Hello, darlings! This beautiful celebration of tradition and modernity perfectly encapsulates Sonia & Srinivas' unique style and personality. From the exquisite bridal fashion by Silver Tulip Bridal Couture to the energetic music for the baraat by DJ Riz Entertainment, this wedding was an unforgettable celebration of love. The ceremony took place at the picturesque Hidden Waters, and the reception was held at The Hamptons, both venues providing a stunning backdrop for the festivities. Elegant Affairs Inc's floral and decor creations added an extra touch of elegance to the entire event. The bride's hair and makeup, expertly done by Ms. Painted Lady, were flawless and perfectly complemented by the intricate henna designs created by Sheetal's Henna Designs. The couple's radiance shone through in every photograph the talented Epique Cinema team captured. DJ Riz Entertainment kept the dance floor packed all night long with their incredible mixes of Bollywood and top hits, creating an energetic and fun atmosphere with guests of all ages dancing the night away. In addition to the DJ sets, the live music performances added an extra touch of magic to the reception, with the soulful vocals and instrumental melodies creating a romantic and enchanting ambiance. The newlyweds and their guests will surely cherish the memories of dancing and singing to their favorite tunes with their loved ones. And we also want to give a special shoutout to PistaHouse Irving and Sawaii Indian Restaurant for the delicious food served at this gala! Maharanis, we invite you to view the full gallery and relive the magic of this couple's special day. We hope their love inspires you to create a unique and unforgettable wedding experience.
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Srini in the midst of a 10-day quarantine. Thankfully, I had started to feel better a few days into it and thought Moksha and I would get to spend some quality time together! Moksha is a 50-pound black standard poodle whom I had met as a puppy and fallen in love with a few months earlier.
Srini and I had been texting to figure out a time to meet. I thought, this guy is too smart to be normal, let’s just get this date over with. With a popsicle in one hand for hydration and my glasses on because who had the energy for contact lenses, I had my first FaceTime date with my husband-to-be.
He ended up being a dream come true for me and for Moksha, who had been on the lookout for the best dog-dad ever. The rest is history!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Srini took me to a place called Pismo Preserve in Southern California. We had hiked there before with our Mokshee trotting happily alongside us on the beautiful, peaceful trail - rolling green hills on one side, sparkling ocean on the other.
The top of the trail had a wooden park bench under a large, shade-casting tree, where we sat to soak it all in. We promised ourselves we would come back.
The day we returned there was the day was before my birthday. Srini’s parents, my parents, and my sister Deepa had come into town to have a combined birthday celebration for Srini’s mother and I. Our birthdays are 3 days apart!
Srini, Deepa, and I went for a hike on that same favorite trail. At the top, Deepa left for “a phone call”. As we sat on the park bench looking out into the ocean, Srini said, “I have a present for Mokshee.”
I said, “Oh yeah?” And reached over to unwrap it.
Mokshee sat like a statue, waiting patiently for what she probably hoped was a treat. Even better, it was a doggie squeaky toy of a ring box, and inside was a stuffed toy ring!
As she galloped excitedly around the park bench with her toy squeaking, Srini asked me to marry him. Well, I suppose he asked Mokshee first. I don’t remember his words much, I was too overcome. But I remember the emotion, the surroundings, Mokshee’s wagging tail, Deepa’s sort of sucky photography skills that day.
It was 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 looked at venues in California, where we were living at the time, and later decided to focus on Texas, where we were moving together. Venue searching when planning an Indian wedding sure is an experience!
There are specifications to Indian weddings that, in all honesty, I had never considered in much detail. I had attended so many hotel-based Indian weddings that I thought it might be fun to try something different. I understood during the process, though, why hotel venues can be so much easier - you do not have to hire outside catering staff, your guests have a convenient location from which to attend events, and outside catering from a place of your choice is generally more accepted (though the latter still depends on the hotel). We ended up putting up our guests in a hotel nearby all three venues, so it all worked out, but required a bit more logistics planning!
I really had only wanted two things for the ceremony - for Moksha to be a part of it and for the ceremony to be outside. But these things can be a big ask when you are accommodating many guests, and your Pelli muhurtham (auspicious day/time for the wedding) falls in December!
There are also a lot of special considerations for outdoor weddings that I did not fully realize. It basically needs to be a 0% chance of rain the day off and the day before, and of course, it needs to not be too cold. Even if there is the tiniest chance of rain, and it doesn’t end up actually raining, there is a good chance you will be pressured to move it inside to avoid ruining the decor. So, it could not be as much of a game-time decision as I imagined it would be!
We ended up having indoor/outdoor moments for both the Sangeet and the wedding ceremony, as the rain had been light on the forecast, and it rained overnight on our wedding day. Moksha ended up being a part of the ceremony - one of my best friends walked her in before I came in! We got her an outfit from @modispooch (highly recommend them), and she got a special groom with two red bows placed in her ears. It ended up being beautiful.
I have never felt as beautiful as when Alex (@mspaintedlady) did my hair and makeup! I think this was important since I have had makeup done before that felt like too much! Alex, just plain and simple, is really talented.
We also absolutely adored Suman Pai, our decorator. She exceeded our expectations for all 3 events (Sangeet, Mehndi, Reception) by a long shot, and we were in true awe of her work.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I selected all my bridal lenghas in Edison, New Jersey (I was born and raised in New Jersey and frequented trips to Edison growing up). Highly recommend Silver Tulip! Anil's uncle is wonderful. I was going for a playful look for the Sangeet and a bit more elegant for the reception. My eyes immediately fell on an off-white lengha with pastel colors for the reception, and I never really wavered from that one!
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Learning dances with Srini was probably the most enjoyable and hilarious part of planning. Neither of us had really danced much, me maybe a bit more than him. He proclaimed before all of it, “I don’t dance”.
But he was such a good sport, and the song Morni Banke and the bhangra moves that ensued from there have since become a source of pride for him.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My sister Deepa and my cousin Neena (who is our little sister), did a skit imitating Srini and I during our Sangeet. Neena played me, and Deepa played Srini. Neena got a stuffed toy dog that she danced around the stage with, and Deepa walked around on stilts because Srini is quite a bit taller than me. I went to bed the night before our wedding, still laughing about it.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Enjoy it, enjoy it, enjoy it. It goes by so quickly. Savor the venue visits, food tastings, song selections, and dance practices. Don’t sweat the small stuff! And don’t expect every little thing to go according to plan or perfectly.
When I replayed our wedding events in my mind, I was worried about things that didn’t go exactly how I had imagined. But truly, the joy isn’t in those things - it’s in the means, the special time with special people, and all the love!
If you can finagle it, plan your events so that you get to sleep before your wedding day (with all the constraints of Indian weddings, this is challenging and not prioritized, but I think this is the one thing that would have made everything even more enjoyable and less of a blur for me!)
At the end of the day, the special part - the part that truly matters - is celebrating your love with the people you love. And if you stay light-hearted and positive through it all, you can simply treasure it as a magical time!
And that is a wrap, dear ladies! Do not forget to come back soon to enjoy more love stories and tips.
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