de Lovely Affair: Fusion Wedding

Showing posts with label Fusion Wedding. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Celia + Amit | A Catholic, Hindu Multicultural Affair in Austin, TX

This Catholic-Hindu wedding is bursting at the seams with color and culture; it's full of tender moments, sweet, loving glances, and lots of hand holding. Captured expertly by Sean over at Day7 Photography, Celia and Amit's day long Austin, TX wedding celebration, which included a Catholic ceremony in the morning and a Hindu ceremony in the afternoon, combined family traditions and modern touches to create a true fusion affair.

Celia and Amit met in Boston through mutual friends at a party. Amit played it cool. Celia thought he wasn’t interested. They ultimately got along better than expected, since he proposed! Despite living in two different cities for the time being, Austin was in their hearts and top of the list when it came time to start planning their wedding. And what a wedding celebration it was!

Hindu weddings are know for their fiery colors and ornamental, intricate attire for both the bride and groom. A rich warm palette of reds, golds, bronze and burnt orange symbolize happiness and prosperity. Traditionally, a Hindu bride wears a red sari and headdress, embellished with metallic gold stitch work, and black, gold and red jewelry including her bindi and bangles. Celia's strong bridal colors stand in dramatic contrast to Amit's cream and gold colored wedding attire. Take a moment to appreciate the intricate embroidery and beading on their outfits....such detail and craftsmanship.

Traditional Indian Hindu weddings are made of numerous steps, each emphasizing harmony, balance and personal growth. They call upon friends and family to bless the couple and usher them into their new life together. I think my favorite Hindu wedding traditions is the jaimala, or oath of respect, where the bride and groom exchange flowered garlands to symbolize unity and then recite a pledge of acceptance, where they promise to respect each other. Respecting each other is not a bad way to start a marriage.

I just adore when multicultural couples choose to have two weddings. Such a perfect way to honor family heritage and tradition, and create a brand new version of who you will be together - this is the ultimate respect. Congratulations to Celia and Amit; may your days be filled with joy, laughter and an abundance of love. Many thanks to Day7 Photography for sharing this wedding us. I look forward featuring more of your stunning, personal photography in the future.

Are you planning a multicultural wedding? Check out my Top Tips for pulling off a successful, unique affair in style!

Here's to more respect,

Sunday, July 22, 2012

dLA Wedding Week in Review - Rainbow Palette, Fortune Cookie Favors + DIY Bulb Vases

Happy Weekend! We've had a super fab week here at dLA, overflowing with ideas and inspiration to make your wedding the most amazing experience ever! Budget ideas, gorgeous colors, 2013 wedding trends for Contributor Art Deco Gal, a stunning multicultural Real Wedding from Shang Chen Photography - all to get your wedding planning juices flowing!

In case you missed any of our features, here you go:

Real Multicultural Wedding with Evan and Marisa

de Lovely Idea: DIY Light Bulb Vase - LOVE it!

DIY Fortune Cookie Wedding Favors + No Bake Option

Art Deco Gal's 2013 Wedding Trend Predictions - Rainbow Color Palette

Hope you've enjoy this week's selection and remember, if you have an idea or suggestion you want covered just send me an email. Or pop over to Facebook and Twitter to be part of the conversation!

Happy Planning,

Friday, June 15, 2012

{Real Couple} Apurva & Adam: An Interfaith Hindu & Jewish Wedding

Happy Friday, Lovelies...oh joy joy, I am uber super thrilled to be sharing this Real Wedding from Shang Chen Photography with you today. To showcase celebrations like Apurva and Adam's Boston Indian-Jewish fusion wedding is exactly why I created de Lovely Affair in the first place. Love has no boundaries, national borders, or religious practice, no color, sex, or ethnicity preferences - it is simply the connection of souls and hearts between two people no matter who they are. This just proves it. *Jumps off soap box* And now to the good stuff!

I love this kind of story: Since the two met in middle school, Adam had been trying to ask Apurva out and each time, she said no. It wasn’t until after college that they started seeing each other more frequently as friends, despite her being in Chicago and he in New York. At some point, it finally occurred to Apiurva, “Why aren’t we dating?” And on a very chilly autumn day in fall, Adam finally got his YES from the girl of his dreams.

Apurva is one lucky lady, not only is she marrying her best friend but she got to wear two stunning bridal outfits, not uncommon in multicultural celebrations. She donned a traditional red and gold Indian sari for the interfaith ceremony and a gorgeous strapless chiffon and lace gown for the reception. Not to worry, Adam got a two-fer as well, devilishly handsome in a Tom Ford suit for the ceremony and a Hugo Boss tuxedo for the reception.

I love the intricate embroidery and bejeweled accessories associated with an Indian wedding. Those earrings...hello gorgeous!

I have definitely come around to the idea of First Looks for couples prior to the ceremony. I think it takes away some of the pressure and anxiety created by the build up to the big day. A First Look is a

private moment for just you two and allows you to relax into the day.

I absolutely love their use of creative and personal details, like the way they combined the Star of David with the Aum symbol. What a perfect way to symbolize the union of two faiths, Jewish and Hindu, giving each a place of honor and respect.

Surrounded by family and friends, Apurva and Adam's were married at the Boston Four Seasons, which, staying true to tradition, was stylishly decorated with flowing drapes, abundant flowers and a beautiful ornate stage for the newlyweds to sit.

Apurva's parents greet Adam and his folks as the beginning of the wedding in accordance with Hindu tradition. I love the fact that all the women wore saris, including Adam's mom.

The couple made sure to incorporate elements of both religious practices into the wedding ceremony, truly making it a fusion wedding. This is an important piece for ensuring that one culture does not appear dominant, each one as important as the other. I love the visual of Adam's Jewish prayer shawl and yarmulke and the vibrant tones and lushness of a traditional Indian wedding.

During the Hindu part of the ceremony, apparently Apurva’s brother gets up to twist Adam’s ear and remind him to take good care of Apurva.

From the Four Season ceremony, everyone made their way to the former Aujourd'Hui restaurant. Decorated with a crimson and yellow color palette, soft roses and lit with romantic candles, the setting was stunning, elegant and festive, a perfect fusion reception!

The couple changed into their second set of wedding attire - Apurva's gorgeous white lace and chiffon layer gown is from Birnbaum and Bullock NYC - and then hit the dance floor for the first time as husband and wife.

And no Jewish wedding would be complete without a hora! I love the looks as they are hoisted!

Family and friends danced the night away in celebration of the beautiful newlyweds Apurva and Adam. The beauty of this wedding, for me, is the coming together of two groups, two cultures, two religions, to create a whole new life, perception and a brand new kind of family. This wedding was filled with amazing examples of how to infuse a celebration with personality, incorporate culture, and honor heritage.

Congratulations to Apurva and Adam! May your lives be filled with love and kindness. Thank you so much to the amazing Shang Chen, Boston Wedding Photographer, for sharing this wedding with us; we are always giddy over her work!

Vendors who made this all happen: