Good morning, Maharanis! We were dying to come back to you once again to bring you the fantastic pictures captured by the talented crew of Wedding Documentary Photo, who once again delight us with their incredible work. On this first installment, we will present to you the beautiful western ceremony that was part of the fantastic fusion wedding of Ragini and Zach. Yes, you are right! We have previously showcased this event, so don't forget to relive the fabulous footage here, but today you will admire all the imagery. How great is that? We are taking you to the outdoors from the majestic Holman Ranch to witness the first ceremony! A beautiful arch with white roses and an idyllic view as a backdrop, our lovely duo said: "Yes, I do." The ceremony was beautiful and emotive, and every single detail was perfectly-planned and executed by our friends from Vermilion Weddings and well-decored by Saba Decor Rentals, who made sure to add the exact amount of charm to the wedding spot. We can't mention the dazzling look of Ragini, who walked down the aisle with a glamorous pure white dress. She trusted her beauty needs to Morsal Zarif, who did an outstanding job with her hair and makeup! Such a doll! If you want to relive this beautiful moment, visit the gallery that we prepared specially for you!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Zach and I met when we were both working in DC. On our first date, I was sitting inside at the bar and, like a gentleman, Zach was waiting outside for me! I almost left, thankful to be going back home to get in my pajamas and lay on the couch. But, we finally connected and ended up having a great time! After the date, I joke that I thought Zach was "just okay." But, on our next date, Zach took me to a Tiki Bar and that's what sealed the deal for me. It took a couple more dates for Zach to finally work up the courage to kiss me and the rest is history!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Zach and I had just moved to California and he had been dying to go wine tasting in Napa. He planned a whole day of tastings and tours. For many men, that would be a dead giveaway, but Zach can be a great planner when it comes to social activities, so I didn't think twice. On the morning that we were leaving for Napa, something hit me that maybe it was going to be the day, but Zach was wearing pants and a t-shirt and I didn't see anywhere he could have been hiding a ring box so I put the thought out of my mind! At the last second, right before we got in the car, Zach decided he wanted to go back inside and get a vest just in case it was cold. Lo and behold, that was where he was hiding the ring but I didn't notice because I had already forgotten about it at that point!
When we got to the second winery, we were a little early for our tasting time, so I asked Zach to walk into the vineyard with me so we could take a nice picture. Little did I know, I was setting him up perfectly for his proposal! He took the opportunity to get on his knee and I was so happy that I don't even remember a word that he said!
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.
Between Zach and I, we have 2 full-time jobs and at least 3 part-time jobs so planning a wedding was a challenge. We leaned a lot on the help of our friends and family, especially my parents. We found all of our vendors through a combination of recommendations from friends and internet searching. Pinterest was a great way to communicate with vendors about what we were looking for. We also used a lot of spreadsheets!
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I love forest green and forever had that in mind for the color of my dress. After going to a few stores, I just wasn't finding the green that I wanted, it's not very common for Indian bridal lehengas. I went back home and scoured the internet and found the perfect dress from a designer in India but had no idea how to get it. Somehow, Zach was able to find a retailer just a few miles from our house! They were awesome and helped get me the dress of my dreams for the wedding and a perfectly coordinated outfit for Zach.
We also had a Western ceremony where I wore a white bridal dress. The ceremony was meant to be small so I wanted something simple but, when I went to try on dresses with some of my friends, I fell in love with a beautiful ball gown! I considered looking for a different dress that was more casual but decided to stick with the one I loved and I'm so happy that I did!
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
It was fun for Zach and I to find creative ways of blending our cultures to create a wedding that was perfect for both of us and for our friends and family. It felt really special to be able to honor both of our backgrounds and learn more about each other in the process.
I enjoyed putting little touches on everything because that's where I felt like the wedding truly became unique to us. Zach also really loves music and had a great time picking out songs and working closely with our amazing DJ to create a dynamic and fun party.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?.
Many of our guests said they appreciated all of the little details and felt that everything was very thought-out, which it was! Some things that seemed small - creative cocktail names and garnishes, personalized napkins, programs and decor that matched our outfits, sunglasses for guests in the baraat, personalized coozies for cocktail hour - turned out to be really meaningful for our guests. Our venue was also amazing and a destination in itself. The beauty of the place was truly special and we were thankful to share that with our guests.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
I was walked down the aisle by 10 of my male cousins. Some of them I grew up with and some of them I was meeting for the first or second time and that was what made it so special. Whether we are near or far, family is family and we can always be there for each other. It was a reminder for me that, as much as the day was about Zach and me, it was also about honoring the village that raised us.
Zach's favorite memory was when we did our first look before our second ceremony. It was the late afternoon and we had already done a whole whirlwind ceremony in the morning so we were both exhausted. But having that moment alone was magical and gave us the energy to enjoy the rest of the day!
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.
To pick our specialty cocktails, we had a cocktail tasting night where we whipped up several different recipes and we all voted on our favorites. It turned out to be a blast!
One of my favorite decor elements of the whole weekend was this beautiful bike that our decorator had that she covered in gorgeous florals. She placed it against a tree that was also dripping with flower garlands and it turned into the perfect backdrop for photos.
For the baraat, we handed out colored smoke bombs and the whole place turned into a color explosion. It was awesome and the guests loved it! Our photographer also got some great footage from above the baraat with a drone. We also got some still pictures with the smoke bombs that turned out to be really dramatic.
For the sangeet, my parents and some of the other aunties and uncles did a great dance medley. They practiced a lot and it really showed. It was a hit! My sister and friends also choreographed big group dances which was a great way for people, even those who aren't comfortable dancing, to get on the stage!
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Getting your family and friends involved in certain aspects of the wedding is a great way to make them feel included and they'll make it really special for you. Don't feel bad asking for help - they want to do it!
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
We had an amazing group of vendors that took care of us and we can't thank them enough!
Join Ragini & Zach in their sweet Hindu union coming up next.
DJ: DJ Riz Entertainment |
Floral & Decor: Saba Decor Rentals |
DJ: DJ Riz Entertainment |
Cinematographer: Wedding Documentary Photo |
Photography: Wedding Documentary Photo |
Sangeet Venue: Holman Ranch |
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Holman Ranch |
Planning & Design: Vermilion Weddings |
Floral & Decor: Enchantment Floral |
Hair & Makeup: Morsal Zarif |
Catering: Tandoori Nights |
Catering: Jalsa |
Catering: Kona Jerry |
Catering: Bill the Oysterman |
Bartending: A Twist of Lime |
Bridal Fashions (Sabyasachi & Astha Narang): The Grand Trunk |
Bridal Fashions (Bridal Party): VAMA Designs |
Bridal Fashions (Western Dress): BHLDN |
Invitations & Wedding Stationery: Margo & Bees |
Lighting: Showbiz Event Lighting |
Live Music: Amelia Romano |
Mehndi Artist: Ravie Kattaura |
Photo Booth: Hipstr |
Transportation: Monterey Touring Vehicles |
Transportation: Main Event Rentals
DJ Riz Entertainment and
Saba Decor Rentals
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