With names such as Abhishek and Rekha, the theme for their reception was a no-brainer:  Bollywood!

Rekha:
“As we started brainstorming ideas for our Bollywood night, we decided to create movie posters with us playing the leading roles. Then came the other accessories such as the red carpet, the step and repeat and the photo booth with our personalized photo book.” Read more

With the pre-wedding cruise and official engagement ceremony at Hari Om Mandir in Chicago done, it was time for Rekha and Abhishek to party Desi-style at their Sangeet!

When Abhishek and his family first visited Esplanade Lakes, they knew from the first impression that it would have to one of the venues. Esplande Lakes is nestled in a pond and the banquet hall is unique with its circular room, floor to ceiling windows, and breathtaking view. And to dress up this beautiful space, they brought in Drish Couture to work their magic!

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Who are you?
Salman Bhatti, a  professional wedding photographer who takes extra pride in photographing South Asian weddings.
salmanphotography.com
salman@salmanphotography.com
(954) 667-7770

What do you do?
I am first and foremost, a photojournalist.  My style exemplifies this.  I work to tell a tale – the story of love between two people.

Where are you based?
I am based in the sunny and culturally rich city of Fort Lauderdale, in South Florida.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?
I was inspired by the story-telling prowess of a young photojournalist whom I met on a trip abroad.  I took the talents of the news industry and applied those principles to telling the story of a wedding–ordinary people living extraordinary lives.

Why do you do what you do?
I want to be able to capture the emotion, the experience, and tell the story of a couple.  For them to share their story with their families, and remember their moments, forever.

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by Piyali Bhattacharya

I spent two years planning every single little detail of my wedding to be the most traditional Bengali wedding it could be with a few modern twists. My husband, Tariq, and I are proud feminists and we wanted to make sure that our ceremony reflected that. We worked intensively with our priest and our parents to make sure that our wedding was both a very traditional Hindu Bengali wedding, but also incorporated our feminist values.

Aiburo Bhath (Rice Ceremony)
Aiburo Bhath is a traditional version of a bridal shower. A week before the wedding, my parents called all their close friends and relatives to the house to bless me.  A part of the tradition is for family and friends to feed the bride all of her favorite foods.

Gaye Holud (Turmeric Ceremony)
This very traditional Bengali ceremony entailed all the female members of my family getting me ready for the big day. It’s a ceremony that involved spreading turmeric (haldi in Hindi, holud in Bengali–both of these words simply mean “yellow” because the color of turmeric is a bright mustard yellow) all over my face and arms so to purify my skin.

Vedic Marriage Ceremony following Bengali Traditions
This was something my husband and I really spent a lot of time on, considering we wanted a truly traditional Bengali wedding but we were also 100% committed to bringing into focus our feminist values and belief in a marriage of complete equals. We were very clear that the Vedic ceremony was not something we were doing just for the sake of doing it. It was deeply important to us, and therefore we did not want to get up on the Mandap and simply repeat shlokas that we didn’t understand. So we spent months doing research, and having conversations with our parents, extended family and our priest, Sri Krishna Varanasi.

One of the things we absolutely insisted on leaving out was the concept of Kanyadaan, or the giving away of the bride, a ritual that is a part of ceremonies all over the world. Neither of our families believe it is ever possible to “give away” a daughter, and we equally believe that a son comes to the woman’s house as much as a daughter is added to the man’s family. We also chose to modify the concept of Sindoor Daan, or the marking of the bride by the groom with vermillion powder in the parting of her hair. We did not feel it right for one of us to “mark” the other, yet, to retain the ritual of Sindoor, Tariq and I chose to “mark” each other. So we both received Sindoor.

In these ways, we modified almost every step of the wedding. It was not easy to do, but it was so incredibly worth it. We cannot tell you how many of our friends (and even relatives and elders in the community) came up to us and our parents afterwards and told us that the ceremony had meant so much to them and that if they (or their children) were to have a Vedic wedding ceremony in the future, they would want to incorporate many elements of our ceremony into theirs. Even Sri Krishna-ji mentioned during the wedding that he would like to bring some of these ideas back to his school in India and potentially introduce these changes over there. It was one of the most touching experiences of our lives and Tariq and I will never forget the feeling of being able to share our beliefs and values with our community and having them be so openly embraced.

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Who are you?
I’m Uma Sanghvi,  a documentary wedding photographer and photojournalist.
studiouma.com
studioumablog.com
facebook.com/Studio-Uma-Columbus-Ohio-Wedding-Photography

What do you do?
I’ve been photographing weddings for the most amazing couples. It’s my job to be a storyteller, to find the essence and character of the bride and groom and communicate that in a series of beautiful photographs. I’ve been lucky to work with such amazing (beautiful and talented) clients.

Where are you based?
Columbus, Ohio.

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Need a wedding favor that’s pretty to look at and yummy to eat? Consider a candy buffet! Amrit Dhillon-Bains of Anaïs Event Planning & Design outlines the who, what, where, when and how of choosing a candy buffet for your wedding.

Selecting: Take your favorites into account, the colors of the wedding, or the way the candies complement the dessert or wedding cake being served. Given the breadth of possibilities, plan the candy buffet in conjunction with the menu planning, reception layout and color choices. A good rule of thumb is to select coordinated candy colors for a more effective display!

Ordering: Too many is never a problem but too few will absolutely be! First, determine how many jars and types of candies you want based on your guest count, available table space etc. I recommend 7-10 (or more, depending on budget) types of candies and 15-20 pounds of each variety. A great place to find all types and colors of candy is CandyWarehouse.com.

Be Considerate: Label each jar and place within easy reach. Also take into account any special dietary considerations when preparing a candy buffet for your guests.
A few ideas: gluten-free candies, vegan/vegetarian candies, sugar-free candies, dried fruits and nuts etc.

Containers: Select glassware, crystal and other jars in varying shapes/sizes to match the theme and quality of items being used. Also remember to get scoops or tongs for each container.

Bags: Get crafty with paper lunch bags, half-mint takeout containers, clear cellophane bags etc. Personalize these items as much as you can!

Display: Mini floral arrangements spread out through the display provide wonderful accents. Also consider adding a few photographs from your times as children along the table or other fun and clever signage!

Photos: Elle Jae Weddings, Rich Frye Photography

Who are you?
We are Kumari Photography by Monty & Sangeeta. Two professional full time photographers who have a passion for the creative process and love for emotion.
kumariphotoanddesign.com

What do you do?
We are friends, listeners and creative visual artists…. we are photographers. We build relationship and capture the true personalities of our wonderful couples.

Where are you based?
Our studio is based in Toronto, however we are available to shoot internationally.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?
Kumari started as a vision nearly 5 years ago and flourished into a full-fledged photography company pretty quickly. We realized very quickly how much we complimented each others skills and personality in photography and life. Building a relationship and business out of our passion has been a remarkable journey which we are blessed to share with many amazing couples.

Why do you do what you do?
It is our passion. The opportunity to share in one’s very special day is a unique and rare opportunity. Capturing the day in a creative and storytelling so that the couples grandchildren feel like they were there, is what we strive for. D

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