Feeling wanderlust ladies? Mohini and Syam definitely echoed their love for traveling at their elegant reception held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Ontario! The new Mr. and Mrs. lighted up the night with a travel wedding map décor. The reception hall was also festooned with an elegant color palette of blue, gold and cream colors that added a chic vibe to the whole scene. The décor was complemented with a fantastic lightning provided by 3D Sounds that totally enhanced the environment of the venue. This well-attended affair needed nothing less than the experts of the traditional cuisine, Manohars Delhi Palace's extraordinary menu and delicious food made all the guests wish for a second serving! Besides our glamorous bride and groom, the unique travel map wedding cake by Some Crust Bakery almost steals the limelight, but no, nothing could steal all the eyes from these cute lovebirds on their stellar night! See all the amazing and out of this world images of this travel theme soiree in our full gallery by Aaroneye Photography!
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Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Shyam planned an "impromptu" dinner on a Friday night at the end of a busy week. I was hesitant to agree, but he was pretty insistent, now I know why! On our way, I noticed that he was driving a lot slower than usual and I was worried about being late for our reservation, but he said that he had it under control. We parked and started walking to some unknown restaurant. As we passed the iPic movie theater, he pulled me into the front door. This really confused me! We walked in and they seated us in the very front row of an empty theater, but I just assumed that we were early. We were talking and joking, but I was still trying to figure out why he didn't just tell me we were going to see a movie. The commercials were playing and all of a sudden, my name shows up on the screen. Instantly, I knew it was happening. He had collected pictures and videos of our time together and created a video to play out on the big screen. When it ended, he walked me to the front of the room, got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. It was such a blur but it was the happiest moment of my life. I heard some cheering and looked around to see my friend and husband in the room taking pictures and filming the whole thing. On the way home, I tried to call both of my parents to share the news, but noone was answering the phone. I started getting upset that I could not share the moment with my parents. Shyam had already thought of that! We went back to his house and I was surprised again to find a small party with friends and family! He brought them all together because he knows how much my family means to me. That night was so special and memorable, he planned it perfectly!
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.
We had a pretty long engagement, which was both a good and bad thing. It gave me time to do my research but I also had a long period where nothing was happening (between 3-6 months before the wedding). We started with the venue, because that would secure our date and we could get started with other vendors. We saw 11 venues in 1 week, and we booked ours 1 year before the wedding date. This gave us plenty of time to look into other vendors. Hair and Makeup was definitely important to me, but I had a hard time finding someone even that far out before my date. I was referred over to DreaV, and I could not be happier. She was so easy-going during the planning phases and when the 1st event arrived, she was on time, friendly and professional. I was in a room with my sister, when my cousin and 3 year-old nephew arrived. Nothing phased her and she kept working diligently. My favorite thing about her was that she made me feel comfortable. I felt like I had known her for years! We chatted casually as she completed my hair and make-up ahead of schedule. She had no issues with arriving at 4am on the morning of my wedding and made sure I was at ease during the process. She knew exactly what I was looking for in all of my looks and executed them perfectly. I've never felt so beautiful!
For the outfits, we traveled to India about 6 months before the wedding. The bridal lengha was the first priority, followed by bridal party outfits. Then outfits for all other events, and those for the groom. All this in a period of 2 weeks makes for a very busy trip! I had no restrictions on color, but I just knew that I wanted to feel comfortable in all of them because I would be wearing them for extended periods of time in front of a lot of people, photographers and videographers. We knew which caterers we wanted to use, so that freed up a lot of time for other vendors: photo/video, DJ, decor etc. I knew I wanted to plan the wedding on my own, but have someone help keep things running on the day, so a day-of coordinator would be best.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
As stressful as wedding planning was, the best part was experiencing it with my (soon-to-be) husband. We went to every appointment and meeting together to share the experience. He helped me to stay calm in moments of "crisis" and was definitely the voice of reason. People have told me that wedding planning can make or break a relationship and for me, it solidified that I had made the right choice in a life partner. Shyam was supportive, encouraging and tried his best to put a smile on my face, even when faced with difficult decisions.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The food! I heard that the food was great, including all the little snacks, desserts and treats we had. I wish we had a chance to enjoy it more, but it was definitely a blur! I also heard about the mood in the room during the ceremony: there was a feeling of love, not just between my husband and I, but all of the guests as well. Although we had a large guest count, the occasion felt intimate. They felt as though they were a part of the moment with us, and that meant a lot to us.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Walking down the aisle. I cannot forget the moment where I got to walk into the room where I would marry my best friend. I could feel the love in the room from our friends and family. As I entered, I couldn't help but smile. The smile continued to grow as I got closer to the mandap knowing that this would be one of my favorite moments forever.
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.
For the reception, we wanted something that would tie all of the decor together, but not a theme that is overdone. Traveling is a huge part of our relationship, so that is something that we wanted to incorporate, but with just little hints and touches. We used table names of countries, our guest book was a world map and our cake with a map and planes were just the right elements for us. They expressed our love of travel to our guests without being over the top. I wanted the evening to be elegant but also fun, and that means nothing too grand or stuffy. It was all about the experience, not the things for us. Light colors with cream, blush and navy to offset the reds and golds from the ceremony was very important to me. I wanted the room to feel different, relaxed and romantic. We had speeches from the bridal party, parents and 2 dance performances to round out the evening. We wanted to keep the program short so that guests could enjoy the food, dancing and ambience of the night. It was about celebrating with the people we love, all in one place.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
The best piece of advice I got was on the morning of my wedding. One of my friends reminded me to pay attention to small moments during the day so that it did not pass by in a blur. I tried my best to do that throughout the day. It reminded me of Pam from The Office during her wedding to Jim..taking a snapshot of those special moments. Don't forget to do that, because it will all be over far too quickly and you can't get those magical moments back.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
R. There are so many details to an Indian wedding! I could not have gotten through the experience without my family and my awesome bridesmaids! They pitched in to put together favors for 500 guests, helped me with last minute items and were a constant source of support and input.
Don't' forget to embark yourself in more wedding journeys in tomorrow's Platinum Guide Blog!
