Happy Tuesday, Maharanis! We hope your week has been off to a great start! We sure had a fantastic start of the week thanks to you, darlings. Having the pleasure of your company is something indescribable and fulfilling, and today, we are more than excited to be back, sharing Disha & Michael's fusion wedding with you! So, get ready to savor all the finery and flair surrounding this grand event! For this installment, Elk & Elm Studios is taking us on a visual journey through the process our gorgeous Maharani went through so she could look ravishing for her big day. And we have to say that we loved every single shot captured during this moment! They are a work of art! "Operation Bride" began, and Disha was ready to be glamorized by a lineup of top of the line wedding experts that made her look like a goddess! For her makeup, she brought Dee Bellas and Jo Ann Gaspar, who created a nude design very well complemented with the sleek hairstyle by Darshita Patel, who also outlined the artistic Mehndi that we loved so much! For her fashion needs, she couldn't have found a better ally than Manyavar, who are the masterminds behind the gorgeous champagne lengha featuring exquisite pink and golden embroidery! Hands down a dreamy look for her long-awaited wedding day! See more of this lovely Maharani in today's gallery! You will love it!
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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met on Tinder! It was very spontaneous and neither of us were looking for a serious relationship so we took it very slow and it was months before we chose to be in a committed relationship. We were in very different places in our lives and still trying to figure ourselves out first so we put very little pressure on each for the long term and just took our relationship day by day. I knew he was the one when I moved away to NYC (we had lived a couple miles apart until then) and within the first week away from him I knew I couldn't live without him! In retrospect that was also the week he realized I was "the one" and started looking into buying a ring!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Mike proposed at the coffee shop we had our first date at. He coordinated the whole thing with the store manager and my best friend. He had my best friend lure me there and when I ordered my coffee they sent out a pink rose latte to my table with a heart in the foam and "Will you marry me" on the saucer. When I turned around the whole shop was full of balloons and rose petals and Mike was there on one knee!
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.
Our wedding could not have come together without the help of both our families. The biggest factor for us when working with venders was working with people who were familiar with fusion weddings and able to incorporate both cultures and styles, especially our venue.
Our venue was Rasoi 3 in Monmouth Junction, NJ.
Photography by Elk & Elm Studios.
Flowers by Heena's Flower Garden
Art by Cynthia Midori.
Hair and Mendhi was Dulhan by Darshita.
Make up by Jo Ann Gasper.
Music by DJ Sunny Entertainment.
Video by PHILM.
All of our venders were amazing. They worked so well with us and many have become friends who we have worked with more than once for various events.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Originally I had ordered a bridal lengha online, I didn't want something too traditional, and I wanted it to be something I could dance and move around in. I didn't want to be weighed down by my outfit. When my dress online came in it was a few inches too short and the color didn't match my fiancé's sherwani, so we had less than 2 weeks to find a whole new outfit that could match the jewelry and bridal parties outfits. We had opted for very summery and light colors in the pastel family, mainly peaches, pinks, and baby blues. I ultimately ended up buying fabric at Manyavar in Edison, NJ a week before the wedding, the tailor measured me and built the dress in 3 days and it was PERFECT. It was a cream colored with lots of bright pink embroidery and a pink net dupatta.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The best part was seeing our families come together and seeing how much everyone cared about making sure our day was perfect and stress free. Bringing home someone who wasn't South Asian wasn't easy and we worked so hard to make it to our wedding day, and seeing everyone on both sides of our family so invested in our happiness really left us in awe.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Having a fusion wedding meant trying to accommodate two different cultures so we did that in various ways in order to make all of our guests feel comfortable. I think Michael's family had fun being a part of something so different then what they are used to in terms of a wedding, it was a totally different culture but we made sure they all felt included and a part of our big day. We created wedding programs that listed all the steps and details of a Hindu ceremony. During lunch and dinner we also made a point of serving both Italian food as well as Indian food. And our ceremony was conducted in English. It was the small ways we integrated both cultures that made our guests feel welcome.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
We really loved the baraat, since we made every guest participate, not just the grooms side. We opted out of having a white horse but instead took all the doors off of a white Jeep Wranglers and covered the frame in flowers. It allowed Mike to have something to dance on top of instead of just awkwardly sitting on. Me and my bridesmaids made a point of crashing the baraat with our sunglasses on and really getting the party started. Our family really loved it and had so much fun.
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.
We had a mendhi night and santuk the days leading up to the wedding. We combined all 3 days of our wedding with both sides of our family, traditionally the bride and grooms sides don't come together until the day of the wedding ceremony itself, but we opted to combine everything since Mike's family is not Indian. We also included full bridal parties with a maid of honor and best man, etc.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
2 things:
1. When decisions and planning get overwhelming, try to ask yourself "will this matter in 10 years?". It's a quick way to gain perspective in the moment.
and 2. (this is for wedding planning and beyond) It's never you vs. your partner, it's ALWAYS you and your partner vs. the problem.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
For more info on our story and our entire wedding planning process, check out our podcast about South Asian dating and interracial/interfaith relationships called "But What Will People Say?" Episode 1 and 2 breaks down Mike and I's story. Followed by a 4 part fusion wedding planning series!
More coming in a bit, ladies! So don't go too far if you don't want to miss it!
