Good morning, Maharanis! I hope you are having a fantastic day. This week is almost over, and we don't want to end it without bringing you a new lovely event that, without a doubt, will fill you with many emotions and inspiring ideas to create your dreamed wedding. Today we are pleased to present to you the marvelous wedding celebration between Supriya & Steven, today's lovely duo. You will love how two different cultures mingled together and became one to celebrate the eternal love of their favorites. The McCormick Ranch Golf Club hosted the pre-wedding celebrations, and the Royal Palms Resort and Spa was chosen to host the fusion wedding ceremony and wedding reception. Let me tell you that our lovebirds made the right decision by choosing these venues as they not only met but exceeded all expectations! Everything was perfectly trimmed and planned by Laurie Stricklin, who took made this wedding unique and unforgettable. Just lovely! Supriya, our gorgeous Maharani, dazzled everyone with her innate beauty. And let's not forget about the fantastic Mehndi art designed by Henna by Purvi. It was the crown jewel to her royal presence. The reception party was epic, and this was thanks to the phenomenal beats played by DJ Adi and the live performance of Lucky Devils Band. You are invited to relive this moment by visiting today's gallery, thanks to the spectacular shots captured by Rachel Solomon Photography. I know that you will be amazed by every single detail of it!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Stevie on January 4th, 2018, following an introduction on the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel. Our first date was on the day that the Bomb Cyclone blanketed New York City in snow. We met for drinks at Bobby Van's near Grand Central Station, because it was one of the few places that remained open. Time seemed to pause, along with the outside world, as we chatted for hours!
I was struck by Stevie’s quiet confidence, wit, and uncanny familiarity. I felt as though I already knew him -- on our first date alone, there was an easy and natural balance between us. To my friends, I referred to him as “Steady Stevie," and that last part has stuck. Within just a few weeks of dating, I told my mom (much to her alarm) that I knew I was going to marry him. We ultimately chose January 4th as our wedding day, as it is also the date we met!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
A year after we met, Stevie fittingly chose to propose in Grand Central Station on a beautiful evening in January! I met up with him at Grand Central Oyster Bar. We checked our coats and grabbed a glass of wine at the bar. Curiously, the Maître D' (who was in on it) said there would be a long wait even though the place was empty. So to kill time, we drifted over to the Whispering Gallery and eventually the Main Concourse. There, Stevie told me we were going on a journey; which train did I think we were taking? Perplexed, my concern was that we had left our coats (and wine!) at the restaurant. He said not to worry, and gestured at the balcony overlooking the concourse, where I suddenly saw my parents waving. When I turned back around, Stevie was on one knee, with heartfelt words and a big smile on his face.
The rest of the night is a blur of glee -- champagne and hors d'oeuvres with my family at Bobby Vans (where we had our first date), a casual pit stop to see Hamilton on Broadway, and a surprise afterparty at my favorite bar, Ted's, where my brother had gathered a group of our closest friends! The night ended at 4 am, with Dollar Pizza on 3rd Avenue. We will forever thank New York City for bringing us together, a boy from Arizona and a girl from India.
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 had a destination wedding in my groom's hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona. Since we live in New York, we found ourselves in the capable hands of my Arizona wedding planner, Laurie Stricklin! I had weekly calls with Laurie, who would find vendors to match my ideas. We also had 3-weekend trips to finalize decisions in person.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I had a vision for my white wedding dress being ultra-feminine with lots of lace detail. I went shopping with my mom at Kleinfeld Bridal and immediately fell in love with a gorgeous Pnina Tornai off-shoulder neckline and sheer lace bodice. The designer herself, Pnina, was there in person and helped me customize the rest of the dress: a soft A-line silhouette with a modest train. I have a video with her, as I said Yes to the Dress!
For my Sangeet lengha, I found myself drawn to modern Indian design, as opposed to the more traditional heavily-beaded florals. I've always loved vibrant colors and patterns, and so I chose a bright turquoise + pink lengha with gold accents! With my groom in gold, and our wedding party in teal and pink, we felt it all came together really well.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
We know we come from very different backgrounds, cultures, and religious traditions. So throughout the planning process, our North Star was the idea of "One True Fusion Ceremony," which was a lot of fun to brainstorm!
We wanted the important elements of each of us represented. I wore a white dress as a nod to Stevie’s culture, and he wore an Indian suit for me. My bridesmaids represented my tradition in red lenghas, and the groomsmen represented his culture, in black tuxedos. Our ceremony featured both a western Officiant and a Hindu Pandit. We had Bible Readings and Hindu Mantras, recited our own Vows and even Broke the Glass. Our wedding had everything from the Henna to the Horah! Even our hashtag (#OneLesserMenon) combined both our last names and embraced the spirit of unity.
Before the wedding day we had a Mehendi, Rehearsal Dinner, and Sangeet -- this rounded out all the traditions of our families. It was a wonderful, colorful, and authentic wedding for the two of us.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think the thing that the guests appreciated the most was embracing a cultural element that they weren't accustomed to! Many of my Indian family members had never experienced toasts at a Rehearsal dinner, never seen a bride in a white dress, and never danced to a Horah! Stevie's side of the family loved picking out Indian outfits for the Sangeet, getting Henna done on their hands, and watching our "mystical" Hindu ceremony. Many of our friends loved practicing together for Sangeet performances, and donning bright kurtas, saris, and ornate jewelry. We hope every guest got to experience something unique, and authentic to our fusion wedding.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
I absolutely LOVED watching my "gora" groom perform bhangra at our Sangeet, alongside two seasoned Indian friends! He has always been a great dancer, but it was absolutely incredible -- the whole crowd was cheering and I think his side of the family was stunned! It really warmed my heart that he wanted to embrace the Indian culture and do something that required stepping completely outside of his comfort zone.
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 tried to weave in authentic, important pieces of our story throughout the wedding. For our first dance we chose the song "Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, because this was actually the first song we danced to, a few weeks into dating! Signature drinks at our reception were based on our favorite cocktails. At the afterparty in our hotel suite, we had my groom's favorite: In-N-Out burgers, fries, and shakes. Too many details to recount here!
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Being a very planning-oriented person, I made a conscious decision to just let go and be present the week of the wedding. You've done all the hard work, now soak up every moment, and ENJOY!
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Our wedding gifts to each other were so special! We wanted to gift each other things that would become our family's heirlooms -- our story forever passed down along with them. Stevie is a big watch-enthusiast, so I surprised him with a classic and timeless Patek Philippe dress watch. I had the back of the case engraved with the words, "January 4, 2020. Until the end of time." He got me a stunning 3.5-carat Infinity ring, with 20 oval diamonds to represent the year we got married.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. And stick around, we have more prepared for you!
Mehndi Artists: Henna by Purvi |
Live Music: Lucky Devils Band |
Men's Formalwear & Tuxedos: Knollswood |
Sangeet Venue: McCormick Ranch Golf Club |
Ceremony Venue: Royal Palms Resort and Spa |
Reception Venue: Royal Palms Resort and Spa |
Planning & Design: Laurie Stricklin |
Floral & Decor: Fiori Floral Design |
Hair & Makeup: Makiaj Beauty |
Catering: Royal Palms Resort and Spa |
DJ: DJ Adi |
Bridal Fashions / Bridal Jewelry: Nazranaa NJ |
Cinematography: D.P. Weddings |
Bridal Draping/Sari Tying & Styling: Makiaj Beauty |
Fireworks: Fireworks Productions of Arizona |
Invitations & Wedding Stationery: Indian Wedding Card |
Photo Booth: Shutterbooth |
Registry: Zola |
Rentals: Inner Space Events |
Tuxedos: Alton Lane |
Bride's White Wedding Dress: Pnina Tornai |
Bride's White Wedding Dress: Kleinfelds |
Bridesmaids lehengas: IV By Divya |
Photography: Rachel Solomon Photography |
Photography: Sean Cook Weddings
Henna by Purvi,
Lucky Devils Band and
Knollswood
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