Congratulations Rama and Neel!

My very first wedding! Well, not really...I've assisted the amazing Laura and Jessica with QUITE a few others, as well as helping friends and family members with their weddings for years. But Rama and Neel were my very own clients, and for that I am SO grateful! My first wedding was certainly a new experience...a 400 guest, all day Indian affair! Having never been to an Indian wedding, nor having been to quite a large wedding, I was worried, but luckily Rama and Neel had a ton of family members to help. I couldn't have done it without them!

The wedding was held at Foxchase Manor in Manassas and was decorated by the fabulous Prabha Bambri. Check out some of these amazing photos, taken by one of Soiree's favorite teams, The Regetis:

The ceremony included so many amazing colors, and there were even costume changes! I'm a sucker for a costume change...maybe it's the Diana Ross in me?

Outfit #1:

Outfit #2:And later in the evening, there were even more costume changes! Outfit #3: (How cute are Rama and Neel, with Rama's sister Deepa and her fiance Anand?! Their wedding is coming up next month...congratulations to you two as well!)

One of my favorite parts of the ceremony was the rice ceremony. The showering of rice on each other symbolizes the offering of mutual love, faith, fertility and prosperity.

After the ceremony there was an amazing luncheon catered by friends of Neel's parents. They catered dinner as well -- yum! The beautiful cake was provided by Cakes by Marida. Marida is retired from baking the cakes...her daughter, Donna, does the baking now. However, the adorable Marida, her husband, and her grandaughter arrived to deliver this beauty!

The ceremony flowers were also provided by Prabha...I love how th tall centerpieces are lit from below with what I can best describe as a jello like substance with a light in it. I had to explain to a table full of college guys from Emory University that no, they could not eat the "jello"!Speaking of college guys from Emory, Neel's little brother, Ajay, is in an A Cappella group at Emory called No Strings Attached. Not only were these guys sweet and hilarious, but MAN could they sing?! I don't know how Ajay did it, because he had just given a toast that didn't leave a dry eye in the house...especially mine! Little brother has an AMAZING voice!!

Special thanks goes out to both sets of parents for working with us before the wedding, as Rama and Neel live in New York City. Congratulations again to the happy couple...thanks for making my first wedding an amazing one!