south asian bride magazine

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SABSOUTH BRIDEAsian

Spring/Summer 2014Print/Digital Edition

theRomanceissue

2 southasianbridemagazine.com

WORKING BRIDES WEDDING PLANNERNew look, same exquisite taste.

888.858.2326 | working brides | www.workingbrides.comSpecializing in destination weddings

Modern.Bold.

Elegant.


Photos by 5 West Studios

Celebrating the art of entertaining since 1919

A Royal Estate of Affairs

On the Gold Coast of Long Island between New York City and The Hamptons

135 West Gate Drive · Huntington NY 11743 · 631-659-1400

www.oheka.com

Weddings & CelebrationsA Castle to Call Your Own with Just One Wedding a Day

32 Guestrooms & Suites · Fine Dining · Golf & Tennis

31230_AsianBridal_31230 4/13/12 1:03 PM Page 1

691 N. Cass AvenueWestmont, IL 60559

630.777.4133630.468.2869

www.charismaindia.com


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

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

All Photography: PURE EMOTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY


Credit: nadia d. photography, | www.nadiadphoto.com, Make-up: Corinne Fairley , Location: St. Regis, Atlanta

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, decora-tors, 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


I N THIS ISSUE

120 | Real Wedding 124 | Real Wedding 128 | Decor 132 | Hotel


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

303 fifth avenue, ste. 1211new york, ny 10016

t: 212 684 3161

e: [email protected]: www.shehnaaiusa.com

f: www.facebook.com/shehnaaicoutureandevents

THE INDIAN DESIGNER WEAR STUDIO

SPRING+SUMMER 2014

www.southasianbridemagazine.com

South Asian Bride Magazine, Inc.PUBLISHER

Sadaf H. KheraniEDITOR IN CHIEF/PUBLISHER

SOUTH ASIAN BRIDE MAGAZINE1100 HAMMOND DRIVE | SUITE 410A-146

ATLANTA, GA [email protected]

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 neces-

sarily 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

SOUTH BRIDEAsian

Photography: Vasia Weddings Photography

Concept & Styling: Style Social Events

SOUTH BRIDE


Catwalk

R A N A N O M A NPFW 5 London PRODUCTION: RIWAYAT LTDHEAD STYLIST: HUMA TAHIRMAKE UP - TANYA KHANPHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAHID MALIKSUPPORTED BY : WCOP (WORLD CONGRESS OF OVERSEAS PAKISTANIS)_&_LADY KMEDIA PARTNER: ARY DIGITAL


R A N A N O M A N


S O N Y A B A T L APFW 5 London

PRODUCTION: RIWAYAT LTDHEAD STYLIST: HUMA TAHIR

MAKE UP - TANYA KHANPHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAHID MALIK

SUPPORTED BY : WCOP (WORLD CONGRESS OF OVERSEAS PAKISTANIS)_&_LADY K

MEDIA PARTNER: ARY DIGITAL


A N J A N A B H A R G A VO'Nitaa in Aid for CharityFASHION SHOW PRODUCED & MANAGED BY:HAJIRA @ EBH STYLING: NYLA SHYROSE MAKE UP & HAIR: JAWAAD ASHRAFPHOTOGRAPHY: SHAHID MALIKQAWWALI: ABI SAMPA AND DANCERS: AKĀDEMI


S O P H I A M E H TAO'Nitaa in Aid for CharityFASHION SHOW PRODUCED & MANAGED BY:HAJIRA @ EBH STYLING: NYLA SHYROSE MAKE UP & HAIR: JAWAAD ASHRAFPHOTOGRAPHY: SHAHID MALIKQAWWALI: ABI SAMPA AND DANCERS: AKĀDEMI


M I N A H A S S A NO'Nitaa in Aid for CharityFASHION SHOW PRODUCED & MANAGED BY:HAJIRA @ EBH STYLING: NYLA SHYROSE MAKE UP & HAIR: JAWAAD ASHRAFPHOTOGRAPHY: SHAHID MALIKQAWWALI: ABI SAMPA AND DANCERS: AKĀDEMI


R A N A N O M A NO'Nitaa in Aid for CharityFASHION SHOW PRODUCED & MANAGED BY:HAJIRA @ EBH STYLING: NYLA SHYROSE MAKE UP & HAIR: JAWAAD ASHRAFPHOTOGRAPHY: SHAHID MALIKQAWWALI: ABI SAMPA AND DANCERS: AKĀDEMI


TA B A S S U M M U G H A L

R A N A N O M A NO'Nitaa in Aid for CharityFASHION SHOW PRODUCED & MANAGED BY:HAJIRA @ EBH STYLING: NYLA SHYROSE MAKE UP & HAIR: JAWAAD ASHRAFPHOTOGRAPHY: SHAHID MALIKQAWWALI: ABI SAMPA AND DANCERS: AKĀDEMI


A Y E S H A - S O M A Y A B C W C O L L E C T I O N

AnElegantAffair

Opulent textiles, subtle pastel colors sprinkled with a warm glow of the tropical sun converge to com-plete a great Indian

wedding picture.

Style and concept

Nisha Kundnani for BridélanPhotography

Sharik Verma

Styled and conceptualized by Nisha Kundnani for Bridélan | www.nishakundnani.com, www.bridelan.com

Photographed by Sharik Verma | www. sharikverma.com Wedding Planner: Roma Kundnani | https://www.facebook.com/romakundnaniweddingplanner

Hair & Makeup: Ambereen Yusuf

Designers | Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Tarun Tahiliani, Kotwara, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Raw Mango, Varun Bahl, Ekaya SarisJewelry | Anmol Jewellers, Mahesh Notandas Fine Jewellery, Jaipur Gems, Aquamarine, Suhani Pittie

Models | Vaishali Ramaswamy, Rajveer Singh, Parul Soni, Uma Tembulkar, CV Kamerkar, Tejal Mulye Nair, Karensa Lobo, Coral Fernandes, Manas Singh, Divija Vyas & Twisha Trivedi

MODEL: Helina at Elan ModelLEHENGA, MADSAM TINZIN: Aza Fashions, (available at Mumbai & Delhi)

POLKI AND PEARL JHUMKA: Jaipur GemsMANG TIKKA AND BANGLES: Gehna Jewellers


Golden goddessPHOTOGRAPHER: Sachi Anand Photography | www.sachianandphotography.com

HAIR & MAKEUP ARTIST: Flawless Beauty by Pauline | www.flawlessbeautybypauline.comEVENT COORDINATOR: KM Events Manaagement | www.kmeventsmgmt.com

DÉCOR: Elegant Affairs | www.beta.elegant-affairs.comDESIGNER: Shehnaai Couture | www.shehnaaiusa.com

MODEL: Divya Sethi

WeddingReal

Neena + Azim

Few of us meet the loves of our life in high school, but with Neena and Azim, that’s exactly what happened. For 10 long years, this couple stayed together as they pursued their respective educations and life goals, with their parents supporting their aspirations every step of the way. They even stayed together during educational pursuits that had them living in different countries, because they just knew that they were the perfect match for one another.

But at last, after 10 long years, it seemed that the time was right. Azim popped the question during a surprise trip to Maui, and with that, Neena and Azim’s excellent wedding adventure began.

Since they had waited 10 years for their dream wedding, this couple wanted to make sure to incorporate both personalities into an epic celebration. She wanted to put a modern twist on beautiful décor, while Azim wanted to make sure his friends and family had an awe-some time at an incredible party. The one thing they both absolutely wanted was a huge “wow” factor.

Choosing the location was easy. Neena and Azim both love the

ocean, so when they visited the Terranea Resort, they fell in love with it. “We both have a crazy obsession with the ocean. Our favorite thing to do is go to the beach. Terranea was the first venue we looked at, and we fell in love with it right away. We loved the gorgeous view, high ballroom ceilings, and the cliff-top ceremony location,” Neena explained.

After securing their venue, the couple knew they had to hire a great coordination team. Neena met with numerous coordinators, but ul-timately settled on Pink Rock Events. “We chose Pink Rock because we felt they were very attentive to our needs, and let the vision be ours rather than try to make the visions theirs. They executed beauti-fully, and we really felt an initial connection. They were just very much like your friends. We met with a bunch of planners, and just felt they were the best fit,” Neena said.

For florals and décor, the couple chose the multitalented Shawna Yamamoto. “She is so talented in helping come up with ideas,” ex-plained Neena. “We just really clicked. She’s not just a florist, but is a true designer with incredible ideas. She starts sketching things down on paper the minute you express an idea. She also came up with re-ally unique things while sticking to our initial vision.”

For her wedding outfit, Neena chose a Manish Malhotra sari (pur-chased in Mumbai) in blush tones. For the reception, Neena’s Umar Sayeeb lengha (purchased in Karachi, Pakistan) was made in tur-

quoise hues, to pick up the ocean theme and venue. “A lot of people match their reception outfit to the décor, but I wanted to do something different,” Nee-na explained. The turquoise was beautifully offset by the blushes, pinks, silvers and fuschias in the ball-room lighting and décor. Neena and Azim’s ceremony was a blend of Western and Shia Muslim traditions. The first portion includ-ed regular wedding vows that the couple wrote for each other, along with a sand ceremony. The second portion was a traditional Nikkah that was not al-lowed to be filmed or photographed. “The ceremony was so serene and spirtural, with the ocean, the wind, the cliffs, the water and pelicans flying overhead. We were just looking at each other and laughing because it was so beautiful, and exactly how we hoped it would be.”

The reception itself was crazy, with the couple’s 450 guests dancing into the wee small hours of the night. Stunning décor, beautiful lighting and a huge boxed crystal waterfall hanging over the dance floor served to create the wow factor that the couple was hop-ing for.

“We both feel really lucky to have found each other. We are definitely each other’s perfect match, and we just mesh in a great way. We’re so happy that our wedding was a celebration of how long we’ve been together, and that we were able to celebrate that with our family and friends.”


VendorLIST

Photography: Dina Douglass & Yoshi Morimoto / Andrena Photography

Venue: Terranea ResortCoordinator: Pink Rock Events

Florals: Shawna YamamotoLighting & DJ: Ambiance AV

Videographer: Visual MasterpieceMakeup: Linda Chiriac

Hair: Thais


WeddingReal

Stuti + Vinay

Stuti and Vinay's wedding set stage at The Grand Hyatt Buckhead. Their bond, chemistry and love for each other can't be missed by anyone. Their beautiful wedding photography travels us through their gorgeous wedding weekend with decor designed by Weddings InStyle. Stu-ti's love for exotic botanical's inspired the lush decor throughout the entire weekend. The photography by the talented Nadia D Photo from this couples wedding will leave you breathless.

The FunctionsThe weekend festivities started with a Mehndi night—a small event with close family and friends. Stuti’s mendhi was customized and designed by Bindu Malabri. It was an evening filled with family, music, dance, laugh-ter and endless food! The following morning, the bride rose early to begin her religious Hindu ceremonies including her Grah Shanti, Pithi & Mandap Murat all of which took place in an intimate setting with the brides’ closest family and friends.

Stuti and Vinay’s garba décor had a traditional flavor with vibrant colors of pink, orange, aqua and green. Ornate stage decor with custom embroidered backdrops and large Radha Krishna rangoli to set the centerpiece for the evening. The bride and her husband-to-be led the party hand in hand and danced the night away!

Their breathtaking ceremony was an all draped contemporary mandap adorned with hundreds exotic botanicals specially flown in from various parts of the world. The romantic ceremony setting was complete with a cus-tom textured backdrop that set the ambiance. During the ceremony, priest


offered Vinay to get down on one knee when giving Stuti the ring. Before you know, Stuti was on both of her knees while placing the ring on his finger. She said to him: "We are equals." It took everyone’s else' in the room breath away! The reception decor was very clean and elegant in hues of maroon and silver. The stage featured a large tufted silver backdrop with touches of crystals and lush florals. The crystal globe vase escort cards, were filled with pearls and custom designed cards. The evening started with family introductions after which were the grand entrance of the Bride & Groom; their first dance was to the song 'Tere Ore'. The MemoriesMemories the bride most cherished was being led down the aisle by her broth-ers. As she walked down the aisle, she saw her soon-to-be husband and her parents, all waiting for her at the mandap. On each side were all her family members and friends, each whom played significant roles at various points in the couples’ life. To see them ALL under one roof at their wedding left the bride speechless. Another very special moment the bride holds dear to her heart is the father-daughter dance. This emotional dance with her father was so beautifully captured by Nadia D.


VendorLIST

Photographer: nadia d. photoWedding Planner: Rève.ology Events, Snehal G. Vara

Venue: Grand Hyatt AtlantaDécor: Weddings InStyle, Ragini Patel

Cinematographer: Simply CinematicDJ and Lighting: Prime DJs

Bride's Make up Artist: Noor FarooqBride's hair stylist: Beyond Studios by Glenda, Glenda De La Torre

Mendhi Artist: Elegant Henna, Bindu MalabriComedian/Entertainment: Anish Shah

Caterer: Palace Atlanta, Sundeep KotharyPhotobooth: Mag-nificent, Andrew Levison

Horse: Nottingham ShireCake: Frosted Pumpkin, Jeffrey Schwerzler

WeddingReal

Ishani + Ram

Ram and I met in 2005 through a mutual friend. We hit if off from the second we met, but we were both seeing other people at the time and became really good friends. We stayed friends for about a year and ended up kissing on night…the rest is history!

He proposed on December 23, 2012. We’d been together for 5 years at that point and had been liv-ing together for a while when he proposed. I went out for the day to do some last minute Christmas shopping. Ram had been really weird when I talked to him all day and just acting super strange. When I got home that night, our apartment was filled with candles, roses, balloons and pictures of our past 5 years together. There were 200 empty ring boxes all over the room…he said the ring boxes signified all the times he wanted to propose over the last 5 years but didn’t have the ring yet. He proposed to be me with a vintage Italian ring box from the early 1900s.

After he proposed he told me he wanted to take me out for a celebratory drink. I was so ecstatic and kept calling my parents to tell them the good news but they weren’t answering their phones. He


took me to a small boutique hotel and I was surprised to find both sets of our parents and closest friends all waiting to celebrate our moment with us. I love Ram more than words can even express. Besides both our wedding days, the day he proposed was one of the happiest days of my life. I would have no other answer but “yes”. He is everything to me and I couldn’t imagine spending my life with anyone else.

Since we had 2 weddings, my favorite part of our first wed-ding was when we shared our personal vows in front of our friends and family. There was absolutely nothing like that moment. Our first wedding was a surprise to our guests…they all thought they were attending a pre-wedding cocktail party…but when they got to the venue we surprised them by getting married a day early! My favorite part about our second wedding was our cultural Sri Lankan ceremony. Each step of the ceremony has a symbol of meaning, and it was so wonderful to really start our lives ingrained with all those wonderful traditions. We chose to recite a second set of vows after our Sri Lankan ceremony…I was surprised at how emotional I got the second time around! I can’t get

enough of telling Ram how much I love him…and for everyone present to hear my proclamation of love for such an amazing man was even better.

The wedding was more than I could have ever dreamed of…and it went by so fast!! We were lucky enough to have not one, but two wed-dings…and it still went by in the blink of an eye. Both days were perfect. Yes, there were definitely things that didn’t go as expected…but in the moment none of that mattered. All that mattered was that we had each other and for this small moment in time, the universe seemed to revolve around our love…and that was absolutely mind blowing.

Our advice for future brides and grooms is simple- don’t forget why you’re getting mar-ried in the first place…to marry the love of your life and share your love with those clos-est to you. Weddings are a crazy time…and you’ll stress out and get upset with each other over things that you normally would never blink an eye over. Support each other through this time…and remember, this only hap-pens once…so really try to make it unique to you. Every couple is different…talk to each other about what things are most important to you…I guarantee there’s something one

person wants that the other may not always know about. Listen to each other and work through everything as a solid unit…all kinds of outside factors will come into play (opinions from fam-ily, friends, etc)…do what makes you both happy…because in the end this is a celebration of you!! As strange as this sounds…don’t forget to keep “dating” each other. Weddings can consume all your time and thoughts…but take at least 1 day a week to do something together that’s non-wedding related. It’ll keep the two of you sane…and it’ll remind you why you’re doing all of this to begin with!


VendorLIST

Photographers: Callaway GableEvent Planner: Rheefined CompanyDec 8 Floral Design: M's Flowers

Rentals: Found Vintage Rentals, Rrivre Works, ClassicLinens: Fusion

Bride & Groom's Attire: Custom Made by Bride's DesignBride's Short Dress: Cocoe VociMakeup Artist: Stevi Christine

Hairstylist: Rachael ScottiHenna: Henna Dilse

Cake: Vanilla Bake ShopCinematographer: Loyd Calomay Films

Dec 8 Venue: Vibiana

One more thing— when I look back on our wedding…the only thing we have left to remind us of our most life changing mo-ments…is our photographs and video!! Research and invest in your photographers and cinematographer...because they are truly the ones who capture your day and freeze it in time. I spent the majority of both my weddings with our photographers- Bri-an & Allie of Callaway Gable- they truly documented our wed-ding perfectly. Not only are they talented photographers, but they are passionate about what they do and at the end of it all Ram and I felt like they were part of the family. Our cinematog-rapher, Loyd of Loyd Calomay Films, made our weddings look like an actual feature film!! At the end of it all…these are the things that will be left to share with your family, friends and your children one day -- Ishani

Victorian RomancePhotographer: STUDIO UMA | www.studiouma.com

Event Coordination & Design: LION & LAMB EVENT SERVICES | www.lionlambevents.com

Wardrobe Stylist: QLamb Addiction | www.qlambaddiction.comVenue: Chateau Polonez – Houston, Texas | www.chateaupolonez.com

Models: Alison Taylor & Kairavi PatelMakeup & Hair: Infinite Perfection by Saniya Momin | www.facebook.com/pages/

Infinite-Perfection/140021529347844Wardrobe: Almas Tejani Desi Couture | www.almastejani.com

Décor Rental & Jewelry: Prashe Décor & Showroom | www.prashedecor.comHair Accessories: Eye Heart Me | www.eyeheartme.comFlorist: Lexis Florist by Sue Habib | www.lexisflorist.com

Linens: Over The Top Linen | overthetoplinen.comHorse: Houston Wedding Horses- Sheila Mayo | houstonweddinghorses.comGraphics & Paper Goods: Pintobean Creates | www.pintobeancreates.com

Dinnerware: A Finer Event | afinerevent.com

THE BALLERINA BRIDE

Since classical music and dance is an integral part of Indian culture, we wanted to create something inspired by dance that was updated for the mod-ern South Asian bride. The idea of a Ballerina In-dian Bridal shoot was born.

We used the traditional ballet colour palette of pink, grey and white then incorporated Indian pat-terns and motifs in the stationery, candles, gowns and mini cakes. The vases, mason jars and can-dlestick holders were all created in India with a beautiful mercury glass finish and were a nod to the classical European vintage look. The carefree spirit of movement and dance was interpreted in the bouquet with baby's breath, lisianthus and gi-nestra bursting from the classical cluster of roses and ranunculus. A touch of playfulness was added with anemones and cotton. We juxtaposed the art of both cultures by using a floral henna design that perfectly complemented the ballet slippers provid-ed to us by Canada's National Ballet School. The team worked so well together on this shoot, with everything clicking from day one. We hope to in-spire all music and dance lovers with these lovely images from ARTIESE Studios and short video by One Heart Films.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ARTIESE Studios | www.artiesestudios.comPLANNING, DESIGN AND FLORALS:

Ruby Refined Events | www.rubyrefinedevents.com

Stationery: Anista Designs | www.anistadesigns.com Photoshoot Locations: Private Studio and Enoch Turner

Schoolhouse | www.enochturnerschoolhouse.ca Cinematography: One Heart Films | www.oneheartfilms.ca

Indian wedding gowns: "Pink Ivy" and "Grace Kelly" by CTC West | www.ctcwest.ca

Heels: Maria Jeweled Glitter d'Orsay Pumps by Jimmy Choo | us.jimmychoo.com

Pointe Shoes and Ballet Slippers: The Shoe Room, Canada's National Ballet School | theshoeroom.ca

Jewelry, brooch, hair ribbon and cake topper: Nancy Ciccone | www.nancyciccone.com Jewelry in tray: Silver bead collection by

Tiffany & Co. | www.tiffany.com Perfume in tray: Valentina by Valentino

www.parfums.valentino.com/index-valentina.phpHair & Makeup: Beauty By Nila | www.beautybynila.com

Cake & desserts: Pretty Sweet | www.prettysweetto.comMehndi: Aman's Mehndi | www.amansmehndi.comShort grey dress: Topshop | www.topshop.com

Pink lace shirt: Urban Outfitterswww.urbanoutfitters.com

Decor rentals: Nisha Chandra Events (flirt vases)www.nishachandra.com

Stemware & flatware: Crate & Barrelwww.crateandbarrel.com

Plating: Parchment by Mikasa (dinner plates)www.mikasa.com & Pottery Barn (charger plates)

www.potterybarn.comModel: Meher Pavri | www.meherpavri.com

RedRomance

Creative Director & Concept: Curious Creative Designs | www.curiouscreativedesigns.comMakeup Art, Hair Design & Stylist: Sharon Dhami | www.curiouscreativedesigns.com

Photography: Zev Abosh | www.photoart4u.caModel: Carolina Manriquez Fierro |

Jewelry: India Trend | www.indiatrendshop.comDress Designer: Luxy Creation | www.facebook.com/LuxyCreation


Fashion


Kalamkaarby

Ayesha-Somayawww.facebook.com/AyeshaSomaya

PHOTOGRAPHY, ART DIRECTION & CO-ORDINATION: Ayaz Anis | ayazanis.comSTYLING, HAIR & MAKE-UP: Raana Khan

NAILS: Raana Khan's SalonMODEL: Fouzia Aman

Beauty

SHOBANA LAKKAVALLY

Shobana Lakkavally is an international makeup and

hair artist and founder of Amplified Soul Makeup +

Hair Couture. With her roots in the fashion industry,

she combines editorial aesthetic with red carpet glam

to amplify personal style and natural beauty.

Her editorial and bridal work has been recognized

and published in both South Asian and North Ameri-

can press such as Anokhi, Elegant Bride, Grace Or-

mande, Lavish Dulhan, South Asian Bride, Style Me

Pretty and Wedluxe.

Follow her blog, amplifiedsoul.wordpress.com, and

her Instagram, AmplifiedSoul, dedicated to South

Asian beauty and bridal inspiration.

w w w. a m p l i f i e d s o u l . c o m

FACE

LIPS

EYES

FACE M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid or Chanel Lumiere

LIPSLaurier Mercier Lip Glace, Rose

CHEEKSM.A.C. Powder Blush Fleur PowerBenefit Bronzing Powder, Hoola

EYESCrease: Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow: 92 Purple, 160 Dark Purple

Base: M.A.C. Eyeshadow: Retrospeck, WoodwinkedLiner: M.A.C. Eye Kohl, Minted

Quo False Lashes, 804

GET THE Look


LIPS

EYES

Jewelry

Jewelry designer Jyoti Kapoor’s foray into design started with rework-ing of her grandmother’s heirloom. She fashioned an antique bracelet into a magnificent neckpiece. As a woman of South Asian descent, her design sensibilities always hearken back to India, but with reflect a fresh modern New York flair. Trained at New York City’s famed Fashion Institute of

Technology (FIT), she has always aimed to create “wearable art” that can be passed on for generations.

She gets her inspiration first from the gems. She saw the topaz stones that sit on her “Imperia” necklace at one of the biggest gem and jewelry fairs

in Hong Kong. Her “Esmerita” earrings are topped with stones found on a recent trip to Jaipur.

Today, she proudly straddles four identities. That of a New Yorker. An

Indian woman. A working woman. And a socialite. She has created her new collection tailored to that kind of woman. Designed in 14 and 18K gold, the Fall 2013 Collection allows the wearer to seamlessly go from work to

dinner without having to trade accessories. Each piece, much like her rede-sign of her grandmother’s heirloom, is a statement piece that transcends the

time of day and still remains the focus of conversation at night.w w w. j y o t i k a p o o r . c o m


Elephant Shantih -- STORYTELLING IN PORCELAIN

JAQUELINE CAMBATA DESIGNS translates imagery and motifs from 16th century Indian Mughal art to the exquisite medium of Limoges porcelain. In fine pointed detail, with vivid hues and gold accents, Mughal paintings utilize Persian, Indian and European art techniques to tell stories of Emperor Akbar the Great, a lover of nature, science and the arts.

Jacqueline Cambata took inspiration for her designs from this rich tradition, especially its illustrations of natural landscapes and animals. The Elephant Shantih collection combines luxurious design and opulent gold, creating a layered image on porcelain with spellbinding detail. Elephants, flowers and birds grace the plates. Intricate natural elements complete the scene, creating

an elegant backdrop for a feast of the senses.

In Ms. Cambata's vision, dining amidst beauty nourishes the soul as well as the body. The splendor of her designs invites conversation and makes the cuisine served upon the tableware part of a multifaceted experience of delight.

Because JACQUELINE CAMBATA DESIGNS designates a portion of its profits to fostering the self-sufficiency of women in India, the pleasures of the table also uplift the lives of those far away. Likewise, food and setting, majesty and the mundane, history and the future intermingle in JACQUELINE CAMBATA DESIGNS tableware.

JACQUELINE CAMBATABorn in Bombay, India, Jacqueline Cambata grew up in five countries. Among the international traditions to which she was exposed, the visual storytelling of 16th century Indian Mughal art made a deep and lingering impression. JACQUELINE CAM BATA DESIGNS collections are manufactured in Europe, where craftsmen have been making porcelain for kings and queens for centuries .

Trends

vInTAgE ROmAncEPhotography: Vasia Weddings Photography | www.vasia-weddings.com

Concept & Styling: Style Social Events | www.stylesocialevents.com

Photography: Vasia Weddings Photography www.vasia-weddings.com

Concept & Styling: Style Social Eventswww.stylesocialevents.com

Styling Assistant: Simi Biln

Hair & Makeup: Artistry By Vwww.artistrybyv.com

Saree & Lengha's: Well Groomed Designswww.wellgroomed.ca

Accessories: High Heel Obsessionwww.facebook.com/highheelobsession

Bridal Gown: Reem Acra, Blush Bridal & Special Occasions

www.blushoccasions.com

Shoes: Jimmy Choo, Holt Renfrewwww.holtrenfrew.com

Flowers: Flower Factorywww.flowerfactory.ca

Table Decor & Draping: Upright Decor Rentals & Event Design

www.uprightdecor.com

Cake: Kien & Sweetwww.kienandsweet.com

Location: Fairmont Hotel Vancouver



WeddingReal

Kirti & Sandeep

The theme for the wedding weekend of Kirti & Sand-eep was Bold, Fun, Elegant & Sexy! Sexy was the fun word Sandeep used when something was Beautiful, Luxurious & Posh. So accomplishing all of this in 2 days was a fete Wed-ding Planner Trisha Cranor, of Working Brides was ready to conquer. The weekend started out Friday with a Bold (check out Kirti's eye catching green lengha) & Festive Sangeet full of performances, great food & laughter for all. A gorgeous & un-usually warm November Saturday greeted our Bride & Groom for the official Big Day!

Kirti was born & raised in Hong Kong so making sure she had a dash of culture from home was a must. One touch was bring-ing in the best Lion Dancers the Nations Capital could provide to wrap up Sandeep's Barrat. Lucky for the beautiful Bride the Mandarin has a balcony overlooking the Hotel entrance so she


had a front seat to the entire parade. The entertaining barrat was fol-lowed by a ceremony set for a King & Queen. The Bride, Groom & their families entered the mundap by walking down an aisle covered in lush petals & were seated under a custom mundap with sparkling chandeliers & candles.

As the Newlyweds entered the reception for a sneak peek before the guests arrived the one word Wedding Planner, Trisha Cranor was looking to hear was finally said "This is Sexy" chimed Sandeep. The ballroom was stunning to say the least, Partyland Flowers & Decor had truly outdone themselves. The bride & groom had settled on the main color of purple & the Grand Ballroon basked in the glow of the romantic lighting by Volcanik Entertainment.

After all the planning & shopping Kirti & Sandeep were able to dance the night away with their friends & family. Even now just over a year after the Extravagant Celebration for many it goes down as one of the best weekends they had all shared together.


Tara Sharma - PhotographerWorking Brides- Wedding Planners

Partyland Flowers & Decor - DecoratorVolcanik Entertainment- DJ & Lighting

Bollywood Bistro- CatererDholi Mustana- Dhol Player

Maggie Austin- Cake

VendorLIST


WeddingReal

Monica and Devang

Seven years ago, Devang and I met on a beautiful spring day at UC Berkeley. Neither of us thought much of this ‘chance’ meeting, and although we went on a few dates after our initial encounter, it wasn’t until a few years later that we recon-nected and realized that the ‘chance’ meeting was the first of many special moments for the two of us.

Devang and I enjoyed a year or so together in San Francisco, and then career opportunities moved me to New York and Devang to Tokyo. Though long distance was tough, weekly Skype dinner dates, daily 6AM phone calls, and six trips in six months between the two of us made the circumstances bearable. More importantly, we quickly realized how committed we both were to our rela-tionship, and we were ready for the next step. In March of 2012, Devang surprised me by planning a fun-filled scavenger hunt with some of my closest college friends who he flew in to San Fran-cisco from across the country. After spending the morning with my friends, the last clue led me to a yacht in the San Francisco Bay. Little did I expect Devang to be waiting there – I thought he was still in Tokyo! Once we set sail, we ate lunch that he had brought from my favorite restaurants, and then as the yacht sailed right in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, he took me on to the deck of the boat and proposed. After he proposed, our families joined us aboard the yacht as we celebrated across the Bay.

The next year went into planning the wedding, and as a jewelry designer myself, I wanted the wedding to be an expression of art and creativity. Accordingly, we wanted a location that would act as a blank canvas and allow us to create a unique ambiance. The San


Francisco Galleria allowed us to do just that. With a 40 foot backdrop and different colored and textured fabrics draped across the ceiling, the atrium turned into a dramatic backdrop for our traditional Hindu cer-emony. Our 20+ bridal party and 400+ guests welcomed us as we sat down on the mandap – our ceremony was filled with laughs and tears, and pure joy and happiness.

For the reception, we wanted to switch from the traditional Indian ambi-ance to a contemporary, western feel. And when the ceremony was over and the sun set, the atrium completely transformed into something beau-tiful and elegant – soft lights against the brick walls, pops of colors from the tablecloths and the floral centerpieces, and the draped fabric created a modern, chic setting. Devang wore a classic black tuxedo and I wore a beautiful off-white sparkly lengha – it was a perfect contrast to the rich colors in the background! After a few speeches and a delicious dinner, we danced the night away and celebrated the beginning of the rest of our lives together.

We are so grateful to have had our dream wedding come true and we thank our parents, siblings, and close friends and family who helped make our wedding a weekend to remember.


Photographer - Wedding DocumentaryMonica/Mom/Meghan Make up/Hair - Artistry by Christal

Jewelry - Emkay DiamondsMom/Meghan Hair - SuzyLimo - World Class Limo

Pundit/Priest - Shashidhara SomayajiDJ - DJ Salim

Horse - Buzzard's Roost RanchFlorist - Floral Design Studio

Linen, Chivari Chairs - Chair DivasMendhi Lady - Keyuri

Table/Flatware/Dish Rental - AM Party RentalBar at Reception - Perry's at SFDCCaterer – Sangeet - Chat Bhavan

Caterer – Reception - MyntVenue - San Mateo Marriott

VendorLIST

WeddingReal

Alka + Surag

Surag and Alka chose to celebrate their nuptials in the beautiful, beachy Santa Barbara, California, the perfect backdrop to their lavish, Bollywood wedding. The couple met in San Francisco, where Alka is completing her residency as a physician and Surag is working at a medical device startup. Much to their annoyance, they had been set up by their parents. Both were extremely resistant to the idea, but finally caved in to parental pressure. After a lackluster first date, (the bride was post-call and the groom had just come off a 15 hour flight!), the couple decided to meet again, and sparks flew. Their second date was fortunately a success and involved an insider’s tour of Stanford’s campus, where Surag was an alma mater and Alka was com-pleting her residency. A whirlwind courtship followed and the couple got engaged soon after. Surag had arranged an elaborate proposal in-volving a lost iPad, a video collage, an Oceanside picnic, and a Ferrari, all against the scenic backdrop of the San Francisco skyline.

Alka the bride: “Going into this, I had no idea what wedding planning entailed. Surag and I are both fairly easygoing people and I thought all we needed to do was pick a venue and hire a coordinator to plan every-thing. Boy was I wrong! I’m from a small town in the East Coast and initially wanted to keep things simple. We very quickly jumped into the world of white dance floors, Sabyasacchi, and glass mandaps. It was fascinating yet overwhelming at the same time. Both of us secretively had the urge to elope numerous times throughout the process! Yet all of that effort was worth it. It was the absolute best day of our lives.”

Surag the groom: “Ironically, I was the one who wanted a grand wed-ding. I laugh now, but it quickly became..umm…let’s just get married? Thinking back, the wedding was memorable and grand not because of the clothes we chose to wear, the mouth-watering catering, the dance-til-you drop DJ-ing, the impeccable organization…of course those things certainly helped. At the end of the day, it was the unbridled energy of the family and friends, the genuine bliss between Alka and me, and the priceless look of elation on Alka’s face.”


They set a date and began the challenge of planning a gigantic Indian wedding. Both wanted a California site but wanted to do something with a “destination wedding” feel. They scoured through endless venues but couldn’t find that perfect spot. A family friend suggested they check out the Fess Parker in Santa Barbara and it was love at first sight for the couple. Both wanted to be married with an ocean view and adored the relaxed vibe of this beach town. It captured the exact essence that they had been tirelessly searching for.

The next several months were a nonstop roller coaster of wedding mania. Outfits, ven-dors, décor, invitations, jewelry, guestlists, menus, themes, etc. monopolized every wak-ing minute.

After much hard work and many sleepless nights, the much anticipated event finally arrived. Relatives poured in from all over the world, including Germany, India, Canada, and the UK. Celebrations were a weeklong affair, leading up to an outdoor sangeet, ocean view wedding, and extravagant reception, all perfectly executed by Nutan Shah from Elegant Events. Yogi Patel of Global Photography captured each and every detail flawlessly, giving the couple a beautiful collection of memories. DJ Ajay from Special Occasions kept the energy at full throttle with his nonstop mixes. Oscar Naranjo from Ziba beauty gave the bride very glamorous and distinct looks for each of the events and

she was ecstatic with the results. Given that both the bride and groom and their families are avid dancers, Bollywood played a major role in the festivities. In fact, when the sangeet ended, their family and friends began their own dance party in the hotel lobby! The entire affair was so Bolly centric that the guests had dubbed it “the ultimate Karan Johar wedding.”

The weeklong festivities were everything the couple had hoped for and more. Although the bride and groom had many wonderful moments throughout the celebrations, their favorite and most emotional was the “first look.” Their sheer joy was apparent as both could not stop beaming, tears flowing down each of their faces. It truly was their most perfect moment of their most perfect fairytale wedding.


Photographer: Yogi Patel: GlobalHair/Makeup: Oscar Naranjo from Ziba Beauty

Videographer: Robles ideoCoordination: Nutan Shah Elegant Events

Catering: Manohar from Delhi PalaceFlorist/Rentals: Events by Sammy

Pundit: Dilip Bhatt

VendorLIST

WeddingReal

II was visiting the lovely island of St.Maarten in March with my girlfriends our Junior year of college. We were all studying at Babson, which is a small business school right outside of Boston. The weather was freezing and we knew we wanted to get away someplace warm for the week. Luckily, one of our friends grew up in St. Maarten, so her first hand knowledge of the Friendly Island was enough to convince us to visit for Spring Break! The minute we landed, the weather, the people, and the culture of St. Maarten were a welcome break from the pretentious rigidness and bitter cold of Boston.

The evening we landed, we went for dinner with my girlfriend’s family who all live on this beautiful Island. At dinner, one of her cousins invited his friend for dinner as well. There was a large group of us sitting at this delicious Thai restaurant on the beach. Since her cousin was younger than us, I assumed his friend was of the same age, so I kept wondering why this “boy” was staring at me from across the table. It was unnerving, but very flattering nonetheless.

After dinner, we went to the local club nearby. As I was making my way up the long winding stairs in all my glory, I just tripped and fell flat on my face. Most of the men around came to my rescue, but this “boy” who was staring at me all of dinner, didn’t even move a finger! I was so annoyed with him I did not speak to him for the remainder of the night. Since our respective Spring Breaks only shared one weekend in common, he left the next day to get back to his university.

Rachna + Sanjay


Three weeks later, my girlfriend and I decided to take a road trip to DC to attend bhangra blowout, which is basically one huge Indian party weekend. I could not believe who I bumped into that same weekend in DC. That “annoying boy” was visiting his brother that same weekend in DC and of course we bumped into each other, because that is what happens when you least expect it! After spending more time in a large group of mutual friends all weekend, I think we both realized there was something that required more attention. So, 2 minutes before I jumped into my car to head back to Boston, Sanjay came and asked me for my number… FINALLY!

I found it so easy to speak with Sanjay, and before I knew it, I was always waiting for9pm to come around so that my “free nights and weekends” rate on my phone could come into effect, allowing hours to go by without worrying what my parents are going to say about my phone bill.

Once I became engaged, there was no doubt that we would contact Therese Cole Hubbs from Electric Karma-The best wedding coordinator and designer in Houston since she impressed us with her over the top coordination at my brothers wedding.

Ten Years Later, after countless hours on the phone and many crazy international phone bills later, I married the man I always loved and moved to Paradise---- the friend-ly island of St. Maarten.

Photographer - Michael Ramos PhotographyWedding Coordinator - Electric Karma

Venues - Omni Hotel Galleria, Hilton Americas, BAPS Temple

Rentals - Any Occasion Party Rental, Aztec RentalsCaterer – Bhojan, Madras Pavillion, Bombay

Brasserie, Sankalp RestaurantDJ- DJ Rocky

Sound- Password AVLighting - DRK Event Lighting

Decor – Welcome Let It Fly, Darryl & Co, Decor to Remember, Paper Flowers, Balushka, Distinctive Details, Elegant Events

Foam Artist - Imagination 3DVideo - A&A Video

Hair & Make Up - Bindu PatelCake - Roland's Swiss Bakery

Horse - A TO Z EventsEntertainment- Gary Michael Dahl Band, J&D

Entertainment

VendorLIST

Decor

Dinneron the beach

Dinneron the beach

Photography: Pam Scott Photography | www.pamscottphoto.comConcept & Design: Karen Tran Florals | www.karentran.comConcept & Design: Emiley Smiley | www.emilysmiley.com

Venue: Hotel Del Coronado | www.hoteldel.com


Travel

Exquisite Weddings

PANAMA


The JW Marriott Panama Golf & Beach Resort are ex-perts in small, intimate ceremonies to opulent black tie galas, JW Marriott Panama handles the finest of details and offers those exquisite touches that make your wed-ding in Panama a once-in-a-lifetime, one of a kind day.

The wedding experts at JW Marriott Panama offer in-tuitive expertise and valuable assistance in anticipating your needs and handing the finest of details. Your fam-ily and cultural traditions will be handled with the care and attention deserved. Exceptional locations through-out the Panama Resort offer stunning wedding event space, culinary expertise and a keen attention to detail.

JW Marriott Panama Golf and Beach Resort offers the most amazing locations for that special day in your life. Outstanding seaside ceremonies overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Exquisite parties in our luxurious ball-room. Stunning Intimate Chapel for catholic weddings. Romantic receptions at sunset under the picturesque Corotu tree. The hotel is one of the most desirable wedding destinations in Panama. With exquisite indoor and lush outdoor settings, your entire experience will be exclusive and unforgettable for you and all your guests.

JW Marriott Panama's wedding specialists are aware about the importance of the Indian Weddings. They know South Asian Weddings are elaborate, vibrant and colorful.


The Indian Bride can dream of a perfect wedding in our property, from the Mendhi in our courtyard to the Sangeet celebration on the Golf Club.Enjoy the Baraat on the Buenventura streets leading all the guest to the elegant Corotu tree for the wed-ding ceremony.

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