Preeti Exclusive has outdone herself (she's probably the only one who could!) with this incredible destination wedding she planned at The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island for blushing Indian bride, Rubal, and her Raja, John. Nayeem Vohra Photography & Films captured this fusion fairy tale just beautifully and we are so excited to share it all with you! Suhaag Garden supplies endless amounts of floral and decor inspiration — which includes a stunning outdoor mandap that would stop any bride in her tracks — and the Maharani of the hour delivers fashion details that dazzle. Raja John's voice over during what's quite possibly the most sensational ceremony highlights (ever) totally made us melt, and the gorgeous couple's portrait session along the seashore is simply breathtaking. Rubal's aqua-hued reception gown mimics the jewel green tones of the Caribbean waters, and we're ready to watch it all again! Check it out!
Maharani Rubal, on how she met the Raja of her dreams, John:
"Through a mutual friend, I met my husband on a spontaneous date after several text messages. I was surprised to have such a connection with him from the very first moment we met. He was polite, tentative, charming, handsome and funny. I wasn't expecting marriage until after few years of dating but I knew early on that I had found my soul mate. We spent every moment we could together, looked out for each other and helped each other make important decisions. I knew he was the one when everything we did together felt so normal. I enjoyed spending quality time with him from doing everything from chores around the house, traveling and exploring fun places, supporting each other with work and ending our day with a glass of wine."
On her Raja's proposal:
"He proposed to me on a trip to Exuma, Bahamas, one night after a romantic dinner on a beautiful, quiet, moonlit beach. I was caught somewhat off guard but couldn't resist his beaming blue eyes and warm comforting smile. I knew he would always take care of me and protect me. That was one of the most happiest moments of my life."
On their wedding style:
"John wanted us to have an Indian-style wedding in keeping with my family traditions. We wanted to have a destination wedding in a convenient, yet beautiful location that would be entertaining for our family and friends. After researching various venues both nationally and internationally, we chose The Ritz Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida. This was a special place for us since we had taken our first trip together there. We didn't start out with one central color or theme in mind, but we did know from the outset who we wanted to handle our decor. Once we hired our wedding planner, the colors and theme evolved. Our families joined us for our site visit and food tasting over Christmas. The hospitality was exceptional and we were reassured that our wedding would be flawless."
On what she enjoyed most about planning her dream wedding:
"The most crucial part of our wedding was finding a perfect wedding planner. Preeti Vasudeva, of Preeti Exclusive, was a godsend. She became our closest friend during the wedding planning and our friendship has continued since. We had phone meetings every Monday over a glass of wine. John and I looked forward to our calls with with her. We were excited to discuss different things and share ideas. While she was meticulous about everything, she kept the process enjoyable and stress-free."
On shopping for her wedding lengha(s):
"We chose basic Indian wedding colors for our ceremony - white, red, gold and silver. John found his wedding outfit in London during our visit over the Winter. It fit him perfectly and had colors that I could easily match. I found my outfit in New Jersey with the help of my sister and John, of course! We chose yellow and orange for our Mehndi ceremony and blue for our reception, which echoed the ocean."
On her most memorable wedding moment:
"The most magical moment I remember from our wedding was when the sun came out shortly before the wedding ceremony after a cloudy and foggy morning. I remember seeing my prince for our first look. He looked amazing and confident that we had made the best decision of our life!"
On the role that family and friends played:
"We were very fortunate to have family and friends help with special details during all the events. My sister, Shefali Patel, flew in early to help us. We drove from Tifton, Georgia, to Amelia Island a few days before to get set up for the events. My new daughter and son, Ansley and Ian, were a blessing to have. They were so excited in going through new experiences and were a key part of our wedding. They were such a big help and shared our excitement as we went through the wedding process. Our parents and close family were exceptionally supportive of our vows and there was such a feeling of genuine happiness throughout our wedding ceremony. It brought me such joy seeing the connection between our two families."
On her vendors:
"We were fortunate to have Suhaag Gardens from Homestead, Florida, help with our decor. We had seen their spectacular work in pictures, but were blown away by the work done at our wedding. From the bright neon orange, yellow and fuchsia set-up during the Mehndi night, to the romantic dusty pink and red satin theme coupled with beautiful flowers and elegant elephant figures at the wedding, to the teal and silver crystal reception, the decor was breathtaking. Also, our photography crew was extremely creative. They made us feel relaxed and at ease throughout the photo shoots. Nayeem Vohra and his crew flew in from South Jersey and did a spectacular job."
Don't forget, we have a bonus wedding film coming up! The fun's not over yet!
