SAB
SOUTHAsianBRIDE FALL 2013 Digital Edition
TARUN TAHILIANI
A RARE, BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE KING OF BRIDAL COUTURE
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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
www.oheka.com
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691 N. Cass Avenue Westmont, IL 60559 630.777.4133 630.468.2869 www.charismaindia.com
Pure Emotions Photography
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691 N. Cass Avenue Westmont, IL 60559 630.777.4133 630.468.2869 www.charismaindia.com
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691 N. Cass Avenue Westmont, IL 60559 630.777.4133 630.468.2869 www.charismaindia.com
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E
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
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Ajit a Chopra
Events
Event Planning | Design | Coordination
(949) 439-4754 Email: ajita@ajitachopraevents.com Website: www.ajitachopraevents.com southasianbridemagazine.com
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14 | Editor’s Note 74 | Real Wedding
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N THIS ISSUE
36 | Catwalk 80 | Inspiration Shoot
50 | Fashion 66 | Real Wedding 70 |Real Wedding 86 | Inspiration Shoot 92 | Inspiration Shoot 96 |Get the Look
I
N THIS ISSUE
98 | Trend Alert
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100 | Cover Feature
110 | Fashion
116 | Inspiration Shoot
I
N THIS ISSUE
120 | Inspiration Shoot
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126 | Inspiration Shoot 138 | Tablescapes
130 | Real Wedding 146 | Inspiration Shoot
134 | Real Wedding
THE INDIAN DESIGNER WEAR STUDIO 303 fifth avenue, ste. 1211 new york, ny 10016 t: 212 684 3161 e: info@shehnaaiusa.com w: www.shehnaaiusa.com f: www.facebook.com/shehnaaicoutureandevents
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SOUTHAsianBRIDE www.southasianbridemagazine.com FALL 2013
South Asian Bride Magazine, Inc. PUBLISHER
Sadaf H. Kherani
EDITOR IN CHIEF/PUBLISHER
Photography: Symbol Photography Model: Aimy Dhankar Outfit: Tarun Tahiliani MUA: Aakriti Kochar Location: Lodhi Garden, Delhi
SOUTH ASIAN BRIDE MAGAZINE 1100 HAMMOND DRIVE | SUITE 410A-146 ATLANTA, GA 30328 info@southasianbridemagazine.com
ADVERTISING: 404.591.4142 | 888.956.6661 SOUTH ASIAN BRIDE is printed bi-yearly by South Asian Media Group and bimonthly in digital form. Please send address changes to: South Asian Bride Magazine, 1100 Hammond Drive, Suite 410A-146, Atlanta, GA 30328 Copyright South Asian Media Group. 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.
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JSK
PHOTOGRAPHY www.jskphotography.com 209.996.2555
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Catwalk
Ta r u n Ta h i l i a n i
AAMBY VALLEY INDIAN FASHION WEEK
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Ta r u n Ta h i l i a n i
AAMBY VALLEY INDIAN FASHION WEEK southasianbridemagazine.com 37
M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
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M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
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M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
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M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
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M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
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M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
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M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
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M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
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M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
M ANI S H M ALH O T RA
100 Years of Bollywood Chairty Show Photography: Shahid Malik Hair/MUA: Jaawad Ashraf + Team Management: Hajira/EBH
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a s i fa & n a b e e l
Imani Studio show for Medical Aid, London Photography: ZUBY NASH CREATIVE DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/MODEL MGMT: ZAF SHABIR MUA: SAAMIA KHAN HAIR: SHAMALA JEWELRY: YASH BESPOKE
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M ARIA B .
Imani Studio show for Medical Aid, London Photography: ZUBY NASH CREATIVE DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/MODEL MGMT: ZAF SHABIR MUA: SAAMIA KHAN HAIR: SHAMALA JEWELRY: YASH BESPOKE
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Mystical
Maroon By
Nauman Arfeen | Naushemian Photographer: Yasser Sadiq Model: Saba Hair + Makeup: Huma, Zara Salon
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www.belsiscollection.com info@belsiscollection.com 678.313.7807
Photography: Gaciel Santana Photography Hair and MUA: Sanctuary Salon and Day Spa Jewerly: Belsi's Collection Wardrobe: Belsi's Collection, Le Trend Boutique, Pareen Merchant Location: Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center Models: Karishma Lakhani, Ipek Coskun, Saeeda Lakhani, Payal Chhelavda, Sara
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www.belsiscollection.com info@belsiscollection.com 678.313.7807
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Working
Brides
WEDDING PLANNER
New look, same exquisite taste. Modern. Bold. Elegant. www.workingbrides.com 888.858.2326 Photo courtesy of Keith Cephus Photography southasianbridemagazine.com 63
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Real Wedding
Olyea + Samir
A
mutual love of jewelry and precious gems served as the backdrop for this sweet couple’s love story. Samir hails from the Manart Fine Jewelry family, while Olyea herself is a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America. Green-eyed Olyea hails from Moscow, Russia, but moved to the United States when she was 19 years old. Samir and Olyea first met at a jewelry show in Las Vegas, and then dated long-distance for one year, as she was living in another state. Olyea eventually moved to Los Angeles, and two years later, Samir surprised her by pro-
posing on a Cabo San Lucas beach. When Olyea started planning her wedding, she knew she wanted a venue that had an ocean view. The Huntington Beach Hyatt proved to be the perfect location for their morning ceremony and evening reception. When choosing the look for her wedding, Olyea knew that she wanted something very warm, bright and happy. She thus chose a palette of reds and golds with ivory draped fabrics, which popped beautifully against the mid-day blue sky. An elephant from Have Trunk Will Travel was a must for Samir’s baraat, so the couple hired the world-famous Tai, who also starred in the movie Water for Elephants. Tai always ensures an incredible entrance, and Samir seemed on top of the world as he rode her down the streets adjacent to the Hyatt. Olyea’s family members flew in from Moscow and London, while Samir’s family flew in from India, Switzerland and all over the United States to participate in the Gujarati Hindu ceremony. Olyea’s seven bridesmaids dressed in beautiful red saris. Meanwhile, Samir had 14 groomsmen, bringing the total number of bridal party members to 21. Olyea first saw her reception outfit on a runway model, and knew the silver/gold/ white design would be the perfect fit for her reception color scheme. She had the final lengha custom-made in India through Dream Collections (based in Artesia, California). Olyea also had her red wedding lengha made through the same company. For the reception decor, Olyea wanted to create a fairytale environment so that when the doors opened, her guests would be transported to another place. Lighted trees helped provide a sparkling fairyland feel against the backdrop of lavender and blue lighting washes provided by Amber Event Production. Olyea recalls being tremendously nervous before her ceremony, but the minute she got to the aisle and saw her fiancé at the end of it, all her fears went away, and she began crying with emotion. Samir also started crying, as they both were overcome
with the joy of finally marrying the loves of their lives. As this issue went to print, Olyea and Samir were expecting a baby girl at any moment, so if you’re reading this now, it’s very likely that this sweet couple are now the proud parents of a little daughter named Mila.
Vendor LIST
Photography -- Dina Douglass & Yoshi Morimoto / Andrena Photography Coordination & Reception Florals – Sadhna’s Floral Studio Ceremony Florals – East India Events Venue: Huntington Beach Hyatt Hair & Makeup – Beauty by Lishma Videography – Flyfennix Weddings Jewelry -- Manart Fine Jewelry Lighting – Amber Event Production DJ – 3D Sounds
Real Wedding
Vijal + Jaymal
J
ay and I met in NYC in Fall 2009. He had moved to NYC for work from London. While the sparks immediately flew, as luck would have it, he was sent back to London within a short while of us meeting. Completely coincidentally, a few months later, we both ended up relocating temporarily. A non-profit job took me from NYC to India and Jay left London to "travel the world". Even through all our travels, those same initial sparks kept bringing us back to each other. After spending the majority of 2010 and 2011 chasing each other around the world, we finally got engaged in Mumbai in May 2011. Our favorite part of the wedding was our very intimate reception. Planning a wedding over Thanksgiving weekend is no easy feat and we were blessed to have friends and family join us from across the world. As we danced across the ballroom for the first time as man and wife, we only had eyes for each other. It was as if we were the only two people in the ballroom. southasianbridemagazine.com 71
Vendor LIST
Wedding Planner: Reve.ology Events, Snehal G. Vara Photography: David Murray Weddings Cinematography: Vlad Films Decor: Weddings InStyle, Ragini Patel Photobooth: David Murray Weddings Bride's Makeup and Hair Artist: Brushworx Family Makeup Artist: NoorFace, Noor F Brides Henna Artist: Aarti Amin DJ: Prime DJs Cake/Desserts: Dulce Vegan Bakery & Cafe Wedding Caterer: Swaminarayan Temple Reception Caterer: Tadka Wedding Reception Venue: Biltmore Ballrooms Garba Venue: Seasons Event Center
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Real Wedding
Mital + Vijay
T
he first time I saw Vijay was in Calculus class around the summer of 2004, but it wasn’t until much later that we actually met. Apparently a 9:00 AM class was too early, and Vijay transferred to a different Calculus class the next day. We randomly bumped into each other at college, but never spoke until we met at a mutual friend’s house during a party. Eventually, we started hanging out more and became better friends. One night a bunch of us had gone to a party and he was there. We had spent a good portion of the night talking and dancing. I wasn’t sure why, but I knew that night had been different than any other time we had hung out. Obviously, he felt the same because at 4:00AM that night I received a phone call from him confessing his feelings. We started dat-
ing soon after and things began to get serious, but it was short-lived. With college being overwhelming, he decided he needed to prioritize education over a relationship. A lame excuse, I thought, for breaking up with a girl. So we went our separate ways, but we remained in each other’s lives for more than six years in an undefined relationship. I convinced myself that I would wait for him no matter how long it took. Unfortunately, with the waiting game, also came the heartache and the roller coaster. Then reality hit and so did 2012. I was feeling the pressure, and started to believe that my love was one-sided and I was waiting for a guy that would never come around.
However, just when I least expected it , timing brought us back together. I finally heard the three magical words that every girl wishes to hear. It was overwhelming and at first and I wasn’t sure I believed him. But after months of trying, he had finally proved himself to me. That’s when I knew it was more than just the idea of love. It was love. After months of transitioning and trying to get our relationship back on track, we were finally at a good place. It was the weekend of New Year’s that he insisted I come visit him in Jersey while his friends were coming to town. We all had a really great time that weekend and got to experience NYC during the holiday season. The morning
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of New Years Eve, he woke me up early and said all of us were going on a helicopter tour around the city. The thought of him popping the question crossed my mind but considering his friends were in town, I didn’t think it would happen. We were the first couple in the air and the pilot suggested we not talk during the tour. Vijay apparently wasn’t following. I thought he was being rude and suggested he try to keep quiet. Little did I know I was about to have my epic proposal, and it was the most romantic he has ever been. Interestingly,the first words out of my mouth upon noticing the ring was “You sneaky bastard, what took you so long?” He smiled and said “I know.” At that moment I realized what I always knew to be true, destiny and fate do exist! We tied the knot back in July 2013 at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. We got a chance to work with some fabulous vendors and coordinators that transformed our dreams into reality. As they say, heaven really can be a place on earth.
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Vendor LIST
Photography: Nadia D. Photography Wedding Planning: KIS (cubed) Events Decor: Occasions by Shangri-la Location:The Westin Hilton Head Resort Catering: Taste of India Restaurant Food: Westin Catering Guest Rooms: The Red Roof Inn Hair & Make Up: Bridal Elements by ND DJs: Prime DJs, Dhol: Sumeet Virk
Lighting: Get Lit Productions Cake/Desserts: Tiers Luxury Cake & The Westin Cinematographers: Pacific Pictures Location:The Westin Segway: Segway of Savannah Horse: Rocking M Ranch Guest Rooms: The Red Roof Inn Photobooth: Charleston Photo Booth Priest, Wedding Garlands: Bharatbhai
A ROMANTIC FALL
Photography: Vasia Weddings Makeup: Charrisse Mae Makeup Artistry Hair: Style by Jade Clothing and jewellery: Crossover_Bollywood_Se Bouquets: Flower Factory Shoes: Valentino Models: Natasha from John Casablanca & Angelique Maingot
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Bridal Inspirations
A C o n c e p t S h o o t A t T h e V i n e ya r d s Photography: MP Singh Photography
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Bridal Inspirations
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CREDITS Wardrobe and Accessories: SARA by Rashi Sharma Iyer Make up and Hair: Lilly's Beauty World Models: Lena Ghamrawi , Sukhpreet Location: Testarossa Winery, Saratoga
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Epic Romance
A traditional fairytale told with a distinctively Indian aesthetic 92 southasianbridemagazine.com
Concept and Creative Direction: Mehwish Khan Photography: Heather Talbert
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Makeup and Hair: Mehwish Khan Hair & Makeup www.mehwishkhan.com Wardrobe (Snow White, Rapunzel, Cinderella): Saahil Exclusive
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Models: Natalie F. (BMG Models) Olivia P. (Ford Models) Micaela P. (Factor Women) Venue: Alhambra Palace Chicago
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Beauty
GET THE FACE
Look
EYES
FACE
Makeup Forever Matte Velvet foundation Clinique line smoothing concealer Clinique's Perfectly real powder to set the face Nar's Laguna for contouring "Pink Swoon" blush from Mac "albatross" by nars for highlighter EYES Cherrykiss "Magic Base" Cherrykiss "Chocolate Kiss" on the crease and bottom lid Cherrykiss "Crème Brulee" for brow bone and inner corners Kat Von D "Autograph" eyeliner "Feline" from Mac for waterline Mac's #6 lashes Covergirl super thick lash mascara Mac's "spiked" brow pencil LIPS "Ruby Woo" by Mac
LIPS
y byEva Flis Photograph phy.com og phot ra www.evaflis
Saleha abbasi Internationally known Pro Makeup Artist and founder of CHERRYKISS Cosmetics, Saleha is your go-to Makeup Artist for all your beauty needs. She has been in the Industry for over a decade, making clients look and feel HEAVENLY! Renowned for her signature eye makeup makes her brides and party goers look absolutely stunning. Saleha can give you either the ultimate in glamour factor or a sophisticated natural look for a flawless complexion. Whatever look you desire, she is guaranteed to make you look like a STAR!
w w w. m a k e u p b y s a l e h a . c o m
Photography byEva Flis www.evaflisphotography.com southasianbridemagazine.com 97
Trend Alert
Meera M
Meera Mahadevia is perhaps the best kept secret in began 25 years ago as a customised design accessor has been only accessible to those who grace the red Gayatri Devi, Rekha, Kareena Kapo
Meera Mahadevia holds a degree in textile design and been showcased at the Asian Civilization Museum ( has been honored and felicitated for her outstandin Museum
A Meera Mahadevia bollywood clutch Bag is detaile turing tool of all time: the human hand. Meera Ma explore India’s rich heritage in craftsmanship and ye long after s
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Mahadevia
n the international luxury handbag market. The brand ry for Bollywood celebrities and socialites. Till now it carpet. The brand's Bollywood fans include Maharani oor, and Bipasha Basu, to name a few.
d post graduation in Indian Aesthetics. Her works have (Singapore) and Newark Museum Gallery (USA). She ng contribution to design and creativity at the Newark m Gallery.
ed to a fine precision using the most artistic manufacahadevia has created over 27,000 unique designs that et, no two bags are identical; though each enjoys a lifesales service.
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Cover Feature
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TARUN TAHILIANI
A RARE, BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE KING OF BRIDAL COUTURE
Photography: Symbol Photography www.symbolphoto.com
Model: Aimy Dhankar MUA: Aakriti Kochar Fashion Shoot Location: Lodhi Garden, India
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Factory Floor
E
" very once in a while you have to throw your expectations and preconceived notions right out the window… Shooting on the street in India isn’t as hard as it may seem at first, we have experience dealing with all sorts of incidentals. But shooting in the middle of Delhi on a busy weekday can test the patience of any seasoned photographer. Luckily, we over-prepared.
Beading Work orderly and full of life. The workers are hand-picked from university design backgrounds and/or descendants of a bygone era where generations of specialist seamstresses perfected their craft. I was surprised to find out that Tarun himself comes to his office every day. Many fashion designers reside in some vacation retreat and watch their bank accounts grow, not Tarun.
Tarun not only is in daily attendance at the factory, but he also has his hand in everything. And i do mean everything. Each swatch of material, each employee, each meeting, he’s there and active. We got to see him in action at one of his meetings and instead of seeing a bunch of impotent employees amongst Tarun at his huge conference table, More wrong – i could not be. Not only was the fac- they were all actually laughing and seemingly havtory awesome in its layout (Think the underground ing a great time. Another unexpected surprise." -- Symbol Photography bunker in James Bonds’ Skyfall), but it also was also After the shoot, we returned to the Tarun Tahiliani factory and that’s where our expectations were blown away. Tarun Tahiliani’s factory is in a very unassuming location outside Delhi. The preconceived notions i had were that we’d enter some musty factory filled with underpaid and overworked employees.
A third generation seamstress that specializes in SILK work.
Tarun’s desk and office.
Where the designer/ stylists sit. This is where they gather inspiration and turn that inspiration into products.
A third generation seamstress that specializes in EDGE work.
Tarun’s and his stylists get inspired by something, they concept the design in drawings, those drawings turn into larger drawings for patterns and material swatches and then Tarun has to approve each and every design.
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THE
RED STORY W W W. S H Y A M A L B H U M I K A . C O M
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Photography: Rachael Ann Gliebe Soyele, R.A.G. artistry
The
Roaring Brides
Makeup: Erica, Erica Bogart Makeup Artistry Hair + Hair Pieces: Samantha, SamJam Jewelery: Elegant Jewels Henna: Aarti Amin Bouquets: Shushil, Utopian Events Venue: Livingston + Georgian Terrace Hotel
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OLD WORLD MYSTIQUE An Elephant-Inspired STYLED Shoot Photography: MDCSF | www.mydigitalclick.com Venue: Palace Hotel, San Francisco | www.sfpalace.com Video: Raian Vo, Nebulous Dream Productions | www.nebulousdream.com Planning & Design: Anais Event Planning & Design | www.anaisevents.com Coordination: Ambiance by Tejel Florals & Props: Anais Event Planning & Design | www.anaisevents.com Stationery: Shaadi Papery | www.shaadipapery.com Linen: Celebrations Party Rentals | www.celebrationspartyrentals.com Makeup & Styling: Babita Amar Henna: Neeta Sharma | www.mehndidesigner.com Jewels: Dhillon & Company| www.dhillonandcompany.com Dress: Rimi Gill Model: Minoti Mehta
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THE GLAM BRIDE Photography: Atin Photography (Atin Majumdar)
Makeup Artist: Nashwa Gulamhussein Hair: Aisha Greene Model: Nadia Hussain Wardrobe: Elan by Salima Budhani Jewelry: 5th Seasons Photo Editing: Powerweave Studios
AU NATURALE BRID
Photography: Atin Photography (Atin Majumda Wardrobe Design and Concept: Atin Majumdar and Sumra Siddiqui Makeup Artist: Anh Bui Hair: Sumra Siddiqui Model: Adya Khanna Photo Editing: Atin Photography
DE
ar)
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Real Wedding
Neetal and Saumil
M
other knows the best.
Saumil’s mother was doggedly persistent and finally persuaded Saumil to overcome his reluctance and consider this beautiful girl from down under, Sydney to be exact, on Shaadi.com. After the first substantive conversation, they quickly moved to on-line chats on skype and then on to their first face-to-face meeting in Los Angeles.
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The result was predictable. They would probably have to toss a coin to decide who was swept off the feet first. Soon distance ceased to be of concern,
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and Neetal decided to return from Sydney to US after a month to visit Jacksonville to meet the Oza family. The culmination of this whirl-wind romance was in Saumil’s visit to Sydney where Saumil practically sealed the ‘deal’ with a ring. This was also a visit when both of them decided on the venue of their dream, a spectacular locale in NAPA. The rest, of course, is a history with a fairy-story ending.
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Vendor LIST
Photography: IQ Photo Wedding Planner: Ambiance by Tejel Florals: Flower affairs Cake: Marvel Cake Hair/Makeup: Beela & Dexe Caterer: Rangoli Draping, Lighting, Rentals: Designers Touch Design & Decor: One & Only Wedding Design Stationery: Shaadi Papery DJ: Desi Production
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Real Wedding
Neena + Harp
F
Harp and Neena had many mutual friends but they never really crossed paths. Neena was more dedicated to school and, on the other hand, Harp would rather party than do his homework. One day Harp was online and noticed a beautiful individual in a few pictures that caught his attention. Now Harp was confused as to how to approach her because he had a feeling he wouldn’t get the right information he wanted or if she was single or taken. Finally, Harp messaged Neena and they conversed back and forth online for a few months. Eventually Harp asked Neena to grab some lunch, which Neena didn’t reply to for a few days. Harp was confused whether she was interested or not. Finally, Harp received the good news! Eventually they met for lunch at a common restaurant that they liked, BJs Brew house. When they met for lunch, it was a very casual setting. It was not awkward at all, they were very comfortable and the conversations carried on for hours. They shared many common interest and family values; they met up many more times after that. A few years later, their relationship became serious and they had thoughts of getting married. One day, Harp introduced Neena to his brother and sister in law, shortly after Harp purposed to Neena. They decided on a date for March 30th, the perfect date fifteen
days after Harp’s birthday and 15 days before Neena’s birthday. Since Harp was in the wedding industry, he knew which top vendors would make his wedding extraordinary. The vendors he chose were located through out California. Planning the wedding took a great deal of time out of their busy schedules, but they eventually were able to create their dream wedding.
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Vendor LIST
Photo + Video: Avenue Blu 3 Ligthing: AVL 123 (Audio Visual Lighting) Dj: Wicked Entertainment Reception Decor: Ajooba Events Hair + MUA: Dress Your Face Henna: Neeta’s Mehendi Dance Floor: AVL 123 Catering: Punjab Sweets and Catering Florist: Yonan’s Floral Cake: Creative Cakes By Debra Wedding Venue: West Sacramento Sikh Temple Reception Venue: Larsa Hall southasianbridemagazine.com 137
V intage U r b an R omance Event Design & Planning: Memorable Moments, llc Photography: Duke Photography Floral Design: Avant Garden Linens: La Tavola Chairs: Chameleon Chairs Event Rentals: CMC Event Rentals Make up: Make Up by Lilit Hair: Arsineh Ghazarian Custom Designed Hair Accessories: Papeon Wedding Gown: Lovella Bridal Wedding Cake: Royal Cakes Invitation: Wrapped Up in Details Watch: IceLink Models: Alex Garibyan- Slater Model Mgmt., Liliya Fattyakhdinova Location: Los Angeles Athletic Club
FIELD OF DREAMS Event Planning: All That Shines Event Planning Photography: Kimberly Photography Floral & Decor: Iza's Flowers Linens: Connie Duglin Linen Tables & Chairs: Signature Event Rentals Dinnerware: Coast to Coast Event Rentals
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MUGHAL LOVE Coordination - Michelle Grewal Photography - Nicole Chan Photography Makeup and Hair - Goka Love Lighting - Silk Events Decor - Alankar Floral Design - Twisted Stems, Perros Flowers Jewelry - Choonri Collection Cookies - Comfy Sweets Cake - Dessert Works Bride & Groom's Outfit - Choonri Collection Invitations - Aayan Creations Linens, Chair, Plates etc. - Rentals Unlimited Videography - Promessa Films Venue - Gore Place
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How to dress for your engagement session
S
Uma Sanghvi , Studio Uma www.studiouma.com
tyle icon Audrey Hepburn once said: “I
believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. And I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls.” I adore the last line! As a professional photographer, I’ve learned that it pretty much sums up everything you need to know about looking good on camera. But perhaps you’re searching for more concrete advice on what to wear for your engagement session? Unless you have a lot of experience in front of the camera, you may be wondering: what colors should I wear? Do I need to get my hair done? If only you had a personal stylist finding the best looks for you! No fear. Looking flawless and photogenic is easy if you follow these simple guidelines. Pops of color are great! The camera loves color. But if your outfit features mainly neutrals or softer shades – which is totally fine – think about adding a color somewhere in your accessories. Shoes, nail color, scarf etc. Or a bright lip color.
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Things look a little different in person than on camera. So I suggest grabbing your iPhone, snapping some (full-length) selfies in the mirror, to see how a camera interprets your outfits. That will give you a rough idea of how an outfit is going to play on camera. Then email your pics to your fashionista sister (or cousin or BFF) and ask for their advice. A photography tip: take your test shots in natural light (stand facing a big window, or go outside).
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Get pampered! Get a professional to do your hair and/or makeup. If for no other reason than it will make you feel more put together and relaxed in front of the camera. Also, it is the perfect opportunity to try out a new look or a new stylist for your mehndi, wedding, sangeet, reception etc. Think of it as a trial run before the Main Event.
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+ Solid blocks of white can be problematic on camera. + But there's exceptions to that rule. For example if you have a gor-
geous white dress that fits you perfectly, ignore this rule. Fit is more important than anything!
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Time for a manicure. Your hands will be in most – if not all – of your photos. Holding hands, showing off your ring, running your fingers through your fiancés hair… these are all likely scenarios during your photo shoot. And depending on your shoes (are you wearing strappy sandals or a peep toe heel?) you may want a pedicure too.
+ Coordinate your color palette (between the two of you) without be-
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Show off your best assets :) If you need some help identifying your best features (or just narrowing them down!) ask your fiancé. This is a prime opportunity to hear them talk about your sexy legs or gorgeous eyes or luscious hair. At the end of the day - don't get overwhelmed with rules. Take the tips that work for you – and throw out the rest. If there’s any secret to dressing well, it is to wear what makes you feel really good.
Seriously. When you are relaxed and enjoying yourself, it shows in your eyes and through your body language. And the camera picks up on those cues. Remember, your engagement session is all about capturing the special bond between you and your fiance. So it doesn’t really matter if you’re wearing pink or yellow or red or even zebra stripes – remember to enjoy the experience, and you’ll look gorgeous!
ing matchy. You don’t want to look like twins!
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A liyah + K halid
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Uma Sanghvi was just named one of the "Top 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography" by Rangefinder Magazine. She is based in beautiful Austin, Texas, and specializes in modern Indian wedding photography. Uma can be reached at uma@umasanghvi.com and through the Studio Uma website (www.studiouma.com).
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