Today, I am particularly keen to present to you one the most vivacious Indian Wedding ever captured by the smart eye of Epique Cinema! From traditional ceremonies, to stormtroopers and Darth Vader, this wedding is a must see! Jaya and Shovaen’s awesome wedding celebrations initiate with a cozy intimate haldi celebration, that gathered the couple’s closest family and friends. For this event, Jaya wore a colorful vintage salwar and dupatta, taken out especially from her mother's wardrobe! KM Henna Artistry had the pleasant responsibility to make sure the bride and all women in the family had a brilliant mehndi design at a fun mehndi night. The InterContinental Dallas was the scenario for the sangeet, a night that bursted in colors, music, and bhangra dance. The big day arrived and the ceremony was a red dream thanks to RaoFactor. Blush & Glow helped Maharani Jaya fit perfectly in her spectacularly intricate ceremony lehenga and custom-made dupatta that left us spellbound. And before we could say "I Do", the reception party arrived! I take my hat off for Jaya and Shovaen’s guests, they seriously know how to party and Desi Junctions’ high energy Bollywood beats, provided the fuel for a night of pure euphoria. Maharani Jaya had a geeky surprise for her Star Wars enthusiast husband and shocked all their guests, who enjoyed taking a few snaps with the “Dark Lord”! The yummy moment of the reception was provided by Delicious Cakes, who made a special creation for the newlyweds. All of these fantastic events were perfectly orchestrated by experts from The One Event. If you want to witness the electrifying magic of this unique Indian wedding hit play and keep your eyes wide open!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Shovaen and I met online. I am a Dallas girl, born and raised. He is from Tampa. Shovaen had been living in Dallas area for 6 years and we never crossed paths! But, sure enough we met on a website and started messaging each other and hit it off. I knew he was the one over time. It was the little things, making sure I was safe and comfortable. His love of family is what really drew me to him. He is genuinely the nicest person I have ever met and makes me want to be better every day.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Shovaen planned an entire date day. We went to see a musical and then went to the Nasher Sculpture Museum in downtown Dallas. We were walking into the sculpture garden and I could hear music playing- it was Etta James "At Last". I was already in tears. We walked up to a deck area and he had a cute set up with champagne and flowers. He got down on one knee and proposed and then I saw my closest friends and family running towards us to congratulate us! It was the best.
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 decided to have a shorter engagement and just go for it. I always heard "you need at least a year" but we were able to do it in a little over 8 months. We cleared the weekend and timing with our temple and the hotel venue we loved was also available which was awesome. After that, it all just fell into place and we were able to secure most of our vendors pretty quick since we started planning immediately after the proposal.
We had an idea of an 'around the world food cart' theme for our Sangeet. Our decorator (RaoFactor) was able to make the vision I had of food stalls a reality, blending all the color choices. I had in mind and seamlessly creating a consistent and lively look and feel across the room. Some examples of food stations include the Gujurat Chaat House with pani puri, behl puri (really any puri you could want), East Africa where guests could enjoy fresh coconut juice (my husband’s parents grew up in East Africa), Lucknow, where my father is from included signature Lucknowi kebabs and biryani. My mother’s hometown, Haryana, housed Kulfi Falooda and Indian Sweets. London’s menu included fish pakora and potato pakora chips, Florida’s eats were shrimp and tropical fruits, while Texas offered paneer and chicken tikka tacos.
Our wedding ceremony was a day time event with lots of natural light shining into the hotel's garden court. It was fresh and bright, with lots of floral and light hues complimented by bursts of maroon. Shaun, our wedding designer added in some large elephants at the entrance where the aisle began. It added a bit of drama and a focal point which was perfect for pictures.
Our reception was a darker, more sexy vibe with lots of deep reds and maroons. The lighting in a venue, I feel, can transform the mood and Desi Junctions was able to do that. They took the night from dinner into dancing, with candlelights being the hero at the beginning of the night, to glow sticks, lasers and spotlights into the night. They were able to make the crowd feel like we were at a concert with their insane LED walls, lighting, and of course amazing music. We wanted everyone to enjoy the dance floor and I feel we had the perfect blend of bhangra, Bollywood and hip hop.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew I wanted maroon and I knew I wanted to have a traditional look. I was lucky enough to go to India to shop with my parents. We focused our shopping in Delhi which had an overwhelming selection of bridal outfits. I ended up seeing this particular lengha in the back of a boutique being worked on by a craftsman. The beading on the skirt was so intricate and detailed and I fell in love with it before it was even closed to finished. They ended up finishing the lengha off and customizing it for me by creating the dupatta in the peach color I always imagined. I loved the contrast of the light and dark.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
We received lots of compliments on the food throughout the weekend (especially sangeet stalls) as well as the decor. At the reception, Darth Vader, storm troopers, jump rope and of course, the music/dance floor/lighting was a huge hit. Also, the milk and cookies bar at the reception got a lot of action.
Also, my mom's speech was a tear jerker, everyone always comments on her off the cuff speech being one of the best parts of the wedding.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My husband and I have talked about it and for us, while the entire weekend was wonderful, it was the reception. It was so amazing to have literally everyone we each care for so much in one room. Family, friends, grandparents...everyone. That will likely never happen again, so it's something we treasure.
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