Hello loves, it is a pleasure to meet again. Today we bring an adorable union from Brooklyn, NY! Indraja & Jeffrey's wedding was a true love story brought to life. They met by pure luck while traveling with friends in Japan, and their love story grew from there. The couple's big day perfectly reflected their unique journey, incorporating elements from their cultures and the city they call home. It started with Jeffrey's lively and colorful baraat led by Jina Brass Band. The ceremony occurred at The Dumbo Loft, a historic venue in Brooklyn's trendy Dumbo neighborhood. Sea Blossoms decorated the space with stunning floral arrangements, and Weddings by Nato beautifully captured each moment of this incredible celebration. Indraja looked gorgeous in her lehenga from Jade by MK, with intricate cherry blossom-like embroidery that honored the couple's Japanese connection. Her hair and makeup by Glamsquad were impeccable. Her bridesmaids' look complemented her in their stunning outfits from Desi Is Me. The reception at 26Bridge was equally spectacular, with a lavender color scheme and simple yet elegant decor, including environmentally-friendly elements handmade by Indraja herself. The bride and groom changed into an ivory lehenga by Anita Dongre and an ivory tuxedo by J. Crew. 74Events filled the reception space with music, keeping everyone on the dance floor all night. The couple treated their guests to delicious treats from Dolce & Gelato and Bokksu Handmade Yuzu Sake Candy as wedding favors. Indraja & Jeffrey's wedding was a beautiful example of how love can bring people together from different cultures and backgrounds. Check out the incredible shots to get more inspiration. You will enjoy every moment!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
In April 2018, Jeffrey and I bumped into each other in the narrow alleyways of Shinjuku in Tokyo, Japan. We were both on separate trips with our friends and trying to find a not-too-packed bar in this crowded and popular area of Tokyo. We overheard each other speaking English and realized we were all New Yorkers. We all hung out together that night, and Instagram handles were exchanged -- it went down in the DMs! I think we both knew immediately that our connection was something special. We shared a love of literature, a similar sense of humor, and a passion for art. The night we met, Jeffrey asked the bartender for a scrap of paper, which we both drew on and signed -- it is now framed in our bedroom. We now look back and laugh about how we were both instantly smitten with each other!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
At this point, we had already discussed marriage, and we knew that, with large families on both sides, our wedding would be a big event. So for the proposal, the only thing I asked Jeffrey was to keep it low-key and intimate -- not an easy feat in NYC! One evening in April, while I was attending an event at Columbia Business School, Jeffrey adorned the rooftop of our Upper West Side apartment with string lights, candles, and flower petals. When I arrived home, my favorite love song ("Yellow" by Coldplay) was softly playing amidst the candlelit apartment, and flower petals led the way up the stairs to the roof. Jeffrey asked me to marry him, and I accepted, and we celebrated with champagne and dessert on a balmy spring night. The proposal was exactly what I had hoped for, coming just over three years from our serendipitous meeting in Tokyo.
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 knew we wanted a traditional Indian wedding, but we also wanted to get married in Brooklyn. We had just moved to the borough, and it was also where Jeffrey had planned our first date. We chose two historic warehouse venues in cobblestoned DUMBO, the Dumbo Loft and 26Bridge, to host our ceremony and reception, respectively. To balance out the industrial atmosphere of the venues, we opted for a cottage-core theme for the decor, featuring dreamy lavender and lilac hues. Sea Blossoms Events, our florist, adorned the mandap, provided cones of flower petals, and created our flower garlands and bridal bouquet to match the theme.
For the ceremony, our families and wedding party donned traditional Indian attire while keeping with the color scheme. Jeffrey is a natural performer, so he led the Baraat with ease, marching all 150 guests along with a live brass band (Jina Brass Band) down a street in Brooklyn (he worked with the NYPD to get the permits). During the ceremony, we served traditional Indian vegetarian snacks and refreshing mango lassis provided by Akbar Restaurant.
Our signature cocktails, a "Hers" G&T with purple Empress Gin and a "His" whiskey highball garnished with yuzu as a nod to Japan, marked the beginning of the reception. For the reception, we opted for a more American look, with me in a white lehenga and Jeffrey in a white tuxedo. However, Jeffrey's family surprised everyone with a choreographed dance! Akbar Restaurant did an incredible job with the food, serving delicious appetizers and a full spread of Indian dinner, including chaat and Indochinese stations! For dessert, we swapped the traditional wedding cake for a gelato stand, which our guests thoroughly enjoyed.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
When searching for the perfect dresses for my wedding, I knew I wanted two distinct looks: a unique, Bohemian-style lehenga for the ceremony and a modern white lehenga for the reception.
As I went dress shopping, I found myself uninspired by the traditional red-and-gold lehengas that all seemed to blend together. While I wanted to include some red accents for good luck, I was eager for something more unique. That's when I saw the JADE by MK Lehenga and immediately knew it was the one. The periwinkle color was incredibly flattering, and the embroidery featured touches of red, which I paired with my jewelry. The tiny pink flowers on the lehenga also reminded me of the cherry blossoms that bloomed when Jeffrey and I first met. When I tried it on at AVE in Soho, it was during a JADE by MK trunk show, and even Monica Shah, the designer, was there. Though the original blouse was blue, I asked to try it with one of Jade's other pastel pink blouses, and even Monica agreed that it looked better that way! I'm grateful to the Jade by MK and AVE teams for making it happen.
For my reception lehenga, I knew I had to visit Anita Dongre. I've admired her for years for her sustainable business practices, her support for local artisans, and her celebration of traditional motifs. Plus, all of her lehengas come with pockets! I found the Anita Dongre Mistletoe lehenga to be lightweight and comfortable, perfect for dancing the night away.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Throughout the wedding planning process, I really enjoyed adding my own artistic touch to the day while also striving to be as environmentally conscious as possible.
To reduce paper waste, we decided against traditional invitations and instead chose digital illustrations and QR-coded programs. For the escort cards, I utilized recycled seed paper and added my own hand calligraphy. During cocktail hour, we repurposed rice, dried lavender, and paintbrushes as centerpieces. Each table featured fresh floral arrangements provided by Sea Blossoms, while I hand-painted the table numbers. Instead of plastic chargers, we opted for compostable paper chargers adorned with pressed flowers and ferns. And as a unique wedding favor, we offered handmade yuzu sake candies all the way from Japan.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our wedding guests raved about the delicious and diverse spread catered by Akbar Catering, and they were also impressed by our creative choice of dessert, a gelato stand provided by Dolce and Gelato in NY. Our guests appreciated how we incorporated both of our cultures and families into the celebration, all while celebrating our one-of-a-kind love story.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
There were plenty of unforgettable moments during our wedding day, including the baraat, our first dance, and our first look. However, a particularly meaningful moment occurred later in the evening after my father-daughter dance. I surprised my mother by inviting her to join me for a mother-daughter dance! To the tune of "Dancing Queen" by ABBA, a beloved group in our household, my mother and I reopened the dance floor surrounded by all the women guests. It was a real girl power moment! It was a real homage to our close relationships since we used to dance together in our living room to the radio when I was growing up.
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.
We organized a casual Haldi and Mehndi event in my parents' backyard in Princeton, NJ, the day before the wedding. For this event, I went for a traditional Marathi look, complete with a nose ring and a mango-colored Nauvari sari, which my mother had lovingly hand-stitched for me. Our guests enjoyed a dosa brunch and had the opportunity to get henna designs done by an artist we had arranged for the event.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Carefully consider where to allocate your funds. You won't get to do everything, but identify what matters most to you and start from there. For instance, I wanted to have stunning photos to last a lifetime, so I focused my budget on engaging Nato Tuke, a wedding photographer based in Brooklyn. To make up for that, I saved costs for wedding decor by going with a striking venue and finding secondhand decorations. With a little creativity, you can always achieve your desired aesthetic in any budget.
What a lovely wedding! If you want to see more content like this one, make sure to join us tomorrow.
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