Welcome back to the whimsical and charming fusion wedding celebration of Seema and Mackenzie with the final reception party commencing at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa. The day started off with a serious glam session with Brenda's Hair Salon. The bride slipped into a gorgeous, sheer anarkali that easily one of my favorite outfits to date! Skin was left soft and sultry with classic waves that was the perfect complimentary to the lengha. My favorite aspects of this wedding were the simple and classic ones. Deepti's Floral Designs and Mandaps ensured the spacious quarters were decked out with fresh floral decor and a knockout sweetheart stage while Creative Cakes OC baked treats for the masses. Capturing all the action was Hollywood Pro Weddings and you can find the full gallery awaiting your arrival. Read down below for all deets straight from the Maharani.
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Mackenzie at the Escondido Renaissance Faire in 2015. We went to the festival dressed in our respective cultures, an Irish Druid and an Indian gypsy princess. The moment we saw each other, when a mutual friend wanted both of our help with an activity, there was a spark between us and the connection was instantaneous! We started off our relationship as best friends. The progression of our love parallels Rahul and Anjali's love story in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai: starting as best friends, eventually falling in love. After all, as Shah Rukh Khan said in the movie, "Pyar dosti hai!" I married my best friend and couldn't be more fortunate.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Wanting to follow an Irish proposal tradition with my Irish man, as it was considered lucky in Ireland for a woman to propose to a man on Leap Year, I opened up to my mom and dad, and his mom, about planning a proposal for him. After they agreed, I planned a road trip for Mackenzie from San Diego to Washington to meet his mother and receive her blessings. Coming down from the road trip, we stayed at a beautiful lodge near Muir Beach the night before Leap Year. The next morning, as the sun rose over the Muir Beach Overlook, I asked Mackenzie to marry me, his ring in my dress pocket, guitar in my hands, and played an original song I wrote for him, with the ending lyrics, "In this life I want to be your wife." Although he accepted my proposal, something about his reaction showed that he wasn't completely surprised (perhaps because we have talked about marriage before). It was when he drove us on a scenic but very long route to San Diego, even crossing into Nevada, when I realized something would happen. Turns out, my mom let him in on my proposal secret and had planned to counter-propose! Hence, in response to my proposal, he took me to a spot in Mammoth where the sun set behind the gorgeous snowy mountains, had a beautiful ring for me as well, and concluded our road trip by asking me the same in return. Of course, I said yes!
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.
Planning at times became difficult, as the wedding was set to take place in California and, shortly after the proposal, Mackenzie and I moved up to Washington with new job opportunities. I talked with my mom, dad, sister, and bridesmaids every single day, by email or phone, while working night shifts as a nurse. I was amazed to see how many people helped me plan this incredible wedding, including my relatives who flew in from India for the wedding! Had it not been for all the help from everyone, this wedding wouldn't have been as incredible as it turned out to be! The venues along with the decor themes were gorgeous. The planning and organization was amazing. My beautician made sure I looked flawless in my hair, makeup, and colorful, elegant outfits for the wedding and days leading into it. I truly felt like a princess the whole weekend!
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I wanted my bridal lengha to be a "shade" of red, but didn't want a true red color. I went with a deep magenta colored lengha, technically a shade of red but closer to my favorite color, pink, combined with gold elements. The magenta complimented our wedding theme perfectly, a cool, peacock theme, better than a red lengha would have. As soon as I had the idea, I told my mom and got the dress custom made in India.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
My guests enjoyed the authentic fusion between my South Indian (Kerala) culture and my husbands Celtic (Irish) culture. We could see their eyes light up as we incorporated both cultures in as many of our events as possible.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
As I walked down the aisle with my grandmother by my side, I sung an original Gaelic song I wrote and composed. This moment always replays in my head, especially the way he looked at me when I sang and walked towards him. I have that song on my iPod, and every time it plays, I become just as emotional as I did on the day of our wedding.
Do have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Brides-To-Be, have fun and enjoy every moment of it, and get a wedding planner! Planning can take months and sometimes years, all to revolve around 1-3 days, involving multiple people. Enjoy every minute of it. We all want a perfect wedding, and, trust me, it will be! If you feel stressed, get a massage, meditate, paint, go shopping, get a pedicure, go jogging, do whatever is needed for you to decompress and relax. The wedding planners will be a big help. You have bridesmaids for a reason. When the family offers to help, take it! Breathe. Let go. And enjoy the whole experience!
See you tomorrow!
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