Fall + Winter 2014

SAB

SOUTHAsianBRIDE Fall/Winter2014-15 Print/Digital Edition

MUGHAL MAGNIFICENCE recreating the glamour of a bygone era

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Photos by 5 West Studios

A Royal Estate of Affairs Celebrating the art of entertaining since 1919

Weddings & Celebrations A Castle to Call Your Own with Just One Wedding a Day 32 Guestrooms & Suites 路 Fine Dining 路 Golf & Tennis On the Gold Coast of Long Island between New York City and The Hamptons 135 West Gate Drive 路 Huntington NY 11743 路 631-659-1400 6 southasianbridemagazine.com

www.oheka.com

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cd Our Pakistani clientele has continually inspired us with their passion for precision & yearning for innovation. Head designer, Maier Khan, declared 2014 “The Year of the Pakistani Bride”, & released a one of a kind Bridal Collection titled “Heartbeat”.

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HEARTBEAT AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY r @ CHICAGO I NEW JERSEY

H.B. HEARTBEAT TO VIEW THE ENTIRE HEARTBEAT COLLECTION VISIT /SAHILEXCLUSIVE

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“HEARTBEAT”

AS SHOT AT THE FIELD MUSEUM IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO. AT SAHIL, WE DON’T JUST DO IT BIGGER, WE DO IT BETTER - THE STEPS, STAIRS, GIANT PILLARS, AND COLUMNS SET A PROGRESSIVE AMBIENCE THAT CAPTURES THE MAGIC THAT IS SAHIL.

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TO VIEW THE ENTIRE HEARTBEAT COLLECTION VISIT /SAHILEXCLUSIVE

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691 N. Cass Avenue Westmont, IL 60559 630.777.4133 630.468.2869 www.charismaindia.com

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DITOR'S NOTE

I want to express my sincerest gratitude to all those who contribute to help create South Asian Bride Magazine. The brilliant event coordinators, designers, decorators, florists, lighting specialists and of course the photographers.

Thank you to all the brides and grooms who support us, share their memories with us and use SAB as their guide in their wedding planning process. We strive to live up to your expectations each and every time.

--Sadaf H. Kherani, Publisher | Editor in Chief Credit: nadia d. photography, | www.nadiadphoto.com, Make-up: Corinne Fairley , Location: St. Regis, Atlanta

SOUTH ASIAN BRIDE MAGAZINE, INC. info@southasianbridemagazine.com

ADVERTISING: 404.591.4142 | 888.956.6661 Copyright South Asian Magazine, Inc. No material herein or portions thereof may be reprinted without the consent of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. Views/Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the paper and no liability is assumed by the publisher thereof. Advertising copy and artwork are the sole responsibility of individual advertisers.

SHOP AT: www.southasianbridemagazine.com

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18 | Editor’s Note 68 | Real Wedding

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N THIS ISSUE

28 | Catwalk 72 | Real Wedding

42 | Inspiration Shoot 58 | Cover Shoot 64 |Real Wedding 76 | Real Wedding 80 | Inspiation Shoot 86 | Jewelry

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N THIS ISSUE

92 | Fashion 110 | Get the Look

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96 | Fashion 100 | Fashion 112 | Get the Look 114 | Invitations

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116 | Inspiration Shoot 134 | Real Wedding

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126 | Real Wedding 138 | Real Wedding

130 | Real Wedding 142 | Decor

23 acres of gardens / multiple ballrooms for up to 650 guests authentic indian cuisine: outside catering available or prepared by the hotel’s culinary experts

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catwalk

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WEDDINGS OF ASIA

Venue: Russell Hotel, London Photography: Shahid Malik Event Produced by: Riwayat LTD Head Stylist: Huma Tahir Make up: Taniya Khan and Team.

Hair: Sofia Qayyum and Team

AASME

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AYESHA AIJAZ

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ZAHEER ABBAS

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LAJWANTI

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RANA NOMAN

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Z A I N A B C H O T TA N I

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MONA IMRAN

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Photographer: Hasan Jamil Content Photography | www.contentphotographyhasanjamil.tumblr.com MakeUp Ar tist: Berry MUA | www.facebook.com/HollieCroucherMUA Wardrobe: Stushh Designer Studio | www.facebook.com/stushh Jewellery: Innaya Couture |www.facebook.com/pages/Innaya-Couture/192174525150 Male Model: Saran Singh Female Model: Laura Stanford Location: Crossbrook House, Buxton, UK

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PRINCESS BRIDE Photography: nadia d. | www.nadiaDphoto.com Clothing: Raakesh Agarvwal, Delhi | www.facebook.com/raakeshagarvwal Jewelry: Gems and Jewels Palace, Jodhpur, India | www.royalindianjewellery.com Make up, hair and shoot styling: Nirjary Desai, Kis Cubed Events | kiscubedevents.com Model: Shermeen Khakiani Location: Haveli Inn Pal, Jodhpur, India | www.haveliinnpal.com

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MUGHAL - MAGNIFICENCE Photography: Sharan Sandhu | www.sharansandhu.net Jewellery: Jewels N Gems | www.jewelngem.com

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Real Wedding

Versha + Arjun

V

ersha and Arjun met at UCLA, on the first day of freshman orientation. It sounds like a scene from a rom-com, but Arjun actually spotted across the campus and knew he had to meet her. Versha, however, was not so sure, so she played hard-to-get for a few months. Arjun asked her out a few times, and she kept saying no, but finally relented. When they finally went out, Versha quickly realized she was on the best date ever, and wondered why she hadn’t said yes sooner.

Since they were both young (Versha was a mere 17, while Arjun was 18), they took things slowly but exclusively, never breaking up, but taking care not to rush things.

Nine blissful years later, Arjun proposed to Versha on Coronado Island (near San Diego). Versha’s entire family was in on the proposal plans, but Versha was completely unaware. “I was totally blindsided,” she recalled. Arjun had hired a photographer as part of his decoy plan, but Versha was totally clueless when the photographer first approached. “This random guy on the beach comes up and asks if he can take a photo of us,” she remembered.

“So he said, 'I know a great spot for photos, and it’s right over here'.” The amused couple walked over to the spot the photographer suggested, and that's where Versha found their names in the sand. Once she saw the names, Arjun got down on his knee and proposed, while the photographer snapped away. Versha of course said yes, and then the next day, close friends and family joined together for a fabulous dinner to celebrate the engagement.

When Versha set about planning her wedding, she knew her mother Poonam southasianbridemagazine.com 65

would be instrumental in pulling everything together, especially since Versha was in the middle of her pediatric residency. “The planning was definitely a collaborative effort with my mom, though she let my vision take the lead,” Versha said. “I knew I wanted a beachfront wedding, so we looked at three or four venues before I chose the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. Once I saw the Ritz property, I knew I had to have my wedding there,” Versha said. To ensure every detail came together flawlessly, she hired Elegant Events by Nutan Shah to handle coordination.

Versha and her mom interviewed three florists and chose Fayaz at Bloom Box Designs. “I wanted something different from what I had seen in weddings before, and I kind of knew what I wanted, but I didn’t know how to execute it. I chose Fayaz because he is really good at figuring out what you want and making it happen. I chose creams and golds for my palette because I thought that

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combination would be a perfect contrast to all the colorful Indian clothing our guests would be wearing. I really thought it would look elegant and timeless, especially at our beachfront location. We also added a tiny pop of coral as the color accent, then included mirrors and candles throughout the ballroom to add glamour.”

Arjun was content to let Versha and Poonam take the lead on all the wedding details, but he had one request that was non-negotiable: An elephant for the baraat. "Watching him enter on an elephant was just incredible," Versha recalled. "He was just having so much fun."

“For the ceremony, I wanted a mandap that was going to complement the beach scape, so I wanted it to incorporate elements from nature. Fayaz included greenery and flowers, along with a chandelier, on the inside of our mandap, and it was so wonderful to look up and see a little garden during the ceremony. Fayaz helped us achieve our vision beautifully.”

Popular officiant Shukavak Dasa presided over the Hindu ceremony, and his presence had a lot of meaning for Versha and her family, as he'd been a family friend since Versha was just four years old. Shukavak clearly felt a personal connection with Versha and her family, too, as evidenced by the many kind words he said about her during the ceremony.

Vendor LIST

Photographer: Dina Douglass & Yoshi Morimoto Andrena Photography Coordinator: Elegant Events by Nutan Shah Florist: Bloom Box Designs Videographer: Impressive Creations DJ & Lighting: Special Occasions Los Angeles Hair & Makeup: Oscar Naranjo Entertainment: The Jewels that Raq Rentals: Revelry, Bloom Box & Needle-Free Productions Elephant Rental: Have Trunk Will Travel Mendhi: Neha Assar Officiant: Shukavak Dasa Cake: Christopher Garrens Pastry & Dessert Buffet: Ocho Rios by Keith Versha chose to enter her ceremony in a doli because she felt like it was something that was traditional yet beautiful. "Whenever I’ve seen weddings in movies, the bride’s first step out of a doli is always such a pretty sight. It’s just so beautiful and moving, so it’s something I always wanted to have at my own wedding," she said.

For her wedding outfits, Versha did her shopping in New Delhi. "My mom went to India two weeks before I did, and narrowed down all the best stores for me to look at. This was just so helpful. When I arrived in Delhi, I tried on hundreds of dresses, but the two I ended up with were the ones my mom chose for me before I even got there! I couldn’t believe it.

She has such great taste, and she knows me so well.

"The wedding dress is from Shantanu & Nikhil, while the reception dress was made by Gaurav Gupta. The reception dress in particular was really unique, as it featured a series of petticoats for the skirt with a bejeweled floor-length light jacket serving as the bodice, sleeves and dress. It’s just two pieces, but it looked incredible and it was so easy to wear,” Versha remembered.

"For the reception, we wanted to make sure our 400 guests weren’t bored by endless speeches, so we put a lot of thought into entertainment and performances. We found a company called The Jewels That Raq, and they offered up performers in various styles. Our guests were thrilled by a snake dancer, Brazilian dancers, tango dancers, knife dancers and belly dancers. We were so happy to be able to provide so many different styles of entertainment."

Versha also took care finding the perfect wedding cake designer. "Christopher Garrens made the cake and he’s awesome. Not only was it gorgeous, but it was so yummy. He is just so artistic! He did three sketches before he came up with the design we ultimately chose, and I was just floored by how beautiful our cake was.

“If there’s one piece of advice I could give to girls planning their weddings, it would be to just relax and enjoy the process. It’s so easy to stress out about every little thing, but at the end day, all that matters is that you’re marrying the love of your life, and that all your friends and family are there to celebrate with you. My wedding was the most fun I ever had. And I’m so excited to start my life with Arjun."

Real Wedding

Anisha + Hunain

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y husband says he knew “I was the one” when he first laid eyes on me at sixteen.

We were young and in love, our days were spent holding hands as we walked to class and waiting on each other at lunch. As high school sweethearts, our lives had been so intertwined that life without him was unimaginable. But as life is cruel in its ways, we parted for college and decided to try to move on with our lives. Long distance would be too hard and we would be miserable without each other, we said. So the decision was made – we would go our own ways. I think it only took me a few days to realize that the reason I was miserable wasn’t the distance, it was because there was no Anisha without Hunain - he was my everything.

Of our 9 years together, we’ve been long distance for around 7 years and our wedding planning was no different. He was in Dallas and I was in College Station, Texas. We decided to get married in Houston, a central location for both of our families and loved ones. The only problem now was planning this elaborate event from hundreds of miles away, and this is where our families came in. They went above and beyond to help with all of the planning.

From working with all the vendors to food/cake tasting, our families were always available to help

make decisions. And in the end, everything turned out better than we could have ever imagined. The celebrations began with an intimate ceremony with each of our families. The Haldi and Pithi ceremonies gave us a chance to really enjoy our loved ones, taking a few moments to marvel at the how much we were loved. The next day was our Sangeet, a night filled with endless laughter and dancing. Our families performed dances along the story line of how I met your mother. It couldn’t have been more perfect because both of our families had always been so involved in our relationship that they knew our love story better than us! Both our Dholi and DJ were amazing, they kept the dance floor hopping till late into the night. The next morning was our Nikkah and all of our closest family was there to witness us pledge our undying love to each other. It was a perfect day that ended with a beautiful reception. I was a bit worried that because both our sangeet and reception were held at the same venue, they’d look too similar but our decorator was amazing. It was a tropical paradise on Friday night with teals and blues and by Saturday night, the place had been transformed into an ethereal vision of heaven, filled with whites and golds,

candles and crystals. We knew our wedding would be emotional but nothing prepares you for that feeling of all-encompassing love.

Throughout everything, our families were a constant source of love and support and they are the reason for our dreams of a beautiful future, our happily ever after.

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Vendor LIST Photography - Midnight Chai Photography Videography - Doodle Studio Wed - Deography DJ - DJ Scoop (Desi Junction) Band - Major Seventh Food - Aga's and Savoy Cake and Dessert - Alphorn Bakery Venue - Sugar Land Banquet Hall/Tempura Grill Venue - Bayou City Event Center Decor - Decor One by Nalini

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Real Wedding

Ameeta + Bobby

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t all started with a friend request. In 2008, Bobby added Ameeta on Facebook, and sent her a quick message, to which he received no response. One day, while “spring cleaning,” her friend list, Ameeta came across Bobby’s profile, and figured he was cute, but too young, and so she deleted him.

Fast forward to 2010, Bobby attended a Sikh conference in NJ, where all of Ameeta’s friends just happened to be. Bobby, being the artsy, photographer that he is, took pictures at the conference and posted them on Facebook. Ameeta, being the nosey girl that she is wanted to see more pictures of her tagged friends, so of course, she sent him a friend request. Bobby being the persistent guy that he is, sent her another message, to which she finally replied, a month later, Ameeta hopped on a Bus from NJ to VA to meet Bobby & the rest is history. 3 and a half years later, and more in love than ever, they tied the knot.

Ameeta had dreamt about this day from the day she can remember her first Punjabi wedding. She knew that she would be no ordinary bride, and refused to wear red. Before jet setting to India to shop for the big day, she made spreadsheets of shops to visit, vendors to meet, and saved hundreds of inspiration pictures to her computer. When she got to the airport, however, she realized the carry on with her laptop was still at home!

There she was, going to a foreign country, with nothing in hand, but that didn’t stop her. She knew what she wanted, and she was determined to get it.

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All of her shopping was done in Chandni Chowk, New Delhi. While most people told her CC would be the last place she would find anything, she found everything from her wedding trousseau to her bridesmaids outfits in the small galis of Chandni Chowk.

Both of Ameeta’s outfits were custom made and designed from small boutiques in Chandni Chowk, both of which took 4 months to make!

Both of Bobby’s outfits, and brother’s sherwanis were custom designed and made by Prateek Sahni a family friend who is also in New Delhi.

Planning was no easy task, with Bobby in Virginia, and Ameeta in New Jersey, itw as almost impossible to do the planning together. With a specific vision in mind, Ameeta knew exactly what she wanted for the New Jersey portion of the wedding and reception, and left the Virginia planning up to him and his side of the family.

Bobby and Ameeta were spending the weekend together in NJ when they decided to look for some venues. Ameeta had a few in mind, and when they went to check them out, they found out they were all booked for the long weekend. Bobby just happened to Yelp and came across The Grove, which Ameeta fell in love with the moment she walked in.

Pink, pink pink, is Ameeta’s favorite color, if you haven’t already noticed.

So it was a no brainer that her outfit would be neon pink, and so would Bobby’s matching paghri. She always dreamed that her wedding would be a royal affair, and wanted the details of her wedding to reflect just that. From the pearls on Bobby’s sherwani, the flowers cascading down Ameetas hair, to the strands of crystals dangling from their centerpieces.

“I look at my wedding anarkali a year later, and I’m more in love with it now than I was then.” - Ameeta Ameeta wanted to incorporate the east and west, so she walked in with her face veiled for the ceremony, and had a bouquet while entering the reception. She kept things traditional with her nath, kundan jewelry, and arm filled henna.

Bobby was in charge of photography, and he knew, even before he knew Ameeta was the one, that Banga was the one for his big day photography needs. As you can tell, it was probably one of the best decisions, as they captured every moment of their special day perfectly.

The cake was a last minute add in, but Ameeta is so glad she did so.

She worked closely with Sonam from Chocol8kiss, 2 weeks before the wedding, and her vision came to life. Her cake had 3 flavors to cater to every taste bud. Pineapple Mango, Carrot, and of course her favorite, chocolate oreo.

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With friends and family from all over the world, and across the country flying in, the wedding was surely a happening affair. Both Bobby and Ameeta had their sangeets, mendhis, and haldis in their resepective states, but both sides came together for the wedding and not one but two receptions. The wedding in NJ had about 350 people and the reception in Virginia 750.

Ameeta wanted to keep the ceremony traditional, and always wanted to have it at the Gurudwara where she grew up. Her brother’s walked her in, her father gave her away The lunch reception in NJ was full of performances, speeches, love, dancing, and laughter. It ended around 5pm, where Ameeta her family, and Bobby with his immediate family proceeded to her house for the Doli. The of them along with her new family hopped on the chartered bus, and drove off to VA. The VA reception was the next day with hues of Royal Blue and Red. The hall looked elegant with towering roses, crystals, and a cascading roses down the tiered red velvet cake.

Ameeta wore a 25 lb lengha, and Bobby wore a custom made sherwani. RDB’s very own Manj, Bobby’s very good friend, surprised Bobby and Ameeta with a performance, and the crowd went wild!

"It’s been a year and 3 months, and the memories of that day are still so vivid in our minds. The emotions I felt while walking towards my now husband gush back to me everytime I close my eyes and rewind back to that day. While I wish I could get married and experience our wedding over and over again, I’m happy I got to experience my dream wedding once, and with my dream husband." - Ameeta

NJ Photography: Banga Studios Sound, Lighting & DJ: Dj Sunny Entertainment Decor: Design House Decor Catering: Moghul Caterers Hair & Makeup: Flawless Beauty by Pauline Video: Fine Art Production Venue: Sri Guru Singh Sabha & The Grove Car: Signature Car Collection DC Photography: Banga Studios Live Performance: MANJ Musik (Formerly RDB) Sound, Lighting & DJ: EventEQ Catering: Jaipur Cuisine Decor: Liz Decorations Video: Blue Sky Films Venue: Fox Chase Manor LIST Car: Chariots for Hire

Vendor

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Real Wedding

Ketti + Arpit

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met Arpit at a mutual friends birthday dinner just a few months after moving to New York City. I was sitting outside a Thai restaurant, waiting for my friends, and speaking on the phone with my parents. I remember looking up and seeing Arpit, who had also arrived a few minutes early, looking my way - and myself just focusing on my phone conversation since I wasn't sure who he was. Once introduced to him. I distinctly remember thinking that he seemed unlike a lot of the guys I had met so far - he was confident, completely at ease in a social setting and funny in a very playful way. He was also sweet - I broke the zipper of my purse within 5 minutes of us meeting and he immediately helped me fix it (this set the tone for the rest of our relationship!). We chatted throughout dinner, and I have to admit, I was intrigued. He kept in touch following the dinner, but I was so work-minded I didn't really reciprocate! However, after telling my close friends about him, they urged me to go on at least one date. I called him the following day and we made plans to go to the Gansevort hotel rooftop for drinks. Needless to say, the rooftop turned into a restaurant hop around the city, and by the end of the night I was hooked. I can say with all confidence it was the best date I had ever been on! A year and a

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half later, he sent me on a whirlwind scavenger hunt around the city, starting at the Thai restaurant where we first met and ending at Central Park, where I found him on one knee. He surprised me again with a celebratory brunch with all of our closest friends following the proposal and a trip home to celebrate with our families the next day. That weekend exemplified one of the best parts about Arpit - no matter how busy he is, he is so thoughtful, sincere and caring about the way he treats other people. Needless to say, I said yes and into wedding planning we went!

I would say that our wedding was a real reflection of Arpit and myself. We had strong ideas about the type of experience we wanted each of the wedding events to be for ourselves and our guests, but we think our day turned out even better than we expected, partly because we were so happy the day had finally come. We were ready to party! Our events were an accumulation of effort from ourselves, our amazing families and our incredible vendors.

Our wedding had special touches that I think made it 'us' - from the vintage wedding day photos of our parents that were set up on the Ganesh table, to the elephant buggy that my parents hand-painted for my nephew to ride down the aisle in, to the 'phoolan ki chaadar' I walked under, to the special 'beet rice' based off my mother's recipe we served at the reception, to the vintage NYC taxicab that we used as our getaway car. Though I think we achieved a different look for each event, we had a consistent theme of wanting our decor to be lush with flowers, elegant with crystals and draped fabric and colorful, to make our outfits stand out. It was an amazing week of events and definitely gave us a memorable platform to begin our new life as a married couple.

I think there's something to be said about making sure you take time to spend with each other as a couple throughout the whole wedding planning process. You might hear it as soon as you get engaged - but wedding planning is a lot of work! I actually really enjoyed the process since it was a celebration (obviously) close to heart and I would consider myself a 'planner' in terms of my personality as well. Even so, it can become overwhelming when you realize how many details, people's opinions (both family, friends as well as vendors!) and staying true to your and your others' own vision come into play. I would urge any bride planning their day to think about the end goal regarding the wedding - at the end of the day it's about you and him, and being lucky enough to throw a celebration that's reflective of your cohesive styles' with your closest family and friends. Taking time to date and have fun with each other as a couple while wedding planning only reinforces the fact that you're blessed enough to marry your soon-to-be-husband in the first place.

Vendor LIST Photography: nadia d. photography Decor: Design House Decor Consultant: Royal Charms, Inc. DJ: DJ Gaurav Horse: Equishare Makeup: Pauline Nobles Cake: A Little Cake Cinematography: NYNJ Catering: Moghul Catering Venue: The Venetian Floral: Violeta's Floral Shop Pandit: Vimesh Thakar Limo: NJ Limo Bus

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Itna guroor toh chaand ko bhi nahi hai DEVDAS

Planning/Design/Florals: Anais Events | www.anaisevents.com Henna: Neeta Sharma, mehndidesigner | www.mehndidesigner.com Photography: Nudrat Owens Photography | www.nudratowens.com Hair, makeup & styling: Sumaira Nashat | www.looksbysumaira.net Jewels: Dhillon & Co. | www.dhillonandcompany.com Black anarkali: R Gill | www.facebook.com/rgillcollections/info Sari & accessories | Nudrat Owens

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Jewelry

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ROYAL Jewels Jewelry: Samreen's Closet | www.facebook.com/samreenscloset Photography: Omer K.'s Photography Shoot & Makeup: Azeem Sani Clothing: CARA & Khuki Concepts

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Fashion

OLD WORLD

Glamour Photography: Vinit Bhatt Styled By: Nisha Kundnani, Bridelan Hair + MUA: Shraddha Naik Alkunte Model: Archana Akil Kumar, Elan

Trapeze anarkali: Ritu Kumar Chandbalis: Anmol Jewellers Anmol Jewellers 92Bangles: southasianbridemagazine.com

Chevron lehenga: Rimple & Harpreet Narula Couture Necklaces: Zoya by Tanishq Nose pin: Falguni Mehta Tulle and zardosi lehenga Set: Sabyasachi Couture Necklace, pasa & ring: Falguni Mehta

Cutwork anarkali: Rimple & Harpreet Narula Couture Mathapatti & necklace: PN Gadgil Jewellers

Fashion

A Princess's Trousseau Designer: Poshaac - Couture and Accessories by Premal Badiani | www.poshaac.com Jewerly: Belsi's Collection by Riddhi Fazal | www.belsiscollection.com Hair and Makeup: Makeup by Nashwa | www.makeupbynashwa.com Photography: 5 Petal Productions | www.5petalproductions.com Location: The Biltmore Ballrooms, Atlanta

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Fashion

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Kalamkaar by Ayesha-Somaya

www.facebook.com/AyeshaSomaya

PHOTOGRAPHY, ART DIRECTION & CO-ORDINATION: Ayaz Anis | ayazanis.com STYLING, HAIR & MAKE-UP: Raana Khan NAILS: Raana Khan's Salon MODEL: Fouzia Aman southasianbridemagazine.com 101

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Beauty

GET THE FACE

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JenseyB Photography | www.jenseybphotography.com Bangles: Amaan's, Oldham Ring: Primark Ar m Band: Rupali Online Sharara: Bombaysouthasianbridemagazine.com Stores, Bradford111

Beauty

FACE

EYES: Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion in Eden Lorac Pro Palette 1 Lorac Front of the Line Pro Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black Glitter Liner on lid- NYX Dramatic Sparkle Studio Effects Gel Liner in Crystal Silk Inner Eye Liner- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On-Eye Pencil in Perversion Lower Lash Line- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On-Eye Pencil in Freak and Graffiti Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Powder Duo in Ebony Lanc么me Mascara in Hypnos Drama Waterproof Monda Premium False Lashes #217 FACE: Smashbox Photo Finish Primer in Original Formula Temptu Air-Brush Foundation Bobbi Brown Pro Concealer Palette Sacha Cosmetics Pro Powder Palette Ben Nye Banana Powder to set concealer MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Skin Finish Powder in Deep Dark to Contour the face structure CHEEKS: MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Skin Finish Powder in Soft and Gentle & Gold Deposit to Hightlight cheek bones MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Blush in Gleeful Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush in Peach Beach on apples of cheeks LIPS: MAC Cosmetics Lip Liner Pencil in More to Love Sephora Cream Lip Stain in #06 Forever Fuchsia Makeup Forever Lab Shine Lip Gloss in S2 Star Collection

GET THE EYES

Look

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LIPS

Makeup/Hair/Concept: Mitasha Singh and Jeaneen Brunck Model: Jaskiran Kaur Waraich Photography: Gala Kuzyakova Jewelry: Rachdee Design by Rachna Dumra Bridal Attire: VAMA Designs

Invites

Here's what the bride (Meghana Mudiyam) had to say We wanted a theme that was elegant and opulent without being bling y. Both Salil and I love tradition and history, and that led us to think about the Indian Maharajas and Maharanis of days past and particularly, their palaces. The Mysore Palace has always been dear to my heart in particular because my mom grew up close by, and as such it was a place we visited frequently when we took trips to India. I have vivid memories of seeing the palace at night as a child, all lit up with fairy lights. It was magical, almost like we had been transported to another place and time. That was the feeling we wanted our guests to have at our wedding, and we wanted to inspire that mood right from the invitation, as though by opening the "doors" of the invitation, they had opened the doors of a palace.

Design Notes We set out create an invitation suite that brings together Hindu, Muslim, Rajput, and Gothic styles of architecture which is commonly described as Indo-Saracenic. Invitation suite is just like walking through the palace. First glimpse is the gatefold that was inspired from the car ved rosewood doorway of the Mysore palace, Once that is open, five brightly colored inserts are reminiscent of ornately gilded columns, stained glass ceilings, decorative steel grills, and chandeliers with fine floral motifs found in the palace. We designed the envelope with a special monogram and brocade pattern on metallic gold paper which mimics the Palace of Mysore illuminated at night.

Design came to life with 5 inserts with spot colors 4 print methods including offset, foil, ther mography, digital 3 different designer paper include striking dual sided metallic finish with glittering luminescent sheen.

Credits:

Designed by: Poor vi Matani of Inviteink | www.inviteink.com Coordination by: Elegant Events by Nutan Shah Photo by: Greycard Photography

Design Notes “The Entourage” design takes it’s inspiration from vintage paintings depicting the most luxurious weddings of the era. The concept was to blend this 16th century Mughal style with our signature clean and sophisticated design aesthetic. We created two grandly appointed procession Elephants to herald the big day with vibrant colors and gold accents on the main invitation. Each of the additional 4 inserts and rsvp set along with the main envelope was edged with a palm leaf design and gold pressed accents. A custom made folio printed on Opal shimmer paper featured an indigo design reminiscent of velveteen tasseled scarf and the couple’s name and wedding date.

We wanted guests receiving the invitation to feel that the event would be a once in a lifetime experience and we wanted to reflect the culture and vibe of the host families. The resulting invitation was a blend of Mughal luxury and modern-day romance. The couple ordered a complete suite of matching wedding stationery – from programs to table numbers & menus for their unique Cayman Islands destination fusion wedding.

Design came to life with Italian imported cotton and shimmer papers, Die-cut folo, custom envelope, digital printing with gold foil and spot color print.

Design by Azure Couture Event Stationer y | www.helloazure.com Tel 626-594-5971

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Real Wedding

Swati + Saurabh

S

aurabh and I met are both Delhites who met in USA. We were meant to be together. We are so "DELHI" in our personalities therefore, the obvious choice of our wedding venue was Delhi - our roots - our city. “Venues, decor, clothes, makeup, jewellery, photography, the to-do list for a bride to be is never ending. As beautiful as your courtship is, putting together the pieces of your dream wedding is quite overwhelming. Saurabh and I just wanted to be comfortable and look radiant on the big day. We decided to get our clothes custom-made based on my choice of colors, fit and preferences.

As a typical Indian bride who has done extensive research, I have realized that the two very critical elements are finding a good photographer and a makeup artist, so make sure you do enough research and book the one you find the most suitable at the earliest! I was lucky to find an amazing team for my wedding – G&H Photography for Candid wedding photography and Neha as my Makeup artist. southasianbridemagazine.com 127

Vendor LIST

Photographer - G+H Photography Wedding Venue: Chadha Farms ( Dwarka Link Road) Engagement Venue: Leela Kempinski , Gurgaon Bride Outfit: Frontier, Lajpat Nagar Groom Outfit: Desinger Dhruv Sehgal, GK -1 , Delhi Bride 's Makeup Artist: Neha & Megha Studio, Sainik Farms Shoes: Jimmy Choos

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Real Wedding

Roshni + Jay

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very little girl dreams of her wedding, a magical day that will leave its imprint in her heart forever. I had my fairy tale wedding extravaganza last Thanksgiving and it's magnificence is beyond anything I could have ever dreamed. Thanks to my parents, husband, and vendors my dream wedding came true!

They say you always find what you're looking for when you aren't even looking at all and those words would prove true. We met randomly at a mutual friend's Christmas party, and immediately had a connection that blossomed into us becoming best friends. We balance each other in a harmonious way that such few people are lucky enough to experience.

Jay and I share many things in common, including a love for beautiful art. Jay took me on a date to the Tampa Museum of Art where we strolled along together looking at the various pieces of art. We walked out onto the terrace and in a display case, as if it were a part of the museum exhibit, sat an engagement ring! This perfectly crafted proposal plan was made even more romantic and memorable by the fact that this is the place where we shared our first date.

We started planning our wedding immediately... and by “we”, I mean me. Being a very detail oriented person, I already knew exactly where to seek out our vendors and added my personal touch where ever I could. I placed my trust in the event planning team, Réve.ology Events, to help me with the organization, designing and planning all the details.

We wanted the guests to feel like VIP’s as they arrived so we rolled out the red carpet for them, literally, with a backdrop that sported our monogram. It was such a huge hit and our guests were taking photos of themselves on it all night like movie stars!

We were beyond blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family members around helping to make our events even more special. The ambiance was heart warming. Walking into each event, the decor was simply elegant and very sophisticated. Each event was breathtaking in its own way, having a unique theme each day which was decorated by Occasions by Shangri-La. We were the most excited for the reception, however, because of its theme. I went with an all white theme and made sure that every inch of the ballroom was transformed into a chic ambiance. Our seating arrangement was made out of large X’s and O’s, and helped the large space to be more intimate.

Colored LED lamps with crystal strands were one of our centerpieces and made the room look unique and elegant, yet lavish.

The venues consisted of my home, East Lake Woodlands Country Club, India Cultural Center, and The Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. All were chosen with careful consideration. There are no words to truly capture the magnificence of our events. The week of events flew by but their memories will forever be embedded in our hearts as well as our wedding photos and video which were captured by Pure Emotions Photography and NSPG Media for cinematography.

If we were to give advice to couples out there who are planning a wedding, it would be to have open communication with one another during the planning process so that you both remain on the same page. This will help to avoid most misunderstandings but at the end of the day, never go to bed upset.

Talk through things and get back to the real reason you're getting married, because the two of you want to spend your lives together.

People ask us if we feel any different now that we're married or if things have changed. Honestly, the answer is, "not really." But we hear that will change once we have kids!! We look forward to a lifetime of happiness and an eternity together!

Vendor LIST

Photography: Pure Emotions Photography Coordinator: RĂŠve.ology Events Cinematography: NSPG Media Venue: Grand Hyatt Hair: Q Salon Makeup: Alladin Magic Hair, MUA, Mehndi + Draping: Sangita Patel Decor: Occasions by Shangri-la DJ/Wedding: Firoz Dudha Dhol: Tampa Dhol Beats Live Band: Tanweer Mian southasianbridemagazine.com 133

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Real Wedding

Sarah + Umair

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hile our story began with a simple introduction, it evolved into the friendship of my dreams. From that first moment that we clicked to our journey towards marriage, it all felt natural.

I knew Umair was “the one” when it dawned on me that he was the best friend that I had a desire to share my secrets, emotions, and dreams with. A cornerstone of our relationship has been our shared values – among them, strong family connections, love for Kashmiri, Persian, and Urdu lineage, global cuisine, and unnecessarily large shoe collections.

My family chose our Mehndi venue, Tripoli Shrine Temple, as a classically themed representation of a majestic Mughal court, styled after the Taj Mahal, knowing that Umair’s family would enjoy the intricate artwork, the historically evocative scene, and the inviting dancefloor. On the night of the Mehndi, Umair entered flanked by a large dhol performer, bhangra performed by his family friends, and accompanied by his parents and extended family that had flown in from the UK, Pakistan, and across the US. In traditional Kashmiri style, my family greeted the groom-to-be with a highly energetic version of “Maharaza Ho”, a classic in our culture.

After the groom’s side settled in, it was my turn to enter the main court. Dressed in an Afghani inspired gown, I walked down the majestic stairs accompanied by my Brother, Sister, close cousins and best friends. As I proceeded towards my groom, I felt the same butterflies I did when I first met him. It was a fairytale.

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family greetings, we were ready to launch the memorable festivities of the night. The first performance of the night was a gift for Umair, a professional Arab Dabke dance that my family set up – the 10 dancers electrified the crowd and invited Umair to join them in a group dance, which he enthusiastically enjoyed. Immediately after the Dabke dancers, my close cousins and sister performed a fun Bollywood inspired dance routine.

This was followed by a Bhangra performance by boys from Umair’s side – imagine my shock when Umair was pulled in as the center for the boy’s Bhangra routine! After an enthralling nighttime filled with cultural traditions, we were ready to embrace a contemporary theme for our wedding day.

Our Nikkah (Muslim Marriage Ceremony) was held in the Discovery World Pilot House overlooking Lake Michigan. It felt like a spiritual experience holding onto my Father’s arm as he escorted me into an intimate gathering of family, close family friends, my friends, and to my groom, Umair. Our religious vows were exchanged in the company of elders representing our respective families and the beautiful, serene backdrop of light blue waters and clear skies were ideal for a day representing the start of a journey together. After the Imam officiating the ceremony affirmed our Nikkah to those in attendance, we exchanged our rings – as Umair slowly placed the ring onto my finger, I felt elated that my patience throughout the custom design process was more than worth it.

Immediately thereafter, we fell into the warm embraces of our parents, siblings, grandparents, and family friends. Entering the fold of marriage was powerful yet simultaneously characterized by a feeling of tranquility and peace. It was then that we were whisked away for portrait shots in front of the harbor overlooking the shore. Those first few minutes of sharing intimate shots were pure bliss – exactly how I imagined my wedding as a little girl. After an hour of taking advantage of the beautiful shoreline, we were ushered into the main wedding venue, the specially built tent on Pier Wisconsin. We entered as a couple, steered to a striking stage that served as the perfect backdrop for my dress and Umair’s traditional and meticulously matched Sherwani.

The journey to marrying my Prince Charming was long but could not have been accomplished without the support of my parents, grandparents, and in-laws. While I found lifelong love, I am most grateful to my first love: Mom was my first friend in this world, my cheerleader when down, and completely selfless in doing everything to make my dream wedding a reality. I love you, Mom.

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Vendor

Wedding: Photography: SYPhotography Venue - Discovery World, Milwaukee WI Event Planning & Design - Cheri Denise Events Makeup Artist - Blush Salon, Milwaukee LIST Hair Stylist - Studio 10 Bride's Sari - Karma Red Bride's Shoes - Louboutin Mehndi: Grooms Attire - Deepak Perwani Venue - Tripoli Shrine. Milwaukee WI Rings: Custom Design with direction from Event Planning, Design & Floral C.D. Peacock Cheri Denise Events Cinematographer - Aria Films Brides Sari - Karma Red Venue Coordinator & Caterers - Bartalottas, Discovery World Bride's Shoes - Badgley Mishka Linens - BBJ Grooms Attire - Deepak Perwani Lounge Furniture Rental - Evenement Photography - SYPhotography Ceremony Fabric Treatments - Esther Floral Cinematographer - Aria Films Reception Stage furniture and Fabric Treatments Henna - Jasmine of Salma Bharwani Salon Amere Designs Makeup Artist - Halo Salon Milwaukee Wedding Cake - Eat Cake Hair Stylist - Studio 10 Naperville IL Appetizers, Deserts & Tea - Gaylord Caters - Anmol Catering Carriage - Milwaukee Horse & Carriage Linens - Arena Rentals DJ - Javed Kazi DJ - Javed Kazi Gobo Design & Lighting - Acme Lighting Dancers - Sanabel AiQuds Floral - Esther Floral Drummers - Dholi Sagar/Noah Chairs - Canopies Event Furniture, Lighting - Amere Designs Invitation Suite, Programs, Signage - Paper Envy Labels, Signage - Paper Envy Chair Decals - Ten23

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Real Wedding

Perneet & Jaspreet

J

aspreet and I had known one another for 11 years and spent the last 8 years of it in a long distance relationship. What started out as a teenage friendship blossomed into a special bond with someone who I couldn’t imagine living without. He surprised me in Kansas where I was going to school at the time and popped the question in early 2013. We then started working feverishly on the wedding arrangements. After the engagement, we knew Chicago was where we wanted to do our engagement shoot because of how special it was to us. Prior to getting engaged we spent a lot of time in Chicago and it was that time that confirmed our belief that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. After doing research online, we came upon Rahul Rana Photography and to make things even better, he was located in Chicago! Jaspreet was never much of a picture guy and was skeptical about doing an engagement shoot but after our weekend of taking pics, he was more picture hungry than I could have even imagined myself being.

The first of our wedding events was the Engagement ceremony in Mississippi (home for me) while planning to have the wedding festivities in New Jersey (home for Jassi) 1 month later. I had always wanted an outdoor event so we decided to book an open area of land surrounding a bed & breakfast place (Heart of Pines) where we set up

a customized clear-top 7,400 square feet tent with a blue and crystal theme. The cake was blue with edible pearls. Blue was our favorite color to begin with. The dance floor and ceremony were set up outside the tent. We then had a traditional Jago cereomony in New Jersey with a bright colored theme. I’ve always liked peacocks and was greatly pleased when we were able to find them to set up our traditional Punjabi themed wedding.

The wedding ceremony took place at Dashmesh Darbar where the groom’s side wore blue colored turbans and the bride’s side wore yellow colored with the bridesmaids in yellow and blue themed suits. And of course I needed blue in my wedding outfit however when I went shopping in India, I couldn’t find anything like I had envisioned- so I had a custom-made lengha. I incorporated blue in every part of my outfit from my blouse to the jewels in my accessories. The reception followed the next day but before arriving at the event, we were able to find the perfect location to take pictures. We were able to get the New York City skyline in our background. For the reception we went with a blue and white theme to keep it simple and classy. I couldn’t have asked for things to go any better or smoother than they did during our wedding. Reflecting back on the ceremony at times now, it just seems like a blur. Sometimes I wish we could do it all over again for fun! Best time of our lives!! Every bride wants their dream wedding and groom and I got mine.

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Vendor LIST

Photography: Rahul Rana Photography Hair and Makeup for Jago, Wedding, and Reception: Pink Orchid Hall for Jago and Reception: Royal Alberts Palace Decorations for All New Jersey Wedding Events: Abhishek Decorations Cake for Reception: Walter at Fine Art of Cakes Dj and lighting for Mississippi: DJ Hiren DJ and lighting for New Jersey: Dj Sunny Entertainment

Decor

Decor FIT FOR A QUEEN

Gaciel Santana Photography | www.gacielsantanaphotography.com Decor: Suhaag Garden | www.suhaaggarden.com Florist: Raining Roses Productions | www.rainingroses.biz Lighting Design: Kaleidescope Event Lighting | www.keventlighting.com Bride & Groom: Usman and Rabia Akhtar

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