Real Wedding

High School Friends, Life Partners

They met in high school and years later, tied the knot.

Ravi Sanchoo was 16 and Amanda Devi Ramnarain was 15 when they met in 2003 during high school. They dated for five years. Then, one fine day, Ravi went down on one knee and with a ring in his hands asked Amanda for marriage. Tears sparkled in her eyes out of joy. She couldn’t have said no. To her surprise, Ravi asked her parents’ consent to marry her the night before he proposed.

The two were engaged for almost two years before they finally got married. Amanda says, “My mom did a better job than a consultant could have done.” However, wanting it all to be ‘just perfect’ was quite a stressful job, accepts the bride. The couple picked Orlando as the wedding venue because Amanda’s parents lived there. In a Hindu wedding, the wedding venue should be close to the bride’s parent’s house to manage various tasks related to wedding rituals.

Attire
While the groom wore the traditional attire of his culture – a yellow jurajama for the wedding – the bride wore a beautiful red sari, along with matching jewelry. Amanda’s best friend Candis did her hair as an elegant bridal bun that went quite well with her traditional Indian bridal attire. Professionals from MAC were hired to do the makeup, which was perfect and amazing.

Wedding Events
The wedding ceremony took place at noon at the Shri Surya Narayan Mandir in Ocoee, Florida. Being a traditional Hindu wedding, the theme was red and orange. The beautiful mandap was decorated in yellow, red, and orange. The marriage was solemnized by Pundit Vishnu Ramnarine.

The couple wanted to keep the wedding reception simple yet elegant. They chose a white and green theme. Amanda wore a stylish princess ball-gown with a fairly long trail and a sweetheart neckline. Candis made Amanda’s hair a bit more catchy and modern for this event and left some curls hanging from the sides. Ravi changed into a black tux with a green tie to match the reception color theme.

The tables were decorated with white and green orchids. Placed around the flowers were champagne toasting glasses. The table linens were white as were the chair-covers with the sash around them being green. There was an open-bar with an impressive variety of liquors. The bartender served a special drink to the bride that was even named after her – The Amanda. The multi-cuisine dinner was just as scrumptious. The three-tier wedding cake was all green with white swirls around it. The bottom-layer was chocolate, the middle was vanilla, and the top was marble. Emcee Paul and his DJ son played some amazing hip-hop, reggae, soca, chutney, and Indian numbers.

The just-married couple opines that marriage is an occasion that ought to be cherished and enjoyed. “Don’t stress over little things. This is the most blessed day of your life. Enjoy each moment of your wedding,” says Amanda.

CEREMONY SITE
Shri Surya Narayan Mandir,
Ocoee Florida

RECEPTION SITE
Pegasus Banquet Hall & Conference Center,
Orlando Florida

PHOTOGRAPHY:
Shipra Panosian
Cell: (407)-488-9931
shiprapanosian.com/weddings

OFFICIANT[S]
Pundit Vishnu Ramnarine

Mandap Decorator
Oma Ramnarain

Wedding Dress:
David’s Bridal

HAIR:
Candis Rambisoon

MAKEUP:
Adneris Rodriguez

WEDDING RINGS
Milan Fine Jewlers

FLOWERS:
Clermont Florist

CATERING:
Singh’s Roti Shop
for the Ceremony

Timehri West Indian
for the Reception

MUSIC:
DJ Paul
A Taj Wedding

The two families from two neighboring countries brought out long lists of traditions, almost doubling the civilities, and so the complications.

The Beginning
It all started with casual phone conversations. Nazreen would ring her friend Nida. Every time, Nida’s cousin Sharjeel would receive the call. The phone would eventually reach Nida, but not before Sharjeel flirted (decorously though) with Nazreen for a while. Over time, the casual flirting morphed into serious discussions. Many dates and discussions later, the couple decided to marry. Planning for an equally amazing day to solemnize the beautiful seven-year long relationship took another seven long months.

Now began the first real-life test for the couple. With what appeared to be a simple task until now, they soon realized would be quite the project. The two families from two neighboring countries brought out long lists of traditions, almost doubling the civilities, and so the complications.
When the two began looking for a venue, they realized that seven months was not too early to begin. Since most couples book their venues a year ahead, they were late. Moreover, venues that were available could not accommodate Indian caters or were not big enough to hold the estimated number of guests. As luck would have it, the couple came across the Inverness Hall of Innisbrook in Tampa. The venue could not only accommodate all guests, but also offered Indian catering. What was the icing on the cake? A pastry chef who accepted the challenge of carving the couple’s dream cake, the Taj Mahal.

Since Nazreen’s family lives in Tampa, it was an ideal location. For Sharjeel, having a destination wedding was a dream come true. His family flew in from many different locales, and he rented a big place for a week where more than 150 relatives gathered to enjoy his special day.

The festivities began with a ‘packing’ event, which was followed by the mehndi and the pithi. Special attraction of the ceremony was the dance floor. On the four corners of the floor, Rimal – the decorator placed umbrella like embellishments with traditional linen flowing around. That day, all guys wore black shalwar kameez. The event set a perfect tempo for the big day celebration.

Wedding civilities were performed at Jamat Khana, the Ismaili prayer place. Adding to the grandeur was the Rolls Royce Limo which the couple rented for the ceremony and reception.

Trousseau

Nazreen went to India to shop for all of her wedding outfits, including her reception lehnga which Sharjeel wanted to buy for her. She knew that she would find her extraordinary outfits for the occasion only in India. And she did. From a boutique in Mumbai, she found a mermaid style maroon lehnga with Swarovski crystals thickly embedded all over. She wore a veil on her head during the nikah and had the dupatta on her shoulder for the reception.

For the nikah, she had her hair in an up-do and wore a tika with subtle make-up. For the reception, she underwent a total transformation. She removed the tika, changed her hair, and went with bold make-up. Complementing her angelic Indian beauty was an exquisite svorovski crystal clutch, which was a gift from Sharjeel’s sister from Pakistan. It goes without saying that Nazreen looked like an angel on earth.

The Taj

Nazreen always wanted a Taj Mahal themed wedding, and her favorite color purple provided the shade for each of the ceremonies. The couple was sure they wanted a cake in the design of the Taj Mahal. Despite asking every baker in town, the two were unable to find anyone willing to take on the daunting task. Finally, the couple’s steadfast view of the symbol of love convinced the chef at Innisbrook to accept the dare. At the reception, a five-foot, intricately carved, amazing white Taj Mahal cake stood in the middle of the dance floor. Made of three different flavors, and adorned with lights, it was a magical sight.

The theme colors were white and purple. Purple LED lights lighted the entire room, and the vases were pin spotted. The colors changed throughout the night. The chairs were silver chivalri and linens were eggplant purple. The tables, which were squares and rectangles, were decorated with crystals and candles. Decorator Remmal from Shangri-la came to the rescue when deciding the backdrop of the stage. A giant 10-foot Taj Mahal ice sculpture set in between two crystal columns adorned the stage. Placed in the reception hall were four different kinds of centerpieces. Two were tall vases that lit up in different colors to coordinate with the colors on the backdrop of the stage. The entire hall was surrounded by LED lights, which changed colors throughout the night.

While enjoying the festivities, Sharjeel’s mind drifted towards the future – dreams of a beautiful and memorable honeymoon in Hawaii and many happy years to follow!

Article Photographs Courtesy:
Fineart Productions
www.fineartproductions.net
A Fairy Tale Wedding

They were brought together by garba. And a surprise trip to Venice took their relationship to the next level. A proposal under the Rialto Bridge, an engagement ceremony in India, and a grand wedding in Atlanta – Shruti and Hiren’s wedding is a fascinating fairy tale, indeed!

Thanks to Amit, a mutual friend of Shruti and Hiren Patel, the two met on a garba dance floor. They enjoyed many garba dances together for the years that followed. Long phone calls brought the duo closer, and the friendship kept blooming.

With a week long vacation coming soon, Shruti planned to spend time with Hiren’s family. Hiren picked her up and on way to home, he unfolded the first layer of surprise in store for Shruti. He revealed that the two wouldn’t be staying at home all week; instead, they would be leaving for a trip the next evening. Shruti could only think of a couple of places in the United States where they would probably go. It turns out that Hiren planned a romantic trip to Venice, Italy. His plan was perfect, and even Shruti’s family knew what was in store for the couple. The trip was not the last surprise in store for Shruti. Once in Venice, Hiren scheduled a gondola ride. As they approached the famous Rialto Bridge, Hiren got down on one knee and proposed to Shruti. In one of the world’s most romantic and picturesque spots, the answer could only be “yes.”

A few months later, the two had an official engagement ceremony in India. Shruti and Hiren planned to tie the knot later in the United States, and it was only then that they realized the difficult task ahead. Both families agreed that Atlanta would be the best option. With only a few months to plan, it wasn’t an easy to find a venue that could accommodate the expected number of guests and also be available on the desired date. Finally, the couple chose Marriott Marquis in the heart of Atlanta. While the exterior of the hotel was not too impressive, the beauty of hotel’s Atrium Banquet Hall struck the couple.

Attire

For the wedding, Shruti opted for a choli, which was adorned with green, red, and gold designs on a white background. The blouse was a corset style, boat neck, with short sleeves. Her jewelry was a mix of real gold pieces along with some additional matching pieces, all of which came from Gujarat. Hiren wore a dhoti salwar with red embroidery on a white background to match Shruti’s trousseau.
Shruti’s hair was beautifully styled up for the ceremony. For the reception, she chose to keep her beautiful curls down and flowing. Traditional and elegant makeup gave a pleasing angelic touch to the beautiful bride. Aarti Amin, the hair and makeup stylist, is an expert in making brides look natural.

Raas, Garba and Sangeet
As the couple’s love story began with garba, it was fitting that the duo organized the sangeet portion of the pre-wedding events as a raas garba. A garba singing group, which was from India on a tour around the US, added much life and festivity to the event.

Décor
An aisle lined with pillars of vases embellished with fresh flowers including green goddess callas, hydrangea and roses, was displayed to welcome guests. A golden arch gate trailed up to a golden mandap draped with burgundy satin drapes on the face and gold sheer drape as the backdrop. The mandap also had a clear ceiling layered with a carpet of fresh rose petals.

During the planning phase, the couple decided on a red and gold theme, but left the details to expert decorators from Shangri La, who suggested a peacock theme for the reception party. The professionals proved their worth, and the end result was much better than expected.

For the reception party, tall vases with a beautiful arrangement of peacock feathers, gold curly willow branches, and fresh purple and blue orchids were displayed throughout the hall. Some tables were adorned with square transparent vases, all of which were filled with white orchids and teal colored water.

A professional disc jockey set the mood for the party, and the couple’s friend, Charles, surprised all by becoming the emcee for the evening, making the night even more delightful! Performances by friends and family from both sides surprised one and all. With a beautiful amalgamation of dances and skits, friends and families truly showcased the love story of Shruti and Hiren.

Royal arrival
A special highlight of the ceremony was the way in which both Shruti and Hiren made their wedding entrance. Shruti arrived in a golden-ivory open doli, which was carried by her maternal uncles and brothers.

Hiren’s arrival was no less royal. He arrived with the jaan in a full-fledged vargadhodo, followed by a wireless DJ and horse and carriage. Two downtown Atlanta streets were closed for two hours, and police escorted the groom as he was followed by a procession of friends and family dancing and enjoying every moment.

Happily Ever After
Each and every guest left the magical event with a set of custom-made personalized shot glasses that double as candle holders. This was an ideal memento from the love-birds and their families to mark the auspicious day.

Shruti, with a big smile on her face, sums it all up, “It was actually a fairy tale wedding.”

Event Venue:
Marriott Marquis Atlanta
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/atlmq-atlanta-marriott-marquis

Photography/Videography:
Zamana Photography
www.zamanaphoto.com

Decorator:
Occasions by Shangri-la
www.occasionsbyshangrila.com

Trousseau:
Asopalav,
www.asopalav.com

and Jade Blue
www.jadeblue.com

Hair and Makeup:
Aarti Amin

Caterers:
Rajbhog Foods (Wedding)
www.rajbhog.com/catering.asp, and

Café Bombay Atlanta (Reception)
http://www.cafebombayatlanta.com/

Desserts:
Marriott Marquis Atlanta
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/atlmq-atlanta-marriott-marquis

Tanaz and Gustad’s Wedding Story

On a bright sunny day, Tanaz was getting ready to have lunch with Gustad – a normal weekend affair the duo had been following for more than two years now. She was used to long comforting walks and spending quality time with Gustad in Central Park followed by feasts. However something inside her said this was special. What could possibly be the surprise element? Oh yes! He must have planned an exciting birthday bash as it is Januray 25, Gustad’s birthday – she concluded.

The two met and proceeded on a walk across the park to reach the restaurant where lunch awaited them. But in the vicinity of the famous Bow Bridge of Central Park, Gustad did something Tanaz will cherish for the rest of her life. He suddenly went down on one knee, confessed his love and proposed “Tanaz, will you marry me?” Though not prepared for such a pleasant surprise from the birthday boy himself, she couldn’t resist the offer and reverted with a quick “yes” accepting the beautiful ring from Gustad, which was a symbol of his love and commitment for her, elevating their friendship to new heights.

As Gustad had already convinced both families, with Tanaz’s ‘yes’ what remained was a spectacular Parsi wedding. Donning the hat of an experienced wedding planner, Tanaz’s mother Yasmine began the preparations.

The Wedding plan
The Wyndham Orlando Resort-Convention Center on International Drive was picked for the auspicious occasion as the venue offered a separate entrance for privacy so that guests could skip the crowd in the general lobby. The ballroom offered a perfect floor for the celebration. The couple’s love for nature and Central Park’s landscapes gave the theme color for the day. And the world went green and gold for the Parsi love birds.

As a traditional Parsi wedding, four days before the wedding Madavsaro ceremony was held. Brothers of the bride and groom planted two fruit trees, broke coconut and offered prayers. As a symbol of fertility, they sowed egg, with pure white cloth, gold and silver beads, paan, supari, kharak, bada, and rock candy with a small container of dahi kunku. Adami – the gifts exchanging ceremony between the two families was held on the wedding eve.

Décor
The wedding stage was decorated in open Athena style with four pillars, hanging lights and flowers. Adorning the transoms was Asho Farohar.

There were six aisles to match the stage, all beautifully lined-up with flower arrangements and lights. The chairs wore white scroll design covers with sash. Palloo really did a great job.

For reception, the bridal table was decorated with cascading flowers. The backdrop was crystal curtains with LED Uplights. The cake table was decorated with fabric and votive candles and the cake centerpiece was set in tall bubble vase filled with water gems.

Flowers and bouquets
The bride’s bouquet had red roses with white pearl decoration while the groom’s bouquet was a bunch of red roses. Red freedom and circus roses, baum color dendrobium orchids, orane astermaria, purple and pink stock, leather leaf, lily grass, and purple lizi marcia brought in the perfect décor. The groom’s niece, the flower girl of the evening carried rose petals in a basket.

Trousseau, hair and makeup
The bride’s sari was white and had gold designs and netting. The jewelry was gold. Tanaz stylishly went for her hair up. Her makeup was also along the same lines, soft and elegant.

The men from both the families wore dugli (traditional Parsi dress) for the ceremony. The groom wore a feta, a black old-fashioned hat and carried a bouquet in one hand and coconut in the other. Over the arm swung a traditional shawl. The two groom’s men also wore the dugli but with small red velvet caps. These clothes were all made in India.

Parsi Zarthushti Marriage ceremony
The ceremony started with affirmations and commitments from Gustad and Tanaz. The mutual consent of the couple was asked, not once, but thrice and then the Mobed blessed the couple with showers of rice and rose petals.

The bride and groom were each led and welcomed separately into the hall with Achhoo Michhoo – the good luck wishing ceremony – wherein both families separately welcomed the new family member. Following was the traditional Ara Antar – the union ceremony where Tanaz and Gustad sat facing each other with a cloth held between them. They held their right hand in a clasp under the screen and rice in their left hand. The Mobeds recited the prayers seven times while passing cotton thread around Tanaz and Gustad seven times, enclosing the couple in a circle. As the prayers were over, the cloth was dropped and the couple raced on throwing rice on each other. As the tradition says that the first one to throw rice would be more dominating, Tanaz -the undisputed winner- had reasons to beam. Thereafter the Ashirwad was bestowed upon the bride and the groom. The ceremony ended with the exchange of wedding rings.

Music
DJ Firoz was roped in to make the mood for the evening. He played the music pre-selected by the couple for the ceremony. The bride walked the aisle with the background instrumental track of Hum Tum. The groom preferred walking to an English song instead.

The Wedding cake
They picked a simple cake with a unique fun topper. It was a pair of monkeys dressed up for their wedding under a palm tree. The couple saw it online and got it made for the event. They did a bit of research and found someone in NYC who makes them out of clay. The cake was a blend of Marble Chocó Bavarian, Straw Chocó Bavarian, Butter cream marble and Chocó Bavarian. Syvlette was great as well.

The favors
Good luck Buddha was given to all in a gold organza bag, placed at each dinner setting.

The advice
Let your mom plan the wedding. She won’t let you down.

Ceremony/Reception Site	Wyndham Orlando Resort www.wyndham.com
Photography	Digital Dream. Orlando www.digitaldreamstudio.com
Videography	Digital Dream Orlando www.digitaldreamstudio.com
Manadp Decorator	Palloo’s Flowers www.palloosflowers.com
HAIR /Makeup	Jayshree at Prerana’s Beauty, Orlando
Jewelry	Kumar Jewelers

Cruise Destination Wedding – Shaadi at Sea
~ By Kirsten Sanche ~

A cruise ship offers not only an impressive location, but also the service and attention to detail that are needed to make your wedding unforgettable. Some of the most memorable cruises that I have experienced as a Carnival Cruise Lines representative have been the Indian weddings. We recently had the pleasure of welcoming the Mahtani/Dodani families onboard the Carnival Imagination 3 day cruise from Miami with their guests from many different countries.

The accommodations for this wedding cruise were arranged by Cruises Plus, Inc. The agency handled all onboard arrangement for guests, including those with special needs such as wheelchairs or diabetes. Lots of detailed planning went on behind the scenes with various departments at Carnival Cruise Lines to make sure that all events were successful. Cruises Plus and Carnival staff worked from November to March to finalize all of the details and confirm the timeline for the family.

When the day finally arrived, the family and their guests were welcomed onboard by the traditional cruise buffet with special touches honoring the bride and groom, like an ornately carved watermelon. Like many families, they wanted to incorporate traditional ceremonies into their wedding, which included starting off the cruise with Mehendi for the ladies. Pujas were also included throughout the duration of cruise and were held either in a suite or in one of the lounges.

On the first evening, while the group was at dinner, a team of professional decorators, cruise coordinators and cruise line staff worked behind the scenes to get the show lounge ready for the Sangeet. The lounge looked even more spectacular with decorative pillows, special LED lighting and other ornamental touches, designed by Suhaag Garden Design Company. Carnival is able to accommodate all types of traditional celebrations, not only decorations for Sangeets, but also dandiya for a Garba.

One of the most memorable aspects of any cruise is the dining experience. For many Indian families, the food served at the wedding is one of the most important details. Few people realize that many of Carnival’s chefs are Indians from a variety of regions. Our chefs take great pride in creating traditional dishes for our Indian wedding families. For a wedding cruise, traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in the formal dining room. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes are offered at all meals along with the regular cruise menu. Masala chai and masala omelets are among the breakfast items offered. For both lunch and dinner, the tables are set with papad, pickles, and of course, naan. Guests can expect dishes such as murgh masala, chicken tikki masala, paneer makhani, dal, and for dessert, kulfi and gulab jamun. Specific Indian dishes can also be requested to customize the menu.

For this particular family, they decided to incorporate the cruise with a destination wedding in the Bahamas. The guests were able to enjoy themselves with all of the activities and events on the cruise ship and then were treated to a wedding ceremony at the Atlantis in Nassau. Once back onboard the ship the following evening, the family and guests celebrated with a lavish reception complete with a champagne toast, hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and a custom wedding cake, courtesy of Cruises Plus. They even brought their own DJ and comedian, who entertained their guests until the early hours of the morning.

All in all, everyone seemed to have a fantastic time. If you are interested in a cruise wedding, here a few things you will need to consider:
- In planning your cruise wedding, you will need at least 9 -12 months to make sure all of the details are arranged properly and to give your guests time to plan. Every cruise wedding is unique and time is needed to work on the customization.
- Cruise package pricing is going to include stateroom accommodations, dining, and the cruise ship entertainment. The package is also going to include space for your onboard events. Keep in mind that there will be additional charges for other types of vendors that you bring onboard such as make-up artists, decorators, DJs, or other services. There may also be additional charges for the wedding cake, technical staff, and housekeeping staff depending on your cruise package.
- You will also need the expertise of a cruise coordinator with cruise wedding experience.
Best wishes to the Mahtani/Dodani families!! We look forward to welcoming YOU onboard for your cruise wedding!

For more information and to start planning your dream cruise wedding, please contact Su Patel at 912-355-5697 or su@cruisesplus.com Su Patel, owner of Cruises Plus, handled the planning and cruise details for the Mahtani/Dodani family. For over 20 years, Su has been a cruise coordinator partner for Carnival and knows the ins-and-outs of handling a wedding cruise.

Cruise Destination Wedding–Shaadi at Sea