Happy Tuesday dear Maharanis! Today I have the great honor to share Shree & Jonathan’s fusion wedding film in the southern state of Louisiana. This insanely beautiful wedding blended two faiths that reflected both bride and groom’s religious identities. This lovely pair, first joined their lives in a Catholic ceremony at the beautiful St. Mary's Assumption church in the heart of Georgia. For their Christian union, the bride and groom and their entourage picked classic western outfits that made them all ready for the camera of Memories Films who brilliantly caught all the special moments on the big day! This mixed faith wedding needed the best crew possible to integrate every element that our couple wanted to add to each event, so K.I. Weddings happily accepted the challenge and completely amazed us with their ability to execute such a grand event! Following the first ceremony, the couple held their Hindu Marriage at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans where groom Jonathan received his bride completely transformed into a true Maharajah! The downright awesome décor for the Hindu marriage was brought to real life thanks to Rao Factor who created the perfect soft pallet for this momentous occasion! It was imperative for these two to have a reception as great as their ceremonies! Our newlyweds showed off their dance moves and had tons of fun as we can see in the brilliant images by Hiram Trillo Art Photography, featured on our Main Blog! Hit play and flashback to this tender fusion wedding!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Our story began with a friendship while studying in medical school. We started dating after a year of knowing each other, and I think both of us found it to be pretty surreal and unique. I had never felt this way in the past. I finally met someone who I looked up to, who challenged me, supported me, and was a true romantic at heart. It helped that he was tall, dark, and handsome. He was and continues to be the most chivalrous gentleman I have ever met. Truly my McDreamy!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Because of Jonathan, I tasted my first oyster during the first year of our relationship and truly fell in love with the refreshing taste and fun while eating them with crackers, horseradish, and cocktail sauce. Fast forward to a chilly romantic night five years later, and we are sitting in a beautiful French restaurant on Magazine Street in New Orleans. Jonathan asks me if I want oysters and they aren't on the menu but soon enough, our waiter presents them to the table as a "special". One of the oysters was covered with a shell, and to my delight, underneath it was a beautiful engagement ring. He proposed in front of a packed restaurant that was cheering so loud I could barely hear him ask me to marry him.
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.
I found my wedding planner online googling. KI weddings advertised "fusion weddings", and I knew that they would have the insight into what it takes to make our wedding day perfect for both of our families. They introduced me to most of my vendors, which were based out of Dallas. Hiram Trillo was the best photographer who got to know us and captured every single amazing moment of our wedding days. Robert Redd from Memories Films was the highlight of my vendors who created the most amazing same day edit, highlight film, and video documentaries. He truly captured the essence of our relationship and marriage through a film. My venue was the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans which was a very classy backdrop. We had a local jazz band from New Orleans, Dr. Steele's Jazz Band, play at our Catholic Ceremony Reception. Our Catholic Wedding was at St. Mary's Assumption, an ethereal historical church in the heart of New Orleans. Our food was through Bay Leaf from Baton Rouge, LA and our friends and family continue to rave about how tasty it was. The entire two days - two weddings and two receptions! - were absolutely amazing. Our wedding planner Jignasa through KI Weddings made it seamless and I have nothing but joyous memories from our wedding.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I picked my Catholic Wedding dress from a local store in New Orleans called The Bridal Boutique by MaeMae. I always knew I wanted simple elegance. My wedding dress was inspired by Manish Malhota but created by Surinder Bedi Image Boutique Shop based out of Atlanta, GA. I knew I wanted red, the same color my mother wore, as this is the most classic as it gets for Indian wedding lehengas.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was being able to have the support of my friends and family throughout the entire time! I loved picking out songs, colors, food, and learning dances with my husband. My support group truly came through, and that's the most a bride can ask for when planning a wedding.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
My guests loved how much fun they had! The number one thing I heard was that everyone truly had a blast and that everything flowed so well. Our bridal party got along very well and our distant family and friends enjoyed spending time getting to know each other.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
I constantly replay seeing Jonathan's face when he saw me for the first time. I chose not to do a first look for the Catholic wedding because I wanted the element of surprise. I think it is so special that a husband sees his wife for the first time in her wedding dress when she walks down the aisle with her father. This is captured so beautifully in pictures and our videos, but in my mind, it's etched forever.
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.
The style of our wedding on both days was traditional. I went for a minimalistic approach with pink, gold, and white for the flowers for the Hindu ceremony.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Remember that no matter what, nothing will matter more in the end than how you felt throughout your whole wedding. Don't let anything stress you out in the end. I truly feel that I have nothing but joyous memories from my wedding day, and I think that is because I focused on the most important thing - I was getting married to the love of my life!
Don't forget to smile and have a happy Tuesday, Maharanis!
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