Take a peek into Divya & Sasikant’s stunning Miami wedding on the Platinum Guide Blog!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
It was a beautiful New York evening, the Manhattan skyline twinkling by the Hudson River, I felt a warmth that seemed to settle in right away. There was something gentle and genuine about our encounter, like we had stumbled upon a quiet understanding. Our conversation flowed easily, weaving together stories of our favorite city spots, food, family and life’s aspirations. It was more like two friends hanging out together, and catching up on all the recent life adventures. I just remember laughing a lot. He had a great sense of humor, the kind that was so comforting and exhilarating. In that moment, I knew I wanted to explore more of life with this person by my side.
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.
Our wedding was a traditional South Indian Brahmin wedding. From the day we decided to tie the knot, we sat down with our parents and learnt about all the rituals and their significance. Several FaceTime calls later, we came up with a date! We started looking for venues in Miami. JW Marriott Turnberry is a beautiful resort, and it was a perfect blend of contemporary and classic architecture. Design and decor were very important to us, we put in a lot of thought into what captures our essence and culture, but also to keep it very modern and romantic. All the colors and aesthetics really complemented our outfits and fit the overall regal-romantic theme very well. All the time we spent with our families to understand the customs, we shared those insights with our guest on the ritual cards, so they could also follow what was happening and the relevance of it, In a way our guest could be a part of it and share those sentiments with us in that moment. We went to several tastings for food, we wanted to serve a wide spread of food, that everyone could enjoy. We curated the menu in a way that it would have some south indian dishes on the menu, some north indian and a few fusion food items.
The ceremony was in the early morning, before the sunrise, and yet so much energy, high spirits, contagious smiles and joy all around, and of course lots of coffee & snacks. We both were dressed in tradtional silk outfits. As I bride, I was adorned in temple Jewelry and some heirloom jewelry that has been in the family for over four decades. I had a long braid that was coiled with strings of jasmine flowers under the gold veil that was draped over the head, which completed the bridal look. The smell of jasmine is also a core memory now, and it somehow takes me back to our wedding day! But as the sun was rising, we walked around the holy fire and soon we were officially Mr & Mrs. After a late night wedding the live dosa station and south indian Breakfast catered by @the fifth element was cherry on the cake.
The sangeet- was the evening after our wedding. We wanted it to be an after-wedding event once all the serious stuff was done, we wanted a more fun, relaxed time with our guests, to enjoy music, food, and dancing. We chose our outfits accordingly, so we could really dance our hearts out. I wore an Archana Shah lehenga that was bright, beautiful, and easy to carry. We had a unique mix of Hindi, English, and Telugu music, and had a great time celebrating our love. Every dance performance was so unique and had a personal story behind it, which made the night even more special. Our hearts were exploding with all the love and joy.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
As a traditional South Indian bride, I knew I would wear a Kanchipuram saree. The madhuparkam- essentially a white saree with Red border, I knew I wanted to do something different for both of us. I picked an ivory gold and lavender silk saree from Gowri Signatures.As for the first bridal saree, I had a red saree in mind. To make it different from the madhuparkam, I opted for a red meenakari saree from a local weaver in Hyderabad with floral patterns and birds on it.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning was learning about all the rituals and understanding their significance, what they meant to us and our families. And being a designer myself, I truly enjoyed designing every little detail of our wedding with Betel leaf Co.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our wedding was a small, intimate family affair. We had our families and both of our closest friends attend our events. It was filled with so much joy and everybody coming together from all over made it a lot of fun. Everybody enjoyed the decor and food that reflected our true Hyderabad essence. Our venue was JW Marriott Turnberry, and the ballroom was reimagined as a beautiful, palace-like, intricate mirror work structure with blush flowers, chandeliers, and candles. It was a perfect blend of Modern and traditional design. We worked closely with @Suhaag Garden.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
I think a moment that is etched prominently in my memory is the "Panigrahanam" ritual from our wedding ceremony. The anticipation on either side of the curtain around the time of Panigrahanam and Jeelakara Bellam unfolds like a timeless poem for us. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but the moment Sasikant's hands clasped mine from the other side, it was our first day of forever. Everyone and all the chaos around us faded away, as we looked at each other and promised to love, respect, and laugh a little bit more each day!
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
I always wondered why weddings are so emotional….As a bride, you are standing at the cusp of the past and the future. So you pivot. It’s like a beautiful tapestry of love and heritage. It is natural to get overwhelmed, and get hung up on some small details, customs or missing the most important person in your life. What's important is to ask for help, delegate, or simply take a break from the planning and go on a nice date and enjoy.
It was clear this wasn’t just a celebration, it was a love letter to their families, and to each other.
