! We are glad you could join us at Vanesha & Shajib's wedding ceremony. Designed and executed by Alchemy Events, this ceremony was a dream come true! Herbivore Floral Designs transformed the balcony and the halls of the Riverview Room in a magical setting for our lovebirds to tie the knot. Vanesha stole all the looks as she walked down the aisle, looking like a vision of beauty on her red lengha embellished with golden details. Makeover by Paro complemented this look praising her natural beauty with lovely makeup and hairstyle, resulting in that dreamy look that all Maharanis aspire for their big day. Without any question, this was a fantastic event that everyone loved, and we have all the insights for you to enjoy it! From the outdoor ceremony on the balcony, all the way to the different rituals that took place inside the halls of this fantastic venue, we have it all! We want to do a big shoutout to Mary M. Cinema for the incredible shots they captured during this life-changing ceremony. You can check them out in today's gallery! You are going to have a blast!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
When I moved to New York 4 years ago, I was desperately trying to meet new people. I met Shajib within the first 2 months of moving. He was someone who made dating seem so easy. His carefree and laid-back attitude gave me a glimpse of the possible future, that we could be happy even if we were just chilling on the couch watching reruns. That's when I knew, the moment of just hanging out and doing something extremely routine, but feeling so happy to be with each other.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
We took a day off work to go to a quaint town near NYC. We were planning on doing some hiking, exploring, and just having a fun day. It was a sunny but cold day with temperatures of around 9 degrees. Shajib was guiding me towards a spot that he had looked up online, but we got lost and ended up getting off the trail to find this beautiful lookout point. Once we got there, he walked straight up on top of a picnic table and held out his hand for me to join, he distracted me so I would turn around, and when I looked back at him, he was down on one knee. It had been 2 years since we had been dating, and even though we had discussed getting married, I was not expecting it and I completely started ugly crying. We were lucky enough that another couple were hiking up a few minutes behind us to that spot and took a couple of proposal pictures of us. It was perfect because it was him.
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.
Wedding planning was a little difficult, neither of us had any idea where to begin. We started by deciding where to get married, we knew it wouldn't be in New York City or my hometown in Mississippi. We narrowed down our top choices and finally agreed on New Orleans. We had some difficulty with a couple of vendors, a planner who wouldn't finalize the contract and kept increasing her charges, and a decorator who quit at the last minute. Luckily I was able to find Rena with Alchemy Events, who agreed to be my planner even though I had already finalized some key details. Once she came on board, it seemed like everything started falling into place. It was just nice to talk things out with someone who had wedding knowledge and make the best possible decisions together.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was probably doing the test ride on our horses for the baraat. Meeting the vendors for the first time and sharing our vision with them, having them understand exactly what we needed was also a really exciting experience. It was like we were building our own world, and we could do whatever we wanted, we didn't let anyone force us into following arbitrary rules, and luckily our immediate families were very supportive of our (my) wedding dreams.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The Baraats, for sure, there was a moment when I got up on my horse with all my guests in front of me, and I just felt so loved. Then, my baraat met Shajibs, I saw how much fun he was having, we caught each other's attention for a moment in the midst of all the celebration, and we both knew that we would always remember this moment.
For events other than your ceremony, please tell us as much as you would like about the decor, style, dances, and all the special details.
It was important to both of us to represent our Hindu/Muslim, Indian/Bangladeshi, NYC/MS customs, and traditions. We made peacock colors our theme, as they also worked with Mardi Gras colors. We worked with our planner to represent everything we possibly could, our sangeet had Mardi Gras masks and beads to represent New Orleans, but we had desi style cushions on the ground for people to sit on. We had brought a lot of maangtikas, chooris, and chunnis from India, for everyone to use and dress themselves up to enjoy the sangeet festivities.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
It's going to be stressful, it's going to be difficult, it may seem impossible at times, but it's so amazing when all your loved ones come together to celebrate your love. You have to disconnect from planning and project management mode the week of your wedding, at that point, stop worrying about the details and just enjoy. Even if something isn't exactly as you planned or seems like it will be a disaster, just let your vendors handle it and spend time with your friends and family to take in all the love.
At the end of it all, the only thing I remember is having fun, smiling and laughing like I conquered the world and crying because of how much this wedding would change our lives. I don't remember any of the details and I don't even care to remember which flower arrangements we went with or if we got the expensive chairs. All I remember were the range of emotions I felt, and how much love I was surrounded with.
Don't go too far, because the reception party is just around the corner. And this is a reception that you don't want to miss!
Don't go too far, because the reception party is just around the corner. And this is a reception that you don't want to miss!
Sangeet Venue: Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans Convention Center |
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Riverview Room |
Planning & Design: Alchemy Events |
Floral & Decor: Herbivore Floral Designs |
Hair & Makeup: Makeover by Paro |
Catering: Orchid Indian Cuisine |
DJ: KhanCept Entertainment |
Cake & Treats: Haydel's Bakery |
Cinematography: Mary M. Cinema |
Event Designer: Alchemy Events |
Lighting: KhanCept Entertainment |
Live Music: Young Fellaz Brass Band |
Mehndi Artist: New Orleans Henna |
Photo Booth: Party Portraits Photo Booth |
Rentals: True Value |
Baraat Horse: Saddle Up & Ride |
Rentals: Element |
Fabric Draping & Flowers: Simply Adorable |
Rentals: Just Ask Rentals |
Transportation: Riverbend Charters |
Photography: Mary M. Cinema
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