Chrissy & Chetan's magical wedding is pure inspiration—explore it now on the Platinum Guide Blog!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We are both vascular surgeons and we met in residency. Our residency program accepts two applicants per year and we happened to be the two that were accepted. We initially became best friends and eventually fell in love.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
He proposed while we were on vacation in Banff. We went on a sunset hike around this beautiful lake called Peyto Lake. He hired a secret photographer to capture the moment. It was perfect because we both really enjoy hiking so it was very fitting that he proposed while we were hiking on a mountain together.
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.
We got married at the Vinoy Resort and it was an amazing experience. The staff was extremely hospitable and easy to work with. They went above and beyond and kept the bar open for two extra hours at no charge as they could see our guests were having such a good time.
I absolutely loooovvved my hair and makeup company. The owners name is Caroline Minerva and she was incredible! I recommend her to everyone I meet. She made me feel extremely comfortable with the whole process. We had an Indian wedding and I’m not Indian, so the entire process was very new and sometimes overwhelming to me. Caroline exposed me to some more non traditional hair and makeup styles which were more my style. I really prefer a more natural makeup look and she spent the extra time to ensure I was happy. Before every event she would ask me what I wanted changed before we finished and didn’t make me feel bad or uncomfortable for critiquing her work. She is amazing and I recommend her to everyone I meet.
Our photographer Anastasiia is also a close friend of ours. She has such a gift for capturing those special moments and using her artistic abilities to showcase your special day. She has done so many of our good friends weddings because she’s just so talented. Were all just ordinary people who don’t know the first thing about photography, yet somehow she captures the most beautiful qualities of her clients and everyone ends up looking like gorgeous models.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
My husbands cousin owns an Indian clothing boutique based out of Chicago and she helped me pick out all of my outfits. She would send me ideas until I found something that I loved. The best part of it all is that we did this remotely. Her clothing is made in India but we decided on all the options virtually. My husband and I are both surgeons so and very busy, so it would have been difficult to take time off to travel directly to India for lengha shopping, but she made things incredibly easy for us. All of the embroidery from the outfits is handmade and it’s absolutely stunning.
For my wedding gown, I made several alterations through an extremely gifted seamstress based out of Tampa to make modifications. She was wonderful to work with and very talented.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The food!! Going around to several different local Indian restaurants for tastings was the absolute best part, and for obvious reasons - Indian food is delicious!
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The general atmosphere from both our families and friends of just overwhelming love and happiness. Everyone said they could feel it during our events. Chetan and I, and our families and friends were all just so genuinely happy to be getting married and it was apparent to the guests and really set the tone for the weekend to be focused on love and happiness.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our first look. Our wedding day started extremely early around 5am with hair and makeup. After hours of being separated while getting ready, the Sehra Bandi, the baraat, etc, I was just so so happy to be reunited with my best friend during the first look. Seeing each other after being apart all morning, and really having that one moment to ourselves, was extremely special.
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 fusion wedding (since I’m not Indian) and I really appreciated our planner and decorator during this process. They both helped me make small adjustments to the more traditional Indian decor to customize the events towards my style, without compromising on the traditional aspects that were important to our parents.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Be patient. The planning process is overwhelming. Choose a planner who you’re comfortable will help you showcase your own style while not compromising on what’s important to your parents.
Maharanis, here’s to a lifetime of love, laughter, and happily ever after for Chrissy & Chetan!
