P.S. Look at the gorgeous colors draped on that horse!

See the priceless expression on Divakar’s face when he meets his stunning bride!

Tina and Divakar’s wedding ceremony almost got ruined by a rainy forecast, but fortunately the rain stopped just before the ceremony started! A tent was put up just to be safe, but it didn’t distract one bit from their ceremony. We doubt anyone even noticed the tent, all eyes were on the gorgeous bride and groom!

Wedding Venue: Hall and Gardens at Landmark (Garner, NC)
Photographer: IWP Photography
Videography: Prince Production
Decorator: Ketan Shah and Elegant Designz
Tent: Andy Karras and A Special Event
Caterer: Royal India

Want more of this oh-so-in-love couple? Your wish our command—stay tuned for a prettiful reception!

Courtesy of goldzeit.eu

We all know that it is very important that a desi bride be well-versed in the matters of gold jewelry.  So here are some facts that every bride or bride-to-be should know before shopping for gold:

The “karat” of gold refers to the percentage of fine gold versus the percentage of other metals.  Since gold is too soft to be used in its purest form, it is usually mixed with other metals, also known as alloy, in order to harden and strengthen gold jewelry. The more gold is in the combination, the larger the karat. This can be easily detected by the color of the jewelry – more yellow in color as well. However, even in the same karat category, the color of the gold can vary depending on what other types of metal or alloy are in the combination. For example, mixing darker metals such as copper can give the jewelry a more reddish tone. On the other hand if a more yellow or white colored metal is used, the gold jewelry will have a brighter yellow look. When it comes to desi jewelry, this is often defined by where the gold jewelry was made. For example Rajasthani 22 karat gold tends to be a little more bright yellow in color whereas Jaipuri 22 karat gold tends to have a darker tone on the average. This should not be confused with the finish of the gold jewelry, which is basically the paint or coating on the surface of the jewelry, to enhance the look. An example of this is the antique look which is done with paint or a colored coating on top of the 22 karat gold jewelry. Below is a breakdown of what percentage of fine gold is present in the different types of karatage:

Karatage     Percentage of fine gold
8                     33.75

9                     37.8

10                   42

12                    50.25

14                    58.5

18                     75

22                     91.75

24                     100

Source of table: Rovin, Jeff, Laws of Order, p.32.

We discovered a few jewelry shopping basics;

• Bridal sets prices depend on karat, weight, color, intricacy of design, and whether all-gold, semi-precious and precious gemstones.
• Gold sets with gemstones are usually more expensive.
• This summer, the price of 22-karat gold varies between 32.5 dollars per gram to 36dollars per gram–depending how well you could bargain (in which case, taking along a particularly annoying Auntie might help!).
• Tip: Pay in cash and you won’t have to pay taxes, which can be a hefty sum, considering the thousands of dollars one set costs!

Here are some traditional, 22-karat bridal sets our friend, Syeda, tried out.

price: $6230
178 grams
$35.00/gram

price: $3,557
107.8 grams
$33/gram

price: $3,400
100 grams
$34/gram

price: $4,336
133.4 grams
$32.5/gram