I was introduced to Susan by a neighbour who told me her friend was currently in India but getting married in the summer and needed a Wedding Planner.  We chatted a bit over email but it wasn’t until Susan returned to Ottawa that we both quickly realized that we were destined to come together as a power planning team.  Not only did we have my neighbour in common but we had both attended the same high school!  Since Steve lived in the USA and the wedding was in Ottawa, Susan was starting to feel overwhelmed at the number of decisions required for planning a wedding in eight months.  Susan needed my help with planning her wedding but also a sounding board so that when she went to Steve for input we had already narrowed down the options.

I instantly fell in love with her colour scheme as she showed me pictures and fabric samples from her sari and her bridesmaids’ saris, invitation paper she had sourced in India and of course inspiration photos.  Susan wanted vibrant colours but was also concerned about it being too over the top.  The decor and florals were to be “Indian inspired” but with Steve being American we wanted to make sure it wasn’t only representing Susan’s heritage.

Their wedding day was a sunny day in August and as the guests arrived, many in saris, it was instantly filled with colour.  It was an emotional day filled with some tears, many laughs and also lots of fun.  Susan made sure to include her mom who had passed away into her wedding day.  She asked me to work her mom’s wedding band into her bouquet so she would have her Mom with her all day.

With three outfit changes as well as hair and makeup, Susan was able to work in her Canadian and her Indian heritage into their wedding.  Even Steve had an outfit change into a traditional men’s Indian Kurta that was a comfortable change after wearing a suit in August all day!

The guests enjoyed Indian and Canadian/ American cuisine and were blown away by a surprise Bollywood dance performed by Susan and Steve as their first dance.  I will miss our meetings as I truly enjoyed working with these two.  I wish them all the best as they finally get to live their newlywed life in the same country!  A special thank you to Kristin De Castro from Union Eleven Photographers for being a sidekick all day and capturing everything so beautifully.