Arias / Shah Ethnic Wedding

Melissa and Aram came to me well over a year ago to help them plan their intercultural wedding. They each had a clear vision of what they wanted and what their expectations were. Melissa was very detailed and precise and great with making decisions. Aram's only request was that the barat (entrance of the groom) was to be on an elephant! After much research and leg work, the elephant task was accomplished and my team and I moved on to the next item on our checklist.... permits from City of Miami in order to allow the elephant to lead the procession!

Their celebration began on April 3, where Melissa and Aram wed through the Catholic church. The intimate ceremony took place at their local church in Miami Lakes and was attended by 30 family members.

On Friday April 4th, the Mendhi program took place. Prior to the official festivities, there were several prayers and ceremonies that took place at the Shah residence. In the evening, the celebration continued at the Pembroke Falls Country Club. The bride and groom were greeted by their family members and chanted to many dances and rituals. There was traditional Indian food served and the ladies had their henna tattoos placed on their hands and feet.

On Saturday April 5th, the traditional Indian ceremony took place. The barat began promptly at 10am at the parking lot of the Woman's Club on Bayshore Drive (parking lot next to the Grand).
The streets were closed as the off duty officers took their place in order for the procession to begin. As "Judy" (the elephant) paraded down the street towards the Biscayne Bay Marriott, the ladies danced and sang their traditional Indian chants. Once the bride arrived to the hotel, she was brought in through the back so that no one would see her. She was then taken inside the hotel and placed inside a "Dolley". Once everyone took their seats and places onstage, Melissa was introduced to the ceremonial altar. This part of the ceremony was very emotional for both Melissa and Aram as they saw each other in their traditional attire for the very first time!

The ceremony took over one hour and a half. The Indian culture has a lot of rituals and ceremonies within the ceremony. Once it came to its conclusion, the guests were lead to the ballroom level for a buffet style lunch. After the lunch the guests were then chartered back to their hotels for some relaxing time off. Later on in the evening, the guests returned back to the Marriott for a very formal dinner reception. There were dances and speeches that entertained the guest throughout the night. In the evening the choice of food was traditional Punjabi delights and a delectable display of Indian desserts. The evening was filled with happiness and joy for the newlyweds!

On Sunday April 5th, the celebration continued with a civil ceremony at the very beautiful and historic Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. The ceremony began at sunset and Melissa looked absolutely amazing dressed in her traditional American wedding dress. Melissa resembled a princess as she glided down the aisle alongside her uncle Frank. After the ceremony on the casino mound, the guests were escorted to the cocktail area. There was a flamenco dancer and guitarist entertaining the guests while the bride and groom were whisked away to take their formal portraits. Once the cocktail hour was over, the guests entered the amazing tent on the east side terrace. The blue lights and chandeliers had the tent glowing. The centerpieces were amazing and the overall details and decorations were impeccable.

Each celebration had over 350 guests in attendance and with much love and support were all a great success.

I am eternally grateful to everyone that participated in this glamorous and exciting event!