This 3-day extravaganza that we are about to embark on is a complete dream from start to finish. We are talking about a jaw-dropping sangeet ceremony and a gorgeous wedding that followed and all of it wrapped up in a melody of beautiful colors and Old World elegance in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Sweet Caroline Photo snapped all of the beautiful imagery and INvita Wedding and Event Designers designed each stunning event throughout this wedding weekend. Even the florals by Arquetipo are leaving us breathless. This is indeed a wedding for your favorites folder. See the whole gorgeous spread here!
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From Sweet Caroline Photo…This was a 3-day event, the first day consists of a beautiful sangeet, the 2nd day was the wedding ceremony, the 3rd was a day after session held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. At the sangeet they had professional Bollywood dancers come in as well as a Plena band (playing traditional Puerto Rican music).
From the Bride…My favorite photograph is from the sangeet night when William, my husband and I performed to a Bollywood song on stage. The performance was a surprise to our wedding guests. The photo is full of so much life (and color) and I loved to see our friends and family around the stage supporting and cheering us on. We took 3 classes and practiced almost everyday for a month leading up to the wedding. We were so excited to surprise our family and friends!
I was lucky to have two nights to celebrate our wedding. I wanted these two events to look different from each other and represent some of the cultures we were celebrating. The sangeet night was modern, colorful, and lavish. The decor was moroccan themed. The reception venue, the next night, was held at an old convent house turned hotel. It’s located in the heart of Old San Juan which has an old vintage feel. I was inspired by these locations and used them to create a different look for the wedding ceremony and reception night. I wanted something romantic and simple. Color was understated and we used a lot of candle-light to set the mood.
My brother/officiant/groomsman created and sang a song just for me. He performed, guitar in hand at the sangeet. It was a beautiful and rare moment. What a great brother! Also, in the few days leading up to the wedding, I woke up to find a hand-written letter from my husband under my hotel room door that went into detail about the vows he would make to me at the wedding. At the ceremony, I knew exactly what he meant when he recited his vows. They were perfect and full of hope for our future. The tears wouldn’t stop rolling.
My biggest piece of advice for brides and grooms planning their wedding today would be start planning early. I can’t stress this enough. Your wedding day was meant to be stress-free and it’s important to get all the details out of the way early. If your budget allows, hire a wedding planner or a day-of coordinator. These planners know their stuff and give good advice. You know the old adage, “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”? Well, your wedding is no exception to the rule. Despite the best efforts of many detail-oriented brides (trust me, I’m one of them), something may go wrong. So, go with the flow and don’t let the “small stuff” stain your memories. Additionally, if something does go wrong, don’t let guests in on your frustrations; your family and friends will feed off your vibe- so just enjoy it! In a few weeks, you won’t even remember you’re guests were rained on. True story.
Wedding Photography: Sweet Caroline Photo / Locations: Caribe Hilton, Fort San Cristobal + Hotel El Convento Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Floral Design, Linens + Rentals: Arquetipo / Jewelry: Made by Bride’s Parents / Hair + Make-up: Didi Saldana / Groom Attire: Zegna / Groomsmen Attire: Suits U / Bridesmaid Dresses: The Dessy Group / Event Planning + Coordination: Yma Doitteau at INvita Wedding and Event Designers / Invitations, Save the Dates: Inviting Affairs / Catering: Caribe Hilton (Day 1) + Hotel El Convento (Day 2) / Wedding Cake: Granito De Azucar / Cupcakes: Diseno Dulce / Favors: DIY + Etsy / Guest Book Puzzle, Ring Holder, Welcome Bags + Hanger: Etsy