In our previous post we introduced you to Nina who talked to us about the morning of her wedding. In our second part Nina shares with us her experiences during her wedding ceremony
We did a mix of a traditional Indian wedding but also incorporated the American culture by having 8 groomsmen and 8 bridesmaids – including one best man and one maid of honor. The entrances started off with Sam’s nephew, bearing the rings, followed by my younger cousins who were the flower girls. Following them, the groomsmen, immediate family and Sam entered on the mandap with “Watch Me Whip” playing in the background. The guests were totally thrown off to a traditional entrance and they loved every moment of it. After Sam’s entrance, the bridesmaids entered holding a thali with flowers and a diya. It was then I made my entrance down a set of stairs, meeting my parents and two brothers at the end, as they walked me up to my groom. It was such a special moment because at that time, both families are joining as one and you can feel the room so thick with love. The moment was even more special for me because my grandfather is a pundit and was marrying Sam and I. The actual wedding went by so quickly – or at least felt like it for us. Before we knew it we were walking around the havan, feeling flower petals raining from the sky and guests cheering us on as we officially became one. The wedding ceremony was followed by the vidai, which we decided to start at the mandap itself. My family had lined up on the mandap catwalk and I said my final good-byes (for now) to them one by one. It was intimate, everything I had imagined and just perfect. As we walked out of the venue we hugged our parents and prepared for our departure in a Rolls Royce Phantom. To add a twist to our traditional vidai, we had the groomsmen drive two cars in front of us – Ferrari and Lamborghini Aventador – and two cars in back of us – Audi R8 and Alpha Romeo.
Right after the vidai, lunch was served (we catered from the BAPS Mandir in NJ) and after lunch everyone headed back to their hotel rooms to freshen up for the reception. It was during this time that Sam and I were the most excited – we knew the party was about to start! During our planning process, it was important for us to focus on the guests and make the wedding experience about them.
Vendors
Photo – Braja Mandala
Planning – Premini Events
Venue – The Venetian Catering and Special Events
Catering – BAPS Mandir Catering
Event design/flowers – Elegant Affairs
Lighting – Magic Moments
DJ – DJ Suhel
Invitations – Ankur Invitation Shop
Hair/Makeup – Style by Susmita
Ice Bar – The Venetian
Video – A&A Video
Lengha – Sabyasachi
Shoes – Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin
