Now this is what I call a fusion wedding! A beautiful Indian Bride and her handsome Jewish Groom worked with Pretty Vintage Rentals and La Tavola Linens to create some downright gorgeous “I Do’s” that celebrated both of their cultural heritages to a T. Take a peek at even more of this Michael Costa-captured colorful affair in the full gallery right here!
From the Bride… Our wedding had definitely been a long time coming. Jay and I first met in college, and after years of moving around (and living on opposite sides of the country) we found our way back home and got engaged in beautiful Ojai, California. Wedding planning began shortly thereafter.
Jay and I are both from Southern California and we wanted to get married in a place that was special not just for us but also for our families. We both spent a lot of time in Santa Barbara when we were growing up and felt like it was the perfect place for a wedding. On my dad’s recommendation, we decided to check out the Fess Parker resort and couldn’t have been happier – the setting was gorgeous and we loved the idea that we could get married and spend the weekend with our guests all in the same place. We knew we could create a wedding there that was going to feel both like a celebration and a vacation for our guests.
Jay and I come from different ethnic backgrounds (his Jewish, mine Indian) and it was really important for us to have a wedding that combined the cultures and customs of both our families. I love the energy and family participation of the Indian weddings as well as the intimacy and symbolism of Jewish weddings. Weddings in India tend to be a community event and, in that spirit, my brother, sisters, cousins and aunts all came up onto the mandap during the wedding ceremony to offer their blessings and advice. Through the Jewish elements of our wedding ceremony, we were able to take a moment to reflect on each other, exchange vows, break a glass and look forward to the future.
Along with the wedding ceremony, I also wanted my clothing to reflect both my Indian background as well as my American upbringing. My two wedding outfits were both designed by Rashi Iyer of Sara Design Studio. For the ceremony, I wore something more traditionally Indian. I wanted to wear my late grandmother’s necklace on my wedding day so Rashi used the design from that piece and incorporated it in the embroidery on the blouse. For my reception outfit, we fused the Eastern and Western cultures by creating a white gown embellished with crystal beads and gold embroidery.
The best thing I did during the wedding planning process was to trust in other people and allow them to help, and no one was more helpful than our incredible wedding coordinator, Jessica Kuipers, of Bijoux Events. I told her that I wanted our wedding colors to be navy blue, coral and gold and I also showed her pictures from other weddings to give her an idea of my style. She, and the amazingly talented group of people she works with, ran with my ideas and created a wedding beyond my wildest dreams. The flowers, lighting, and décor could not have been more beautiful. Tenley Erin Young, our florist, created a floral Ganesh that served as the most spectacular backdrop for the mandap/chuppah. For the reception, I wanted a fun space to dance and a lounge-like space for relaxing, and Jessica made the most of the outdoor area, bringing in a beautiful sofa, colorful pillows and strings of light so that our guests could enjoy the Santa Barbara night sky. Inside, we had a cookie dessert station, where my husband and I made sure to have our favorite and our parents’ favorite cookies represented.
The whole day was truly magical. Our family and friends put so much time and love into helping us create our wedding, and more than anything, we wanted to make sure that they enjoyed themselves as much as we did.
Jay and I are both from Southern California and we wanted to get married in a place that was special not just for us but also for our families. We both spent a lot of time in Santa Barbara when we were growing up and felt like it was the perfect place for a wedding. On my dad’s recommendation, we decided to check out the Fess Parker resort and couldn’t have been happier – the setting was gorgeous and we loved the idea that we could get married and spend the weekend with our guests all in the same place. We knew we could create a wedding there that was going to feel both like a celebration and a vacation for our guests.
Jay and I come from different ethnic backgrounds (his Jewish, mine Indian) and it was really important for us to have a wedding that combined the cultures and customs of both our families. I love the energy and family participation of the Indian weddings as well as the intimacy and symbolism of Jewish weddings. Weddings in India tend to be a community event and, in that spirit, my brother, sisters, cousins and aunts all came up onto the mandap during the wedding ceremony to offer their blessings and advice. Through the Jewish elements of our wedding ceremony, we were able to take a moment to reflect on each other, exchange vows, break a glass and look forward to the future.
Along with the wedding ceremony, I also wanted my clothing to reflect both my Indian background as well as my American upbringing. My two wedding outfits were both designed by Rashi Iyer of Sara Design Studio. For the ceremony, I wore something more traditionally Indian. I wanted to wear my late grandmother’s necklace on my wedding day so Rashi used the design from that piece and incorporated it in the embroidery on the blouse. For my reception outfit, we fused the Eastern and Western cultures by creating a white gown embellished with crystal beads and gold embroidery.
The best thing I did during the wedding planning process was to trust in other people and allow them to help, and no one was more helpful than our incredible wedding coordinator, Jessica Kuipers, of Bijoux Events. I told her that I wanted our wedding colors to be navy blue, coral and gold and I also showed her pictures from other weddings to give her an idea of my style. She, and the amazingly talented group of people she works with, ran with my ideas and created a wedding beyond my wildest dreams. The flowers, lighting, and décor could not have been more beautiful. Tenley Erin Young, our florist, created a floral Ganesh that served as the most spectacular backdrop for the mandap/chuppah. For the reception, I wanted a fun space to dance and a lounge-like space for relaxing, and Jessica made the most of the outdoor area, bringing in a beautiful sofa, colorful pillows and strings of light so that our guests could enjoy the Santa Barbara night sky. Inside, we had a cookie dessert station, where my husband and I made sure to have our favorite and our parents’ favorite cookies represented.
The whole day was truly magical. Our family and friends put so much time and love into helping us create our wedding, and more than anything, we wanted to make sure that they enjoyed themselves as much as we did.
Photography: Michael + Anna Costa Photo {Michael Costa} | Event Design: Bijoux Events | Floral Design:Tenley Erin Young | Cupcakes: Enjoy Cupcakes | Catering: Jay Bharat | Lighting: Bella Vista Designs | Wedding Venue: The Fess Parker | Desserts: Deluscious Cookies + Milk | Linens: La Tavola | Music: JAS Productions | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Rentals: Pretty Vintage Rentals
Wonderful stuff, Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Christina. I am so glad that you like it. They were a lovely couple to work with and we had a lot of fun putting this together!
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