Meet Me By The Ocean

With the knot finally tied together by the beautiful scenic views of Greece, this couple's wedding seemed like it was straight out of Vogue! The elegance, the simplicity, the chic-ness, everything came in full circle for this gorgeous Sangeet! After a heartfelt proposal in Anguilla where the groom, Darshan, planned a romantic beach picnic that ended the night with pure joy and tears, the two knew that fate would bring them together - and it did! Our stunning bride Raina, sparkled in Ridhi Mehra's Parisa Sari for her Sangeet. She looked like an absolute gem! Congratulations to this lovely couple - the KYNAH team is honored to have been a small part of your big day.

As said by Raina:

My experience with KYNAH was seamless and effortless. All of the reps I worked with were professional, responsive, and helpful. The team helped me go through customization options for my outfit when I got in my head and started contemplating the all-white look. They served as a liaison between me and the designer, but it never felt as if they were a typical "middle man"—all of my questions were answered in a timely manner and with thorough, detailed, thoughtful responses. I've been shopping with KYNAH since 2018, and I absolutely will continue—I've already bought 3 outfits from KYNAH since my wedding two months ago!

I knew that I wanted to wear white/cream/beige for my Sangeet. Indian brides typically wear colorful outfits for their Sangeet events, and usually bold colors, but wearing the color white truly makes me feel the most beautiful, vibrant and bright. I was browsing on KYNAH when I came across the Parisa Sari, and I instantly knew that was the outfit. It looked ETHEREAL. A blend of elegant and cool. I was drawn to the intricate beadwork on the blouse and the fact that the outfit was a fitted pre-tied sari—I knew it would complement my body, but also be comfortable and easy (which was key for me)! The whole look gave off Greek goddess vibes—perfectly fitting since we got married in Greece!

Our first international vacation together was to Saint Martin, and that's where Darshan asked me to be his girlfriend. Years later, we revisited Saint Martin because we loved it so much, and we also spent a few days in Anguilla because it's right next to Saint Martin. When we went to Anguilla, Darshan had a beach picnic set up for me that he designed with my favorite event designers and that's when he asked me to be his wife! We enjoyed champagne and charcuterie—just us two on the beach for hours while it was drizzling. He then brought me to dinner at another resort where both sets of our parents surprised us—a moment that is now a part of me and a feeling I will truly never forget. I was crying all evening, and seeing both sets of parents in Anguilla at our dinner table was a whole other situation. At dinner, we enjoyed champagne that our friends had sent us, and he showed me a 20 minute video of our closest family & friends congratulating us. It was so special, and so perfect.

Wow, this one's tough given that I would love to relive every. single. moment. My absolute favorite moment of the weekend was our first dance at our reception. I always feel that I love Darshan in a place where time and space do not exist, and in that moment, I swear we stopped time. We danced to a song that is deeply meaningful to our relationship, and it felt as if the world around us quickly melted away. We sang to each other, barely moved from our original position, failed at fighting back tears, and somewhere in between all of that, got fully lost in the moment. One moment that I still dream of was when I was getting my bridal Mehendi done. I didn't have a formal event, but I got my bridal mehendi done in my bridal suite with all of my best friends sitting on the bed right in front of me and my future husband making an appearance from time to time. My best friends ordered wine and played all of my favorite songs. Friends and family from both my side and Darshan's came in and out to say hello throughout the whole evening. It was the first time I was seeing everyone, and the excitement, anticipation and love was palpable.

Choose outfits and accessories that you feel *fully* comfortable in and beautiful in, because then your energy will radiate differently. If you wear certain things because you feel like you "have" to or because it's generally what Indian brides wear—think again! If you usually dress simply, friends and family around you may tell you to "dress up more" because you're the bride—sometimes that push is helpful because it elevates your natural look without taking away from your personal style, but if you ever feel it's too much for you, then trust your gut. By choosing outfits, accessories, hairstyles and makeup that truly felt like *me*, I was confident, comfortable, and free! Including the simple black dress and white sneakers I changed into 2 hours into our reception party.