Happy Wednesday, Maharanis! I'm so excited to share with you Nikki & Krishna's wedding festivities. Our lovebirds had known each other for many years but it was college who brought them together and allowed them to turn their friendship into a beautiful relationship. The proposal is as beautiful as their love story so don't miss it down below in our bride's own words! Maharani Nikki planned the wedding herself and Utopian Events helped her along the way to have the decor of her dreams! The RP Funding Center welcomed Nikki & Krishna with their loved ones to witness their union, but before tying the knot Bhowmik Dave Photography captured some stunning pictures where Maharani Nikki flaunted a delightful white and gold lengha Purva Couture created following our bride's vision with a flawless makeup by Michele Renee The Studio! I'm sure Raja Krishna wowed everyone in a unique turquoise sherwani! The beautiful ceremony took place under a square glass mandap that allowed a full vision of the perfect draping as the backdrop. Head to the full gallery to see all the images captured by Bhowmik Dave Photography!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Krishna and I have actually known each other for many years since we are family friends. I didn't actually get to know him until college when we both attended the University of Florida. We instantly became friends and began to hang out more often. There wasn't really a time of knowing "he was the one." Our relationship just developed over time until we both started realizing it was more than just a friendship.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
It was an extremely hot and humid day. I got a fever the night before. I was actually staying at my best friend's house that night, she was in on the whole thing. The next morning, I was supposed to go on a date with Krishna. We were going to go watch a movie and get some dinner. After the movie, Krishna had me change into a dress saying that dinner was going to be at a slightly fancy restaurant. As we parked the car, I noticed Krishna left his suit jacket on. The heat is his absolute enemy, so I knew something was fishy about him leaving his jacket on. I tried to feel his jacket pockets, but they were empty, so I didn't think further into it. We strolled through downtown Tampa, near the river walk, and watched the beginning of the sunset. As we continued to walk, there was a man drawing caricatures. Immediately, Krishna begged me to get a drawing of us. I agreed because he has always wanted to get one done of us and the price seemed too good to pass up. After a while, the artist had us stand up in our spots. He proceeded to tell us that he actually had two paintings of us and that we could choose which one we wanted. He turned both paintings around, one was just a scribble of Krishna and me, and the other was an actual, professional painting of us in that same location, with the same exact outfits on. The only surprise was that in the painting, Krishna was on one knee with a ring in his hand! As I turned to look at him, he was on one knee with a ring in his hand just like in the painting. My fever stood no chance against the excitement and love I felt in that moment. I teared up and said yes to my now husband.
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.
I was completely against having a wedding planner because I wanted to plan everything myself. I had to do a ton of research on all of the vendors I wanted. There was a lot of follow up and back and forth emails that happened throughout the planning process. My decorator, Kinjal with Utopian Events, was amazing. She really worked with me in terms of the color scheme, layout of the hall, etc. She definitely went above and beyond to help with whatever and whenever I needed her. The venue was the RP Funding center. They did a good job in terms of organizing, but I think there was a lack of communication with everyone that was part of the hall setup and food costs, etc. The outfit was probably one of the easiest things to choose because I knew what colors and style I wanted the outfit to be beforehand. My designer, Purva, was a bit skeptical about the color combination of my outfit, but I think she made it work very well together. Hair and makeup were done by Michelle Renee Studios. They did a pretty good job on everyone's hair and makeup; however, they did go over by almost 2 hours, which delayed our pictures and the entire wedding in general. The wedding definitely wouldn't have been possible without my family and friends accommodating to the delay. In the end, everyone seemed to enjoy the wedding and I was able to make unforgettable memories with all of my friends and family.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I had the color and style in mind before going to India for wedding shopping. Once we got to India, it was a matter of finding the right designer to show me or design something that matched my ideas.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Cake tasting! I'm a huge foodie, so that was something I looked forward to during the entire process. Also, when I was able to cross thing off of my to-do list and watch it shorten every day.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The guests loved all of the food that was served. They also were blown away when we left in a helicopter after the wedding.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My favorite moment was when the last ferra happens and the bride and groom have to try to sit in their chair first. As soon as the last ferra happened, all of my bridesmates (cousins) and bridesmaids rushed to help me get to the chair before Krishna. It was awesome to see how much unity we have and how much support they give me in any endeavor of my life. Plus, we can't help but always be on top.
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.
For both the mehndi and vidhi nights, my friends and cousins actually did all of the decor at home, even the backdrops. They did such an amazing job that guests were asking who designed the backdrop, etc. A few of my friends even did a dance. A couple of the girls even told my mom that normally they wouldn't dance, but they had to do something special for my wedding.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Plan early! It's never too early to start because there's always going to be the little things that you remember last minute and will have to take care of. It's better to get the big things finalized early on in the planning process. More importantly, don't forget to enjoy your wedding. Sometimes the stress can be overwhelming and you just have to take a step back and enjoy everything and let family and friends handle the small issues that will and always arise.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
I actually made my entire bouquet from scratch. I wanted to put the idols of Lord Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami in my bouquet and was hard to find something that was pre-made with a space big enough for the idols. I'm definitely glad I spent a few hours making it because I was able to make the bouquet exactly how I wanted and feel proud about making so important for my own wedding.
Don't miss our next post where we are going to reveal their lovely wedding reception!
Hair & Makeup: Michele Renee The Studio |
Photography: Bhowmik Dave Films & Photography |
Ceremony Venue: RP Funding Center |
Floral & Decor: Utopian Events |
Catering: DinnerBell Indian Fine Cuisine |
DJ: B and S music entertainment |
Baraat: Misty Blue Acres Carriage Company |
Bridal Fashion: Purva Couture |
Cake & Treats: A Piece of Cake |
Cinematography: Pixology by Shray |
Event Designer: Utopian Events |
Transportation: MaxFlight Helicopter Services Inc.
Michele Renee The Studio and
Bhowmik Dave Films & Photography
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