Here’s part two of Nancy and Chirag’s multi-day wedding shot by White Rabbit Studios.

I ended part 1 by mentioning Haldi, a Tumeric powder mixed with rosewater and sandalwood.  The Haldi ceremony which signifies cleanliness and purification, typically happens the day before or the morning of the final wedding day, during which the couple is separated until they finally meet.  If you’re interested in learning more, I found an amazing blog that offers much more insight on Haldi customs called  Wedding Mantras.

The procession in which the groom arrives the wedding sight is nothing short of festive.  My favorite shot has to be the one of Chirag flashing an adorable “I’m about to get hitched” grin to the horse trainer/ rancher.

Many traditional weddings have a specific name for the ceremonial centerpiece or canopy.  In Jewish tradition, it’s a Chuppah, in Christian tradition it’s typically an altar, or in Hindu tradition – the Mandap.  There are tons of companies out there that cater specifically to designing your ideal mandap.  In Nancy and Chirag’s case, they entrusted the entire design and planning of their event to Chirag’s sister and Atlanta-based event planner – Sushil Patel of Utopian Events.

Fusion Idea: Some of the many customs incorporated were Jaimala (the exchanging of garlands as a gesture of acceptance & respect) and Saptapardi, in which the couple takes seven steps together to signify the beginning of their journey through life together. Each step represents a marital vow: First Step: To respect and honor each other; Second step: To share each other’s joy and sorrow; Third step: To trust and be loyal to each other;  Fourth step: To cultivate appreciation for knowledge, values, sacrifice and service;  Fifth step: To reconfirm their vow of purity, love family duties and spiritual growth;  Sixth step: To follow principles of Dharma (righteousness);  Seventh step: To nurture an eternal bond of friendship and love.  The beauty of fusion is that Saptapardi could easily be incorpoated into other ceremonies, such as Jewish traditions which involve a similar seven step principle, or Christianity, in which the number seven is very symbolic in the genesis of life.

(Above:  Bridal attire from Roopkala; Ceremony at Von Braun Civic Center; Event Design by Utopian Events); All images by White Rabbit Studios)

“The greatest challenge was the size of the second one and that there were two.  But having two also made it possible to do what we wanted and honor our family’s traditions.  We owe sooo much to my sister-in-law for bearing the brunt of the logistics, planning and helping the parents decide.  She was a gem and avoided me dealing with most of that for a 750 person event!”

-Nancy, the Bride-

Congrats to N & C on your inspirational, wedding marathon.  Thank you so much to Stephanie from White Rabbit Studios for sending over these lovely photos.  I hope you have a great Monday.

I’ve got a delightful Monday feature for you, and it’s all compliments of the fantastic duo…or should I say: Trio, over at White Rabbit Studios, in Huntsville, Alabama.  After falling in love with their charming October Harvest session,  I’ve been a dedicated fan ever since.  When you harmonize the music of photo journalistic excellence with unique perspective, passion and fun, it’s no wonder that photographers- Ashley & Stephanie (and graphic designer Andy) redefine the term: “Dream Team.”

Nancy and Chirag had two very different wedding ceremonies.  One western gathering, as in “Kentucky Derby” western in which they organized a betting pool at their lakeside ceremony, danced the night away to a four-piece band and squared danced.  “We love dancing and wanted to make sure most everyone got up and felt comfortable.” Nancy Said.  “Square dancing turned out to be a great way to make people not be shy and act goofy together!”  The photos featured here on Wedding Nouveau reflect the second and much grander event for the marrying couple: The traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.

Setting: Huntsville, Alabama

Heroine & Hero: Irish American bride – Nancy and her Indian-American beau – Chirag.

I love breaking down weddings into titled scenes, in case you couldn’t tell from all the weddings I’ve featured.  It’s a theatre habit from which I dare’st not break.  However, Nancy and Chirag’s multi-day traditional Hindu Wedding trumps that pattern, as it was equal parts multi-faceted as it was gorgeous.  Trust me, with a guest list of over 750 people, categorizing each event is about as pointless as live pigeons in your wedding cake…mmm…wait a second….

Menhdi (Henna Ceremony): The art of adorning the hands and feet with a paste made from the finely ground leaves of the Henna plant, is a tradition that westerners have come to love and emulate.  The term “Menhdi” refers to the material, the design, and the ceremony. It is tradition for the names of the bride and groom to be hidden in the design, and the wedding night is not to commence until the groom has found both names.

Disclaimer:  This wedding night game should not be played with excessive consumption of alcohol, mind altering substances, infomercials or consecutive episodes of “John and Kate Plus Eight.”  Anyway, after the wedding, the bride is not expected to perform any housework until her Menhdi has faded away. (So, I’m thinking, I’d sign up for the extra strength Henna…but that’s just me).

The couple’s traditional attire was purchased during their prior trip to India.  I love the first shot below.  There’s something very poetic about this foreshadow.  What will her wedding be like?

(Above: All images by White Rabbit Studios)

Coming up later, “part 2″ of Nancy and Chirag’s wedding with images of from the Haldi & Saptapardi ceremony.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, stick around because you’re not going to want to miss some truly gorgeous photos.  See you soon.

Can you believe it’s Fri-Style Friday already?  I’m excited to announce that the official redesign of Wedding Nouveau begins today.  I can’t wait to launch the new look that will feature more options, forums, the complete Vendor J’Adore list, and more advertising options.  Since I have to attend to that today, I thought I’d end your week with a getaway real wedding.

Marlene & Royan’s intimate wedding on the island of Jamaica, was shot by Jamaica Wedding Photography and is the perfect way to end this week, and kick you off on a relaxing note.

Pictures worth a thousand tropical words.  I have to resist the urge to blab about everything, and just let the images speak for themselves…just this once.

Setting: Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Heroine & Hero: Marlene & Royan

Colors: Blue & White

Not too many grooms can pull off an all white tux.  Whether it’s your wedding day or your chance to debut at Diddy’s White Party, the color stark white can be a challenging color to take on…not in this wedding.

Destination Ideas: Honestly, anywhere could count as a “destination”, depending on where you’re coming from.  For most, the Caribbean fits this category, and what better way to embrace the idea than by incorporating maps into your wedding packet.  Whether it’s the invitations, the welcome basket or the hanging seat numbers, maps make for charming conversation starters.

Don’t be afraid to celebrate your environment by not competing with the surroundings.  When it comes to ceremony decor, sometimes less is more.

(Above: Wedding location at Round Hill, Montego Bay; All images by Jamaica Wedding Photography)

Thank you so much to Jamaica Wedding Photography for sending over these images.  For more tips on destination wedding ideas, visit here.  Or for some customizable destination favor ideas, visit here.

Here are some previous tropical dream palettes that you may have missed:

(Above: Dream Palette #32)

(Above: Dream Palette #50)

(Above: Dream Palette # 71)

Welcome to part 2 of what I promise will be an inspiring take of city romance.  Jewel and Adam’s skyline soiree is brought to you by Kristina Carter of Vrai Photo and takes you on a fresh frolic through modern love stories, filled with Burberry blue ties, chocolate dresses, and architectural finesse.

Scene #4: THE BRIDAL PARTY

In defiance of convention to embrace personality, Jewel and Adam chose a Chicago street trolley as the vehicle of choice for the bridal party, shuttling to various portrait locations such as the world famous Millennium Park.

(Above: Bridal Gown & Sash by Vera Wang;  Bride’s Make up by Nicole Ventura; Bride’s hair by Lisa of  Blo Dri Salon; Bridal Jewelry from Alhambra collection by Van Cleef & Arpels; Bridesmaid’s dress by Vera Wang Style 23M15; Bridesmaids Shoes by Blue Tux Shoes)

Scene #5: A VIEW WORTH CELEBRATING

Now here’s another great example of how to celebrate your location for out-of-town guests:  Pick a venue that offers the best bang for your buck, as well as spectacular angles of the hosting city.  In New York, it’s the Empire State Building; In Los Angeles it’s Griffith Observatory.  In Chicago, it’s the Adler Planeterium (among others) which offers stunning views of the Chicago skyline, the lively night scene of the harbor and the sunrise glow of Lake Michigan.

Let architecture influence Style:  Just take one envious look at the cake below, which on it’s own is absolutely stunning.  Then you take a second look.  It’s only when I went back through the album, that I noticed the connection. On a cake, it’s delicious and eye-catching.  On a tie, it’s classy and complementary.  Talk about a wink and a smile!  I bet you missed another wink:  The metal ball “Table Number” holders that pay homage to another Chicago landmark – the Cloud Gate, designed by Anish Kapoor.  And don’t get me going about the mini disco balls which I’m so tempted to hang over my 3-month old daughter’s crib.  Fabulous!  What a sexy way to awaken the space, next to some ambient candle light.

(Above: Wedding Cake by CakeGirls; Tie by Burberry)

Make it Personal: When asked how heritage was reflected in her wedding style, Jewel responded by talking about one of my favorite topics: Food.  She told me that  “Food For Thought who did the catering, incorporated a Filipino appetizer called ‘lumpia‘ Filipino eggrolls.” A donation was also made to a charity to honor her deceased father.  Jewel walked down the aisle with a pinned cameo locket to her bouquet, bearing her father’s picture in it.

(Above: Reception at the Adler Planeterium; Catering by Food for Thought; Event Design by Stacy Saltzman of So Stacy; All flowers by Suzanna Dulin, Chuck Hutson & Randy Ballesteros of Flora Chicago, Lighting by Sound Investment; All images by Vrai Photo)

The delightful nature of any engagement over 12 months, is the appearance of “enough time.”  It can diffuse the pressure to tackle all the elements of wedding planning all at once.  However, whether you’re engaged for 10 years or 10 days, planning a wedding can be stressful.  Then, when you add the challenges of sticking to a budget, you’ve got yourself  many inevitable reasons to get overwhelmed (this is why I love to close each real wedding feature with words of advice from someone who’s “been there, done that.”)

“Not every box may be checked off and not everything will go according to plan, but you just need to roll with it.  It ended up to be the wedding of our dreams.”

-Jewel, The Bride-

Through it all, Jewel and Adam were able to pull off the perfect wedding, with the help of Stacy Saltzman, their event planner.  Congratulations!  I would like to extend my deep gratitude to Kristina Carter for sending over these beautiful wedding photos.

Today’s real wedding, shot by the Kristina Carter of Vrai Photo, sums up why I share wedding stories.  Kristina’s work weaves passion, candid moments and fresh style into a  blanket of images that warms the soul like your favorite childhood memory.  Adding her to the Vendor J’Adore list was a “no brainer”, and you’re about to see why:

Amidst the towering boudoir of the Swiss Hotel in the windy city of Chicago, sits our heroine – Jewel and her entourage of Vera Wang clad maidens, awaiting the culmination of her two year engagement to Adam.

Setting: Chicago, IL

Heroine & Hero: Filipino American Bride – Jewel and her Caucasian American Beau – Adam

Colors: Blue & Chocolate

Scene #1: SOMETHING CHOCOLATE SOMETHING BLUE

(Above: Bridal Gown by Vera Wang; Bride’s Shoes by Manolo Blahnik; Bride’s Make up by Nicole Ventura; Bride’s hair by Lisa of  Blo Dri Salon; Bridal Jewelry from Alhambra collection by Van Cleef & Arpels; Flower girl’s dress by Fox N Lily; Bridesmaid’s dress by Vera Wang Style 23M15; Bridesmaids Shoes by Blue Tux Shoes; Flowers by Suzanna Dulin, Chuck Hutson & Randy Ballesteros of Flora Chicago)

Scene #2: THE GROOM’S POSSE

(Above: Groom’s Tux by Calvin Klein via Men’s Wearhouse; Boutonniere by Flora Chicago )

An entourage of men in fine suits is always a great photo to take.  As if style weren’t enough, the attention to detail and overall cohesive vision was quite inspiring.  You’ll see how the grooms men’s tie come into play later on…

Scene #3:  I’LL BE AT THE ALTAR

In accordance with Jewel’s heritage, the couple incorporated traditional wedding customs from the Philippines into their ceremony.

I’ve talked before about Filipino wedding customs:  Typically, at the beginning of the ceremony the parents of both the bride and groom will light two candles, one on each side of the Unity Candle. These will later be used by the bride and groom to light the Unity Candle to symbolize the union of the two families. The lighting of the Unity Candle is used to invoke the light of Christ in their married life.

(Above: Ceremony at Old St. Patrick’s Church; Event Planning/ Design by Stacy Saltzman of So Stacy; Photos by Vrai Photo)

Two of the secondary sponsors  pin a veil to the to the shoulder of the groom and drape it over the bride’s head symbolizing their unity (being  “clothed as one”.)  Another set of sponsors places a white silk cord or “lasso” loosely around the necks of the bride and groom in a figure eight configuration, symbolizing a lifelong bond and everlasting fidelity between the bride and groom.

Once the sponsors have fastened the veil and draped the cord the groom gives the bride the arrhae (13 coins) that have been blessed by the priest.  Arrhae reflects the groom’s dedication to his bride’s well being and that of their future children.

For some gorgeous fashion inspiration brought to you by trend setting designers in the Philippines, visit here.  If you missed our previous real wedding feature with elements of lovely Filipino customs, read Aina & John’s wedding.

Coming up…Part 2 of Jewel and Adam’s wedding, later on today with some Burberry blue plaid, chocolate chic and stylish architecture in decor and detail.

Wednesday will be wild with romance and modern style, I promise.  Take a look at the real wedding we have in store for tomorrow.

I can’t wait.  Have a lovely Tuesday.

The continuation of Aleene & Joseph’s haute affair by Jessica Johnston Photography, follows with all the things I love about reception design: Cohesive color scheme, opulent vision and eye candy for the romantic soul.

Scene #4: A FAIRYTALE RECEPTION

(Above: Reception at  Andiamo Italia, Cake by Sweet Dreams Bakery; Music by Intrigue & Johnny Trudell Orchestra)

Okay, the following is the amusing sidebar moment that happens on an unscripted legal TV drama in which the counsels approach the bench to share very “non legal” commentary on shoes, fashion and “ooh-la-la” style.  Put simply, can I just say how much I LOVE THAT CAKE.  It’s tiered, it’s confectionery decadence, it’s high drama, and if it tastes as great as it looks, then I’m converting to cake-ology.  Seriously it’s the edible equivalent of  Dior’s 2005 wedding dress.

Scene #5: SCENES IN ROUGE

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, we’ve got a stunning wardrobe change in which Aleene totally transformed by wearing a custom-made Cheongsam from Bangkok.  In addition to fashion and decor details, the couple incorporated a tea ceremony earlier in the day out of respect of the Chinese part of Aleene’s heritage.  “It was there, that I was presented with gold pieces as gifts.” Aleene said.  ” Towards the end of the reception, I changed into a traditional red Chinese gown. At this time I wore all of the gold pieces I had received earlier.”

(Above: Event planning & Flowers by Venetian Flowers; Photography by Jessica Johnston Photography)

“Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed, always enjoy the moment. Embrace the people around you, because they are your rock and love you most.”

-Aleene, the Bride-

Thanks again to Jessica Johnston for sharing these beautiful photos.  Congrats to A & J on your absolutely gorgeous wedding.

Let’s face it, I love photography.  I’m fascinated and inspired by timeless photography, and today’s enthusiasm is no different.

It’s moments like these that warrant the absolute and unapologetic desire to venture into the creative mind of an amazing artist.  She wouldn’t have to know of my fascination with all her aperture secrets and lens-wielding magic.  Oh no…I’d sit quietly, biting down on my need to guffaw with excitement, as I watched her photograph one beautiful couple after another, creating yet another fairy book wedding album.  I’m talking about none other than Michigan based photographer, Jessica Johnston of Jessica Johnston Photography.

So grab a seat if you haven’t already and brace yourself for the ultimate portrait of haute style, romance and nouveau chic.

Setting: Warren, Michigan.

Heroine & Hero: Italian/ Chinese Bride – Aleene and her Lebanese  Beau – Joseph

Colors: White, Cream & Gold

Scene #1: THE MOMENT BEFORE

(Above: Gown by Pnina Tornai; Make Up by Dawn Baker; Hair by Kristina Mara of Figo Salon;

There’s a saying that “The only thing you get is this second. Enjoy it.”

From the moments before you walk down the beach, garden, or in this case cathedral aisle…to the morning after when you question the whirlwind of passion and emotion that ensued the wedding day before, it’s imperative that you the bride savor each and every moment.  It’s even more important, that you have a photographer around to capture the beauty, because you won’t remember it all.  Aleene’s classic look is timeless and a perfect example of how to celebrate simple elegance.

Scene #2:  IN STYLE “I DO”

Aleene and Joseph had a guest list of 450 family and friends in attendance for their traditional ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

(Above: Ceremony at  St. Paul Catholic Church)

Scene #3: THE BRIDAL PARTY

The color scheme of white, cream and gold carried over through every detail, from the gowns and flower arrangements to the reception decor (which you’ll see later today).

(Above: Bridesmaid’s dress by Katerina Bocci; Event Design & Flowers by Jerry Stockie of Venetian Flowers; All Images by Jessica Johnston Photography)

If you think this is beautiful, coming up later is part 2 of their haute affair.  From the teaser yesterday, you know we’re in for majestic tablescapes and gorgeous red Chinese lanterns.  Stay tuned for later today.