Hello, ladies! We are so happy to be back with another romantic and inspiring story! If you are a wedding aficionado like we are, you will be thrilled to know that we are revisiting Elena & Rishi's wedding bash! Yes, you read right! Today's love story was featured in our Films Blog a couple of months ago thanks to the fantastic cinematography created by Joseph Minasi Studios. And, you loved it so much that we wanted to give you a second chance to enjoy it. This time around, you will be delighted by the visual masterpieces captured by Erum Rizvi Photography, and believe us, this is one spectacular event that you don't want to miss! We love how this photographic studio captured the most beautiful moments of these lovebirds' big day, allowing us to witness and enjoy every ceremony as if we were there! From the wedding ceremony to the grand reception party, both celebrated at The Palace at Somerset; everything was breathtaking. And in case you were wondering who orchestrated such a spectacular event, it was none other than Events By Ridhi P, who took care of everything down o the smallest detail. And the awesome decor that set the mood for the different wedding activities was crafted by the talented team from Rangoli Weddings. We particularly loved the sweet and charming wedding ceremonies. And we are almost sure there was not a single dry eye at this cornucopia of beauty and traditional flair, as the love and tenderness of Elena & Rishi will make you drop a couple of tears of happiness. So, you might want to have your tissue box handy before taking a look at today's awesome gallery. We are sure you will love it and will take tons of inspiring ideas!
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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
When I was visiting home during my freshman year of college, I really wanted to go to this party with my friends. Luckily, one of Rishi's cousins introduced the both of us at this party. It was an instant connection once we started to talk about a TV show we both like. Little did I know that at the age of 19 I was going to meet my soulmate and best friend. After 8.5 years, I still think about that day when we first met and feel extremely blessed to have such an amazing relationship with him.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I have been planning for this day since I was a little girl, so of course I knew what I wanted (well at least for the Christian dress). Luckily, I had a lot of support when I went shopping for my dresses. For my Indian bridal lengha, I knew it was the one once I saw it in Nazranaa. It was everything I wanted--a velvet and burgundy material. When I went to Castle Couture for my Christian wedding dress, it was a bit more complicated because I was so overwhelmed with the dress selections. But, I knew I wanted an off white, lace wedding dress with either 3/4th or long sleeves, so that helped narrow it down. After trying on several dresses, I felt super indecisive between a few dresses and wanted to sleep on it. So I went back a few weeks later and thank gosh Matthew Christopher was there for his trunk show! Once I tried on his dress, it was everything I ever dreamed of since I was a little girl. Lastly, for my reception wedding dress, I was able to get it customized. I wanted it to be a very glamorous one piece dress that was a representation of both cultures (with of course a lot of sparkles). I think they were able to nail my vision because I could not wait to wear it once I saw what it looked like!
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part was definitely the end of the night on the dance floor! I finally felt all of the pre-wedding stress lifted off of my shoulders. I was able to see all of our ideas come together and everyone having a great time. I had a dream team of vendors and I honestly would not know what I would do without them through this whole wedding process. I literally bugged them all the time whenever I had a concern or question. They made my wedding day a dream and I could not thank them enough! I was actually upset at the end of the night because I did not want that to be the last time I ever saw them since we grew so close and truly considered them to be friends.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests loved the way we incorporated both of our cultures. For the Hindu ceremony, we had the traditional Baraat and Indian food, and then we transitioned to the Christian ceremony in the afternoon. We also had a Mariachi band during cocktail hour, which everyone loved! Our venue (The Palace at Somerset Park) had amazing food and drinks as well.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Brides-to-be—It is super important to establish a connection with your vendors! Definitely do your research because some vendors may not have the same style or vision that you want for your wedding day. Also, be patient and remain calm. Stuff that you are unable to control will happen, just go with it! On your wedding day, things may run late, your dupatta may keep falling off, guests who said they would attend do not show up, you slip during your first dance, you do not eat anything until the end of the night, but at the end of the day NONE of that matters. You literally do not care because you are too excited and happy to let it bother you, so have fun! All of the stress and planning will be worth it because at the end of the day, you are marrying your best friend in front of everyone you love.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
We would like to thank all of our amazing vendors, family, and friends for being a part of our special day! We are so blessed to have such amazing people in our lives.
If you love this type of content, make sure to join us on Monday for more!
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