From Anali and Raj’s unexpected meet-cute to the dreamy proposal, and enchanting four-day-long wedding celebration, we can’t help but be in awe of their romantic journey!
Anali and Raj’s story of how they met is one for the books. One fateful day, Anali and Raj were both late for the same flight. As perfect strangers, they pleaded with the airline agents at the desk to let them on the plane. Luckily for them, they were allowed to board. At this point, they were simply relieved to be on the flight, but as fate would have it they were seated next to one another. They hit it off immediately with instant sparks.
This undeniable stroke of luck led Raj and Anali to find their forever person.
– Amee Sinha (Karma Events NY)
On the day of the proposal, Raj asked Anali to wear a yellow dress to go with his navy suit, hinting at one of their favorite movies, Beauty and the Beast.
They wandered around Old Westbury Gardens in Long Island, New York on a hot summer day. In the middle of their walk, Anali ditched her heels and walked barefoot, but the ground became too hot under her feet, making her want to turn back. Raj swooped her off her feet princess-style and carried her to his desired proposal spot, next to a beautiful statue of a woman and her dog. As Anali admired the statue, Raj got down on one knee waiting for her to turn around. Anali joyfully exclaimed “Yes!” and they celebrated the momentous occasion with dinner.
For their enchanting Hindu wedding celebration, Anali and Raj were inspired by their Indian heritage and the beauty and symbolism of peacocks.
Their four-day wedding celebration included many cultural traditions and numerous prayers to bless them with good luck and fortune. These traditional practices truly put them in the wedding spirit, helping them be present and focus on one another as they began a new chapter of their lives. Peacock motifs were present through many intricate details, such as their custom-made wedding attire, which was designed and handmade in Gujarat, India, and through impressive floral arrangements.
This magnificent bird represented beauty, honor, royalty, immortality, and wealth, symbolizing the pillars of Raj and Anali’s devotion to one another… They encourage other couples to prioritize and treasure one another above all others, emphasized by their own wedding mantra: “It’s just us.”
– Amee Sinha (Karma Events NY)
See the enchanting details of their four-day wedding celebration below!
- Couple: Anali & Raj
- Wedding date: September 23rd, 2023
- Wedding location: New York
How did you meet?
Raj and I met during COVID-19 at an airport terminal! We were late to our flight and flagged down the airline receptionist to request that the gates be opened again so that we could board the flight. We were seated next to each other and hit it off right away. Raj was enamored, and Anali was “mesmeRajed”.
The couple wore custom outfits sourced from Gujarat, India, cut from the same red cloth to symbolize their union. These outfits showcased blue peacocks and patterns created from their unique feathers, embroidered with golden and blue beading, set against the red backdrop, a traditional color representing good luck.
– Amee Sinha (Karma Events NY)
Tell us about the proposal.
Raj was nervous to propose to Anali, but he first had to get her parents’ blessings. Nervously, he approached her parents in their living room, sat them down, and asked. They cutely responded with “It’s about time” and embraced him lovingly. On the day of the proposal, Raj had asked Anali to wear a yellow dress and go on a date with him. (He specifically asked her to wear a yellow dress to match his dark navy suit! They both love Beauty and the Beast!!)
He took her to the Old Westbury Gardens in Long Island, NY. Anali had to walk barefoot as it was a hot summer day, and her heels were giving out during the walk. Near the end of the walk, Anali wanted to go back, but Raj wanted to take her to a specific statue. It was soldering, so he swooped her up and carried her toward the statue princess-style.
As Anali admired the beautiful statue of a woman and her dog, Raj got down on one knee and waited for Anali to turn around. He popped the question, and she very happily exclaimed “Yes!”. Thereafter, Raj took her to City Cellar Wine & Bar for a memorable celebration.
Enchanting Wedding Style
Both of our wedding outfits were custom hand-crafted from Gujarat, India, and cut from the same red cloth to symbolize how we both are one. Our symbolic peacocks were of course draped over them, paired with beautiful gold jewelry. We chose red because it’s the traditional color of good luck, and the way the red cloth popped against the blue peacocks was beautiful to see!
Culture
Our wedding was a total of four days long with numerous cultural traditions leading up to the wedding day. Many prayers were done to bless us with good luck and prosperity. Numerous precursory events truly put us in the wedding spirit.
Remarkable floral arrangements took the form of peacocks, with feathered heads unveiling dramatic ‘tails’ of leafy branches and flowers. These arrangements adhered to a theme of purples and blues, with robust greenery and sweeping branches.
– Amee Sinha (Karma Events NY)
What is your favorite memory from your wedding?
Raj’s favorite memory was seeing Anali for the first time in her bridal attire with her beautiful outfit, jewelry, and makeup.
Anali’s favorite memory was having her first kiss with Raj as a married couple in front of all their cheerful family and friends.
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
We have a saying between us, “It’s just us”. We encourage couples to follow a similar mentality and truly prioritize and treasure one another above all others.
Looking for more enchanting wedding inspiration?
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Vendors:
- Planning: Karma Events
- Wedding Designer: Stylish Events
- Photographer: House of Talent
- Music/Entertainment: DJ MONU
- Rentals: Premier Party Rentals
- Tents: TGIF Rentals
- Table Wraps: Table Wraps Ltd.
- Catering: Tandoor & Co Restaurant
- Cake: Rolling Pin Bakery
- Hair: Archita Upadhaya
- Makeup: Magnifique Brides
- Henna Artist: Inderdeep Kaur | @hennabyinder
- Wedding Outfits: Custom-made from Gujarat, India
- Car Rental: Turo car rental
- Pandit: Jayesh Bhai Bhatt
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