Hey guys, here’s Aekta and Faizal’s engagement story for your reading pleasure! We are just suckers for sweet romantic stories and this is definitely oh so sweet and romantic! And check out that Rock of an engagement ring!!!

Bride: Aekta Erry

Groom: Faizal Thobani

Aekta: We met in Washington DC, where I live and he had been working for about a year as a software consultant. We met at a random bar. I noticed him, but didn’t think twice, because I just thought he was another cute indian guy, no big deal. We continued to pass each other looks for a while. An hour or two into the night, he mosies down to my side and asks me what I’m drinking and smiles. I’m thinking that he is CLEARLY trying to pick me. He asks me “So…..my friends over there wanted me to ask you if you think I’m cute……so do you?”……and started to laugh…what he said was cute, (corny, but cute) and he got what he wanted, my number. He introduced himself as “Sam”, which is what he does with everyone, because he thinks the name “Faizal” will be butchered. So, being hindu, I assumed it was short for a punjabi or another hindu name. He called and we went out, later coming to find out he was Muslim. Growing up in a very close, conservative hindu/punjabi family, I knew there would be problems with my family in the long run. But we just fell in love with each other and now I just can’t see the rest of my days with anyone else. After getting to know Faizal and knowing that I am happy, my family supports us. Needless to say, we worked through it all and we are now engaged!!!!!

The wedding will take place in Dallas, TX.

(Tentatively, the Omni Mandalay, in Las Colinas) Read more

I am all about the decor, however, when it came time to plan my brother’s wedding–it was the aspect that was least budgeted for.   My father, the traditional Bangladeshi man that he is, insisted on food being his main priority and it was decided that that is what most of the budget for my brother’s wedding would go towards.  Needless to say, thousands and thousands of dollars were spent on food, while my ideas for decor seemed frivolous to my father.  When I contacted decorators for stagescapes and tablescapes that I *loved*, their ridiculous pricing seemed even more absurd to my parents.     My mother then insisted that we find someone cheaper to do the decor, a simple florist.  Then, it hit me–why not do all of the flowers and a simple stage myself?  I have always had a knack for creativity, crafting, and am a perfectionist and decided I would do  it all myself.

DIY Centerpieces and Stages seem like a tough task at first, but when you choose simple designs and easily accessible flowers–the task at hand becomes a lot easier.  I would suggest  that as a bride you do not do it all yourself, but if you have a creative bridesmaid, cousin, aunt, friend–give her the task of giving you a great visual display at your wedding!

When it came to the centerpieces, I wanted to use flowers that were the same color my sister-in-law would be wearing at the reception and when I found out it was a salmon–that as my the color of my flowers.  My mother and I loved traditional roses and they actually are a lot cheaper than other flowers such as hydrangeas, orchids, etc.  When we had our decision made, we headed straight to the Flower Mart in Downtown, Los Angeles.  Buying flowers wholesale in bulk can save you lots of money.   Also, to avoid costs always buy domestic flowers instead of imported flowers.  Domestic roses, I learned, have a scent and are cheaper while imported roses do not even have a scent and cost much more! My total cost ended up being $10 for two dozen roses–what a bargain!!

Ordering the flowers was the easy part… next came the vase.  Should we do taller centerpieces? Square vases? Circular vases? Shorter vases?  My mom and I wanted to keep it simple and chose a shorter vase that looked very clean and elegant  The centerpiece was quite easy–I suggest you have helpers that can assist you in de-leafing flowers.  We cut the flowers at a length that was perfect for the vase,  tied them with plastic ties (you can purchase these at your local Home Depot, or use flower ties–I find plastic ties easier and they stay tighter), and placed them in the vase.  Also, add Sprite or carbonated water to make your flowers last longer.  Lastly, add a special touch that makes your centerpiece stand out.  I had bought gold glitter sticks from Wal-Mart and cut them and placed them in the centerpiece.

And Viola! The final product of the centerpieces:

Read more

mintphotography.com

As we all know, photography is a very important element of all great weddings. After all, your wedding pictures will be the memories of your union which you will reminisce over at old age and share with your grandchildren someday. You want to make sure you capture the moments that made your day all so special. The recent press release from Tina of Tina Shah Doshi Photography provides great insider information as to what goes into beautiful wedding photography. She explains that, it is not only about choosing the right photographer but the little things the couple should do which are essential to create lasting memories. The Sari-Clad Bride is very excited to share her tips with you! So read on ladies! Read more

Zoya Couture Invitation Suite

Who are you?
Arti Anand
ZOYA Couture
1-866-611-ZOYA (9692)
zoyacouture.com

What do you do?
Wedding Invitations (Custom Design and Ready to Order), Event Stationery (Place cards, table numbers, Menus, Programs, Signage), Marketing Collateral.

Where are you based?
Washington, DC – but we often work with brides around the nation. Samples are mailed, design and proofs discussed over phone and e-mail, and final orders sent via FedEx.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?
I grew up around weddings! My parents owned a South Asian wedding decor company and I spent my weekends helping them with the creative design and set-up. I had been doing freelance graphic and web design for several years before I decided to apply it to the wedding invitation industry.

Why do you do what you do?
I love weddings – there’s something magical about them. While South Asian weddings in particular are so glamorous, most couples in the States have a hard time selecting invitations that marry their South Asian heritage with their modern, chic lifestyle. I love working with couples to find their individual styles and translating that to invitations that they have envisioned.

Do you work exclusively on South Asian weddings?
Not exclusively, but a majority of our brides are of South Asian descent.

What are some mistakes you see most South Asian brides (and families) make?
Playing by the rules. Throw the rule book out! Brides and families begin their discussions with how they’ve seen other people do it, or how things have been done for generations. Don’t be afraid to get creative and try things differently. Create a wedding that’s beautiful to you, as its yours to experience and remember.

Do you only cater to certain budgets only?
We try our best to work with all budgets, but find that most of our brides are generally looking for exclusive, luxurious invitations that no one else has seen or done before. From silk folios to engraved coins – our creative brides always find unique ways to make their invitations stand out!

Describe a particularly memorable wedding you’ve worked on.
The invitation suite captured in the attached image (captured by Regetis Photography) is for a South Asian destination wedding in Puerto Rico in early 2010. It has been so much fun working with the extremely creative couple and their wedding planner. They have great style and will be reflecting this design theme throughout their wedding day materials. We’re excited to see how the events come together!

What’s your number one wedding tip?
Enjoy every minute of it. Wedding planning can get stressful – but don’t let little setbacks bring you down. Remember that at the end of the day, the purpose of the day is to be united with the one you love! Best wishes with your wedding planning!

Gaye holud written in Bangla

Gaye holud or haldi also known as a  turmeric ceremony, is a traditional preparatory celebration, which takes place before the wedding. It is the tradition of applying holud or haldi (turmeric paste) on the bride and groom’s skin in order to beautify them for their wedding. Holud is an antiseptic which not only kills germs and bacteria, but also has a yellow hue which gives skin a unique color and glow.

A pre-wedding ritual involving the application of turmeric to the bride and groom is a wide-spread tradition throughout South Asia and in West Indian culture,  it is a very important custom particular to Bengali weddings and sparks a huge celebration by Bengali Muslims, Hindus and Christians. This is also known as the henna/mehndi night in Northern parts of India and in Pakistan. To West Indians, it is known as dig dutty, matti khor, or simply dye rubbing. However, henna/mehndi night itself is also a preparatory celebration in South Asian weddings, where henna/mehndi is used to decorate the bride’s hands and feet as well as the rest of the female guests. This usually occurs only for the bride and usually attended, only by women. However, some do choose to combine the gaye holud and mehndi night together into one ceremony. Read more

Hi Sari-Clad Bride,

I’m getting married in a hindu ceremony in December. I have been looking for modern hairstyles to wear under my chunni that covers my head, but all I find are traditional buns. I was hoping you could post some pics that are of more modern hairstyles that are not all buns. Thanks so much!

Sincerely,

Priyanka

Dear Priyanka,

It’s hard to find the perfect hairdo that’s modern and will look great with our Eastern wear. We scoured the web for a few examples and we are also checking in with our professional hair experts to bring you some step by steps! Feel free to browse through the following looks for some inspiration in the meanwhile.

Topsy-Turvy Bun

A Modern Beehive

The Anarkali Movement

Braid-it

Bridal Bedroom Hair

Bohemian Rhapsody

Side-Tuck

Courtesy of S2S Photography

Who are you?

Saad Syed

S2S Photography, LLC.

919-413-5220

www.s2sphotography.com

What do you do?

I am a wedding photographer. I consider myself in a business of documenting love, connection, and the human experience.

Where are you based?

I reside in Raleigh, North Carolina. But I get commissioned for weddings all over. I have shot and/or will be shooting weddings in Delaware, Florida, Ohio, New York, Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina. Read more