Real Wedding

Richa weds Neal

Richa and Neal began as college sweethearts, after being lucky enough to end up at the same party one night. The two found they had much in common, and went on to date beyond college, for over six years, before Neal surprised Richa with a romantic proposal. Neal secretly invited their family and friends to Stone Mountain in Atlanta, where they watched him propose to Richa at a scenic spot overlooking a lake, and they all popped champagne with the happy couple.

Richa always knew she wanted a big hotel wedding, and ended up choosing the Marriott in Downtown Knoxville because of its proximity to her family. The couple immediately hired a wedding planner to handle all of the tedious details, like vendors, scheduling, and organization. They were grateful to have help because it prompted them to start planning early and avoid last-minute chaos.

The pre-wedding festivities began with a Ganesh Puja and Vivah Khel bhajan celebration at Richa’s Tennessee home. Richa transformed her basement into a cozy, yet elegant setting by draping colorful saris to form an umbrella design.

The following two days were just as colorful, including the Mehndi night with pink and green paisley decor, and the Moroccan-themed Garba night at a mandir in Lenoir City. Richa was also sure to add classic Indian touches to the Garba, such as rangoli and decorated clay pot centerpieces.

The grand wedding of Richa’s dreams, with 550 guests, was held in the largest ballroom at the Marriott, with the Baraat procession scheduled early in the morning to give everyone a full day of celebration. It included the festive sounds of the dhol as Neal rode in a horse carriage and jumped into a Range Rover SUV just before entering the venue with Richa’s parents. The mood transitioned smoothly for the ceremony with all instrumental versions of Richa’s favorite songs.

The all-white mandap was accented with gold decor and pink lighting to complement the pink and white floral blanket draped on both sides of the mandap. This unique floral decoration was made of white hydrangeas, roses, and green berries, which were also used in the matching bouquets. Richa was keen on a vibrant spring color palette, avoiding using red to allow her red and gold dress to stand out.

For the reception, a starlight drape matched the starlight dance floor, accented with teal and gold décor, crystal centerpieces, and rows of white tulips in vases along the estate tables. The elegant reception setting was exactly what Richa envisioned, and was her favorite aesthetic element of the entire wedding process. The reception included a mix of modern music and Indian classics, and was a fun might of dance performances and celebration. Richa and Neal reminisce fondly on their wedding, and because they had professional help and so many well-wishing guests, they were able to enjoy every moment celebrating their love story.

Photos Courtesy

Zamana Lifestyles
678-860-2921
www.zamanaphoto.com

Photos Courtesy
BEAUTICIANS/COSMETICIAN Belladev Hair & Makeup Artistry www.belladevhairstudio.com 980-475-1364	PHOTOGRAPHER Zamana Photo & Videography www.zamanaphoto.com 678-860-2921
CAKE Magpies Cakes www.magpiescakes.com 865-673-0471	PRIEST/WORSHIP SERVICES Priest Bharatbhai Bhatt 678-613-0641
DECORATOR Mandap World www.mandapworld.com 678-772-0053	RECEPTION SITES Marriott Downtown Knoxville www.marriott.com/ Courtyard? 865-594-4113
DISC JOCKEY Encore Event DJs www.encoreeventdjs.com 478-231-6282	RENTAL SERVICES Angel Chair Cover & Ceilling Drapery Des www.angelchaircover.com 678-234-2477
EVENT PLANNER Envi Event Planning nilima@envieventplanning.com 404-217-6097	RESTAURANT/CATERING Cafe Bombay www.cafebombayatlanta.com 404-320-0229
FLORIST Mandap World www.mandapworld.com 678-772-0053	Thali Indian Vegiterian Cuisine www.thaliatl.com 678-705-1290
HORSE AND CARRIAGE Heritage Carriage Rides of Pigeon Forge 865-365-5130	RETAIL SERVICES Campbell Tent & Party Rentals www.campbelltent.com 865-983-3456
JEWELERS Zaveri Bazaar www.zaveribazaar.com 404-254-1330	VIDEOGRAPHY Zamana Photo & Videography www.zamanaphoto.com 678-860-2921

Meera weds Nehal

Meera and Nehal’s consider their romance to be a “city girl meets country boy” kind of love story. The two met in 2014, and began a dating tradition of having spontaneous adventures across Florida, Meera’s home state. A mid-westerner, Nehal experienced places like Cocoa Beach, Universal Studios, and St. Augustine with Meera, and he chose to incorporate their tradition into his surprise proposal. They planned a trip to Friendship Fountain, a famous Florida landmark, and Nehal gave Meera the surprise of her life when he got down on one knee. The couple was excited to continue their journey together and prepare for an unforgettable wedding.

Meera hired a coordinator for the wedding day, but did most of the planning on her own. She was relieved to have a coordinator and a team to help with the last-minute details and typical wedding day chaos, because it helped her and her guests to enjoy the special day without any hassle. The couple chose a venue near Meera’s home, The Palmetto Club, because it offered not only a ballroom, but also a beautiful veranda and garden.

Before the big day, they held several pre-wedding events in Oklahoma, Nehal’s home state. The Vidhi/Pithi was followed by a family dinner, and a henna night at home.

The Sangeet was held in Florida on the night before the wedding. The ceremony began in the early morning, with lively bhangra music announcing the entrance of the Baraat, complete with a Hummer limousine. The music transitioned into traditional Hindi wedding songs, and Meera entered to a beautiful instrumental piece from the Bollywood movie Jodha Akbhar.

The wedding venue was decorated in maroon, white, and gold, embellished with crystals, pearl columns around the mandap, and red and white rose centerpieces. Meera and Nehal chose to close off a section of the ballroom to accommodate a more intimate, theater-style seating arrangement for their guests.

Following the ceremony, the venue was transformed for the reception, with a new color scheme of teal, maroon, gold, and silver. The centerpieces were a pleasant surprise for the couple, because they allowed their designer to have free reign, and they were impressed with every detail of his finished work.

Each centerpiece features a gold candle vase draped in crystals and adorned with blue orchids and vases lit with LED lighting and glowing water. They were the perfect complement to the teal backdrop and gold drapes hung around the room, and set a lovely mood for the celebration.

Their DJ played a combination of Hindi, Pujabi, Bhnagra, and American music, to please all of their guests, and everyone danced throughout the night. The reception even included three choreographed dances by the bride’s friends and family, and also Nehal’s cousins who did a surprising and unique performance using jump ropes.

Meera and Nehal’s wedding went off without a hitch, and the couple is so grateful for the support of not only their loving friends and family, but the designers and event coordinators who helped make their special day unforgettable.

Photos Courtesy

Sona Photography
407-694-6032
www.sonaphotography.com

Photos Courtesy
BANQUET HALLS The Palmetto Club www.thepalmettoclub.com 407-398-6308	JEWELERS Myyraa 732-218-8407
BEAUTICIANS/COSMETICIAN Michele Renee Hair & Makeup Artist Grp www.michelereneehairandmakeup.com 813-531-7770	MEHNDI Alisha The Henna Lady alishaladha@gmail.com 813-407-1202
BOUTIQUES Om the Origin 732-404-1445	PHOTOGRAPHER Sona Photography www.sonaphotography.com 407-694-6032
DECORATOR Maharani Designs maharanidesignz@gmail.com 813-569-9052	PRIEST/WORSHIP SERVICES Pandit Rajan Bhatt 813-900-0190
DISC JOCKEY Blazin DJs 813-569-9052	RENTAL SERVICES Taylor Rental 813-685-4551
ENTERTAINMENT Mobile Baraat 813-569-9052	RESTAURANT/CATERING Puff n Stuff Catering & Events lucille@puffnstuff.com 813-657-0062
FLORIST Flowers By Hina Patel 941-524-9807	VIDEOGRAPHY Riant Films www.riantfilms.com 407-603-6955
	WEDDING SERVICES Instyle Events www.instyleeventservices.com 832-819-1427

Meera weds Nehal

Narissa weds Nirmal

Narissa and Nirmal were friends for several years as University of Central Florida students, while Narissa was also working at a nearby bank. Nirmal cleverly came in to open an account one day, giving him a reason to see Narissa regularly and work up the courage to ask her on a date. Narissa’s “yes” turned into a beautiful romance that led up to Nirmal’s surprise proposal in the Bahamas.

While vacationing there with friends, the couple discovered a lovely spot on the beach where they could climb out onto the rocks.

Nirmal suddenly pretended to fall on the rocks, but he was disguising his attempt to get down on one knee to ask Narissa the big question.Through the surprised and excited tears, she managed to say “yes”, and they were able to celebrate the occasion with their friends during the rest of the cruise.

Their engagement party kicked off the wedding planning, which was going to be a big endeavor because they planned to have 250 guests. Narissa and Nirmal used the help of a wedding planner to secure vendors, and also relied on decorators and caterers on the wedding day.

The couple knew they wanted to be married in their temple in Orlando, because it had personal meaning, and could also accommodate their guest count. The reception venue, a hotel near Narissa’s workplace in Lake Mary, was suggested by their wedding planner, and it even included a talented chef who catered the event. Most of their friends and family were locals, but many came from New York, Canada, Trinidad, and Guyana for the big day. Prior to the ceremony, they held a Mehendi night for the bride, and a Haldi night for both bride and groom.

For the ceremony, the mandap was draped in blue, white, and silver, and the aisle was lined with white elephants that complimented the floral arrangements of blue orchids and white carnations. The same color scheme carried over to the cocktail hour and reception décor, with jeweled vases, blue stones, and intricate silver tablecloths.

As a car enthusiast, Nirmal drove a rare Nissan R34 to the ceremony, while the bridal party arrived at the temple in a limousine. Once inside, Narissa walked down the aisle with her parents to a beautiful song from Jodha Akbar. After the ceremony, the reception kicked off with Narissa and Nirmal’s favorite dance music, including Soca, Chutney, Tassa drums, and Bollywood songs. The bridal party performed a choreographed routine, and Nirmal’s niece and nephew also presented a touching poem about the newlyweds that brought a tear to everyone’s eyes. The reception was a lovely mix of celebration and sentimentality, and Narissa and Nirmal have only fond memories of their special day that went off without a hitch.

Photos Courtesy

Fine Art Productions
888-494-7909
www.fineartproductions.net

Photos Courtesy
BANQUET HALLS Marriott Orlando Lake Mary 407-995-7009	FLORIST Enchanting Event Designs & Planning enchantingeventdesigns.com 407-288-0269
Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir capildeo.jadonath@ocps.net 407-341- 9076	JEWELERS Bombay Bridal Boutique www.bombaybridal.com 718- 426-0600
BEAUTICIANS/COSMETICIAN Cristi Miranda 407-361-5745 Shalini Brijmohan 407-325-2775	MEHNDI Mehndi by Priya Ramdahein priyar290@yahoo.com
BOUTIQUES Bombay Bridal Boutique www.bombaybridal.com 718- 426-0600	PHOTOGRAPHER Fine Art Productions www.fineartproductions.net 888-494-7909
CAKE Cupcake Crazy Factory www.cupcakecrazy.com 407-804-0229	RENTAL SERVICES Longwood Events & Rentals www.longwoodweddings.com 407-339-6344
DECORATOR Enchanting Event Designs & Planning enchantingeventdesigns.com 407-288-0269	PRIEST/WORSHIP SERVICES Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir capildeo.jadonath@ocps.net 407-341- 9076
DISC JOCKEY DJ Devlish djdevlish@gmail.com 973-953-9630

Narissa weds Nirmal

Shelly weds Amit

Dynamic opposites, Shelly Tiwari, 26, and Amit Shah, 30 met through mutual friends in 2010 and dated for five years. Amit planned a romantic proposal by Amit on his birthday in March 2015 with the help of Shelly’s sister and best friend. She said yes, and wedding prep began shortly after.

Amit’s parents took charge of wedding planning, though always paid attention to feedback from the couple. Since Shelly and Amit are from Orlando, they both jumped at the suggestion by Amit’s father to hold events at the Sheraton Lake Buena Vista. All other places paled in comparison. A few of the pre-wedding ceremonies were held at Amit’s parents’ house.

Two large tents with Indian décor were set up in the backyard to accommodate 250 guests. Creating a mystical Rajasthani ambience, golden centerpieces with glass centers were illuminated with LED lighting and spotlights on the outside and a red rose floating inside.

For the ceremony, a beautiful blend of traditional and modern set the ambiance for the ballroom. The runway for the bridal walk to the stage was raised and decorated with candles and roses that illuminated the pathway as well. The mandap was uniquely made from ceramic, and the transparency of it was adorned by red roses. Remmal from Occasions by Shangri La ensured that the setup met the requirements and had the right romantic feel that AD would make all go weak in the knees.The Volcanik Entertainment team lead by Rahul created an amazing mix of music for the baraat, wedding and reception. While Amit arrived to the ceremony in a Limo, the newly wed couple left in a Rolls Royce. The romantic appeal carried over to the reception. Centerpieces with glass vases and floating metal balls acquitted ethereal quality with lighted candles and colored LEDs under the vases.

With the starry night theme backdrop, the cumulative effect was of a romantic winter night. The romance was heightened with beautiful blend of American and Indian music crafted by the Volcanik Entertainment. They mixed Hindi music with top 40. couple’s first dance was to Jason Mraz and Colbie Calliat’s “Lucky.”

A highlight of the evening was the group dance by Amit’s parents to a blend of Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” and “Gangnam Style.”

Today, Shelly fondly remembers her nightmares of a costume disaster on the altar, and the panic created by the loss of Amit’s wallet the night before the wedding.

Despite the nightmares, Shelly wisely asks to-be-wed couples to simply enjoy the most beautiful milestone of marriage.

Photos Courtesy

Sona Photography
407-694-6032
www.sonaphotography.com

Vendors

BANQUET HALLS
Sheraton Lake
Buena Vista Resorts
www.sheratonsafari.com
407-239-0444

BEAUTICIANS/COSMETICIAN
Ruqs Salon
ruqikhan@yahoo.com 321-682-9273

CAKE
Nicole Von Braun Cakes
nicole3186@hotmail.com
407-655-6031

DECORATOR
Occasions By Shangri-La
www.occasionsbyshangrila.com
407-394-4244

DISC JOCKEY
Volcanik Entertainment
www.volcanik.com
201-240-9080

FLORIST
Floral Creation By Ranjan
floralcreation@gmail.com 407-438-6094

MEHNDI
Gokuls Henna Art
gokulhenna@gmail.com
407- 538-6707

PHOTOGRAPHER
Sona Photography
www.sonaphotography.com
407-694-6032

PRIEST/WORSHIP SERVICES
Mahesh Gor
maheshgor61@gmail.com 407-699-7966

RESTAURANT/CATERING
Khasiyat
bhanuchavda13@yahoo.com
407-888-2147

Taste of Punjab
www.tasteofpunjaborlando.com 407-507-3900

VIDEOGRAPHY
Digital Dream Studio
www.digitaldreamstudio.com 407-791-6064

Shelly weds Amit

Baarat of Amit

Reception of Amit and Shelly

Ritisha weds Abhishek

Ritisha Chhaganlal

January of 2014 brought together the lives of Orlando-based 26-year-old Ritisha Chhaganlal and Australia-based 23-year-old Abhishek Khatri.

Love bloomed for the duo at a social gathering when Abhishek was in Orlando on a medical rotation. Abhishek took things to the next level by executing a perfectly romantic proposal with the help of Ritisha’s sister. It sure was an unforgettable experience for Ritisha who had to decode clues to reach the location.

Wedding preparations commenced after an engagement period of nine months. Ritisha was at the helm of things along with her family members as far as planning for the wedding was concerned. Though a tough job, she enjoyed the entire process as she also got to meet a lot of fun people along the journey.

While the wedding and reception was held at Hyatt Regency at the Orlando International Airport, the

Ritisha and Abhishek Garba night at Hyatt Regency Orlando location for the Garba night was the Hyatt Regency Orlando. The wedding was attended by a significant number of people and the guest list included 375 people of which 100 had flown in from Australia.

Detailing played an important part in decorations for all the ceremonies. For the Garba night, the decorations included lanterns, peacocks, umbrellas and candles, and the hall was set in subtle colors and reflected a classy look.

The wedding ceremony took place indoors under a mandap with a large floral band at the top.

Ritisha and Abhishek's Garba night at Hyatt Regency Orlando

Going with her personality, Ritisha chose ivory/purple/plum as the dominant colors with rose petals thrown in the aisle.

The reception decor was a class apart with decorative trees, candles and florals forming the centrepieces and it wore a vintage look highlighted by amber lights. Ivory and gold remained the dominant colors with limited use of dark colors in the mid-drop and pillows of the love seat. The head tables had glittery table covers while the rest had rosettes.

Like any other Indian wedding, this one too had its dose of music. The Garba night featured a live band playing, and the wedding witnessed peppy dance numbers spun by DJ Firoz. To add zing to the celebrations, the bridesmaid did a divo dance to an instrumental piece and Ritisha walked down the aisle to “Sun Sathiya.”

The couple’s first dance was to “Samjhawan” from the film, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya. One of the highlights of the Garba night was however, a classical dance piece performed by Ritisha, her mother and sister who were joined by six kathak dancers from the dance school run by her sister and mother. For the reception, they included all of their family and friends and ended it with a mother-daughter performance.

Byline: Taniya Talukdar