Such a gorgeous ceremony had to have a gorgeous reception. That was absolutely the case with today's wedding coming from New Jersey and thanks to the always incredible team from Joie Elie Photography. For cocktails, as we will see, Maharani Deepa decided to go extra glamorous and rock a stunning navy blue saree with golden embroidery and a dazzling white gown! Definitely the classic look but with just the right amount of modernity. And what about the person who swept our Maharani of her feet? Raja Christopher's choice was this incredibly neat black tux that left our bride totally sighing. So romantic! We know couples always want the best for their guests and with Magic Mike DJs' beats, trust us, the party was assured! So, time to get enchanted with the second installment of today's gallery! Let's get to it!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Our story begins in Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love,” and as it turns out, the city that sparked our love! After graduating from the University of Michigan (Chris) and Rutgers University (Deepa), we were both seeking adventure and left our home states to pursue public health degrees at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
We first met on our way to a grad school social event and instantly connected. We shared many laughs, stories, and excitement for city life. We especially loved trying different cuisines around the city and often spent time cooking together for ourselves and our friends. Chris is an amazing cook, and I'll never forget the day he surprised me with a home-cooked Indian dinner of all my favorite dishes! His generosity blew me away, and I knew in that moment I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this sweet man. Over the next few years, our friendship grew into something truly special.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
One evening in November, Chris made surprise dinner plans for us at a nice restaurant downtown. (It was a Tuesday, so I had a hunch something more might be planned...!) On our way to dinner, we were taking an especially long route, enjoying the city sights. In all our loops and turns, we ended up at Addison Street, one of our favorite streets in Philadelphia, lined on both sides with tree lights all year round. It was just the two of us under the lights. Then (the moment I had been waiting for), Chris got down on one knee and asked for a lifetime together… And the rest is history!
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 was the first for both of our families, so it was helpful finding experienced (and extremely kind!) vendors to guide us through all the planning stages.
We chose Birchwood Manor for our venue, and their staff brought the calming energy we needed, making the planning process very enjoyable. All the rooms at Birchwood Manor are gorgeous. We especially loved the Greenery, an atrium surrounded by plants, with sunlight pouring in through large windows. This was definitely a unique space for our cocktail hour. Their Jefferson ballroom was the perfect room for our ceremony and reception. Our families and friends love to dance, and the spacious ballroom gave us a comfortable space to have our entire party out on the dance floor! We really felt like winners finding a venue that was beautiful both indoors and outdoors.
We wanted the charming and elegant style of the venue to stand out on its own and both agreed on a simple, summer theme of mainly greenery with some pops of color using pink roses. Vito (The Potted Geranium Florist) created a beautiful—yet simple—backdrop that highlighted the ceremony stage and stayed up during the reception to frame our sweetheart table. Vito is very attentive to detail and really takes his time understanding your vision! We loved the unique look of birch trees, draped with gold fabric and hanging flowers, as well as the centerpieces of greenery wrapped around floating candles.
For hair and makeup, we worked with Makeup By Anu Sarin. When I first met Anu for my trial a few months before the wedding, I immediately felt at ease. She is very knowledgeable about different beauty products and techniques and shared a few tips as well! I absolutely loved my wedding look! Anu really understood what I was comfortable with and created a look that made me feel like myself—but a glam version! I truly felt like a princess!
Finding the perfect DJ was important to us since we and our guests love to dance! DJ Magic Mike provided music for all of our wedding day events, playing upbeat Baraat music, classical music for the ceremony, and a mix of popular hits for the reception. It’s a surreal feeling when you have a list of songs prepared for walking down the aisle, cutting the cake, etc. and then when you actually hear the songs flow on your wedding day—simply amazing!
We were excited to work with Joie Elie Photography & Cinematography again after seeing their beautiful work for our engagement photoshoot months earlier. They are so thoughtful in their approach and perfectly captured all the emotions and subtle expressions of our wedding day! We cannot thank them enough for helping us create memories that will last a lifetime!
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests continue to say they had the most fun dancing at our wedding! DJ Magic Mike really did a phenomenal job incorporating a mix of Indian and American songs. He had every one of our guests out on the dance floor until the very last song of the night!
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Among the many unforgettable moments of the day, I'll always cherish the moment towards the end of the night when Chris and I were out on the dance floor surrounded by all of our loved ones. Looking around the room, everyone was smiling, dancing, and enjoying themselves. I thought, "Wow, how amazing is it to have everyone we love in the same room sharing this moment with us?!"
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
If you can plan two or three moments to be alone as a couple on your wedding day, do it! A few of our favorite moments included: reading love letters we wrote to each other, seeing each other for our first look before the ceremony, and sneaking away before the cake cutting for a nighttime photo session. Enjoy every moment of your special day because it goes 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.)
Shweta (Henna By Shweta) did my bridal mehndi, as well as henna for our families and friends during our Welcome Dinner party, the night before our wedding. She is extremely creative, patient, and professional. Shweta also added personal details, like the Philadelphia LOVE sign, which made my mehndi experience that much more special!
More inspo coming up!
Photography: Joie Elie Photography & Cinematography |
DJ: Magic Mike DJs |
Photography: Joie Elie Photography & Cinematography |
Hair & Makeup: Makeup By Anu Sarin |
Ceremony Venue: Birchwood Manor |
Reception Venue: Birchwood Manor |
Floral & Decor: The Potted Geranium Florist
Joie Elie Photography & Cinematography,
Magic Mike DJs and
Makeup By Anu Sarin
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