Riddhi and Ankit, New Jersey, US
This bride surprised her groom at their sangeet with a classical dance performance to the tunes of the hit HBO show 'Game of Thrones'.
US-born and based Riddhi and Ankit wanted a wedding that blended traditional and contemporary elements. Here, bride Riddhi shares how they went about achieving that and some highlights of the celebrations.
How They Met
Riddhi shares, “Ankit and I first met in college via mutual friends. We were both pursuing degrees in finance. And as time flew by, our friendship grew stronger, and before we knew it, both of us were in love. In 2012 we were officially in a relationship as Ankit asked me to be his girlfriend, and five years later, he proposed in the beautiful city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. Since then, our shared love for traveling has led us to explore the globe from Thailand to Italy.”
Wedding Planning
Sharing insights into the wedding planning process, Riddhi shares, “Our nuptials were a mix of traditional and modern elements which were encapsulated perfectly into a big fat Indian wedding. Since we had multiple events and functions, my family came over a week prior to the big day and helped us prep for the celebrations which made the entire atmosphere cheery.”
Weddings Functions
Mehndi
“The wedding week kick-started with a mehndi night that followed a Jaipur theme. It was an intimate affair with just our closest friends and family in attendance, and everyone enjoyed live Bollywood songs that were sung by my aunt and uncle. Additionally, we also loved the loved the ambiance created by the beautiful decor.”
Sangeet
“Punctuated by emotional speeches and stunning dance performances, our sangeet followed a ‘mela’ (Indian fair) theme which was also reflected in the decor. Street carts with Indian delicacies like gola, pani puri, Chinese bhel, pav bhaji and paan made sure that the guests had plenty to nibble on as they shook a leg on the dance floor. Additionally, we also danced the garba with our respective families which only made the occasion even more joyous. However, the highlight of the evening was my solo performance where I executed a classical Indian ‘Game of Thrones’ themed number which took Ankit by surprise!”
Wedding
“A lively baraat procession consisting of Bollywood bangers, colorful smoke bombs and choreographed performances by Ankit’s groomsmen marked the beginning of our wedding ceremony. Following his energetic entry, I made my way to the mandap flanked by my bridesmaids and ‘brides-minions.’ It was a sweet and simple ceremony where the pandit shared friendly banter with us and explained every step of the ancient ceremony to us in a modern way. And, ending it all on a high note, we drove off as newlyweds in our white convertible Lamborghini.”
Reception
“A grand party that celebrated our love along with all our loved ones, the reception was packed with glitz and glamour. Ankit and I made a smashing choreographed entry on the ‘Swag Se Swagat’ song to welcome our guests. Furthermore, touching speeches by our friends, siblings, and parents added an emotional touch to the event. To add a tinge of personalization, we included a photo booth and an ice sculpture.”
Advice for Couples
“For us, it was a challenge to organize a traditional Indian wedding with modern elements in the US. Since Ankit and I were born and brought up in the US, our vision of an ideal wedding was a fusion of contemporary and traditional aspects. In this case, our parents and grandparents pitched in and helped us out a lot while we put our own spin to the wedding. Additionally, keeping the guest list under 500 was a big challenge for us as both of us hail from big families. Luckily we had amazing wedding vendors on board who were an absolute delight to work with and understood our vision with complete clarity.”
The Wedding Makers
Venues: Lucien’s, Berlin, New Jersey (Mehndi, Wedding, Reception); Royal Albert’s Palace (Sangeet)
Event Co-ordination: Events by Ridhi P
Decor: Partyland Sajawat
Caterers: Moghul Caterers
Groom’s Outfits: AsoPalav, Sequinz
Bride’s Outfits: AsoPalav, Sequinz, Falguni and Shane Peacock (Reception)
Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Makeup: Heena Das Beauty (Mehndi, Wedding, Reception), Iba Tool (Sangeet)
Entertainment: MVPDJs, Daisy Jopling
Photography: Impressions By Annuj
Videography/Cinematography: Bliss Wedding Films
