Lisa & Rohit’s union, born from destiny’s design, unfolded like a living fable amidst the serenity of Hawaiian tides. Their love story, initiated in an intimate Indiana wine bar, was sealed with a picturesque proposal amidst Central Park’s cherry blossoms.
Their wedding, a radiant melding of Rohit’s Hindu heritage and Lisa’s Christian roots was a canvas of cultural richness and elegance, meticulously crafted by Mira Savara Events. Lisa, adorned in a dream-like ensemble of blue, green, and hints of pink designed by Nazranaa, deviated from the traditional red, marking a radiant yet empowered look on her big day.
A symphony of personalized touches was woven throughout the celebration. A close knit fabric of culture was evident as Lisa voiced her vows in Hindi. The vibrancy of their union echoed in the exhilarating dance performances at the Sangeet, choreographed by Soni Choreography. The blossoms adorning the ceremony, courtesy of Always Flowers 808, later brought joy to a local nursing home, a testament to Lisa & Rohit’s generous spirits. Their fur child was included at the reception with the depiction of their cherished mini Goldendoodle, Tali, on the wedding cake by Cake Works.
Their wedding wasn’t just a union but a celestial dance of moments and cultures under the starlit skies, echoing love’s boundless, transcendent reach and the enchanting melody composed when two hearts unite as one.
Congratulations Lisa & Rohit!
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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Rohit and I met online after we both divorced. We both pretty much resigned ourselves to living single, independent lives after both of our prior marriages did not work out. We were both living in Indiana at the time, and I had recently accepted a position that would move me to New York City. When we met online and started talking, it was amazing! It was like we had known each other forever. Everything was so easy, and the conversation just flowed...and never seemed to stop. The day we met online and started texting and then talking by phone, Rohit said, "I don't know how spontaneous you are, but how would you like to have dinner with me?" I said yes and met him later that evening. From the moment we met in person, the conversation never seemed to end. So much so that we never really got past ordering a bottle of wine at the wine bar we met at, and we talked so long that the restaurant's kitchen closed before we could order food -- we didn't really notice as we had been talking for hours. During the course of our conversation, I shared with Rohit that I had been recruited to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan and would be moving in a couple of months. His reply? "Well, I like big cities, and I love to travel!" The rest was history.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
It was a gorgeous spring day, and we went for a walk in Central Park to see the cherry blossoms. They were in full bloom, and the park was packed with people enjoying the blooms. That is where he popped the question. Afterward, we took a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through the park.
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.
Rohit grew up Hindu, and I grew up Christian, but I knew that I wanted to have a full Indian wedding, which is somewhat unbelievable considering the fact that I had never been to an Indian wedding. Family is very important as is spirituality, and we both felt strongly that the Universe allowed our paths to cross for a reason, and to find your soulmate at whatever age was an incredible blessing that we wanted to honor. We actually started planning the wedding to either be in the Midwest or New Jersey/NYC area, where we had homes. However, when we started the planning process, it started feeling like we were in our 20s and this was our first marriage. So, we quickly realized that a destination wedding made more sense. We pretty quickly decided on Hawai'i partly because we love the islands but also because it would be fairly easy for our family in India to get to. When we decided on Hawai'i, we scoured online websites and blogs and actually found an incredible Indian wedding planner - Mira Savara - in Oahu. We had a video call with Mira, and she made us feel at ease and walked us through every little detail from the Hindu priest we would fly in from the mainland to venues to menus. As the only Indian wedding planner in the Hawaiian Islands, she was very well-connected and able to talk through our vision and connect us with the right local vendors.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Living in New Jersey for part of the time made the bridal lehenga slightly easier than it might be otherwise. I happened to come across a YouTube show called Nazraana Diaries, which was a bit of an Indian version of 'Say Yes to the Dress'. After seeing this show, we made an appointment with Shia, one of the co-owners and dress designers, to look at dresses. I didn't go with a color in mind but rather a color I didn't want. As most people know, red is the traditional color, but I don't really like red, so I knew that I didn't want a red lehenga. Rohit and I both love the color blue. Shia asked me a few questions to get to know me and then brought out 3 dresses. The 3rd one was the one. It combined sparkle with blue, green, and hints of pink and was so gorgeous. It was the dress I always dreamt of without ever really thinking about it. It was perfect!
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was having someone truly my equal in Rohit as part of the planning process. He was equally invested in the beauty of this wedding, and it made the planning process special.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think they loved the fact that it was in Hawai'i. Because it was a destination wedding, our guests were not really guests -- they were family or friends who were more like family. Our wedding was the first week of January and more than one told us that we should have an annual anniversary trip and re-create the week every year in Hawai'i. Funny (...but not a bad point)
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Even though this was an Indian/Hindu wedding, there were pieces folded into our wedding that symbolized my culture and background. My mother and brother, Jonathan, walked me down the aisle to a song that was special to me and Rohit. My good friend, Heather, read a poem by Dr. Maya Angelou. But I think the thing that stands out most is we decided to exchange personal vows that we wrote. I surprised Rohit and everyone at the wedding by saying my vows in Hindi, initially followed by the English translation for my side of the family. Rohit's cousin - Anjela - helped me translate and learn my vows for months leading up to the wedding. It was incredibly special and a moment I will always cherish.
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.
Our sangeet was amazing, and one of the most special components was the choreographed dance that our adult kids and their cousins performed. Soni with Soni Choreography created such a fun routine for Jalebi Baby and Kala Chashma with sunglasses and all. It was so much fun, and everyone loved the performance. We also had a blast with our Soni choreographed routine, which was performed to Zaalima and Morne Banki. I think my husband surprised his entire family with his dance moves, and it was so special to be able to share the fun side of our adventurous spirit with everyone.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
I think the best thing to remember is to go into your day focused on the love and not the details. While the details may seem important, the love is what brought you to this moment and is what will persevere throughout the rest of your days. Enjoying the moments of the day with love and gratitude is the most important thing and will allow you to have memories to cherish for the rest of your days.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
As a couple that was blending a family of adult kids during the pandemic, we adopted a mini golden doodle who has truly become our 'baby'. Her name is Tali (after Italia, our favorite country to visit). Since we were having a destination wedding in Hawai'i, we were unable to bring her with us, but we still wanted to include her in our special day. So we found an artist on Etsy who took a picture of Tali and created a miniature figurine of her that we then delivered to the bakery, Cake Works, and they included her in the bottom layer of the 3 tiered cake. She is 'peeking' out from the bottom of the cake layer. It was adorable, and everyone loved it!
In addition, we had such incredibly fresh and fragrant flowers that brought a rainbow of colors into the day. The mandap was covered with hanging flowers throughout, and it was incredibly special. My husband and I are both in healthcare and did not want the flowers to go to waste after the wedding so our wedding planner arranged for the flowers to be delivered to a local nursing facility to be enjoyed by the residents. That was amazing!
Come back for more tales, loves; until then, stay inspired and cherish the love surrounding you!
