Happy Thursday, ladies! We are glad to have you back so we can enjoy a new inspiring story together! This time, we are taking you to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago - Oak Brook so we can enjoy Sireesha & Nittin's big wedding celebration. And it was so impressive and eye-catching that there is no surprise that it made it to the pages of our Best of 2019 Magazine! For this installment, we'll be taking a look at these lovebirds' big wedding ceremony thoroughly planned and orchestrated by Engaging Events by Ali. And right from the start, we have to say that this ceremony was a cornucopia of colors, rituals, and merriment, truly faithful to traditional Hindu Weddings! To make that happen, Erin McDonald Co took the wheel in the decor department to create an on-point decor that amazed everyone! And we are utterly impressed with the final result! There was so much beauty and charm all over the place. However, nothing was quite as breathtaking as our lovely Maharani! She looked like a princess dressed in her traditional bridal attire after being glamorized by Makeup by Rosie Inc who toom care of the flawless makeup and Hala Beauty who designed a sleek hairstyle more than perfect for the occasion! Check more of Banga Studios' visual masterpieces at today's full gallery!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Nittin told me we were going to meet his mom at the Planetarium in Chicago, right on Lake Michigan. We got there and waited in the lobby because it was 15 degrees outside (gotta love January in Chicago!). 30 minutes later, he said his mom was running late because she was trying to find parking; I didn't think anything of it because the parking lot was really packed that day! Finally he said, "She's here!" We quickly run outside where holds my hand and walks me over to the lake to propose to me - I couldn't believe it! People around us were cheering and applauding! He hired a photographer to capture the proposal with the Chicago skyline in the background. It was absolutely perfect.
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.
We wanted to get married that summer and feel like we were guests at our own wedding. Ali Phillips at Engaging Events by Ali made it all possible, she planned our entire wedding in 3 months! We went with her recommendations for DJ, Decor, Photography, Video, Hair and Make-up.
Ali very patiently helped me vet about 30 different photographers before we landed on Banga Studios from Toronto. I was looking for a photographer who could handle editing all the beautiful color you see in Indian wedding photos. Gurminder Banga flew down to Chicago for our engagement shoot and he captured photos that looked like they were straight out of a magazine. His team shot our wedding day and there are so many lovely photos that it was so tough to decide which ones would make it into the album!
Mark Wynimko from Wynn Films was our videographer. His creative filming technique and music choice was exceptional - you can tell he loves what he does and is an expert at it!
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Nittin and I both looked forward to dance practice for our first dance with DeMaira Dance Studios. Joe and Kathy DeMaira were excellent instructors and made our classes so much fun. Our first dance went incredibly well and our guests loved it!
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
There's so many aspects of our wedding that our guests really enjoyed! Sri Krishna Jois officiated our wedding ceremony and he was a hit! He did an amazing job explaining the different customs as part of the Hindu marriage ceremony and made everyone laugh! He seamlessly performed the ceremony switching between four different languages: Sanskrit, Telugu, Hindi and English. I feel so fortunate that he was a part of our wedding day.
Food overall was definitely a highlight. After the ceremony, we had lunch catered by Seven Spices Indian Cuisine and they served all my favorite Andhra specialties which our guests loved! For dinner, Gaylord Fine Indian Cuisine served innovative North Indian dishes family-style.
The decor stood out because of the seating arrangement in the ballroom and the neutral palette with a pop of color (coral to be exact!). Erin McDonald from Erin McDonald Design made the place look incredible and we were even able to re-purpose our mandap which he transformed into a fairy tale, garden-like setting for the reception.
More recently, Nittin and I (ok, maybe it was really just me) have become to love pie and we wanted to share this with our guests on our special day. As a wedding favor, we had individual pie slices with the note "A Sweet Ending to a New Beginning." Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits catered these sweet treats.
The one complaint one of my closest friends had was that the entire day was on schedule (thank you, Ali Phillips!).
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
During the wedding ceremony our priest, Sri Krishna Jois, asked all our guests to raise both hands and bless us. It was such a wonderful thing to see the entire ballroom filled with the people who want the best for you and they showed it with this very meaningful gesture all at the same time. I will never forget this moment.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
My engagement band and wedding ring were custom designed by Jose Torres of EcoKarat Jewelry. I wanted a non-traditional engagement ring and what he created was absolutely stunning! To this day, I still can't stop staring at it!
During the wedding ceremony, I wore a gold choker that has been in our family for a few generations; it was an honor to wear the family heirloom on this special day.
Rosie Scianna of Makeup By Rosie was fantastic! It was so hard to find a makeup artist whose makeup philosophy matched mine. She believes in you looking like yourself and enhancing your natural features and not only does she believe it, but she's able to create a look that aligns with it as well!
In lieu of a traditional guest book, I found a watercolor painting of the Chicago skyline for our guests to sign. I knew a guest book would sit in some shelf that we would rarely look at so a painting was the perfect option! During cocktail hour, the painting was available for guests to leave a note and I had this sign placed next to it:
Please sign our guest book.
Chicago is very special to us. It's where we met, fell in love, and tried olive oil ice cream on our first date.
We wanted to capture the memories of our special day with messages from our favorite people on this painting.
Love, Sireesha & Nittin
More coming in a bit, ladies!
More coming in a bit, ladies!
Planning & Design: Engaging Events by Ali |
Favors: Erickson Design |
Ceremony & Reception Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago - Oak Brook |
Floral: Erin McDonald Co |
Makeup: Makeup by Rosie Inc |
Hair: Hala Beauty |
Catering - Dinner: Gaylord Indian Cuisine |
Catering - Lunch: 7 Spices |
DJ: Dream House Productions |
Baraat (Horse): Maharaja Farms |
Bridal Fashion (Reception Lengha): Kynah |
Engagement Ring & Wedding Bands: EcoKarat Jewelry |
Cinematography: Wynn Films |
Favors: Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits |
Invitations & Wedding Stationery: Fitzgerald Stationery |
Dance Instructors (Couple’s first dance): Joe and Kathy DeMaira - DeMaira Dance Studios
Engaging Events by Ali and
Erickson Design
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