When tradition meets charisma and elegance dances with personality, you get a wedding like Anaswara & Brandon's. Set in the charming backdrop of Somerset, this celebration was a heartfelt fusion of heritage, love, and color—with just the right dash of whimsy.
This love story had its movie moment even before the vows. On the eve of Anaswara's clinical rotations, Brandon whisked her off to NYC for a "final day of freedom" date. Little did she know he had planned a private tour of the One World Observatory—where, surrounded by roses, candles, and a sign that read "Marry Me," he popped the question overlooking the city skyline where they had their very first date. Yes, dear reader, this groom understood the assignment.
From the moment these two locked eyes beneath the regal arches of The Marigold, it was clear this was no ordinary wedding. Fast forward to the big day, and every detail of their wedding was as intentional as their proposal. Anaswara looked radiant in a deep maroon silk saree she had picked from India, honoring her vision of wearing traditional colors for the ceremony. Brandon mirrored her elegance in a meticulously embroidered ivory sherwani. Together, they looked like they'd stepped out of a regal dream sequence.
One of the most captivating moments? Their emotional note exchange just before the ceremony. Sitting together on a vibrant couch, clutching their "his & hers" vow booklets, Brandon sealed his with a kiss on Anaswara's hand, leaving no dry eye in sight. And just when guests thought they'd seen it all, the couple rolled up to the reception in a fully decked-out tuk-tuk, turning tradition into a joyride.
Anaswara reflects, "Wedding planning is tough and stressful, but imagine how great things will be. The day flies by—don't forget to be present and take it all in." The jaw-dropping décor, crafted by Manisha Dhimar from Wedding Art, transformed the venue into a floral fantasy. From cascading garlands to intricately arranged centerpieces, the aesthetic was a beautiful ode to South Asian grandeur. Tum Hi Ho Events coordinated every moment to perfection, weaving together seamless timelines and joyful chaos with the finesse of seasoned pros. Elite Events kept the energy soaring all night with beats that pulled everyone to the dance floor—because what's a wedding without a bit of dhol and a lot of dancing?
And then there's the visual poetry captured by Lightyear Studio. Their lens caught it all—the glances, the laughter, the layered symbolism in every tradition. Do not forget to check out our Platinum Guide Vendors for an epic wedding.
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I decided to enroll in a physics class in order to apply for grad school and Brandon happened to be in the class and he was my lab partner.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Brandon surprised me with a date in the city to celebrate the "last day of freedom" before clinicals began for me the next day. He took me to the One World Observatory because I'd never been. Once we arrived, they took us on a private tour of the entire place. Then they took us to the top floor where it was just Brandon and I, which was decorated beautifully with roses, candles, music playing my favorite old romantic songs, a huge sign that said Marry Me; while overlooking all of New York City. Years before that we had our first date in the city at an observatory so it felt extra special. It was such a surreal moment and I was truly speechless. I spent the entire day being surprised by different friends of ours at different locations to celebrate, all planned wonderfully by Brandon.
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.
People aren't joking when they say wedding planning is one of the most stressful things they've had to do. But everything does fall into place eventually and then on your special day it feels so rewarding to see how amazing everything turned out. Doing a food tasting as a family and outfit shopping were the top moments for me and my family. For us in particular, looking at vendors and venues that had hosted Desi weddings was important to us and helped us narrow down options tremendously.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I went to India to do outfit and jewelry shopping for us. I felt that they had the best of the best and it was also a great opportunity to visit family as well. I went into it already knowing that I wanted to wear traditional colors for my ceremony and a light colored lehenga for the reception. I wanted to wear red/maroon and I fell in love with a dark maroon silk traditional saree. For the reception I wanted the lehenga to be full of work so I found a very light, barely sage green lehenga covered in work. Both outfits felt very bridal to me.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was how much time we all spent together. The entire planning process built up the anticipation for the big day.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
They absolutely loved the food and the Rickshaw we hired. They appreciated the order in which things were done; nothing too long or boring. They loved the small touches like the mini snacks and ceremony cards we left on each seat, the outdoor arrangement to enjoy the perfect weather, the telephone to leave us messages and the memory table with pictures. The really loved the music and dance floor as well!
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The moment where we both tied the thaali (wedding necklace) around each other was so special because its a moment I've seen in so many weddings and in movies and it felt so magical as it was happening for me. Also when the ceremony officially ended and we walked down the aisle with the DDLJ theme song playing in the background, while all our guests cheered was truly a once in a lifetime type of moment.
For events other than your ceremony, please tell us as much as you would like about the decor, style, dances, and all the special details.
For the reception, we decided to do a completely different color scheme and went with really dark green with white florals and accents. The programs for the night consisted of fun entrances for our family, groomsmen and bridesmaids, a first dance together with my husband, father daughter dance, mother son dance and speeches from our parents, sibling, grandparent and my bridesmaid and then we just let our guests enjoy the dance floor until the end of the night. We ended the night with a sparkler send off outside with all our guests which was so fun!
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
I would emphasize that wedding planning is tough and stressful but let it make you excited as well! Imagine how great things will turn out on the big day and how your guests will see how much time and effort you put into every single detail. I would also say plan things for yourself in mind first. Don't put you and your husbands desires aside for all the others attending the wedding. And most importantly don't forget to take it all in!! The day truly flies by and don't forget to really be present and enjoy the day that you worked so hard to plan.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
For jewelry I was lucky to have pieces given to me as a gift from all different family members and I loved having a piece of them with me on my special day. The most special piece I wore that day was a bangle that my grandmother that had passed had kept safe to be given to me for my wedding.
Also, I debated having a mehndi night and decided ultimately to do it and I'm so happy I did! Brandon and I had so much fun with our friends and family. It was so nice to see so many of our friends try mehndi for the first time. It was also amazing to see how excited everyone was for our big day and we truly felt so much love that day.
With love as their guide, Anaswara & Brandon’s new chapter begins with beauty and bliss
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