What was the first thing you did when you began to plan your wedding? What inspired you to start there?
The first thing we did was look for a venue. We potentially needed a long lead-time to get the venue we wanted for the time of year we wanted, so we started early. We wanted the perfect place; we knew the venue would set the tone for the entire wedding.
How did you choose a style for your wedding? What unique touches did you add to your wedding?
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We wanted a contemporary Western wedding but with a few unique touches to incorporate the traditions of Ruth’s family, who are originally from Tamil Nadu, India. For example, Ruth wore a traditional Western dress for the ceremony but changed into a Lehenga Choli for the reception. Also, the main courses for dinner were traditional American dishes, but we included Indian appetizers, such as samosas and pakoras.
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How did you select the bride’s dress, the groom’s attire and the outfits of the members of the wedding party? Did you know what you wanted in advance or base your decision on what you saw while shopping?
Ruth always wanted an A-line dress with lace and cap sleeves. For the bridesmaids, Ruth knew what color she wanted the dresses to be and found a style that complemented hers. We wanted the groomsmen’s outfits to have a more modern, slimfitting cut, and Kevin was happy to pick out groomsmen’s pants and vests from Express, one of his favorite clothing stores. We were also able to cut down on costs, since buying the pants and vests at Express cost less than a rental, and the groomsmen were able to keep their outfits. Out of the many skilled photographers in the area, how did you choose?
We knew having a great photographer was extremely important to us, and we budgeted to spend more on this aspect of our wedding than others. We wanted nothing but the best. After doing a search online, it was an easy decision for us to choose Morby Photography. His photography is absolutely stunning, and his artistic abilities really stood out. How did you incorporate the tastes and personalities of both the bride and the groom into the wedding?
We were on the same page as far as what the wedding would look like, because our goal was for the wedding to be a blessing to those involved and those attending. What favors did you provide for your guests and how did you decide on them?
We provided heart-shaped bottle stoppers for the guests. We decided on them because we wanted a gift guests could use.
What did you find to be the biggest challenge/hurdle in planning a wedding?
Our biggest hurdle was our busy schedules. We were both working full time, and Kevin was also doing graduate school part time. Luckily, we were in agreement with most of the decisions that needed to be made. If there was one thing you could do differently, what would it be?
We would keep everything the same, except we would have hired a wedding planner to set it all up for us! Any other tips for brides- and grooms-to-be?
Book things early and follow a to-do list. This will reduce potential hassles and keep things moving. Where did you go on your honeymoon? Why did you select this location?
We went to Ambergris Caye, Belize. We wanted to go somewhere that both of us had not been to before. We were not disappointed; we enjoyed staying at a fabulous resort, Las Terrazas, and were able to relax and explore the diverse marine life in the coral reef around Ambergris Caye.