Happy Tuesday, darlings! Get ready to enjoy Sindu & Kunj's wedding in today's Platinum Guide Blog.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
It was the most magical, adventurous proposal ever - simple, but adrenaline-pumping. Kunj was doing a rotation during his medical residency near Allentown, PA and we were doing semi-long distance with him coming back on the weekends, while I worked in Philly. He decided to surprise me with a trip to the Poconos one weekend and planned a stay at a cute, rustic (not to mention healthy homecooking) B&B named Santosha on the Ridge. After we had breakfast there, he took me to a placed called Mountain Creek Riding Stable and we galloped off down a bunch of trails with each of us on our own horses. While I was busy trying to keep my horse named Boots steady, little did I know he was carrying a ring box in his pocket the entire time. As we brought our horses back to the stable, he got down on one knee (while I was still sitting on Boots) and revealed the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. I almost blacked out from sheer excitement before I said yes and Boots almost thought the ring was an apple. Haven't looked back since :)
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part was definetly planning the look and taste of the cake. I absolutely love dessert, especially cakes and have over-the-top visions for how a cake should look (brainwashed by those baking shows on the Food Network). When it came to my wedding, the whole theme was peacocks (the mandap, one of my blouses, almost everything was modeled after this theme). So, with the cake, I wanted to plan a beautiful pink cake with these gorgeous pink peacocks and silver garnishes. And it was so fulfilling to work with a baker in NJ (Palermo's Bakery) over virtual calls dishing ideas back and forth, especially as she tried to make my vision come to life by sketching out these cakes and showing pictures via text message. In the end, it not only tasted amazing but was also gorgeous to look at!
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
During COVID time, my guests loved the fact that Kunj and I, along with our families, wanted so much to make this special moment one to remember for the ages. My mother along with the entire wedding planning team worked so hard to make this wedding that initially was meant for a larger group so special and beautiful, despite having a smaller number of guests. While they say Indian weddings are more about the family and not the individuals, I would beg to differ in this case. I would say our love and joy during this event was more about us even as we may have participated in rituals/traditions near and dear to our family. Our attitude in making the best out of the situation and having so much fun created an infectious, happy atmosphere that was rubbing off on everyone.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
When my mother took the microphone to say some words, she mentioned that even as a little child, I sought happiness over money and she was so happy i found a partner that shared that same vision - that happiness in life was more important to go after than any other standard or metric. That moment plays over and over in my mind as it reminds me that no matter what I do in my marriage and in life from here on out, I am always going to make sure that I am swimming in happiness. And most importantly my mother wanted to support me in that journey by recognizing the value of a quality that I had long thought no one in my culture growing up was also chasing. Here was my mother saying this to me and giving me the freedom to go explore and build a different type of marriage.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Don't let disappointments or stressful moments in wedding planning/the wedding itself bring you down. In the end, this is a day to celebrate you finding your partner and having your family welcome you into your new stage of life. And if you still feel that you missed out a key element of your big day, you can always plan another separate ceremony. With COVID disrupting my original wedding date and marriage license plans, I now am on my third marriage (zoom ceremony, hindu non legal ceremony, and the legal ceremony) to the same person - plenty of opportunities to celebrate.
