Modern + Chic Multicultural Indian Wedding

Stephanie Weers
March 6, 2017
Categories: Cultural Beauty, Real Weddings, The Blog
Tags: Hindu Wedding, Indian Wedding, Zoroastrian

“Cultural beauty” is a style term we like to throw around in wedding world, and this day photographed by When He Found Her captures that very sentiment. Mindful to incorporate the both of their backgrounds, the bride said, “When it came to planning our own wedding, it was important to Akshay and I to honor our cultural traditions while being true to ourselves.” Distinct Occasions helped bring that idea to life and the end result is something really special.

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From the Bride… Although our families are originally from India, we come from two unique religions and cultures; Akshay being Hindu and myself Zoroastrian. When it came to planning our own wedding, it was important to Akshay and I to honor our cultural traditions while being true to ourselves. Our ceremonies allowed for many family members to be involved in providing blessings, which was meaningful to us. The modern and clean cherry blossom Mandap created an idyllic scene in front of the Niagara Falls backdrop for both ceremonies. For the Hindu Ceremony, colorful and festive dress and motifs contrasted with the simple, clean white visuals of the Zoroastrian ceremony. I was truly smiling from ear to ear during both ceremonies feeling an overwhelming presence of love from our family and friends come over me.

Our shared passion for photography makes us appreciate natural landscapes and lighting. With this in mind, and given Akshay is from the Niagara region, having a tented winery wedding felt like the right fit. We focused on a classic and soft color palette of blushes, creams, and golds. This design flowed seamlessly from the morning ceremonies to the evening reception. Seeing our guests in their rich and vibrant Indian attire amidst the natural green vines created visual eye candy. With a love for soul, Motown and R&B, the St. Royal’s Band added excitement through the night. The vineyard set the scene for a gorgeous and comfortable space for our loved ones to mingle between courses.

Planning decisions were made with the intention to be genuine to who we are and make our guests feel honored. Our day was modern and timeless while ensuring threads of tradition ran through it. In the morning we had the live sounds of a traditional tablah (drum) player and Indian flute. Elephants were a common element from our stationary, to our dance floor and our cake. Bollywood sets intermittently played through the reception, beautifully bringing together both sides of the family on the dance floor. Our sweets table incorporated colorful Indian mithai (sweets). We readily found ways to integrate these cultural elements into our day in a way that was still true to who we are.

We were fortunate to have the talent of all of our incredible vendors to make our wedding day possible. We entrusted the talents of our outstanding wedding planner Crystal Adair Benning (Distinct Occasions) to help us refine and execute our vision. Our photographer Reid Lambshead (When He Found Her) made us feel wonderfully comfortable and at ease. We are grateful for him to him for capturing these moments so perfectly. Most importantly, we are incredibly thankful to our family and friends who continue to support us with love and good wishes throughout our relationship. Our day celebrated our true love for one another while bringing together the people who mean the most to us, which is all we could have dreamed of.