Another wonderful wedding here to feature on The Big Fat Indian Wedding!
Today we have Aisha and Jawaad. Aisha is a professional wedding photographer. So of course when it came to planning her own wedding, there was going to be nothing short of her style and perfection.
On top of it, this is one fun wedding! Aisha and Jawaad brought their Muslims traditions together from very different cultures. I won’t spill the beans so read Aisha’s interview with us!
Tell us about the wedding
The Heights Villa in Houston, TX. It was the perfect venue because it had a bit of a Spanish style and I’m Venezuelan so it added a nice touch. Unfortunately, it was during the very hot and humid Houston summer so we weren’t able to enjoy the nice patios or the outdoors, but even so, we thought the wedding and venue to be very beautiful.
How was it planning a wedding from a different culture than you?
A bit frustrating to be honest! Although I grew up in a Muslim home, my father’s culture from Guyana is very much different from my husband’s so my family and I felt a bit lost.
We didn’t want to disrespect my husband’s family by not meeting their expectations but we didn’t know what their expectations were. It took a lot of extra communication between the two families to plan things out.
I also received a lot of help from my husband’s cousin who had helped in a few weddings. I kept an open mind and hoped for the best!
What was the hardest part about planning your wedding?
I think the music was the hardest. My dad’s family wanted Soca music because they are Caribbean, but I wanted old Spanish music because I find it romantic. My husband’s family was of course expecting Bollywood and all my friends were going to feel more comfortable hearing and dancing to American Top 40. Fortunately after a long search, I was able to find a DJ willing to play it all!
We know you’re a photographer, so how did you sort that out? What type of look were you going for in your shots?
I stare at photos everyday, and I’m very much used to giving 500-700 photos for a wedding, but I knew right away that wouldn’t work for me. I had no plans on looking thru that many photos so I asked my second photographer for something no one had ever asked him for before, take very small amount of photos to depict my full wedding day.
Like all good photographers, I looked at the venue and picked out my favorite spots and angles for photos and moments. I made sure he got that, the candids, and nothing more. I had hoped to only have a little over 120 photos. Although I ended up going over, I was still very happy.
Can you tell us where you bought your outfit and jewelry from?
The dress was made in Pakistan during my mother in law’s trip over there. The dress was also a bit difficult because my style is so simple. I had always imagined getting married in a very simple yet elegant kind of dress but my husband didn’t want that. Also, his mother wanted something more traditional: heavy with beads and covering all of me.
I ended up designing the dress and sending drawings and color swatches. I thought his family might have a problem with a sleeveless dress and was scared his mom would come back with something else, but she came back instead with exactly what I had asked for. It was a great middle ground for everyone. I bought the jewelry locally at a store called Roop Sari Palace in Houston, TX.
What was your favorite part of the wedding?
The father daughter dance. My dad is very unpredictable in the dance floor so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I had a lot of fun with him and it was just perfect!
If there is one piece of advice to future brides, what would it be?
When weddings are so large, it’s easy to lose track on what you really want as you try to please everyone else. My best advice is to never forget that this is your wedding, not everyone else’s. If others refuse to remember that, then at least don’t let them make you forget it.
Thank you for sharing your wedding, we wish you the best!
{Wedding Suppliers}
Photographer: Ama Photography & Cinema
Floral Designer: 2 Cool Flowers
Event Venue: The heights villa
