Maharanis is so good to bring you another pre-pandemic wedding story. Sheena and Julio are a beautiful Indian Venezuelan couple that will overflow your screen with color and joy. These Californian lovebirds celebrated several auspicious pre-wedding events at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas. Both, the groom and bride's family and friends gathered at this exclusive resort to mingle and inaugurate the celebrations with a Sangeet night. Flamenco Fever Dallas entertained the guests while Jay Bharat indulged them with Indian dishes; the Sangeet was the perfect occasion to introduce the groom's side to the rich Indian cuisine and vibrant traditions. Brilliant! To honor Maharani Sheena's background, an enchanting Hindu ceremony was held in the vast gardens of Omni Rancho Las Palmas and turned out just spectacular. All the grandeur of Indian weddings' rituals were displayed under an austere yet charming draped mandap that Artisan Events created with love for the duo. Events by C helped bring come to life the wedding concept planning with meticulous organization and attention to detail every aspect of the union. The fairy godmother of brides, Dolled up by Lulu showed off her talent, creating stunning hair and makeup for Sheena that lasted from the first event to her last dance. Our today's bride completed her look with a splendid Manshaa Manshaa The Designer Studio's lehenga and coordinated colors with her dapper groom. I love how flawlessly Julio embraced his new culture and debuted as the ultimate Raja. That's great! Wahh World Fusion Band created a sophisticated and jazzy environment for the reception while Natraj Restaurants & Catering provided a top-notch dinner for the newlyweds' big night. Thanks to Rahul Rana Photography for providing such an amazing bundle of images that will transport you to this one-of-a-kind multicultural union. Click on the complete gallery and scroll down to see more!
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.
First and foremost we kept the beautiful words of Maya Angelou in mind as we adapted the motto "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Likewise, we chose our venue and vendors with the same consciousness in mind. And we cannot sing enough praises for all the beautiful people involved in making this event a success. Did I mention, our wedding was March 14, 2020? Just imagine what was going through the minds of all our guests and dedicated vendors as the world was rapidly shutting down around us all.
Julio and I area all about planning. The first decision we made was to hire a wedding planner with experience with Indian Weddings. We knew this would be the seed to grow the roots that would support everything that was to come in planning the multiple day event, and that really paid off when we were faced with a global pandemic.
Chandani and her team at Events by C were absolute rockstars. Obsessed with spreadsheets (we love that), resourceful, graceful, calm, patient, and were pivotal in making everything a success. They took such good care of us and our families that they felt like family themselves. At any moment that something was needed before and during the events, they were always within arm's reach and made sure things happened straight away. Carly McGarry was an absolute gem of a Wedding Venue Coordinator at Omni Rancho Las Palmas and quickly became part of that dream team. We can not say enough about the kindness, flexibility, time and care she gave us. Neither of us would ever have imagined choosing a golf course as a venue, we made the decision based on Carly's hospitality, convenience for guests and experience overall that we'd be able to provide. Again, the best decision ever when we had to made last minute decisions and changes for safety protocols against many unknowns that were to come due to the pandemic. Between Events By C and Carly, they made it all look so easy and we could not be more grateful.
Archana at Manshaa & Zevara by Archana quickly became a dear friend. She put so much care into our wedding outfits, every little piece has a story and every material of the highest quality. What an amazing talent. Neha Assar's skills need no introduction and no words can describe, she puts so much care and deep meaning into every inch. She is also the most gentle kind person you could work with and she is also a friend we hold close to our hearts. Lulu and her team were absolutely amazing. There is no doubt they are the absolute best for hair and make-up, but a little fun fact is when Lulu was dolling me up was the only moment I personally felt overwhelmed by the pandemic. Lulu handled the situation like a boss and got me back on track to enjoy everything. We're so grateful to her and her team.
Food by Natraj was incredible, took me back to the best restaurants in India and hands down the most seamless coordination with the venue. Jay Bharat is our regular go to and they never disappoint. Alexander at Amara Cafe provided incredibly delicious treats and kind service for our Venezuelan catering in conjunction with the very talented Omni Chef who wowed us with is Venezuelan dishes. Olive Wood Pizza was very easy to work with and was absolutely delicious. All of our vendors were truly amazing for our Indian Venezuelan mix from the Flamenco Dancers, Indian World Jazz Band, Indian DJ, KG Henna, local Artisan Decor, Rahul Rana Photography and Sunbeat Films. It was truly our coordinators and all our vendors who made it a success.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
We met with Archana and shared our idea of incorporating my Mom's wedding Sari into a modern, light, modest yet regal Rajput inspired design. We loved that she knows how to avoid all the harsh chemicals and has a more sustainable approach to her process. All of the magic is credit to Archana. Some say I was a funny bride, I didn't understand the investment of a wedding outfit that was only to be worn once and then stowed away for eternity. I shared that thought with Archana and was amazed she completely understood and actually agreed with me. She proposed the idea of making the outfit in layers, so I could use each layer individually for years to come, and I already have :)
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Making the invitations and all the design elements together with Julio. As Visual Designers, we rarely get to create projects with 100% our vision in mind.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Julio can be known to be on the quieter side at times, but what people might not know is that he is a Gemini. I was completely caught off-guard when the "other Julio" walked onto the stage at the reception and sang in front of everyone.
More spectacular weddings are just around the corner, so make sure to visit our blog tomorow!
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