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Wed At Last….
Friends since high school, Amit and Reema planned for a two week vacation in Peru to celebrate their 10-year dating anniversary. A day before the flight was scheduled, Amit asked Reema to meet him. This get-together was organized in Bridgewater by Amit’s mother, and the last minute call bothered Reema quite a bit as she wasn’t yet done with her packing.Amit picked her up and drove to Bridgewater. On the way, he got a call that the meeting was re-scheduled. As the duo passed by their favorite ice cream jaunt, Reema requested they stop as she wanted a scoop of chocolate. She was enjoying ice cream when Amit apologized for the day and began reading a note, which was meant for their anniversary. It turned out to be a “proposal.” With a ring in his hands, Amit went down on one knee and said, “I knew the way to make you say YES was by feeding you your favorite sundae.” Reema blushed.
The destination wedding took place in Aruba. Reema choose red and turquoise as the wedding colors. White tents and the mandap were adorned with red and turquoise draping. Amita Patel from Vulcal Boutique designed an exclusive lengha for the bride. Special anarkalis were designed for the flower girls.
.On the eve of the special day, a beach fun party offered the perfect ambience for the guests to relax and mingle with each other. Ashok Hirdaramani, an Indian guitarist from Aruba, set the mood for the evening with a perfect mix of Indian, Caribbean and American music.
Décor for the wedding was done by Fernando. White lounge sofas were adorned with beautiful cushions, back-lit fabric columns, tikki torches, pyramids with copper balls at the entrance and striking lanterns on the cocktail tables, along with hookahs, made the event all the more enjoyable.
CEREMONY
Wedding ceremony was held on the beach. Two white tents with fabric drapings were arranged for guests along with white wooden folding chairs. The mandap was a bamboo structure covered in white drapings.The ceremony was a blend of Gujarati and Sindhi traditions. The bride was escorted down the aisle by her maternal uncles, while the groom and the bharat arrived on a boat. The pheras were held in line with all Hindu traditions. Sindhi traditions, including the salt signifying the blending of the bride into the family, were also observed religiously. The couple left the site on a boat.
RECEPTION
Rare flowers from Aruba that adorned the venue stole the show. A modern and classy centerpiece by Fernando added to the glitzy décor. Another special feature was the lighting. From under tables, columns, and canopy beds to cocktail tables, the dance floor, tikki torches and string lights, the venue was quite elegantly illuminated.The regal dulce de leche wedding cake had a magenta ribbon to match the magenta and aqua theme. Mojitos, a Latin American drink made with rum, fresh lime and mint leaves, was the special drink of the evening. The DJ played Steelpan and Caribbean music. Loud and invigorating bhangra numbers got guests rocking on the dance floor. Guests in particular enjoyed the reggaetone, which was played through to the end of the evening.
Photos Courtesy:
Fine Art Productions
www.FineArtProductions.netVendorsWedding Venue
The Westin Resort & Casino
www.westinaruba.com297-526-4450 Manadp Decorator
Mosaic-Aruba
mosaic@setarnet.awWedding Dress, Wedding Jewelry
Vulcal Boutique
www.vulcal.com407-718-4737 Hair/Makeup
Susmita Patel
www.studiosush.com973-901-3316 Invitations
Patel Printing Plus Corp
www.patelprintingplus.com908-964-6422 Catering
Tandoor the Indian Grill House
tandoor@setarnet.aw297-586-0944 Music dj
Elite productions-Aruba
mdenz@elite-productions.net297-583-9641 Studio
Studio Sush
www.studiosush.com973-901-3316 -
Cupid Dida
All that was common between Meena Putatunda, an Implementation Consultant in Healthcare IT and Vick Mukherjee, a Software Development Lead, was a family friend; a grandmother rather, who was no less than a god-sent messenger. She connected two families and what followed was a celebration of life.Meena and Vick began talking on phone. Soon the conversations were longer and better. For Meena, talking to Vick was like talking to her best friend. Then after a couple of weeks, Vick visited Meena and her family over a weekend. The purpose was to sweep them all off their feet – and so he did. After making a strong impression on her parents, Vick invited Meena and her family to spend a day at his beach house in New Jersey.
Meena and her family reached his beach house around midnight. Vick asked Meena to go for a walk on the beach. It was a beautiful romantic night. The moon was almost full, the breeze was calm, and there wasn’t a soul around. Words took a back seat as there was a silent communication happening between the two.
.Upon returning to the beach house, Vick took her to the terrace. There she found a blanket adorned with roses and a bottle of champagne. Vick took out a ring from his pocket and kneeled in front of Meena. “I couldn’t imagine life with anyone else,” and he proposed to her. The speechless beauty, standing on the terrace of the beach house, in that romantic midnight hour, could only squeak in assertion. Vick’s sister
Trisha and Meena’s brother Vijay – who had jointly planned this surprise proposal – appeared soon after. The good news spread and soon good wishes began pouring in from all corners of the world. “At the time of the proposal, we had known each other for less than a month. But when you know, you know!” exclaimed Meena.In Meena’s words, “At the time of the proposal, we had known each other for less than a month. But when you know, you know!”The two had their Ashirbad (blessing ceremony) in October 2009. That left plenty of time to plan a wedding in May 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee, where Meena’s family lived. A wedding coordinator was hired to help make the wedding a truly special event. To ensure a perfect traditional Bengali wedding, the couple’s parents, many local aunties, and some other relatives assisted and truly put their heart and soul into wedding preparations.
The sangeet evening was organized at the Hutton Hotel. A relatively new hotel, t
he Hutton, with a modern, vibrant vibe, was the perfect place for a music and dance celebration. Special mehndi artists were called on for the sangeet ceremony. Many family members and friends of the couple performed a wide variety of acts including dancing, singing, poetry reading, and even a comedy act.The couple’s parents always dreamt of their children marrying in a temple. The obvious choice for the wedding ceremony was the Sri Ganesha Temple, one of the most beautiful temples in southeastern U.S. Sharing her favorite moments of the ceremony, Meena says, “Being carried on the open doli by my brothers and family friends was a once in a lifetime experience. Wish the time had frozen at that very moment.” Vick, riding a white horse to the temple, with friends and relatives dancing around, shared a similar feeling. The feeling was royal and majestic, he said.
The wedding reception was held at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. There could not have been a better venue to end the beginning of these festivities. The couple celebrated their wedding once again at another reception was held close to Vick’s home at the Birchwood Manor in Whippany, New Jersey.
After her grand wedding experience, Meena offers couples tying the knot a beautiful piece of advice: “Always keep smiling regardless of what happens! There will be lots of people and lots of cameras. And you don’t want to be caught not smiling.”
Photos Courtesy:
Zamana Lifestyles
www.zamanaphoto.com -
The Royal Wedding
The Wedding
The world was set ablaze by the grandeur of royal wedding as Prince William and his newly titled bride sealed the ceremony with a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Over a million people moved down to London on this occasion and the invitee list included 1,900 people. Around 650 people were invited to the lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace given by the Queen herself and 300 people to the dinner at Buckingham Palace given by the Prince of Wales, which was followed by singing and dancing.The occasion was the annual order of the garter ceremony where the duchess o
f Cambridge, decked in a dove grey long coat and matching fascinator arrived in a burgundy Rolls Royce, charming the crowd with all smiles on her face. Camilla stretched a guiding hand to her while doing so. The two women posed as to be photographed by the media. Prince William, smiling himself, marched down the hill from Windsor castle with his father, Prince Charles at his side.The Royal wedding between Prince William, son of heir to the British throne and his long time girlfriend Kate Middleton took place on April 29th at Westminster Abbey at 11 A.M. A wedding, seemingly a made-for television one, was cheered and applauded by the audience present. People could find likeness of the wedding with that of Elizabeth’s in the year 1947, the same year Britain lost a inestimable jewel from its crown, India as their colony.
Bridal Attire
The wedding floated by without a hitch. The bride wore a strapless corset fashioned in Victorian manner, and the dress was virginal white even though she had been living with the groom for some time. William graced the occasion by wearing a red military uniform with gold braid. The couple looked comfortably happy and content while kissing, the moment brought back the picture of Charles kissing his newly wedded br
ide Diana, some 30 years ago. Indian High Commissioner Nalin Surie and several people of Indian origin solicited their gracious presence. The media played a pivotal part in broadcasting the event to the world as their cameras caught every moment of it.their gracious presence. The media played a pivotal part in broadcasting the event to the world as their cameras caught every moment of it.
Happy Future
The wedding floated by without a hitch. The bride wore a strapless corset fashioned in Victorian manner, and the dress was virginal white even though she had been living with the groom for some time. William graced the occasion by wearing a red military uniform with gold braid. The couple looked comfortably happy and content while kissing, the moment brought back the picture of Charles kissing his newly wedded bride Diana, some 30 years ago. Indian High Commissioner Nalin Surie and several people of Indian origin solicited their gracious presence. The media played a pivotal part in broadcasting the event to the world as their cameras caught every moment of it. The royal wedding inspired creative headwear all around, and people with flamboyant feathered headpieces and traditional top hats were seen. William and Catherine cut a gigantic cake after the wedding. The confectionery masterpiece covered in cream and white icing and decorated with up to 900 delicate sugar-paste flowers was centre-stage at the Buckingham Palace reception. Champagne and snacks were served in plenty. As soon as the ceremony ended, people rejoiced and celebrated to their heart’s content. They took to the streets with smiling faces and placards that read “long live the wedding.”
Luxury was at its highest peak for the Royal family, and though recession looms in Europe, the air of entertainment, luxury and celebration created a short-lived escape from the harsh realities of wages and jobs cutbacks. All is well in the end and without a slight hint of doubt, one can emphatically state the wedding was a huge success.
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Best Friends = Love For Life
Jigar and Sonika share a beautiful friendship, one that binds them together forever. A key to a good relationship is laughing together and sharing the joys in life, which is exactly how Jigar and Sonika found their relationshiop unfolding into a tremendous love life. Sonika Khushwala, 26, a physical therapist and Jigar Tataria, 29, an anaesthesiologist, first met over lunch at their friend’s place, who were coincidentally, family friends of Jigar’s and Sonika’s parents neighbors. The couple was also surprised to learn that both of them worked at the same hospital in downtown Atlanta. As time went on, the two would often grab dinner after work, play tennis, or take a stroll in the park to spend time with each other. Little did they know that the need to see each other would progress to an everyday occurrence.Jigar proposed to Sonika exactly nine months from the day they met. For some, that
might be considered too short a period to judge someone’s character, but Sonika had no doubt that Jigar was the person with whom she wanted to spend her life. Jigar enamored his love with red roses as Sonika came out brushing from the bathroom. Sonika could see he was visibly sweating, so without any further delay she agreed to his proposal gleefully. Though he always wanted to propose her in the park where they shared many memorable moments, but Jigar’s demanding work schedule proved challenging. In the end, the two were happily engaged and soon planning a beautiful wedding.As soon as Sonika said yes, the planning began for a wedding one year away. Jigar and Sonika planned their dream wedding with the support of many friends and relatives, and in the end, the result was fruitful. It was a dream wedding where no consultant would participate, and it was only made so by those with heart.
The wedding events took place in Atlanta where Sonika’s family lived. Sonika’s lifelong wish was to have an outdoor marriage ceremony, and the Sheraton Hotel Atlanta offered just that. The sangeet/garba and reception took place in the hotel’s two ballrooms, and out of town guests were able to find accommodations in the same place.
The theme for the sangeet was traditional ethnic hues. Guests entered the ballroom through a colorful passageway. Tables were adorned with Moroccan corners and lanterns. The stage was enhanced with brightly colored panels and a traditional Indian swing in the center, and the dance floor was decorated with umbrellas, being the central theme of the ceremony, which canvassed the Raas between Krishna and Radha.
The ceremony was held in the Emory conference center garden on a spring Georgia day. The courtyard had a rock waterfall and seasonal flowers in full bloom, which provided a calm ambience for the wedding. Reds, whites and golds, dominant in traditional Indian weddings, prevailed and the mandap was adorned with red rose petals while the aisle was bordered with white rose petals. It was the perfect backdrop for an Indian wedding in spring with the Sun as a chief guest.
Ceremony program booklets were with a Shakespearean quote. DJ Bally played “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles as Sonika entered, who looked as dazzling as the Sun. Sonika always wanted the sound of the Beatles present for here wedding due to her love of the band.
The reception was held in the Capitol ballroom at the Sheraton Atlanta, which provided an atmosphere pleasing to all. Large crystal chandeliers, mahogany wood panels, white blue up lighting tickled everyone’s memories with images of Indian villages from the past. The theme was peacock and the colors were chosen very brilliantly to befit the theme well. Chairs were adorned with peacock feathers, and crystal garlands enhanced the mandap.People went wild over the music especially when DJ Bally played “Sing sing sing with a swing” and Michael Buble’s “Everything” to which the bride and groom danced. The father/daughter dance was to the popular song “You are my sunshine,” and the mother/son dance song was to “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. The remainder of the reception music was a healthy mix of Hindi, Bhangra and pop hits to which guests eagerly danced all night. With guests enjoying to the last minute, Jigar and Sonika truly made their dream wedding a success.
Photography:
The Decisive Moment Photography
www.thedecisivemoment.comVendorsWedding Venue
the Emory Conference Center Hotel
www.emoryconferencecenter.com404-712-6007 RECEPTION Venue
The Sheraton Hotel Downtown
www.sheratonatlantahotel.com404-614-8155 Videographer
Vinod Photography & Videography
www.photographybyvinod.com770-449-5155 officiant
Dr. Pandit Ravindra Dave
ravidave12@yahoo.com770-840-0390 Decorator/FLOWERS
Natasha Décor
www.natashadecor.com770-880-5555 Wedding Dress
Season’s Boutique
www.seasonsindia.com+91-22-61459999 Wedding rings
The Shane Company
www.shaneco.com866-467-4263 catering
Café Bombay
www.cafebombayatlanta.com404-320-0229 DJ
DJ Bally International
www.djbally.com(770) 803-9661 cake –other desserts
Meenakshi’s Cakes
vinomin12@gmail.com(404) 451-3854 accommodations
The Sheraton Hotel
www.shertonatlantahotel.com(404) 659-6500 honeymoon
The Palace Resorts-Mexico
www.palaceresorts.com -
Love at First sight
Photos Courtesy: Digital Dreams Studio
www.digitaldreamstudio.comThey met and fell in love at first sight… marriage followed a decade later.

Tejal was at dinner at a family friend’s place in London when cupid struck. For her, angels sang, birds chirped, and the sun brightly shone off Nirav, the guy with a big smile, dining with her. Both were in London attending a wedding, and the spark between the two turned into a relationship of a lifetime. Destiny kept them apart by thousands of miles, but the bond remained and only grew stronger with every mile.
Nearly a decade after the two met in London, Tejal was driving home to Sarasota from Ft. Lauderdale. After a day of being in class, she reached home only to find a driveway full of cars, but no lights on in the house. After ringing the doorbell a million times, her cousin answered the door. Waiting for her, behind the door, was a surprise that Tejal had been dreaming of ever since that fateful London dinner. The house was strewn with rose petals and candles. Nirav was on his knees by the pool seeking her hand for life.
A “yes” escaped from Tejal’s mouth and members of the two families were on the path to planning a perfect wedding. They had a year, but with so many things to be taken care of, the time seemed too short.The couple picked Sarasota as the venue for the big day as the bride wanted to walk down the aisle in her childhood hometown. She grew up in the beautiful town, and thought the venue would be a wonderful getaway for Nirav who was based in Chicago.
Pre-Wedding Events
The mehndi was organized at the bride’s home in Sarasota. Decorations and music for the evening were all Tejal’s personal choice. Nirav’s family too joined in for the celebration. It was an icebreaking event for both the sides, much needed to set the tone for the festivities in store.For Garba night, Hemang Thakkar’s live band flew in and conquered. Palloo’s decorations for the evening were simply fabulous. Garba enthusiastic guests were all so high with energy that the night simply refused to take a break. They would have danced until the sun came up had there not been the wedding early the next day.
Wedding
The theme for the wedding décor was centered on bamboo and peacock. Adding much romance to the ambience were the loads of vibrant flowers and exquisite floral arrangements.
The most important part of any Indian wedding is when the groom puts vermillion on the bride’s forehead. Making the moment all the more memorable was the beautiful blend of music spinning and even some singing by the DJ himself. A rare sight, indeed!Reception
The décor theme from the wedding ceremony was carried forward in the reception. The timely turn of events and attention to the tiniest of details depicted exceptional planning. Every event and ritual was staged with precision.
The emcees, performances, skits, and speeches made the night all the more memorable. Everyone involved in the celebration, including the guests and the hosts, had smiles which went on widening throughout the night.The jodi of Tejal and Nirav is that of two very organized individuals and they had every detail of the wedding extensively planned out. From having the guests fly to Sarasota early in case of a snowstorm, to having backup vendors in case one cancelled, they had all alternatives lined up.
Incidentally, the couple did miss one tiny detail – a marathon! A few days before the wedding, Tejal and Nirav received a call from the Hyatt saying that they would have to reschedule the wedding as a marathon was being held near the hotel. There is not doubt that 3,500 people running by the hotel would keep the entrance and exit to the venue blocked just around the time of the wedding. By then, the couple had ten years of a strong relationship behind them, so it was nothing for them diligently plan their way around the marathon to walk down the aisle right on time!
– Story Edited by
Jeet AlexanderVendorsVenue
Hyatt Regency Sarasota
www.hyattregencysarasota.com(941) 363.2603Guest Lodging
Marriott Spring Hill
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/
srqsh-springhill-suites-sarasota-bradenton/(941) 358.3385 Decorator
Palloo’s Flowers
www.palloosflowers.com(321) 356.1056Garba
Hemang Thakkar(281) 932.8933 Photographer/Videographer
Digital Dream Studio
www.digitaldreamstudio.com(407) 791.6064DJ
Kenz Desai
www.kenzdesai.com(919) 559.4294 Tranportation
All Aboard Charters
www.allaboardcharters.net(941) 961.5550Horse/Carriage
Pony Parties of Sarasota and SunshineRentals
U.S. Tents (941) 727.3311
www.ustentrental.com(941) 727.3311Carriages of Sarasota
www.ponypartiesofsarasota.com(941) 780.6981 Cake
Slice of Heaven
www.sarasotacakes.com(941) 341.0038Pandit Ramesh Bhai Ramesh Bhai Catering
Tabla Bar & Grill
www.tablabar.com(407) 448.3575Mehndi
Fiza(407) 791.9739 Mendhi/Garba/
Wedding Caterer
www.natufuva.com(407) 694.5654Hair/Makeup
Frederique(941) 539.0899 Sonja Sevin
www.sonjasevin.com(941) 735.4453
















