A Hindu Wedding That Will Make You Laugh, Cry, Love

I have a very very special wedding today. Photographer Stacey Brandon emailed me a beautiful wedding from Miami, Florida with a sweet story from the bride.

The Bride enters. With Vandana’s brother, Vikas and his wife, Aditi.

I cried reading Vandana’s, the bride, submission. It was heartfelt and beautiful.

See, Vandana lost both her parents shortly before the wedding. There isn’t anything comforting to say to a grieving bride-to-be. Seriously, how does one pull themselves together? But one day, Vandana felt her parents love and happiness for her, and the wedding planning continued.

The wedding was fabulous. FAB-UUUU-LOUS! The reception gown by Prashe Fashion and that cake. OMG. And so much love.

When you read her story below, pull out the tissues because you will cry, laugh and hug.

The planning was done 1300 miles away from the wedding destination! We recently moved to Dallas from Miami and we really wanted our wedding to be where we first met, in Miami.

Before we moved to Dallas, we were coping with the loss of my mother to cancer. Then 6 months into the planning, my father unexpectedly passed away as well, so dealing with all those emotions while trying to plan “the best day of our lives” was tough because they could not be a part of it.

The wedding almost got called off until one night, we realized they were a part of every detail and they would be watching down on this beautiful moment, smiling. I knew they wanted me to have the perfect Indian wedding that they had dreamt for me since I was a little girl. All the planning and efforts of everyone involved really made our day spectacular, not just for us, but for those that could not be physically present.

We wanted to have a traditional hindu wedding without the feel of it being “old school.” While we could not (and did not) want to change the ceremonial steps of a hindu wedding, we really felt the clothes could make the “look” more modern.

We went to a modern Indian designer here in Dallas, Prashe, and she made both outfits from scratch. They turned out AMAZING!

My favorite part of the wedding was when I realized that my parents were looking down on me. Not only did Anil surprise me at the reception with singing to me, but one song he sang was “Somehwere Over the Rainbow” – this was my parents favorite song. Instead of crying and being sad, I felt a rush of joy and emotion. This was the first time I had not cried when I thought of them. In that very moment, with my husband, I knew that he was the one for me, for the rest of my life.

Most importantly, my parents gave me their blessing from above. It was an amazing moment.

I also got in touch with Vandana to ask her a few questions. 🙂

What advice do you have for brides without a mom or dad planning their wedding?
Even though it is difficult not to have the support system there, know they are looking down on you and are with you for every decision and every moment. When you need a moment to cry or be alone, take the moment, but know it will not last forever. The best moment i had was during our reception when our family was honoring my parents. Instead of feeling sad, i felt content because they were there with us.

Was your Hindu ceremony specific to a community/state?
Punjabi (me) and Guyanese (my husband).

If you were to summarize your wedding in one sentence, what would you say?
Our wedding was a memory I will never forget, not only because I was marrying my best friend, but also because we were able to spend it with our loved ones, both those in person and those looking down on us from above.

Thank you Vandana for sharing your wedding. You are an inspiration to us all on love, strength, and family.

Wedding Suppliers
Photographer: {Stacey Brandon Photography & Design}
Event Planner: {Events by Hala}
Event Designer: {Prashe Decor}
Floral Designer: {Blooming Design & Events}
Cake Designer: {Ana Paz Cakes}
Wedding Lengha & Reception Lengha: {Prashe}
Makeup Artist: {Faceworks International}
Event Venue: {Jungle Island}