LaGrange, GA Indian Wedding by R.A.G. Artistry

Good Morning Maharanis! It's an absolute pleasure to introduce you to Niyati and Kinav, a pair of Indian sweethearts who got hitched surrounded by a riot of sun, color, and laughter! The incredibly talented, R.A.G.Artistry was the official photographer who captured the essence of this couple's love through its magic camera lens in a memorable outdoor photo session. The lovely pair decided to get away from a traditional ballroom and opted to hold their union at the picturesque and peaceful greens lawns of Southern Bridle Farms. Here the photo crew snapped these two looking like real Bollywood stars! Maharani Niyati posed in a magnificent delicate long dupatta and decked herself with a dazzling array of Kundan jewels. What a diva! Her handsome other half, Kinav embodied a true Maharaja in a golden brocade attire, that I'm sure stole the limelight! Take a closer look of these two during the golden hour, in our complete gallery!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Our story is one cemented by fate and timing...

We met at a birthday party of a mutual friend. I went to the party expecting a “normal” birthday experience of fun and shenanigans.  However, when Kinav entered the room, both of our eyes immediately crossed and the attraction was immediate and the chemistry sparked instantly.  I was very interested in getting to know the only unfamiliar face in the room, however, I am a little old fashioned and waited for him to approach me.  As he made his way over and we were introduced we could not stop talking, laughing, and making fun of each other the entire night.

He was handsome, clever, funny, and very charming.  We both knew that this was not just an ordinary encounter... and definitely didn't know that this was one that would shape the course of our future in all aspects!

Though it seems that this meeting was happenstance, it was anything but that.  We both attended the same dance competitions, parties, and outreach activities, however, we never met.  My closest friends were friends with Kinav's roommates... so much so that I had even been at Kinav's apartment before I even knew him!  Fate must have determined that there was a reason for the timing behind our encounter.

We did not have any plans that night to enter a relationship and we both left thinking we made a new friend.  However, as time passed, texting turned into phone calls, and phone calls turned into dates, and after a couple of months, we both realized that the bond we shared could no longer be characterized as a simple "friendship”. We met each other's family/friends, spent time traveling abroad, supported each other through failures, and rejoiced/shared each success! I just knew he was the one.  When I was younger, I never believed in the saying “when you know you know” but being with Kinav, I truly understood what that meant. He was someone I could not live without…fast forward six years since that first encounter and our love has grown ever stronger through each year.  

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Kinav and I enjoy going on adventurous trips.  We have always made it a point to go out of town for my birthday in early September but in 2016 due to other obligations, we were not able to take a trip.  It was the last week in September that Kinav surprised me with first class tickets to Albuquerque and convinced me it was a late birthday trip.  Little did I know Kinav had other plans and had been planning a proposal for the past six months.  October 7, 2017, was the day... we woke up super early to visit the International Balloon Festival - the largest hot air balloon festival in the world and one that I had mentioned I would like to visit.  On a dark and cold Friday morning, we entered a hot air balloon and experienced sunrise 6000 feet up high.  The scenery was breathtaking and at the highest moment Kinav asked me to marry him and I answered with a resounding “YES!” :) 

Tell us how you went about planning your wedding, and your overall experience with the Venues, Hair & Makeup, Outfits, Decor Theme, and all of the other important details.
Kinav and I wanted to get away from hotel ballrooms and wanted to get married outdoors in barn/farm type venue.  We checked out several venues that matched our criteria before finding the venue we immediately loved.  We could not wait to get married at Southern Bridle Farms in Fort Valley, GA!  All of my outfits were from India--loved every minute of shopping and eating in Bombay! The décor vision I had for all of my events was to have an organic/rustic feel with a touch of elegance and romance. For hair and makeup, I went with a mixture of dramatic and neutral looks with half up, down, and updo hairstyles.  Kinav and I really appreciated working with all of our vendors, they made all of our events amazing!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew shopping for my bridal lengha wasn’t going to be easy since I am very picky, however, I went in with some ideas and narrowed down to the style I wanted.  I knew I didn’t want a  bridal lengha with traditional colors and went in with a couple of colors that I was leaning towards.  The only one that caught my eye is the one that I ended up getting...it was everything I wanted.  As soon as I saw it, I loved it. I tried it on and I had to have it.  All of my other outfits were custom designed based on the style and colors I had in mind. 

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Kinav and I are both foodies, so food tasting was our favorite part. 

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
There were several aspects of our wedding that our guests could not stop raving about. Everyone loved our venue, loved the wedding/reception decorations, loved the food, and loved the music at the reception.  

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My family and I greeted Kinav and his family with special dance performances after his baraat.  The moment I stepped out to dance and greet him with a garland, that is the moment that constantly replays in my mind since it was so surreal.  I saw Kinav with the biggest smile on his face and all of our family and friends danced around us. I could not believe the moment had come and I was about to get married to the love of my life! 

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Soak it all in and embrace every moment...it goes by super fast! Even with countless hours of planning, there will be things that go wrong so make sure to go in with a mindset to overlook the mishaps and enjoy every moment.

See you in a bit!