You know when you meet someone and it’s just kismet (fate)? Well, that wasn’t Charisma and Rohit…at the beginning at least.
But when love hit them, it was beautiful.
They had Hindu Jain wedding filled with reds and pinks along with a fusion white wedding gown for the reception. And the dog on ring security? Magical!
Charisma shares her wedding story (and love story) with us! Grab that chai lovelies.
Rohit & I met completely by fluke. We both made last minute trips to DC to celebrate two mutual friends’ birthdays. Some talk about “”kismet”” but our meeting was actually anything but. I was trying to flirt by teasing him.
Instead I messed up historically and horribly by bestowing upon him an unfortunate nickname. I thought I had absolutely no chance, but apparently I was wrong. Ten days later, he flew across the country to go on a date with me during a 3 hour airport layover. The rest was actually kismet.
He proposed two years later by surprising me in my hometown. My friends got me out of the house under the pretense helping another friend with a photoshoot in the park. Once I reached the staged photoshoot, my friends gave me a iPad with a video loaded of “”photoshoot ideas””. Little did I know, this was a video of Rohit asking for permission from my parents to marry me.
After I finished watching the video, he pulled up and proposed! I didn’t even know he was in Nashville! The proposal was followed by a surprise party at my parents’ home with all of our family and friends, including his family from Washington and my friends from college! He even collected video greetings from our closest friends who could not be there to celebrate with us!
Rohit and I knew we wanted our wedding to be a wonderful fusion of Indian & American traditions to represent the two cultures we were raised in. We wanted it to be organic & adopt American customs while still preserving the heritage and tradition of our ancestors.
Our beautiful multi-day fusion wedding featured vibrant Indian fare against the beautiful botanical backdrop of Cheekwood Gardens. We did not have a traditional Indian wedding by any means. Most are 4 or 5 day functions, but we wanted to maximize our time with our guests so we consolidated. This allowed us, our families and guests to be rested for each individual event including a Ganesh pooja, Mosalu + Mehendi, Haldi Ceremony & Tilak, Baraat & Wedding Ceremony + Dinner, and a combined Reception + Sangeet with Dinner.
Our wedding was the first outdoor Indian wedding in our community in Nashville. The groom arrived on a majestic white horse surrounded by his family & friends dancing around him. We incorporated the American processional down the aisle to the Mandap with bridesmaids, groomsmen, and my excited and precious little pup.
The wedding itself although abbreviated was traditional. After the ceremony, we wanted to perform American rites, so we exchanged rings and signed our marriage license in front of all of our guests.
Every time we revisit the photos and videos, I can still feel the sun peaking through the drapes of our mandap and the silent yet steady breeze. I was expecting the wedding to be underwhelming. How could anything be so exquisite & perfect? But I could not have been more wrong.
The entire experience was magical thanks to our parents. families, friends and vendors. We are incredibly thankful for the most beautiful weekend we could have imagined but also for our photographers and videographer for capturing this moment so perfectly and preserving its memory.
Could you tell us about any special wedding customs/clothing you had?
My Mosalu/Mehendi outfit was a custom made, hand embroidered fuchsia anarkali that was made in Mumbai and featured 15 yards of chiffon that made twirling seriously fun.
For the ceremony, I wore this beautiful red bandhani lehenga sari from Mumbai with exquisite gold hand embroidery throughout, while Rohit wore a family heirloom – a wedding sherwani that had been passed down to him by his older brother.
Growing up in the States, I had always nursed the dream of wearing a beautiful white gown. I wore this exquisite custom made Shyamal & Bhumika ivory gown.
What was the inspiration for your wedding?
I had always wanted to have a very organic natural outdoor wedding so that was the biggest design inspiration and determined aesthetic. Our wedding aesthetic was rustic + organic + ephemeral.
What was the hardest part about wedding planning?
The hardest part of wedding planning was organizing details and communicating between the families. I was living in NYC, Rohit was living in Arizona, his family in Washington and my family in Tennessee. Naturally coordinating amongst four locales was quite difficult.
Did you do any DIY (do it yourself) or special projects/things at the wedding?
I created and designed the paper peacock at the reception that had the seating arrangements for all of our guests. I also created a burlap runner with our deceased grandparents that the flower boy + girl walked down the aisle.
I created a chalkboard sign & flower collar for my pup. I also designed and created a floral pom pom display for my parents house to decorate the house. My mother and I also consulted with a designer in India to custom design the bridesmaid outfits.
What was your favorite part of the wedding?
My favorite part of the wedding ceremony and dinner. The gardens looked beautiful and the wedding toasts afterwards were spectacular. It was so much more beautiful than I imagined.
What 3 words of advice do you have for future brides/grooms-to-be?
Organization, Wedding Planner, Breathe
{Wedding Vendors}
DIY paper peacock // Rentals & Decor: Music City Tents & Events, Connie Duglin Linen, Visual Elements // Stationary (Invitations, Programs, Favors): KRIMSON // Tuxedo: Bonobos // White Gown: Shyamal & Bhumika // Save the Dates: Wedding Paper Divas // Guest Accommodations: Embassy Suites // Lighting: Nashville Event Lighting // Catering: Chef’s Market, Tadka
Cake: Dessert Designs // Wedding Planner: Angela Proffitt (Vivid Experiences) // Floral Design: Lauren Marie Atkinson Designs // DJ: DJ Bobby // Videography: Zane Karl Studios
Photography: Black & Hue Photography // Hair & Makeup Bride & Mother: Katie Russo Beauty // Custom Bridesmaid Dresses: Priti Mehta