Today’s wedding is a proper North-South affair. With a Gujarati bride and a Tamil groom, you know it’s going to be a series of fantastic costume changes, amazing food, and fun traditions! Thank you to to Rohan Mishra Photography for sharing these photos with us.
What was the lead up to the wedding like?
Our marriage is amalgamation of two states, two cultures, and two communities. I, the bride, am a Gujarati girl from Mumbai and my groom is a Tamil boy from Chennai. Our pre-wedding ceremonies happened in our respective cities of Mumbai/Chennai as per Gujarati/Tamil culture respectively. In Mumbai, I had my Haldi/Pithi, Satak, Ganesh Hawan, Mehendi etc. Groom had the Nalangh Pooja in Chennai.
The engagement and reception (surprisingly) happened one day prior to the wedding in Chennai at Shree Devi Mahal. That was also the first time our parents met the two of us in person. The reception was a formal event with a traditional touch, like the engagement. There was a fun flash mob which broke out in dance while we made our way to the stage.
Tell us about the wedding.
The wedding ceremony was primarily a traditional Tamil Hindu wedding ceremony with a few Gujarati elements like “Var/Jaan Welcome”, Kanyadaan. etc. The Groom tied me with both the Thaali and Mangalsutra, honoring both Tamil and Gujarati culture. Both of us wore traditional Tamil Silk attire, with me in a Kanjeevaram Saree and the groom in a silk white-gold Veshti which were provided by our in-laws. This was followed by another reception the next weekend in Mumbai at Avenue Lawn for my family and friends. There was a display of wedding visuals for guests who missed the Chennai marriage ceremony.
What was the hardest part about planning the wedding?
Both of us are live out of the country. Even convincing parents about a north-south marriage was a task in itself. Both our parents had not even seen us in person until our wedding. Different cultures, different languages, different outlooks, and even different astrological belief all added up to drama. Wedding planning was a difficult task considering we are not physically present but it turned out really well and everyone was happy and content.
What 3 words of advice to you have for future brides and grooms-to-be?
Enjoy every moment!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Marriage is beautiful celebration of body, soul, mind, spirit and love, live it up!
Thank you so much, Neelam and Arun, for sharing your day with us. All your outfits are so beautiful and perfect and you managed to pull of two whole weddings! We’re in awe.
Vendors:
Photographer: Rohan Mishra Photography
Makeup Artist: Chitra
Venue: Shree Devi Mahal, Tambaram
