Bridal Diaries of Ruchika Bindra – The Finale – Must Be Kismet – Indian Weddings Pakistani Weddings South Asian Weddings

Happy New Year Brides

Hope you all have enjoyed the bridal diaries so far. I can’t believe what started out with décor, design and theme planning eventually led to a beautiful week events. From the engagement shoot to the bridal shower and then all the wedding festivities, it was a magical 2018.

If you missed any of my diaries don’t forget to check them out on the site. I go into some of the thoughts of a bride to be, decision making and tons of inspirational suggestions.

THE FINALE

MEHDNHI /HALDI

I woke up the morning of my Mehndi and Haldi day with a sense of excitement and nervousness. For me, this day officially commenced the wedding festivities. I took a moment to just sit alone in my room and take in what was going to happen. I think it’s so important for brides to take a minute away from everything to absorb it all.

Bride Tip: Discuss your henna design weeks in advance with your artist. This saves time and confusion the day off. Have more than one idea as a backup.

My henna artist knew I wanted a design which represented me and my love story with a modern twist. I wanted some traditional elements but something modern at the same time. I usually do not get henna done often, therefore doing it for a special moment like my wedding made it so much more meaningful to me. To highlight our love story and make it traditional yet modern, I incorporated different elements which mattered to me. I had the Toronto CN tower symbolizing that we met in this city, alongside a Sikh Groom & Bride outline on the palms of my hand confirming our commitment of marriage & our sikh heritage. Lastly, to complete the layout, I included a quote “ Every time, I see you, I fall in love”. This design took over 4 hours, countless moments of laughter and tons of great music! The Haldi (tumeric) ceremony was done outside in my backyard patio with my entire family and friends lining up to help me get my bridal glow on with tons of music and hugs!

Bride Tip : Make this day semi private. Invite just your close friends and family. It’s the one day before everything begins. It’s your time to be intimate, love, dance and just enjoy being carefree with those you love.

Bride Tip : Discuss your henna design weeks in advance with your artist. This saves time and confusion the day off. Have more than one idea as a back-up.

SANGEET

The venue of Markham Convention Center had a beautiful vintage and traditional feel to it. It set the perfect background for our Sangeet night. This was the first major event in which both our families were coming together. We wanted tonight to be all about a festive feeling, bright and traditional colors. Bring on the Punjabi flavor.

Everything from the décor to the food helped us achieve this feeling. We had Punjabi dancing statues at our entrance, road signs like in India and an elegant custom designed backdrop by Starzz Design Décor just for us. The team used over 200 marigolds , beads and soft curtains to make it a romantic yet festive look. To keep the Punjabi theme alive, we had tons of ethnic pillows , photo frames and manji benches like in India all around the dance stage. We had a bangle bar which bared resemblance to a bazaar style table in India where guests could pick up colorful crushed dupattas and bangles. The food had a mix of ethnic Punjab & delicious Indian street food. Overall, the bright colors of yellow, fuschia and gold really set the mood. Our families and friends enjoyed the night with performances, good food and dancing the night away with great dhol beats.

Bride Tip : Enjoy these precious moments, and try and take time to interact with as many family members and friends. You want everyone to feel like you are including them!

WEDDING

I woke up with a sense of calmness and there was something so serene in the air around me. After my chooda session it was time for the glam session. Getting ready for your wedding is something every bride dreams of her entire life. I couldn’t believe the moment was here. My makeup and hair artists were so sweet, they knew the exact looks I wanted and more than anything, they kept me relaxed. My wedding look was inspired by a Royal Maharani theme, “To complete Ruchikas maharani theme we went with a classic elegant up do. Her makeup was kept soft and radiant, the soft Smokey eye and neutral lip was the perfect pairing to complete her vision for her big day” (Sonya, Makeup Artist, Doll Me Up Makeup & Hair). I had fresh white roses placed in a beautiful wire thread all around my classic low bun with elegant baby breath pieces surrounding it. Something about the smell of fresh flowers in my hair, gave me a sense of calmness and connectivity to nature for that day.

My outfit was a custom made piece from Frontier Raas in Delhi. I decided to take the plunge and design my wedding outfit. I sat down with the team at Frontier and designed my entire look. The pale peach lengha (color was always my dream choice) had a classic raw silk fabric alongside handwork, threading and zardozi details. The peplum blouse, an iconic shape of the Mughal era, helped me live out the vintage Maharani feel to the fullest.

To complete the entire outfit and makeup/hair look, I had red Hyderabad beads laid over a pure gold set which was also designed with the traditional side flower shape in the middle.

The gurduwara was absolutely beautiful. The ceremony took place with so much love and simplicity that it was beyond memorable. Right before the ceremony I had sent my husband to be a letter letting him know how excited I was for this journey together. These are the moments that you cherish after all. The moment I walked down the aisle and saw him there, I knew this was picture perfect!

After our wedding, we had 12 white doves released into the sky symbolizing loyalty, peace and togetherness.

To end this beautiful day, his family had a beautiful welcome set up for me. Everything from fireworks, to rose petals at the entrance to a dhol was there. We completed this day with some family rituals and just enjoy every minute.

Bridal Tip : Discuss your hair and makeup look in advance. It’s important for the artist to know what you envision. Ask for their suggestions too and craft out in your mind or do a trial of how you wanted to final look to come together.

Bridal Tip : Try to incorporate in same way something related to nature on this day. It brings a beautiful sense of calmness and connectivity to the world around you. Some ideas can be fresh flower garlands, your bridal bouquet, or even adding fresh florals like I did to your hair.

Bridal Tip : Do something fun, let your bridesmaids get creative. Before my husband came to officially take me to his home (bidai ceremony), my bridesmaids came up with fun games and challenges for him. Form spinning the wheel to answer questions, the final task was to make the roti batter. It was such a fun moment for them all.

RECEPTION

Our reception day was a modern day “Summer Nights Dream” theme. Everything from the décor outfit, hair & makeup had a vintage romance to it. Our décor was not just limited to the stage but it was dispersed throughout the entire room to create the total ambience. We had a tree and park bench set up in a corner of the room, white and cherry blossom center pieces, and a live waterfall to all help set the mood. Under the backdrop of a starry night we had fog mist being dispersed throughout the room bringing alive the magical mood .

We had tons of fun elements this evening. We had champagne pouring during our cocktail hour, signature drinks, a 10 feet tall LED robot and bhangra dancers. Sahej & I performed our first dance to a melody of Punjabi and Bollywood songs.

Our entrance as Mr.& Mrs. was on a 12 feet train dancing to Chaiya Chaiya which dropped us off to the dance floor. This moment was so memorable because our love story began on the go train heading into Toronto 3 years ago.

My reception outfit had a 4 feet long trail, inspired by the vintage era with gold leaf motifs alongside the border and trail. My hair and makeup was also inspired by our theme and mood. “ We created an old Hollywood romance for Ruchika’s Reception day. We wanted something which worked with the theme. Soft and flowy old Hollywood waves with a beautiful dark Smokey eye and nude lip gave her that vintage charm” ( Jyoti Bains, Bella Flair).

Bridal Tip : Things may not necessarily go as planned but try and stay calm. Remember that this is your moment and in the end your friends and family just want to see you happy.

Bridal Tip : Take as many pictures as you can with all the guests. They have come to wish you well. Give them the time of the day!