After a dreamy garden wedding, Radhika & Michael entertained their loved ones at the wonderful Grounds for Sculpture, with a Peruvian-themed cocktail hour, as a beautiful way to include the groom’s cultural inheritance and as a preamble of their reception! For their stellar evening, the married couple opted for super soft color combinations. The bride chose a cream lehenga that she accessorized with exquisite emerald jewelry, meanwhile, Rajah Michael picked a light gray suit paired with brown shoes, just the perfect shades for his big night! Details throughout the reception included handwritten table cards with the word "love" in different languages adding a romantic touch to each table beautifully festooned by the artful hands of Partyland Event Design Boutique. A semi-naked wedding cake by The Caketeria showed how the simple elegant style prevailed in this amazing soiree. I must say that this wedding was just fabulous, filled with jubilee, dance and great food, you'll believe me once you will see it in the whimsical images A.S. Nagpal Photography compiled for this timeless festivity, it was incredibly fun! Just see the full gallery and let me know!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Michael and I met at a volunteer event in 2010 - a DC public school cleanup day. We hit it off and immediately became best friends.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
The year that we got engaged, we were in a long-distance relationship - Michael had started his medical residency on the East Coast and I was still finishing up veterinary school in California. I came home from clinics one evening totally surprised to find him waiting in my front yard to propose!
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 wanted to plan a wedding that highlighted both of our cultures - Peruvian (Michael) and Maharashtrian Indian (me) - and most importantly, a day that our friends and family would have fun celebrating. We decided to have a Hindu ceremony and incorporate Peruvian/Latin American elements into our cocktail hour and reception.
Our venue (the Grounds for Sculpture) was incredible - an outdoor sculpture garden that showcases some truly talented artists - and we feel so lucky to have gotten married in that setting. We held our ceremony outdoors in the stone "amphitheater." The weather ended up being perfect for the ceremony and we got married barefoot in the grass. Our cocktail hour and reception were held in the large airy art galleries on-site. To fit the venue, our decor was bright and colorful. We tried to fit personal touches into the decor - for example, Michael and I both love traveling and learning about different cultures, so we used the word "love" in different languages as our table names.
Our clothing for the ceremony was very traditional - down to the Maharashtrian mundavalya (pearl forehead ornaments) - and to balance that, we went for a more contemporary look for our reception outfits.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I wanted to wear a traditional Maharashtrian "nauvari," or nine-yard, sari for my big day - yellow is the traditional color. When I came across my marigold and pink Paithani sari in Pune, I knew it was perfect.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
My family and I did most of the wedding planning ourselves, rather than hiring a planner, so the best part of the process was getting to spend time with them. My mom shares my artistic side so we hand-made all of the wedding invitations together, as well as the programs and even the jaimala (wedding garlands).
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests said that the day really celebrated both of our cultures and personalities.
Our caterer also made some Peruvian alfajores (cookies) as snacks for guests during the ceremony - we didn't get to try them, but they got some rave reviews :)
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
We took a few minutes before our reception to take a few photos and enjoy the sculpture garden. The sky was bright pink at sunset, and it made for a beautiful backdrop for the artwork. It started to drizzle and we had to run back to the reception hall without an umbrella, but getting to spend a few minutes away was really special and worthwhile.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Take a few minutes on your big day to just spend time soaking it all in! After planning for months, our wedding day went by so fast.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
My ceremony jewelry was really special to me - the necklaces and bangles belonged to my great-grandmothers. I loved wearing the weight of that tradition for such a special day.
Have a nice Monday and a fresh start to your week!
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