Virginia Bride features weddings weekly here on the blog. Being featured in the blog does not necessarily mean they are featured in the print magazine.
BRIDE: Swati Teerdhala, 31, Author/Tech Marketer
GROOM: Aakash Shah, 29, CEO/Founder
WEDDING DATE: April 16, 2022
LOCATION: Marriott Oceanfront Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, VA
GUESTS: 450
This wedding is featured in the spring | summer issue of Virginia Bride Magazine.
The Story:
COLLEGE SWEETHEARTS
Aakash and Swati met in college at an Indian Student Association party.
PROPOSAL
After a failed proposal plan for March 2020 in Italy, Aakash took Swati to their favorite rooftop in New York City in October 2020 and popped the big question in front of many of their friends and family.
PLANNING
Aakash and Swati worked with the wedding consultant, Sonal Shah. “We absolutely could not have planned or pulled off the wedding of our dreams without Sonal and her team’s help,” they said. “Wedding planning is so much harder than you think!”
THEME
“We chose dark blue, gold, and white mixed with fresh greenery,” the couple said. “We wanted our wedding to highlight the ocean since it was on the beach. [We also wanted] to bring in the feeling of a garden; ocean meets English garden, all in a big fat Indian wedding.”
INVITATIONS
Invitations were blue and gold, reminiscent of the couple’s color theme. The special pieces of stationary played a big part in setting the stage for the two-day wedding.
ATTIRE
The bride wore a traditional red and white pure silk sari from Andhra Pradesh in India. She accented the look with stunning gold jewelry.
The groom wore a custom-made wedding sherwani made by
Indian designer, Shyamal and Bhumika.
PICTURES
The couple shared that they hired P. Taufiq Photography because of their ability to seamlessly combine the photography and videography of a wedding. “They delivered,” the couple said.
CEREMONY
Aakash and Swati held their wedding mandap near the beach at the Marriott Oceanfront, overlooking the ocean. They held a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony and incorporated customs from their languages (Telugu and Gujarati). The couple had a live taba player as well as pre-recorded songs, two of which were sung by the groom’s mother.
COCKTAIL HOUR
The cocktail hour took place on the terrace of the Marriott Oceanfront and throughout the second level. Various food stations offered Indian and fusion appetizers.
RECEPTION
The reception was held in the Marriott Oceanfront ballroom overlooking the ocean. A floral arrangement decorated the stage, and intricate lighting patterns provided ambiance to the large dance floor.
The brides’ and grooms’ parents gave touching toasts, as did both sets of siblings. The bride almost cried multiple times. The wedding cake was an elegant three-tier lemon cake decorated with simple greenery.
The couple danced to “Invisible String” by Taylor Swift, an artist whose “Trouble – Goat Remix” they both bonded and laughed over in college. “The incredible DJ Amit from DJ Sunny Entertainment kicked off the party, and the party never ended,” the couple said. “People were on the dance floor non-stop, breaking it down to popular hits, Bollywood and Tollywood songs and our favorite EDM remixes from college.”
HONEYMOON
The couple honeymooned in Lake Garda, Venice and Tuscany in Italy.
INGREDIENTS LIST:
CEREMONY SITE
Marriott Oceanfront Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA
RECEPTION SITE
Marriott Oceanfront Virginia Beach
PHOTOGRAPHY
P. Taufiq Photography
New York, NY
VIDEOGRAPHY
P. Taufiq Photography
New York, NY
CONSULTANT
Sonal J Shah
New York, NY
HAIR
Salon SBS
Reston, VA
MAKEUP
Salon SBS
Reston, VA
INVITATIONS
Atelier Azure
CA
FLOWERS
Courtney Ingrahm Flowers
Virginia Beach, VA
CATERING
Nawab Catering
Virginia Beach, VA
MUSIC
DJ Amit – from DJ Sunny Entertainment
New York, NY
CAKE
Incredible Eats
Virginia Beach, VA
If you are planning a wedding in Roanoke Virginia, Richmond Virginia, Fredericksburg/Northern Virginia, The Shenandoah Valley, Coastal Virginia or in Charlottesville/ Lynchburg Va. we can help with your wedding planning and ideas.
