Spirited Away in the Vineyards

By Rafiha Reya

Taking a twist on traditional Indian weddings by incorporating western elements, this wedding was the perfect blend of Indian and American culture! The wedding took place in the most magical vineyard, surrounded by loved ones who made this day so special for our couple. Our bride, Mohana, radiated in Seema Gujral's Nessa Lehenga. Congratulations to this lovely couple - the KYNAH team is honored to have been a part of your big day! We wish you all the love and happiness in the world.

As said by Mohana:

What about the Nessa Lehenga made you say YES? Did you plan your overall aesthetic/theme around your outfit or did you pick your outfit based on the aesthetics you wanted?

I picked my outfit based on the aesthetic I wanted! I was looking for a bridal outfit that spoke to my personality, one was modern, sexy, and whimsical. When I saw the Nessa, I thought it was perfect! I loved that the focus was centered around these beautiful bright pastel-colored florals with gold accents throughout instead of the traditional red seen in most outfits. The design elements on the blouse expressed a soft yet bridal glam look with the stunning gold beadwork. I especially loved the chandelier style beading on the bottom of the blouse - it brought a feeling of sparkle to the entire outfit.

How did you add your personal touch to you and your husband’s big day?

A number of things! In the planning process, we were very intentional about what we wanted the wedding to look like, where we wanted it to be, and how we wanted our friends and family to experience the event. We settled on an intimate ceremony with 50 guests and planned the entire event in a month and a half! The venue we chose was a vineyard my husband and I had discovered together on one of our many adventures when we both moved to Boston. I remember saying "This place is perfect for a wedding!" on our first visit! We decided to include a traditional Vedic ceremony with a Hindu priest to honor our Indian heritage and fuse that with a western-style ceremony. We had my husband's cousin officiate this part of the ceremony. Additionally, we made it a point to write our vows independently - the first time we both heard each others vows was at the mandap! We also forced ourselves to rethink the entire DJ and dance format of a typical Indian wedding reception to something that would more accurately reflect us as a couple and our preferences. We opted to have live Hindustandi-trained classical musicians play throughout our ceremony and our lounge-style dinner reception. We had a Saxophonist and a Tabla player play during our ceremony and had a Sitarist join the ensemble for the dinner reception. Both my husband and I share an appreciation for Indian classical music so we loved that we did this and really enjoyed the music! One of my favorite things we chose to do was personally give handwritten notes (in customized stationary) along with personalized wedding favors to all of our guests. We wrote the notes a few weeks before the wedding - it served as a meaningful time for us to reflect and share a heartfelt message about the role of each guest in shaping who we are today.

If you had to choose one moment from your wedding day, what would it be?

One of my favorite quotes is from The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, “And, when

you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” The minute we decided to get married in a shorter timeframe than anticipated, we both noticed that things really just came together so quickly! In the midst of peak wedding season, we were able to find a venue that meant something to us, vendors that were reliable, and outfits that fit like a glove on the first try. There was one moment in particular on the wedding day that really symbolized that the world was with us - There were thunderstorms forecasted for the whole day and though it held off until the ceremony started (under a clear top tent), it started pouring shortly after. At one point during the Vedic ceremony, the rain stopped suddenly and the sun came out with the sun rays falling directly on our faces! We both noticed it at the same time, looked at each other, and smiled. It didn't rain at all the rest of the evening which made for a lovely cocktail hour in the vineyard's tasting room and outdoor patio.

How did he propose?

Abhiram proposed on April 2nd, 2022 in a beautiful indoor-outdoor Airbnb amongst the redwood trees (something we both love!) in Woodside, CA. He plotted with friends and my sisters to have everything decorated at the venue by the time they arrived and even planned a beautiful surprise celebration dinner with friends and family in Palo Alto, CA. We spent the whole week together unplugged, relaxing in the outdoor hot tub, and frequenting hiking trails with stunning views.

If there was one piece of advice you wish you could give yourself before

you began your wedding planning, what would it be?

No matter how much you plan, how long you plan for, how big or small your wedding is, things will be stressful and there will always be things you didn't anticipate or can't control. Don't dwell in the lack, revel in the beauty. <3