Tampa, FL Indian Wedding by Andrew Do Photography

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met just before the pandemic hit in the fall of 2019. Needless to say, during the onset of the lockdown, our dating experience was probably unlike most other couples. Without restaurants to go to, movies to watch, or places to visit, we had to skip all the small talk and instead dive right into loaded conversations and really get to know one another. And it turns out that was the best thing that could have happened.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
We had decided to get dressed for a would-be dinner in the city but diverted to an unfinished high-rise building when he wanted to “check it out”. He knew the concierge’s name which tipped me off that something was up. He let us up the elevator to a massive rooftop space that overlooked the city just before the sunset. Seeing the camera crew at the edge of the balcony, my heart began beating rapidly knowing that something was coming. He said some beautiful words that, admittedly, are hard to remember given the rush of emotions and adrenaline at the time but moved me to tears. He knelt down on one knee and I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

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.
Needing to plan a wedding in 5 months while working full-time, I had to use my weekends wisely. Unlike most South Asian brides, I was unable to go to India for the traditional shopping experience for any of my outfits. I scoured what online resources and stores were available and found my wedding and reception outfits from KYNAH. I went to their store in LA with my maid of honor and it was an incredible experience. Also, having a smaller guest count made every part of the wedding feel more intimate and special. It also made the spaces we chose easier to personalize with more details for decorating. I loved my hair and makeup experience with C Minerva’s Looks. We had a wonderful experience with her for my sister’s wedding, and I knew I had to have her do mine. Caroline did a phenomenal job of creating what I had envisioned - very elegant and natural. The color palate we were able to use worked perfectly for my dream Spring wedding. I went with purple shades, focusing on lavender. The Mandap was acrylic with a spectacular flower draping, giving everyone a great view while also being every bit as classy and timeless as I wanted. We kept the Mandap for the reception, turning it into the DJs backdrop. We focused more on the atmosphere for the guests and really worked on the music playlist, selecting songs that were special to us and fun for everyone across all ages. And of course, we made sure that the food and drinks were to everyone’s tastes as best as we could while also getting our favorites. Taking the time to add those little extra touches resulted in a wedding beyond my wildest imagination and a party that everyone is still talking about.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
For my wedding, I didn't want anything red, just simple and elegant. As soon as this lehenga premiered on KYNAH, I fell in love. I loved the detailed, soft work while also being effortlessly classy. For my reception, I wanted to be different and not do another lehenga; instead, I chose something I could wear again. I picked an outfit that was glamorous and just the right shade of green. Substituting a dupatta for the cape gave me the ability to dress it down while still maintaining the lustrous essence of the original design.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Despite the time crunch, working with Rohan was a dream. Every aspect was collaborative, and our parents were always on the same page as us and completely supportive of every choice we made while also, thankfully, not trying to make decisions for us. Our wedding planner, Rima, took care of so many logistics and ensured that everyone was where they needed to be, when they needed to be there, and knew what needed to be done. Overall, getting to see all the details come together on our collaboration board was the most enjoyable part for me.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think our attention to detail really stood out. Everything ran exactly on time despite some wedding day issues. When we needed to make little adjustments on the day of, we were able to do so without disrupting any of our guests. We also made sure that we could take care of anything they needed personally. Luckily, we didn't have any issues on that front. And, of course, the highlight was just the incredible party we had on our reception night. All of our friends and family knew the music and were able to sing along and dance throughout the celebration.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Getting to walk down the aisle was truly memorable. Having all the people in my life that I love bear witness to such a special occasion really just hit me all at once during that walk. It was the culmination of not just work for the wedding, but also building a relationship with someone that means everything to me. A close second would be when my elderly grandparents made the effort to have a surprise moment during the dance performances on the night of the Sangeet. They stole the show.

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.
We were able to have camera and film crews for the events that we held separately, like the Haldi ceremony. Andrew Do Photography absolutely did a masterful job in capturing ever moment of every event with stunning photos. Having all the planning work taken care of in advance and organizing spreadsheet after spreadsheet with down-to-the-minute instructions really made everyone's life easier. Especially when it came to the dances, everyone knew what to do and where to go for practices, lessons, and changes. We picked the songs that we loved, and my family and friends did the rest beautifully. It helps that they are all naturally gifted dancers. For the haldi we went with a traditional yellow themed decor scheme that brought out the great and messy result on my skin.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Do as much detailed planning as you can for yourself. Think about when to wake up each day and how much time it takes to get ready, and try and squeeze a bit of extra time for any contingencies that may be necessary. Also, have a couple of people that you can absolutely rely on for any last-minute outfit adjustments or coffee runs you may need. Trust in your planning, carry an emergency bag for touchups, and finally make sure you focus on enjoying and remembering each and every special moment.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Jewelry - Mostly just what I could find online, with a few heirloom pieces from my mother and gifted to me by my mother-in-law. Since I opted out of the traditional red lehenga for my wedding, I went with red stoned jewelry and bangles.

Cake: Three-tiered cake (chocolate cake with cookie buttercream filling, lemon cake with raspberry filling, and top was strawberry cake with buttercream)

Bridal Entrance song: Jag Ghoomeya (female)- From Sultan

Groom Entrance song: Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (from Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga)

Mehndi - Because of the generally modern take on every outfit and the simplicity of the decor we chose, I went with a more traditional style mehndi. I personally think it worked great.

Venue - It couldn't have been better since it was extremely convenient for all of our guests, being a 5-minute airport shuttle ride away as well as being very close to the mall in case anyone forgot something. Also convenient for our friends who have kids to just let them run around a bit in the playground

A magical blend of tradition and modern romance, inspiring love and shared joy. Come back for more!