Inside:
1. An interview with a mother after her daughter’s wedding
2. a bride’s sweet dedication to her grandmother who passed shortly after her wedding.

{Interview With a South Asian Mother}

1. What went through your mind when you saw your baby girl as a dulhan?
When I first saw my daughter as a dulhan, I was overjoyed and just enjoyed that beautiful moment. When Neena, my daughter, was growing up she didn’t like to wear Indian clothes – she was never comfortable in them. As the years went by however she started enjoying wearing Indian clothes. As we prepared for the wedding, Neena told me she wanted an ivory and gold outfit for her wedding ceremony. I was not pleased with her choice at first; however she convinced me that this was what she wanted. We went back and forth with her designer, Ekta Solonki. Ekta created the most beautiful outfit and the fitting was perfect as were the colors. It had the most intricate and detailed work.  My little girl looked like a princess.

2. Your favorite aspects of the wedding venue? 
My favorite aspect of the wedding venue was that it had so much color with great lighting and space. We chose the Hotel Irvine. Neena and Chintan wanted to have an outdoor wedding ceremony with an indoor lunch afterwards. It was perfect as they’d recently completed renovations and the landscaping was stunning. We couldn’t have picked a better place.

The reception was the following Saturday evening and took place in the Grand Ballroom and Foyer. We loved that even though the wedding and reception were at one hotel, there were many different areas that were utilized.

3. What stood out in planning an Indian wedding in America?
Planning a wedding in America is so different from planning a wedding in India. Most weddings in India are arranged rather quickly whereas couples here typically have their wedding a year or more after getting engaged. We had a lot of time to plan – with both families, together.

We started planning by deciding on the guest count and then the venue. Since this was the first wedding for both families, it was a very big deal for everyone. Neena and Chintan had a vision for their wedding and really did their homework when it came to selecting vendors.

Here there are so many options so we hired a wedding planner. Neha Shah of Blue Lotus is absolutely amazing. From the moment we met, I knew that we had met the right person. She coordinated every meeting and made herself available at all times. At the time it seemed stressful but looking back I wouldn’t change a thing. We were lucky that we were able to have regular meetings with all the parents to discuss the options. We didn’t always agree but everyone’s input helped create the amazing end result. Traditionally the wedding is arranged by the elders but here everyone gets a voice. I think it’s important to brainstorm because we bounce ideas off each other. 

For myself, food and decoration were a priority. Luckily we were blessed to have fantastic vendors that went above and beyond to make the wedding so special. It is vital is to work with vendors that will get to know you and understand your vision.  Jay Bharat, our caterer for the lunch ceremony and Mantra Cuisine who we used for the reception were both great. Our vendor for decorations, Bloombox was also fantastic.

Neena and Chintan’s wedding was magical, fun and memorable. It’s been a year and people still tell me what a fabulous time they had! This wouldn’t be possible without the blessings of our elders; and teamwork from parents on both sides.

My advice to anyone planning a wedding? Enjoy the process. It’s over before you know it.

See Neena and Chintan’s full wedding feature.

{A Bride’s Dedication to her Grandmother}

My beloved grandmother had been battling MDS the entire year Chintan and I were engaged. We truly didn’t know if she was going to make it to our wedding. We felt so blessed and happy that she did. On my wedding day I didn’t cry the entire day…until I saw her. My Nani and I were extremely close and I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect wedding day than to have her shower her blessings on me as I married the man of my dreams. She passed a little over a month after our wedding but we got to spend our last Mother’s Day together. Love and miss you Nani.

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