There’s a pug at the wedding! Yes, an adorable little, pug dog. And yes, I began this wedding feature about a dog, because fur babies are part of the family too.
Back to the wedding though, Sowm and Navin had an intimate Hindu wedding with a non-denominational ceremony. Their pug (yes, extremely adorable), made an appearance at both.
You’re going to love the details from this wedding and swoon over Sowm’s gorgeous red wedding lehenga.
Culture/Religion – Sowm and her family are from India. Navin was born in Canada to an Indian father and Guyanese mother. The wedding was a three day event – Mehendi, Punjabi ceremony, and Non-denominational ceremony followed by reception.
Style – The Hindu/Punjabi ceremony was contemporary and very intimate (about 50 guests). This was held in the hotel pergola facing the lake.
The non-denominational (NT) ceremony was special as our goal was to include our family and close friends in the ceremony. Our fur-baby, Diego, was our ring bearer. He looked sharp in his tuxedo. Our officiant was a close friend (also our best man’s wife).
Sowm’s parents, both mom and dad, walked her down the aisle.
Reception was non-traditional lounge style. Dinner was served before the ballroom door was opened so the party is not interrupted. It was a big party!
Could you tell us about any special wedding customs/clothing you had?
Sowm’s Indian wedding outfit was custom designed in India. Sowm chose a traditional style choora that was exactly like the one her mom wore as a bride. Navin’s Indian outfit was simple and crisp to match his personality.
For the NT ceremony, Sowm wore a soft pink Kitty Chen wedding gown. Navin opted for a modern Italian tuxedo.
For the reception, Sowm changed into an indo-western outfit that was also custom made in India.
What was the inspiration for your wedding?
We wanted a lakeside cocktail style wedding. We found the perfect location for it at Hilton Rockwall by the lake, 30 mins from Dallas downtown.
The goal was to have the wedding reflect our personality as a couple. So we knew it had to be a huge party, complete with an array of delicious food choices, custom desserts and an open bar. We wanted our guests to enjoy every moment of the ceremonies and reception.
What was the hardest part about wedding planning?
Sowm’s family was in India and not having them to help plan was probably the hardest part about the planning. Sowm is very hands on, so she likes to plan to the T. Luckily, Navin was there with her every step of the way to help out. Kudos to Navin – he didn’d miss even one vendor meeting!
Did you do any DIY (do it yourself) or special projects/things at the wedding?
We had several special projects for the wedding.
1. We wanted a unique way for the new Mr. & Mrs. to enter the reception ballroom. So we rented a pedicab and turned it into a rickshaw! The parents and bridal party entered the ballroom performing a choreographed dance routine and Navin drove Sowm into the ballroom on the rickshaw. The rickshaw was later used as photo booth prop.
2. Sowm is gluten free and Navin’s mission for the wedding was to find Sowm the best gluten free cake and desserts. Which he did.
3. Memory table was set up with pictures of our grandparents who have passed away. But we couldn’t have had the ceremony without them. This table was included in both the ceremonies.
4. All our vendors were either our friends or friends of our friends. We wanted the wedding to be an intimate affair, so we decided to work with people we already knew we loved, or people they loved.
5. Friends and family presented surprise fun and entertaining dances for the bride and groom.
What was your favorite part of the wedding?
Our favorite part of the ceremony was to have our close family and friends celebrating with us. Since Sowm’s family is in India and most of our close friends are from out of town, we were so happy and excited to have them all by our side as we started a new life. Nothing in the world can beat that feeling.
What advice do you have for future brides/grooms-to-be?
1. Enjoy the moment. Once the celebration starts, there is not much you can do to control the flow of the events. Try to forget about the logistics and feel present in the moment. Because it will be over before you realize it 🙂
2. Hire a wedding planner! I can not stress on this one enough. If not for the whole thing, at least hire a wedding planner for the day-of. It will help you be the bride (or groom) and not have to run around trying to make things happen. It is worth every penny.
3. Recommendations go a long way. Try not to hire vendors off of the internet. You will be spending a lot of time with them, planning and talking with them. You want to make sure you are working with good people.
All our vendors were either our friends, or friends of our friends. It made the planning meetings and conversations so much easier and fun. They also went above and beyond to make sure we had the best experience.
Last but not the least… don’t forget why you and your guests are there. It’s to celebrate your love for each other. Nothing, and I really mean nothing else matters more than that.
Ohhh, thank you Sowm and Navin for sharing your sweet and happy celebrations!
{Wedding Vendors}
Location – Hilton Rockwall Lakefront, Dallas, Texas // Wedding Planner – Melanie Hill //
Photographer – Kate Pease // DJ – Jaime Chavez // Decoration – Farah Modi // Henna – Afshan Moosa // Catering Reception – Hilton Rockwall // Catering Indian Wedding – India Garden // Pedicab – Lone Star Bike Cab // Photobooth – Shakar Photography // Cake – Unrefined Bakery