Divya Shokeen wed Bhavraj Khalsa in July 2018 at a beautiful resort in southern California. She says: “We met while studying at UCI and had our first date three days before I left for the East Coast to finish a dermatology residency, but it was a date neither of us could forget. After endless calls, messages and hours spent travelling to see each other, we finally made our transcontinental relationship a reality.
We dated for a year and a half before Bhavraj proposed. He proposed on a beautiful afternoon in Balboa Park, arranging for a photographer and ‘our’ song to be playing. The rest of the day was a total dream.”
Skincare
“As a dermatologist, I know how to take care of my skin. I began by drinking plenty of water and using tretinoin 0.1% cream RX at night and Elta MD UV clear sunscreen SPF every morning. I had glycolic acid peels every month and started microneedling sessions 16 weeks before the day. I also took biotin 5mg for hair and nail health. But most importantly, I didn’t change products in the final three months to avoid flare-ups.”
Ceremony
“We planned our wedding with the help of coordinators Elegant Events. I had a vision in mind - I wanted an elegant theme with a few bright accent colours with a neutral base - and they helped me hone my ideas.
Once our pre-wedding events were over, it was time for the wedding and reception at the Terranea resort. I grew up in Palos Verdes and it was always a dream to get married overlooking the ocean so Terranea was perfect.
We had two ceremonies; the Anand Karaj at 11 am followed immediately by the Hindu wedding at 1 pm. When I saw the sea of faces that raised us, nurtured us and watched us fall in love, every second of planning stress leading up to the day was worth it. I’m so thankful to Duke Photography that we can relive every moment through our beautiful album. He is the nicest, most genuine, hardworking photographer.”
Wardrobe
“I had two outfits made from Frontier, another from Dream Collections and I wore a Manish Malhotra piece for the reception. My bridal jewellery and accessories came from a family jeweller in India, but for the reception, my mum bought me a gorgeous pair of earrings and a necklace from Chanel. Bhavraj had two outfits custom made for him from Dream Collections and wore a Giorgio Armani tux for the evening party.”
Reception
“In keeping with the theme of whimsical elegance, our décor was classic with chandeliers and candles illuminating every corner. The day was full of emotion, but when my mum stood up to give her speech, that really got me. She couldn’t speak, she was so choked up. Watching her was bittersweet.”
The Bride: Divya Shokeen, 31
The Groom: Bhavraj Khalsa, 32
Married: 28th July 2018
The Venue: Terranea Resort, California
Photography: Duke Photography
www.DukeImages.com
Instagram: @DukeImages
As seen in Khush Wedding Spring 2019 KW21. Buy this issue here