An emerging movement we have noticed here at Maharani Weddings is the continuous trend of our brides leaning towards a more simpler Indian Wedding ceremony event. Think red lengha, subtle makeup and traditional customary values. This is the type of wedding that Maharani Divya had hoped for when she described her ideal wedding day to Weddings InStyle and they most certainly delivered on that promise. On her wedding day, Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel was transformed into a venue fit for a traditional Indian Wedding planned and designed by KIS Cubed Events. Divya rocked a cherry red gold-embroidered lengha with a soft makeup appearance that highlighted her eyes and rosy lips. Hair and makeup by Bridal Elements by Nirjary Desai complimented her bridal attire, the dashing maang tika and her traditional mehndi designed by Manisha's Mehendi Designs. The Bride and Groom made an elegant exit in a horse drawn carriage from Nottingham Shire and Carriage for Hire, LLC. We caught up with the bride on her big day and you can read her thoughts below. Peruse through the gallery for more photos by Zamana Lifestyles Video & Photography and take note of the circular seating arrangement!
Maharani Weddings chatted up with the bride on her special day!
How did you meet your Raja and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met through family friends. It's weird because he has known my brother for years and lived next door to my aunt in Maryland. We attending the same wedding when we were younger and his dad had visited us when I was little. It was crazy, but our families have friends in common. I knew he was the one when he sent a video of himself singing on his way home from one of our meet ups.
Do you have a super romantic proposal story or engagement memory?
We had talked about what I wanted, where I wanted the proposal to happen, and what kind of ring I wanted. I had asked for three things. He designed my ring. Not to sound obnoxious or to brag, but he did an amazing job. The first was for him to call my dad. Second was to involve my sisters/brother in the planning and the last was for someone to take pictures. He even remembered that I wanted him to propose to me with my maternal grandmother's ring. He had this all planned out. He made multiple trips to Washington D.C. to find a photographer and to plan it out with his sister. He proposed to me on July 18, 2015 (which is my older sister's wedding anniversary). He had everything planned, but his plan did not happen due to unforeseen circumstances. He had to improvised at the last minute. He proposed to me at J.W. Marriott in our hotel room. He pretended to forget his wallet so he went upstairs. I waited downstairs and he ended calling me up. I open up our hotel room and there he was on his knee. The thing that impressed me the most is that he remembered, even though I didn't even remember mentioning it, to propose with my grandmother's ring. But, I would not ask for a different proposal or a different engagement memory.
Tell us about your wedding style. When you sat down to really figure out how your dream wedding would look, did you start with one central color, a palette of colors, or a theme that served as your inspiration?
I am very simple and not complicated. All I had to say to Ragini is that I want was something simple, classy, and elegant. I wanted pastels and bright colors but not bold. KIS and Ragini came up with the circular seating which I loved.
What did you enjoy most about the process of planning your dream Indian wedding?
In hindsight, I enjoyed the time I got to spend with my parents and brother and the bonding I was able to do with my mother-in-law. Second to that would be trying on all my outfits.
How did you choose your lengha or lenghas? Did you work with a certain designer? Did you spend hours on the internet first?
I was not your typical bride. I knew that I didn't want the typical red, gold, cream, ivory, or green colors. I pick my stuff based on my intuition and what I like. I never had an idea of what I wanted. I can usually tell if I like something when I instantly fall in love with it.
Did you and your Raja have a special song that you danced to as your first dance? How did you choose it?
We chose Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling In Love. My husband loves 80s music and between the two of us, he has better taste in music. So, I let him chose the song because I knew he would pick the right song simply because he picks what he feels.
How about hair and makeup? Did you already have a style in mind or did you work with a specialist to find your perfect look?
I entrusted Roberto from Bridal Elements. He can do amazing things with hair and make-up. Even when the canvas continuously moves. I just wanted my hair up for the wedding.
Did family or friends help out with certain special details that really added to the event?
I have been blessed with amazing sisters and friends. They provided great ideas and helped with details before and during the wedding. They were able to provide a vision for me and decoration ideas.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Our venue was amazing, cake was delicious, and my mehndi turned out fabulous. My jewelry for all three events were purchased from Benza along with my three main outfits. My reception necklace and earrings were my mom's. Ragini was wonderful to work with and she is very talented. Jay did a fabulous job with the dance floor, lighting, and music. Bridal element and KIS got things done and without them, I would have had a lot more running around and stress. They definitely handled and diffused a lot of situations. Our caterer was amazing as always and her food was delicious. Sudha Auntie was super sweet and easy to work with. Hemang and his band were a great addition to our wedding. Zamana worked with us and did a wonderful job capturing moments. All of our vendors were great and definitely would recommend them to anyone!
Return back as we head into the wedding reception with the bride donning a bold blue and gold lengha you are going to love!
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