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Kamela and Richard
Photographer:
I Alam PhotographyThough Kamela and Richard both met during a training class where they worked (CNA/Hartford), the two did not start dating until December 2012. One evening, as the couple headed for dinner out, Rick stopped by the waterfront and got down on one knee and proposed. Kamela said yes, and as they headed toward the restaurant, both sets of smiling parents were outside. Everyone attended the engagement dinner—making this a cherished memory for all. Kamela and her mom attended the MyShadi Bridal Expo in September 2015, where they met Gyna, a destination wedding planner. Kamala loved the idea of a destination wedding, and the couple selected the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The wedding planner assisted them with rooms for their guests and planning details.
Kamela’s Haldi ceremony was hel in Clermont at her parents’ home the weekend before the wedding. An outdoor tent was decorated with red and yellow fabric and malas. A crystal-beaded curtain hung in front of the white backdrop where the puja took place.
Once the 90 guests arrived at the Hard Rock resort, their wedding coordinator was very helpful. They held a White Welcome Party the night before the Hindu ceremony where all the guests wore white. A henna artist set up in the corner and guests had cocktails, appetizers and hookah. Everyone received a welcome bag and itinerary of events. Old School Reggae, Soca, 80s, 90s and top 40 music was enjoyed by all. The Hindu ceremony took place on the beach in the late afternoon. The Mandap was elevated on a white stage that was decorated with red, orange and pink fabric with gold tiffany chairs for the parents and white lounge chairs for the couple. A red aisle runner led the way to the Mandap. The guest seats were covered by two white and pink tents. Red fans on each chair included descriptions of the different stages of the ceremony.
After the ceremony, the guests enjoyed a vegetarian dinner reception in the outdoor courtyard decorated with string lights.
The day after the Hindu ceremony, a symbolic ceremony took place in the garden where a violinist played before and after the reception. This outdoor rooftop location included a stage for dancing to top 40s, Soca and Indian music.
The couple feels a destination wedding is the way to go. While the stress does not go away, nearly half of it is taken away as the wedding planner/coordinators takes over and handles everything.
Vendors BEAUTICIANS/COSMETICIAN
Ash Kumar
425-233-7773DÉCOR
Priya Prinita Indidesigns
321-352-0027EVENT PLANNER
I DO Destination Weddings
305-749-8217INVITATIONS
Wedding Paper
Divas 866-594-1226MEHNDI
Ash Kumar
425-233-7773MUSIC BAND
DJ Supa Chris
813-406-2276Trinlando Tassa Group
321-331-4059PHOTOGRAPHER
I Alam Photography
647-261-7227Motography
917-971-5167PRIEST/WORSHIP SERVICES
Pandit Mullen
917-328-7594RECEPTION SITE
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana
817-567-7516 -
Jesleen and James
Photographer:
Sona PhotographyJames (Jim) and Jesleen meet in 2015 via e-Harmony online dating while both lived in New York City. When they finally agreed to meet, they almost didn’t have their first date as Jim got food poisoning in the morning and ended up in the emergency room. He did recover in time to get to the date that evening—and they’ve been together ever since.
The proposal came during a long weekend in Bermuda. The couple’s rooms were not ready when they arrived, and the hotel kept their bags while they spend a few hours exploring. Unbeknownst to Jesleen, Jim had the engagement ring in his bag, which meant he was unwilling to let the hotel keep his bags, which Jesleen thought was odd. Once the couple was on the beach, the mood was romantic, and Jim chose this moment to propose.
Jesleen and her mom loved spending time researching wedding ideas, taking advantage of all the good suggestions on Pinterest, and soon they had a very clear idea of what they wanted.
Jesleen’s parents moved to Orlando recently, so the couple chose that as the location for the March 2017 ceremony. The Mehndi event was held at the parents’ home, with classical bright Indian colors, lots of music and food. The Sangeet was held at the Omni hotel. The bride was set on having a Rajastani street fair theme, with bold colorful umbrellas, street food, market lights—and a decorated rickshaw as the backdrop for the photo booth. The Sikh wedding ceremony was held outdoors, and the decorations were pale colors creating a peaceful ambiance.
Vendors BEAUTICIANS/COSMETICIAN
Laura Reynolds
407-962-5114CAKE
Party Flavors
407-578-2082DÉCOR
Occasions By Shangri-La
407-614-2977FLORIST
Occasions By Shangri-La
407-614-2977INVITATIONS
A Royal Impression
512-722-6024MEHNDI
Henna By Pria
727-459-6448PHOTOGRAPHER
Sona Photography
407-694-6032PRIEST/WORSHIP SERVICES
Gurdwhara OrlandoRECEPTION SITES
Omni Hotels & Resorts
407-238-6520RESTAURANT/CATERING
New Punjab Indian Restaurant
407-352-7887VIDEOGRAPHY
Riant Films
407-603-6955WEDDING PLANNER
Signature Weddings & Events, Inc.
352-267-5345The groom arrived astride a horse with Punjabi music and bhangra setting the mood. The flower girls and ring bearer held the bride’s heavy lehenga as she arrived at the ceremony, followed by her bridesmaids. The theme was bright colors with orchids, purples and hot pinks. Two nearly life-size elephant structures covered in moss marked the entrance into the reception. At the reception we had several choreographed dances, including one with the bride and groom to “Hal Kaisa Jaanab.”
The couple’s advice to others planning their wedding: Have fun with it!
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Neha and Sanjay
Photographer:
HazeDelight PhotographyNeha and Sanjay’s engagement was “picture perfect.” After dating a few years, Sanjay planned a surprise proposal in New York City—one of Neha’s favorite places. Sanjay told Neha to dress up and be ready early because they had brunch plans with friends. Instead he took her to a park by the Brooklyn Bridge, got down on one knee and proposed. And he had hired a photographer (who hid) and captured the entire proposal— and then took engagement photos.
During the nine months they were engaged, Sanjay and Neha, with the help of their families, made most of the plans themselves. They agree that is was definitely harder to do than they anticipated, and the little details took a lot of time. The bride-to-be had always wanted a big fat Indian wedding, and says they had the wedding of her dreams, thanks to their amazing parents.
Most of the family lives in or near Coral Springs, Florida, so picking the Marriott Hotel there made sense. The hotel had a lot of room for all the events part of a large Indian wedding, and guest stayed there as well.
The Sangeet before the wedding had a very colorful Punjabi theme for which Suhaag Garden provided all the décor. The stage had a jhoola (swing), and it’s very colorful backdrop with lanterns on both sides. The guest tables had a mix of teal and fuchsia covers plus gold chair covers—accented by gold lanterns with candles. A nice touch was a fuschia bench with pillows where the women sat and sang jagoo songs.
The morning ceremony was in the Marriott’s ballroom that was charming with blush pink and silver décor. Pink rose petals marked the beautiful aisle, leading up to the front where white elephants stood. The round mandap was blush pink topped by a floral hedge of white hydrangeas, blush pink roses and ivory spray roses. The welcome table displayed a statue of Ganesh and candles. Every guest received a box showing the couple’s name and wedding date, and contained nuts and the 4-page folded wedding program uniquely designed by the bride.
For Sanjay’s Baarat, he arrived astride a horse, accompanied by a dhol player. The couple choose Pavan as their emcee and DJ. The groom’s entrance music for the ceremony was “tenu leke main javanga,” and for the bride, “din shogana da.” And, all the festivities were recorded and photographed using drones.
The reception round tables had plum-color covers, and two estate tables for family had silver covers and silver chiavari chairs. The stage was decorated in plum, white and silver with candelabras on each side. The family tables centerpieces contained Manzanita branches that were adorned with white orchids, crystal and glass globes. Guest tables alternated between having crystal and glass globes on Manzanita branches. The sign-in table had a crystal hedge in the back, with pictures of our pre-wedding photoshoot. For the cake table, in front of the cake we had our custom-made bobble head—a unique and favorite part.
At the reception in addition to the DJ, Master Johnny was their dhol player. Music was a mix of Hindi, Punjabi and English. The couple’s first dance was to “dhere dhere se meri zindagi (yo yo honey singh remix). The mother/son and father/daughter dance was to “If” by Babyface. For the couple’s entrance to the reception, they used “aaj ki party” by Mike Singh.
The couple’s advice for others was simple and sincere: Enjoy the day—and try to delegate all the little things to friends and family members—so you can truly enjoy your big day to the max.
Vendors BEAUTICIANS/COSMETICIAN
Ibrow Studio
954-304-4958CAKE
Edda’s Cake Design
305-668-1828DÉCOR
Suhaag Garden
772-528-0394HORSE – CARRIAGE
Wind Chase Farm
772-285-3480INVITATIONS
Invites & Events
954-797-8022MEHNDI
Farah’s Mehndi
786-208-2277MUSIC BAND
Pavan Events
954-494-3567PHOTOGRAPHER
HazeDelight Photography
786-325-5929PRIEST/WORSHIP SERVICES
Priest Chakravarthy
954-353-4543RECEPTION SITES
Marriott Coral Springs
954-227-4122RESTAURANT/CATERING
Punjab Fine Indian Restaurant
561-392-8000VIDEOGRAPHY
DelightMedia Productions
786-220-1208 -
Bollywood Weddings: Neil Nitin Mukesh and Rukmini Sahay
Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh married Rukmini Sahay in a magical ceremony held in Udaipur on February 9. The celebration was nothing short of a royal affair. The couple tied the knot in accordance with traditional Hindu rituals, and all events were spread over the course of three days. Wedding celebrations began on Tuesday, February 9, with the ring ceremony and continued for more than three days with various events, celebrations and programs like the mehndi, haldi, sangeet functions, chudachadai, nuptial ceremony, cocktail party, and many like these. The ceremony was program-packed until Thursday.
From the first day, the highly anticipated wedding took over print, digital, and social media. Eminent personalities and celebrities from their friend and family circles attended the momentous occasion to bask in the warmth of what was truly a grand celebration. With the presence of prominent celebs such as Rishi Kapoor and Pamela Chopra raised the bar of excellence. The groom looked regal in his cream and maroon Sherwani, while the bride appeared gorgeously in her red and orange lehenga. Both bride and groom wore designs by Sarath Krishnan.
The ceremony took place at the five-star hotel, City of Lakes, which was transformed with an abundance of light and melodious music. Carried by six attendants, the bride arrived on a flower-bedecked modern palanquin decorated in royal Rajasthani style. Musical troops and all wedding attendants surrounded her adding to the splendor of the event. Lighting and colorful fireworks all around added a different dimension to it. The groom’s naughty wink to his bride in “jaimala” was captured by numerous cameras, which was a favorite moment for fans and followers of Neil Nitin Mukesh and Rukmini Sahay. Every moment became a magical one just like in films. Needless to say, Neil Nitin Mukesh chose the most traditional dress for his memorable day. He appeared as a real prince in his special traditional wedding attire, a Sherwani with complex golden embroidery that demonstrated authentic handicraft by an expert hand. Dressed in an orange-tone silk lehenga, the bride was the center of attention, as she should be! The golden jewelry that adorned her neck enhanced her natural beauty. For their engagement, Nitin appeared dapper in a purple suit jacket, while Rukmini shone in a gorgeous lavender gown with beaded bauble.
No one could turn their eyes away from Rukmini. The New York actor Neil Nitin Mukesh got rid of his deep-rooted bachelor tag from his shoulder, while getting the right girl in his sights. All images by The Wedding Story.
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Anukiran weds Hector
Anukiran weds Hector Anukiran and Hector’s love story defies the common belief that “opposites attract.” When they first met at ITT Technical Institute, they discovered they were not only pursuing the same degree and were in the same year, but also shared the same birthday. The young couple decided that it must be destiny that brought them together and knew that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.
On the day of their graduation from ITT Tech, Hector proposed to Anukiran with both of their families present. At the time, Hector was already contracted with the government to join the United States Marine Corps and during their graduation dinner, his gunnery sergeant made a surprise appearance. He led Anukiran and their families outside, where Hector asked Anukiran to marry him. She was so surprised and speechless, yet she was happy to say “yes” in front of their families. The couple hired Anand Event Services to plan the wedding, even though Anukiran initially wanted a do-it-yourself wedding. She realized that it requires an unreasonable amount of time and effort, and didn’t want to compromise the happiness of the wedding with a million unmanageable tasks. Anand Event Services coordinated everything from decorations for all of the events and their photographs. Rather than a destination wedding, the couple chose a hotel venue that was convenient for their families in South Florida. For the sangeet night, Anand Event Services decorated a clubhouse venue with a multi-colored theme that exceeded their expectations.
Instead of a wedding theme, Anukiran and Hector chose a simple red and white color scheme with floral varieties and colored drapes and sheets covering the gurudwara floor and walls. Hector arrived at the gurudwara in a vintage red Chevrolet show car, and the wedding transitioned into a navy, blue, and gold reception event. The centerpieces were all white, with beautiful hanging orchids and water gel crystals. Each centerpiece was delicately uplit with a white light to create a gorgeous, glowing effect.
During the reception, the bride and groom’s families entered first, followed by the newlyweds entering to their first dance song. Throughout the night, their 300 guests danced to a mix of bhangra, bachata, salsa, and American pop hits. Anukiran and Hector were glad that they were able to enjoy all of the small moments without frustration or stress, and their wedding turned out to be a beautiful event with the help of their accomplished wedding planners.
Photos Courtesy Vendors BEAUTICIANS/COSMETICIAN
Ibrow Studio
954-304-4958
www.sumaiyas.comPHOTOGRAPHER
Anand Photo & Video
754-581-0074
www.anandphotoandvideo.comCAKE
Eddas Cake Designs
305-668-1828
www.eddascakedesigns.comRECEPTION SITES
Coral Springs Marriott
954-227-4122
www.marriott.com/fllmcCEREMONY SITE
Sikh Society of Florida
954-680-0221
www.miamigurudwara.orgRESTAURANT/CATERING
Punjab Restaurant
561-392-8000
www.bocapunjab.comDISC JOCKEY
Ace DJ
954-649-3374
acedj2004@yahoo.comVIDEOGRAPHY
Anand Event Services
754-581-0074
www.anandphotoandvideo.comJEWELERS
JR Dunn Jewelers
954-782-5000
www.jrdunn.comWEDDING SERVICES
Anand Event Services
754-581-0074
www.anandphotoandvideo.com