After a month in India for their wedding, Jess (a writer) and Chintan (an engineer) flew home to Portland, Oregon for a small and simple civil wedding with friends on April 1st 2016.
She tells us about their special day:
The Story
"We met seven years ago at a nightclub in Portland, which has since shut. By chance we had our photo taken the night we met. During the pedicab tour after our American wedding, we re-created the same pose and photo from seven years before."
The Proposal
"It was Valentine’s Day a few weeks after we came back from India where I’d met his family. He asked his brother to send over the ingredients for my favourite Indian food, street-style pizza. In India, you often have to offer bribes to get what you want so he said the pizza ingredients was my “bribe” if I’d let him be my husband.
So technically, Chintan proposed to me with Amul cheese!"
The Gown
"I initially wanted something short and simple but in India, all-white is worn by widows. So the choice to have a couture gown made was a process of elimination. I’m a big fan of Zuhair Murad’s designs, but nothing was available that was “just right.” Going with a custom gown was the only way to ensure I would get what I wanted."
The Big Day theme
"For our American wedding we wanted something small and simple with friends since we already did the big religious wedding in India a few weeks before. There’s always been something sweet and romantic about the notion of getting married at the courthouse. The day was informal, fun, and simple, which is just what we needed after spending a month in India!"
The Decor
"I am not a DIYer, but many of the details were from Etsy designers and shops. Our wedding invites, decorated with a peacock, came from British wedding stationer Adorn Invitations. I also surprised my husband by having a brick placed in downtown Portland’s Pioneer Square. You can purchase a permanent brick in what’s dubbed Portland’s living room. It read “J+C 4.1.16.”
Advice for brides-to-be?
"Prioritise making time with your husband on your wedding day, just the two of you! After all, that’s what it’s really about."
THE DETAILS
Dress: Custom couture from Embellish Designs
Shoes: Christian Louboutin for the ceremony, gold sequin Converse for the reception
Bridal Accessories: Custom 24k necklace/earring set from Mumbai, the gold bracelet was my “something borrowed and something old” and was lent from my best friend Erin Smith (it was her mother’s, and her mother wore it at her own wedding 40 years ago).
Stationery: Adorn Invitations
Food: Display from Voodoo Doughnuts and two food trucks for catering onsite (PBJs Grilled and Koi Fusion).
Flowers: Brooch Bouquet custom made from Secret Garden Bouquets.
Photography: Powers Photography Studio