South Asian Cinderella

KYNAH bride, Lahari Rao, had her Cinderella moment in a customized Dali Lehenga and we cannot get over how magical she looked! The love between Lahari and Anton just goes to show that no matter where you are in life, what you’ve accomplished, who you’ve met and what you’ve experienced, once you meet the one, you just know! The KYNAH team was thrilled to be a part of this princess’ story and wish these two a lifetime of continued fairytale, movie-esque romance!

How was your shopping experience with the KYNAH team?

My experience was incredibly positive. I adore going to India every year to visit my parents in Hyderabad, but remember my shopping trips to be overwhelming. I wanted to shop at my own pace - filters, open tabs, and all - and feel like I could engage with a team of experts. That's exactly what I got! The KYNAH team was incredibly informative and fun in helping me narrow down the perfect, dream lengha for the event, including the EXACT color I wanted. They were more on top of it than I was at times, making sure we had the right measurements and double checking with us until we got it right. When I slipped on the dress once it arrived, it was flawless. Somehow, a completely virtual experience got it right!

How did you meet your husband? Tell us a little bit about your relationship.

I met my husband at a Christmas Tree Lot party in San Francisco, very much our own Love Actually moment. My best friend dragged me out for a night out and he was out with his best friend. Lucky for us, our best friends knew each other and when they were catching-up, we introduced ourselves and talked about … everything: careers, religion, travel, being children of immigrants, etc. Despite coming from different cultures, paths in our 20s, and personalities, we found we shared a lot: values, sense of humor and purpose. I know how genuinely committed he was when I told it was hard for me to date when my parents rarely ever met anyone living in Hyderabad. That month, he flew to India with me to meet my parents 9 months into dating. 2019 pushed us as a couple the most. We went through international separation due to visa issues, job loss, financial stressors, health issues, etc. Once we made it through that, we knew we could tackle life together - and 2020 made sure to test if we meant that! What I love about Anton the most, is that he saw everything I was insecure about in myself, as my strengths or things he simply loved about me - he has helped me grow into the person I always wanted to be.

How did the Dali Lehenga make you feel?

Honestly, like the most beautiful, fun, free version of myself. I was nervous about feeling comfortable in Indian clothes during the reception (all the walking, talking, dancing, etc.) but the Dali made me feel like a brown girl Cinderella who could still cheers my drinks, dance with the Aunties and my man, and move freely.

What was your wedding theme?

Our theme was "moody Jaipur" in a greenhouse (Santa Barbara). We wanted to make the experience as unique as possible. Our officiant was one of the best friends who introduced us, another best friend sang our first dance, our tables were names of milestones in our life, our escort cards were scratch cards using rupees and rubles, featuring art by Hanifa Abdul Hameed.

What is the most important thing you did while planning your wedding?

DELEGATE! As a brown gal, I tend to feel bad “burdening” others with my tasks, but I found that I just needed to embrace the community around me who was SO lovingly willing to help. Honestly, the women who helped ran the show so well, I think they can rule the world one day! Also, Anton and I kept weekly date nights a priority so that we had time to disconnect from the madness and feel connected prior to the wedding.