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Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

Film buffs Farzia and Rajiv hosted their charming, celluloid-worthy wedding in a 100-year-old castle.

Farzia and Rajiv’s story began online more than a decade ago over a disagreement about movies on a popular film forum. The two stayed in touch for seven years before they finally met for the first time! Here, Farzia shares highlights of their journey which seems no less than a beautiful cinematic romance.

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

How They Met
“Rajiv and I met online in January 2006 on IMDb.com due to our passion for movies. What started off as a disagreement on a forum led to private messages as pen pals. This went on for almost seven years until I booked a ticket and flew to Malaysia at 21 to see him. At the time, his elder sister, Karishma, who also was a friend of mine since she too was a member on the forum, and her husband Vishnu, were kind enough to accommodate me at their house. Everything was so surreal when Rajiv drove down to see me on the weekend. I was counting the days, hours, moments, and seconds till I heard the doorbell, heard footsteps approaching and a knock on my door. On November 9, 2012, we finally met.”

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

Wedding Venue
“Oheka Castle is a historical location in Long Island, New York, and is the second-largest mansion in the country. I was 15 years old when I first saw this place, and I knew this was where I was meant to marry. Rajiv wanted something a tad simpler. However, he and I never had a relationship that consisted of going on dates, being present at each other’s birthday or spending time with one another. Getting married in this castle was the only way we could we could accommodate the activities I had in mind and it was the perfect place for us to celebrate our love story. So he agreed!”

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

Wedding Planning
“There are many people who get married but don’t have a wedding and my mother was one of them. So, I knew I wanted to get married in a way that would let her live her dreams through me. I organized and planned this celebration myself, and being a New Yorker, I knew who I wanted to work with. The challenges I faced were due to how much I underestimated planning such a huge wedding. Prior to my own wedding, I had never been to an Indian one, let alone planning something like that. Furthermore, Rajiv and I come from different faiths and backgrounds. While he is a Brahmin Hindu, I come from an Abrahamic faith which only added to the challenge.”

Wedding Functions

Mehendi and Haldi
“I combined the mehendi and haldi into one function and planned it to be a bit simpler than the wedding ceremony itself. The guest list was intimate and we went ahead with a function that had a Moroccan feel to it. The setup made use of brightly colored drapes, Moroccan lamps and a few ethnic umbrellas that added an Indian touch to the event. I arrived at the function dressed in a saree along with my bridesmaids and once the ceremony concluded, I changed into a lehenga for the mehendi.”

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington
Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

Wedding
“Though we saw a larger gathering for the wedding, the event was just as personal. The setup for the ceremony was extremely dreamy, and featured pastel pink and white flowers with a hint of green from the castle’s gardens. Rajiv and I absolutely love Sabyasachi’s work and wore outfits by him for the ceremony. I opted for a red lehenga – a bridal classic, while Rajiv chose a black achkan.”

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

Reception
“The celebration concluded with our reception which too was painted in soft hues. We had a small backdrop that displayed a golden frame draped in pretty blooms surrounded by candles. Following the light color palette for this event, I wore a champagne gold lehenga covered in sparkling sequins. Rajiv, on the other hand, opted for a blue suit.”

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington
Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

Farzia and Rajiv, Huntington

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Oheka Castle, New York
Decor: Glitz & Glamour Events (Mehndi and Haldi), Design House Decor (Wedding and Reception)
Makeup Artist & Hairstylist: Moon’s Makeover (Mehndi and Haldi), Samiha Alam (Wedding and Reception)
DJ & Emcee: Glitz & Glamour Events

Photography: I Alam Photography
Videography: Images by Aaron

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