Leesburg, VA Indian Wedding by Lin & Jirsa Photography

Happy Friday, ladies! How about a new love story before we get to the weekend? If you were looking for inspiration, you can't miss Grishma & Hardik's sweet and charming wedding celebration as it packs all the things we love and so much more! So, join us, and get ready to be amazed! Due to COVID and the fact that these two lovebirds work in the health care field, their wedding had many changes. They went back and forth with tons of decisions they had to make. Still, when the big day arrived, everything turned out to be just perfect. Amidst a sweet and soft-colored decor crafted by Liz Decoration and surrounded by their family and closest friends, Grishma & Hardik tie the knot and started their very own happily ever after. And guess who was there to captured this sweet and charming moment? You guessed it! It was none other than Lin & Jirsa Photography, whose talent and expertise in immortalizing life-changing events is out of the question. Both our lovebirds looked fantastic during the entire festivities; still, it was our gorgeous Maharani who stole the show after being glamorized by SKS Salon. The exquisite makeup and hairstyle, complemented with the fashionable lengha by Sequenize India and the artistic Mehndi by Makeup by Mala, praised this Maharani's beauty, making her look like a goddess. Without any questions, this was a dreamy look! After the ceremony hosted at the Raspberry Plain Manor, there was an intimate reception animated by M4U Events. And oh boy, it was a night to remember! Don't miss any detail of this celebration by heading over to this spectacular gallery. It is worth the while, and you will get tons of inspiring ideas!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met through a mutual friend. He was "the one" at first sight. He was love at first sight.
He was comfort, he made me feel at home, he made me feel secure and most important of them all...he came home on date #2 to meet my parents!!

He sat there sweating bricks as my father stared at him with his bug eyes. He sat there sweating even when my father told me to "turn off the fan" on a hot April, Sunday! He left me in shock. He was so real, so true and so genuine. Now and even today!

Of course dad said "he was just OK" but who wouldn't say that? After all, he is giving his daughter away!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
I ALREADY KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! My fiancé, at that time, is terrible at keeping surprises.

I didn't waste any time: nails done, hair chopped/colored, and new dress ordered! I looked my best and went with the flow of the day.

It was May 4, 2019, a warm summer day in Washington D.C.
It will always be special place as this was where our first date took place. We went kayaking in the Georgetown river. All dressed up to go Kayaking (we still laugh about this today!).

Shortly after, we walked over to the dock, where he made signs with personal engraved messages confessing his love for me! We walked down the dock, with flower petals and photos from the past. He got down on one knee and said "I don't want to wait another day..."

Our eyes were filled with tears, hearts were fluttering all around. We were surrounded by all of our siblings who helped Hardik plan this special day. Later that night at dinner with our families, Hardik announced that our Engagement will be on June 7, 2019. Now that's a story which is exclusive from the proposal story!

God bless his soul!

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 started wedding planning around 12/2019. A three week trip to India, where Hardik spent time meeting my family, celebrating my first cousins wedding, wedding shopping for us and most importantly, eating Bombay sandwiches and Gol Gappe's every chance we got.

Wedding planning is definitely stressful. All of our vendors, however, were readily available so it was not too difficult to pick out the vendors. I was also inclined to put in a great deal of trust in all of our vendors. This was the most important for me, prior to booking a vendor, having a clear conversation and explaining your vision to them was a task I tried to prioritize.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
RED RED and ALWAYS RED. There was no question about this.
Like every bride, I took the screen shots from Instagram and Pinterest to take to India while shopping. However, once I got there, I did not bother looking at those inspiration pictures!

I went into a shop in Baroda - walked up 2-3 flights of stairs. They showed me about 7-10 outfits and by the end of the hour I decided on a dress! It had to be custom made secondary to applying the perfect shade of RED! I had a fat Amul Cheese Bombay Sandwich. Walked out with a belly full and my father's bank account a bit in distress! After all, he is giving his daughter away!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
For someone that is a total organization freak - the best part was crossing T's and dotting the I's!
We loved a lot of moments of wedding planning: food tasting, making a trip to India (even though stressful, we do recall moments of happiness that drifted through our long days).

I remember speaking to my day of coordinator who made me feel in harmony amongst the stress and this was one of my most enjoyable times!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
We had a "COVID wedding!" So needless to say, our guests loved that they got to ATTEND a wedding in August 2020.

The energy was vibrant, our guests were humble and kind. Hardik and I felt the love from each and every individual that attended our wedding. We were touched. Our guests FELT TOUCHED. We couldn't ask for anything more but their blessings!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Yes. It was the moment where I did my first look with Hardik. It was the moment where the sacred cloth fell once I got on to the mandap and his eyes were overjoyed. It was those emotional moments on the mandap where my eyes were filled with tears and Hardik was by my side. Those are the precious moments I will never forget.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
So many words, not enough space and time. To be a bride was a very special moment for me. and I will tell all the other brides this as well: THIS IS YOUR MOMENT.

Disagreeing with your closest family members and your companion is something that is frequently noticed. And it is OK. People will give your their opinions during a sensitive time that you may not like, you have to be able to differentiate to pick out the good, and ditch the rest.

It is okay to feel anxious and overwhelmed. It is okay to feel that your tasks seem never ending. It is okay to tell people around you to be GENTLE towards you. It is okay to say "please tr to give only positive feedback." The wedding is always focused on the bride.

Focus on the fact that your family is giving you away, all the years they spent taking care of you is leading up to the moment that you are strong, capable, and independent of creating a family. Remember from fiancé to fiancée - you are about to transition to husband and wife - your relationship will elevate to a higher sense of belonging, respect, and new ups and downs of life.

So cheers to that! Because one thing is for sure, your big day will go by in a flash and all you will have is one another & a box full of memories to hold on to!

Have a great weekend, ladies! See you on Monday for more.