Real Wedding Priya & Reynaldo in Paris
A few weeks ago, we had the privilege of planning P&R’s wedding. It was a colorful wedding that we enjoyed organizing! So, we wanted to look back on these beautiful moments on our blog 😉
Les préparatifs
Priya & Reynaldo reached out to us in February 2022 for a wedding in June 2023. So, we had about a year and a half to plan their special day, which was not too much for a wedding of this magnitude! Indeed, it was a destination wedding (link to the blog post on this topic). The couple lives in the United States and, loving France, it was only natural for them to want to get married here.
We thoroughly enjoyed working with P&R during our various exchanges. Always enthusiastic, the preparations progressed swiftly with new ideas emerging as we discussed the details!
What we loved: P&R decided to incorporate various unique entertainment options that we don’t often see. This allowed us to discover new high-quality vendors 🙂
The inspirations
Priya wanted a colorful wedding that honored her Indian heritage. To achieve this, we focused on floral decoration. It brings a lot of joy and vibrant colors while remaining understated and elegant.
As their celebration spanned several days, we were able to use a wide range of colors to best satisfy their wishes. Each highlight of the wedding had its own unique decor, while, of course, adhering to an overarching theme.
The ceremonies
We find the various highlights of a Hindu wedding in India:
– Mehndi:Â The Mehndi takes place a few days before the wedding (or the day before). Close relatives of the bride and groom are invited to participate in this ritual of temporary body decoration, which involves applying henna patterns to the skin, typically on the hands and feet. The patterns often carry symbolic meanings. The groom’s initials are hidden within the bride’s henna patterns, and he must find them during the wedding night. The henna application process is considered to bring luck and prosperity to the couple.
– Baraat:Â The “Baraat” is a festive and joyful tradition in Indian weddings, primarily observed in Hindu and Sikh weddings. The Baraat is essentially the meeting of the two families just before the ceremony. Two processions form: one consisting of the groom’s close relatives, and the other with the bride’s close relatives. Participants in the groom’s procession, including the groom on a horse, dance to the beat of traditional music played by musicians. The Baraat procession, led by the groom’s family, heads to the ceremony venue where the bride’s family awaits them for welcome ceremonies. It’s often an emotional moment when the families meet and greet each other.
– Phera:Â The “Phera” is an important ritual in Hindu weddings. This ritual is also known as “Saat Phera” or “Saptapadi,” which means “seven steps.” The Phera involves the couple taking seven rounds around a sacred fire while reciting vows and prayers. Each round is associated with a specific vow that the bride and groom exchange with God and each other. These vows typically revolve around themes such as love, mutual respect, understanding, prosperity, and harmonious married life.
