We're diving into the enchanting world of Soumya & Neil's wedding. The Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley's opulent ballrooms and picturesque settings served as the perfect canvas for this love story. The venue, renowned for its impeccable service and stunning ambiance, played a pivotal role, setting the stage for a day filled with elegance and joy. Soumya's attire, meticulously crafted by Kankatala, was a masterpiece of traditional design and modern elegance. Her beauty was further accentuated by the skilled hands of Fenn Makeup and Spa, with Raya Beauty crafting her hair. The wedding's planning and design, expertly handled by Daniel from Harmony Weddings, ensured a seamless blend of culture, sophistication, and heartfelt moments. Every detail, from the floral arrangements by Once Gathered to the mesmerizing beats by DJ Rang, added charm to the celebration. The culinary journey, curated by Zayka Indian Cuisine, was a feast for the senses. Bluemoon Bakery's creation of the cake and treats added a sweet note to the symphony of tastes, each bite a testament to their culinary artistry. As the evening progressed, Soumya transitioned into reception attire by Anushree Reddy. Capturing every magical moment was Ellie McKinney Photography, whose lens artfully froze time, ensuring that every moment was immortalized. Enjoy today's feature and relive the magic!
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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met through his roommate and one of his closest friends, who happened to be a friend of mine from undergrad. Neil and I had both moved to Massachusetts for work and residency, respectively. I reached out to old connections (Neil's roommate) and met Neil at a July 4th party they both threw. Neil and I quickly became friends and explored the touristy parts of Boston (e.g., Fanueil Hall, Boston Common, etc.) together. We realized we had feelings for each other. Soon enough, we were dating! There wasn't a grand gesture that proclaimed Neil as "the one." Instead, it was the culmination of the small "everyday" moments that I shared with him—the highs, the lows, the dreams, TV show binges, and even the quirkiest details of my life, like conspiracy theories I dug up on Reddit. Soon enough - we started realizing we both loved sharing and learning more about each other and couldn't deem the idea to be apart, and that's when we knew.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
It had been almost three years of dating, and Soumya was getting anxious as to when Neil would propose. Being the type A person she is, she had already picked out the ring and knew it was coming, but when? She knew it would be in 2022, so every weekend, she made sure to dress up and got her nails done around the clock every 3 weeks (a girl must be prepared). We were halfway through the year, and Soumya was getting a bit hopeless that it wasn't going to happen soon. Cut to one weekend in July when Soumya is getting ready for what she thought was her friend's engagement brunch. Her friend had recently gotten engaged and invited Soumya and Neil to the engagement brunch her family was throwing, with the dress code being fancy. While Neil was anxiously getting ready, Soumya was taking her sweet time watching Love Island because she knew her friend knew she ran on Indian Standard Time (IST). Before we got to the brunch destination, her friend had texted her to meet outside for pictures as it was a gorgeous day in the Seaport District in Boston. While approaching the restaurant, there were no signs of an engagement brunch, and the guests were not to be seen, but Soumya didn't think twice about it because they were probably inside the restaurant setting up, right? Wrong....the entire brunch was a decoy so Neil could get Soumya dressed up and to the Seaport district area (one of the first places they explored in Boston as friends). He got down on one knee and popped the question, to which Soumya replied, "Are you really trying to upstage my friend's engagement brunch"? Still down on one knee, he had to explain - the entire brunch was a setup, and it was their proposal day. We don't remember too much of the rest of what was said, but it was a beautiful moment to have the love of my life propose, and my best friend captured the moment!
From there commenced phase II of the proposal --- lunch at our favorite Indian spot. As Soumya opened the door, she saw her Dad's gleaming smile and lost it! Both sets of parents and sisters had flown to Boston from NC to surprise us and share the moment. Lunch was filled with laughter and amazing food. For phase III of this proposal, Soumya unknowingly played into it by suggesting the families check out a rooftop bar in the Seaport district. Little did she know that our closest friends and family had flown in from around the country and Canada to surprise and celebrate with the two of us. The rest of the day was one for the books filled with love, food, laughter, and the best memories with our family!!
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew I wanted to honor my Telugu roots during the wedding and opted to do so by wearing not one but TWO sarees for the big day. After the muhurtam (auspicious time), ladies in my family changed into traditional white and red sarees, so I had the privilege of picking out two of my favorite sarees. I went shopping in Bangalore and Vishakapatnam with my mother and my aunts to select the two sarees. Since I knew one would be red and white, I wanted to incorporate a non-traditional color for my other saree. I've always loved lavender and sage green, so it was a matter of looking at different sarees and patterns. Once we started shopping, lavender spoke to me, and it was the one! I incorporated heavy gold and silver embroidery on my blouses to match the saree and chose to do two different draping styles (one for each saree) during the ceremony. Honoring my roots and incorporating my own style meant a lot to me.
I had Pinterested "Anushree Reddy" designs on my "future wedding" board as a freshman in college and knew I wanted to wear her designs. Fate had it; I found the perfect AR lehenga in Bangalore for my reception. I've also admired Shubika Sharma's designs and journey and worked closely with Papa Don't Preach to customize my mehendi outfit and worked with Kynah and Aisha Rao to find the perfect outfit the spoke "bridal but make it fun and light to dance in" for my Sangeet. Each and every outfit made me feel like a princess, and I absolutely loved working with all of the artisans to create them!
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our muhurtam (auspicious time) was on a Sunday morning at 9:59 am, and the one thing I did not want as a bride was to get less than 3 hours of sleep before the wedding. I'm in awe of brides who stay up until midnight for their Sangeet and swiftly go into hair and makeup 2 hours later for their wedding; however, I knew I could not be one of them. While our families toyed with the idea of having the Sangeet on Saturday night, we really didn't want our families, bridal parties, or ourselves to have to be up until 12am or longer on Sangeet night, followed by hair and makeup calls starting just three hours later. Prioritizing rest and beauty sleep, we advocated for a break day on Saturday where family and guests could sleep in and recharge. Our guests absolutely LOVED it! The break day allowed us to utilize two different venues in different local cities (Bay 7 in Durham and Marriott Crabtree in Raleigh) and create distinct vibes for the Sangeet, Ceremony, and Reception. It also meant the party lasted longer after the Sangeet on Friday, with mini after-parties forming. Our out-of-town guests got to explore the area while our college friends were able to reconnect and kindle. Last but not least, our favorite part was it gave us one more day to hang out with all of our loved ones under one roof!
Join us in reliving these mesmerizing moments, and may you find inspiration for your fairytale.
