About the Couple
Victoria is a technical recruiter for one of USA’s most prestigious defense contractors. Her parents moved to United States from Punjab; she was born in Washington, DC and has resided in the DC metro area most of her life. Ryan is an MBA student at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He is the ex-CEO of a prepaid service telecom company in New York City. He grew up around the world. His father is a decorated retired Marine Corps General. Ryan and Victoria now reside in Vienna, VA, a stone’s throw from where they first met.

A blind date on a balmy summer night
Ryan and Victoria met through a mutual friend during a blind date on a balmy summer night on DC’s riverfront. “There was a strong connection in the first meeting itself and we ended up talking for hours that night. We started e-mailing each other and finally Ryan asked me out and we then began dating”, says Victoria.

The Proposal- amidst ornate statues and candlelight
Says Ryan: “I wanted my proposal to be the greatest and most cherished moment of Victoria’s life. We had previously visited a beautiful Hindu temple set high in the hills of central Virginia, and I knew this setting would embody the natural and spiritual beauty I wanted to convey to my future wife.” He secretly arranged for Victoria’s mother to whisk her down to the temple at sunset, where he had laid out candles all over the temple grounds. When Victoria arrived, she found Ryan waiting for her amidst the beautiful illumination. “He proposed to me amidst the ornate Hindu statues and candlelight, and an ecstatic me accepted it”, says Victoria.

The Wedding Theme- spring-summer romance
Ryan hails from an Italian-Catholic background while Victoria’s family is Hindu. With great respect for both religions, they held dual ceremonies and followed both traditions. The wedding events began a week before the actual wedding day with the sangeet, mehendi and rehearsal dinner. The wedding day fell on a gorgeous spring day.

The Catholic ceremony was held at noon at Holy Rosary Church in Washington, DC, a beautiful rustic Italian Catholic church. Victoria was resplendent in an Indian inspired ivory silk-satin Marisa strapless gown with silver and jewel embroidery. Ryan and his groomsmen wore traditional tuxedos. The ceremony took place amidst endless pastel colored flower arrangements set amongst gold and ivory candles. In tying the two cultures and traditions together, the theme throughout the day was a feeling of romance inspired by the spring season.

You may kiss the Bride!

Two cultures, two families come together.

A Spring Wedding

Later in the afternoon, the Hindu ceremony followed by the reception took place at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church, VA. Victoria wore a traditional red lengha with heavy gold and crystal detailing. Ryan wore an ivory sherwani with a gold stole. The groomsmen also changed into beige colored silk kurtas. The lavish Hindu ceremony took place under a gold and ivory mandap filled with lush flowers and candles. The couple had prepared programs for the occasion with full details of both ceremonies for the guests. The priest also explained the meaning of each step of the Hindu ceremony to the guests. Ryan surprised everyone with how well he pronounced many of the Sanskrit words!

The Baraat

The Groom Arrives

The Hindu Ceremony

A Family Portrait

In keeping with the romantic, spring theme, the reception was filled with candelabras and pastel floral arrangements as centerpieces. For the reception, Victoria changed into a rose colored lengha with incredible crystal detailing. Ryan wore a Rajasthani inspired suit with tasteful embroidery. For dinner, a full Indian buffet was served including a chocolate and butter cream wedding cake. The couple danced the night away with family and friends listening to both Indian and American dance songs.

The Wedding Cake	The First Dance
Leaving in a horse-drawn Carriage

Memorable moments
The most memorable moments at the wedding were the stolen kisses, looks, and touches the couple gave each other throughout the day. Although the couple had two ceremonies and a full reception, which can seem a long day for some, it went by in a flash. However a surprise was still to come. After spending 10 nights in Italy for their honeymoon, the couple was greeted at the airport by their parents with flowers and a copy of the Washington Post- their wedding had been featured as the cover story in the Weekly section!

Wedding Outfits

‘The most important thing that day is the two of you’
The most important piece of advice Ryan and Victoria can share is to enjoy every moment of the wedding day. “Remember to take time for each other. In order to be able to do this, proper planning and delegation is the key. Plan in advance, put a timeline together, and delegate! When the wedding day arrives, let things go…the most important thing that day is the two of you.”