Hi there, ladies! The big day for these high school sweethearts finally arrived, and they wanted to keep a good memory of every single moment of this life-changing event. To make that happen, they started the day with an elegant and romantic photoshoot carried out by the talented team from Bella Lumi. This photographic studio took full advantage of the light spectrum playing with the lights and shadows, creating magnificent shots that we cannot stop seeing. Right after the photoshoot, a beautiful and elegant wedding ceremony held at the Bass Performance Hall united Akshada & Alex in marriage. We were lost in a mesmerizing haze of delight as we looked through all the details and the decor that Prashe crafted for this wedding ceremony. They raised the bar and exceeded all expectations matching the dramatic background with a captivating scenery that is so impressive that we are out of words! Our glowing Maharani burst into the venue in show-stopping elegance, wearing a golden lengha by Divya at Studio D Dallas. Cosmetality elevated this look with dazzling makeup and hairstyle resulting in a dreamy look that might serve as inspiration for brides-to-be. If you want to dive a little deeper into this magical and captivating ceremony, you cannot miss the gallery that we have prepared for today! Believe us; you are going to be amazed!
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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met in high school chemistry, ironically. We became friends first (with a lot of effort on my side) and started dating 2 years later. We went to separate colleges after high school and we would visit each other on weekends whenever we had the time. One of the weekends he was visiting I got really sick and he spent the weekend taking care of me; making his favorite noodles, getting me Gatorade and blueberries, whatever I could stomach. That's when I knew.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
We went on a Labor Day weekend trip to Door County, Wisconsin. We had been discussing engagement for a couple of months but a proposal never came, so I thought it might happen that weekend but he still managed to surprise me. We did romantic things like parasailing and hiking but nothing happened so I just figured this wasn't the time. He waited until the last day of our trip while we were on a bike ride. We stopped on a secluded beach to watch the sunset and drink wine, then he proposed and I was totally caught off guard. It was a rocky beach, so I remember being concerned about his knee while he was kneeling. A random woman hiking by yelled, "Congratulations!" to us but we barely even noticed.
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 first found a venue that fit our priorities – guest count and outside catering policy – and took the first available date since that didn’t matter as much to us. Our venue had many diverse beautiful spaces with existing features so we just wanted to accentuate and didn’t force a single theme on it. We also tried to unify our Indian and Chinese cultures in a modern way when deciding on the decor. Our parents and family members were a huge help in doing the legwork for us on many of our vendors since we lived across the country in Madison, WI but got married in Fort Worth, TX.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew I wanted to wear a lengha but didn't have anything in particular in mind from the beginning. I figured I would be able to shop around and try out different styles until I found the right one. We weren't able to make it to India to go shopping so we knew we had to start looking early at local places, and I was skeptical I wouldn't find anything I liked. I showed a family friend my Pinterest board and she knew exactly where to take us. Walking into Studio D was like walking straight into my personal Pinterest page. I had always loved intricate embroidery and beadwork and all of Divya's collection definitely fit the bill. I struggled with saying yes to the dress because it was one of the first dresses I tried on, but after I went to a few other places and I knew it was the right one for me. When we went back, I tried it on again and my mom and sister agreed this was the one.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
We really enjoyed trying to maximize the experience for our guests. We knew from the beginning that our top priority was to have an open bar, delicious food, and fun music. If that meant sacrificing on the budget elsewhere or not having the most dignified meals, then so be it. Since it was a fusion wedding, we also knew that there would be a lot of opportunities to introduce new things to both families, from carefully planning the menu options to incorporating family members into the events.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
From what we heard, people really enjoyed the food. We tried hard to cater from a wide range of restaurants, so we had tex-mex for lunch after the wedding, and both Indian and Chinese options during Garba and the reception. Everyone got to try some of our favorite things and branch out from the typical wedding fare.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
There wasn't one particular moment that replays in my mind, more flashes of dancing at the reception. I have thought back on that night frequently since the wedding and just remember the sheer amount of joy I was feeling. There we were surrounded by our closest family and friends ... dancing to Gold Digger by Kanye. If I could relive any part of my wedding it would easily be the reception.
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.
While we were doing an overall Indian wedding, we still wanted to incorporate Chinese culture so it wouldn't be so one-sided. My bridal mehndi had his Chinese name hidden within the design, and he also got some mehndi done on his forearm with my name written in Gujarati. However, something got lost in translation and now all of our mehndi pictures have both of us proudly showing off his name!
Garba was always going to be a very Indian event so we organized people to teach the newcomers so that everyone could learn some basic steps and join in instead of sitting off to the side. We also served bubble tea with dinner since it was both a nod to his heritage and we knew it would be a hit with everyone.
Since we decided on doing a Hindu ceremony, we found a priest that was very good at explaining what was going on and also printed out a program. We hung a large Chinese good luck symbol on our mandap opposite from the Ganesh symbol, and also brought up some of his family members to participate in the ceremony. We decided to change up the lunch fare by offering tex-mex from Chuy's instead of serving a traditional Indian lunch so that we could share some of our favorite cuisine with everyone.
The reception was the only place that wasn't inherently Indian, so we tried to really embrace more Asian elements without being gaudy. We strung red lanterns across the open ceiling and had strands of hand-folded origami paper cranes incorporated everywhere - while not technically Chinese, it was meaningful to us because he asked me to prom with an origami sign way back when.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Settle on a budget and decide what you’re not willing to sacrifice on, that will make it easier to make tough decisions later. Everyone has an opinion on what they want to see. Make sure you have your priorities straight so that you can let go of the smaller details – it’s easier to avoid arguments that way. Don't be afraid to accept help, there are too many things to do and you can’t possibly micromanage every aspect. A day-of coordinator is a really nice thing to have, as your schedule will already be packed without much sleep, much less time to manage everything else.
Make sure to stick around if you don't want to miss the upcoming wedding reception. You are up for quite a party!
