Maharanis, I have THE perfect wedding to end our work week! Kiran & Varun's wedding has made me fall in love with California's coast again! This duo celebrated not one but two wedding ceremonies and we have all the deets for you. TK Weddings was behind the lenses working their magic and oh boy did they captured some fantastic images showcasing their intimate Sikh wedding ceremony and their Hindu nuptials at The Plaza at Via Cabrillo Marina where the ocean was the perfect backdrop representing Kiran & Varun's love for this beautiful state. The celebrations began with Kiran getting her hair and makeup done by Dolled Up by Lulu to surprise not only her squad but also her soon to be hubby in a romantic first look near the docks. Three Petals was in charge of bringing our lovebirds' vision to life and had the perfect space to do so, the mandap sat surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful trees and was adorned with fuchsia bougainvilleas (Kiran's favorite flower) and different shades of roses! Get your daily dose of inspiration by going into our full gallery!
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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Varun and I met in college. We were assigned to be each other's Chemistry lab partners for a semester. Chemistry was one of my tougher subjects, and whenever I would feel overwhelmed in the Chemistry lab, he would find ways to make me laugh. He is one of the smartest, wittiest people I know, and knew exactly how to cheer me up. We became fast friends, and, after that semester, spent more time together and eventually started dating. There are so many different moments that remind me how much Varun is my soulmate. It was those early moments in college taking study breaks to walk underneath the beautiful stars and talk about life. It was when we went to medical school in different states, surviving the long hours and long distance together knowing that we would be able to video chat at the end of the day. It was knowing we would end up together wherever we were. When we both matched for residency in California, it was one of the best days of our lives. We were so happy to finally be together in a place that we loved. He is so sincere in every aspect of his life. He brings out the best in me and is truly my soulmate.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Varun and I had planned a trip to Chicago to visit his cousin. I drove to meet him in St. Louis, and when I got there, he seemed so excited. I walked in and there were balloons attached to the ceiling. He made a game of popping the balloons with a Nerf bow and arrow, and in each balloon was a puzzle that read "STL to LAX." It turns out we were actually flying to LA for surprise trip that he had planned (and I had packed for the cold Chicago weather!). It was so sweet, and I was so oblivious to the fact that he was going to propose. When we got into LA, he drove us to Laguna Beach. There, he pretended to have a stomachache for 40 minutes. I was very confused, but he then walked me over to the beautiful coast where, over one of the cliffs, I saw in the sunny light what looked like our families (who live all across the US). I became even more confused until we walked down the steps to see the giddy faces of our parents and siblings. They all told me they had planned a weekend getaway surprise trip! I was so excited. It was not until the next day when he took me to Heisler Park, that I realized he was going to propose. It was such an emotional and surreal moment. He had a decorated a beautiful pathway with pictures of important moments in our relationship leading to an ethereal gazebo decorated with lanterns and lights. He then got down on one knee and said the sweetest speech. It was the most beautiful, romantic moment (and I could not stop crying!).
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.
Varun and I both knew from the beginning that we wanted an outdoor wedding to reflect our love of the California coast. We fell in love with the wedding venue instantly. It had lush greenery surrounded by beautiful trees with the ocean in the backdrop. It was the perfect blank canvas for to design our dream wedding. A significant part of our planning process was not only to have a beautiful outdoor venue but to also plan a wedding that was fun for our loved ones. We had family and friends traveling to come and celebrate us, and we wanted them to enjoy the California coast as much as we do. We held our reception at a hotel along the coast, and most of our guests stayed in the hotel to enjoy the beautiful views and activities in the area. At our reception, we had a program filled with lively dancing and hilarious speeches. We had a slow-motion photo booth in addition to a traditional photo booth for our guests to enjoy. It was the best getaway. We were laughing throughout our wedding and receptions.
Hair and makeup was one of the first vendors I chose! Lulu created my magical looks. I went with an updo for the Sikh wedding and put rose/jasmine petals around my bun. For the Hindu ceremony, I had an updo topped with a beautiful floral comb to match my decor. I wore a dupatta as a veil underneath. And, for the reception look, I had a side swept loose waves look that I loved.
My decor theme was jewel tones. The mandap had beautiful greenery to go with the greenery of the venue. It was adorned with fuchsia bougainvillea (my favorite coastal flower), maroon and dark pink roses as well as lighter pink roses. For the reception, we had similar flowers with a little more greenery and an emerald green sofa.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
My outfits for the wedding was one of the most exciting parts of the wedding planning ordered from Astha Narang. The Sikh Ceremony was smaller, more intimate and traditional, so I wanted to wear the beautiful classic red with a touch of floral embroidery. The Hindu Ceremony was outdoors, near the beautiful ocean, so I went with a blush/nude tone to reflect the beautiful blush tones seen with western weddings with red floral overlay to reflect the bright reds associated with Indian weddings. This gown (lengha) was truly a dream come true because they designed it exactly as I had pictured. Varun wore a traditional gold sherwani with some touches of red that beautifully matched my own. My reception outfit was one that I knew I wanted from the start. I went with a champagne/ivory tone, with bronze floral embroidery. Varun wore a rich navy blue suit that was perfect for our oceanview venue.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part for me were the parts that I got to plan with my loved ones. Looking for venues was so much fun, but with our busy schedules, Varun and I would often have to go separately to do some of the planning. So the best part was the vendors we got to see together, especially the food and cake tasting. It was so much fun.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
To this day, our guests tell us how much fun they had at our wedding. People said they enjoyed the parts of the wedding that were traditional, including Jutta chupai, milni, and the ceremony itself, but that we provided information on the ceremony.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The most special moment to me was walking up to the mandap during the Hindu wedding. I saw my family and Varun's family first as I entered surrounded by my brothers. But then I saw Varun with tears in his eyes, and all I could see was him. It was such a beautiful moment that I will cherish forever.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Everything will come together. There are some details you hone in on so specifically during the planning process (and they make the wedding so unique to you), but on the day of, don't focus on these details. Just enjoy each other and spending time together; this is your moment to be with the person you love and celebrate with your closest family and friends.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
My mendhi designer was Anjali Henna, and she was amazing. She added lotus flowers to our design and created a lot of beautiful negative space leaves that was just perfect. It was also such a special mendhi event because my best friend hosted it at her apartment and made it tropical themed. I absolutely loved it. She also designed an adorable guestbook for us.
One of the ways we stayed within budget was the help of our lovely friends (our bridal party). One of my best friends put together the bouquets for us, and she did a beautiful job. We also enjoyed having a fun bouquet toss with our bridal party. Another bestie used her artistic talents to decorate our getaway car and design a unique wedding map for us. And finally, one of our besties created a cute program for us. We had fantastic choreographers as well, where the groomsmen created a cute dance catered to me and the bridesmaids showed off some sassy moves. With the bridal party, our parents, and siblings support, we always had people ready to grab us coffee, help decorate, and do so many things for us. It helped us so much to create the most magical day.
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