The results are in. You, our readers, have spoken. Akata and Aveneesh’s Lavish Indian Wedding was your favorite. In honor of the winner, we want to recognize them by posting an encore of this wedding. Couples gain a ton of inspiration from real weddings and we are so happy to share these with all of you! All of the finalist’s posts were incredible and thank you all for voting!

This featured wedding comes from Ben Sassani of Sassani Photography. He is a Houston, Texas based wedding photographer. Ben has been so accommodating to GSS on this feature. Thank you! We also want to give a shout out to the AH-Mazing Amber Strickler of Zasey Photography for second shooting on this gorgeous wedding!

Akata and Avaneesh were married at The Hilton Post Oak in Houston, Texas on May 28, 2011. Akata and Avanessh were kind enough to answer a few questions for us:

What sold you on your wedding venue? We needed a place that could fit 600 people, a nice location, and guest accomodations. We found it at the Hilton Post Oak in Houston, TX!

How long have you been together? A little over 2 years.

 How did Avaneesh propose? Avaneesh surprised me with a trip to Nassau, Bahamas. He rented a private boat and had the captain take us to the uninhabited Rose Island (named for the color of its sand-pink, aka my favorite color!). As the sun was setting, he got down on one knee and proposed!

What was your favorite part of your big day?

Akata: At the end of the reception, when I finally danced with Avaneesh, as my husband, to a song that describes everything he is to me. “The Truth” by India.Arie.

Avaneesh: Akata’s wedding entrance. In traditional Indian wedding custom, the groom is shielded (by way of holding a drape in front of him) from watching the bride’s entrance to the mandap where he is waiting. This is done so that everyone except the groom can watch her graceful entrance while he sits in anticipation (yes, it’s very mean). So while this was happening, my sister (who was holding the drape) was giving me a play-by-play so that I could have some idea of what was going on. Then all of a sudden my sister gasps and says “she’s crying, it’s so cute!” and then starts crying herself. Then I hear of a chorus of guests break out into sniffles as they join Akata in her tears of joy. I almost started crying as I was overwhelmed with joy myself…but luckily I was able to hold it back and saved myself from being laughed at by my groomsmen! I understood where Akata was coming from at that moment as I too had been waiting more than two years from the day I fell in love with her for this very day and it was finally here.

Akata, what was your “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue”?  Because I had so many events for my wedding, I spread them out throughout the 3 days. My something old was a necklace my grandmother left me; I wore it to my first event, the Mehndi. For my something new, I had all my new outfits from India. My something borrowed was the necklace my grandmother gave to my mother to wear at her wedding. I wore the same necklace for my wedding. My something blue was Avaneesh! His outfit for our reception was an elegant blue Indian outfit.

 Akata, your dress is gorgeous, where did you get it and how did you know it was “the one”? Well we were having a traditional Indian wedding with all the pre-wedding events and the wedding and reception. I needed to buy 5 Indian outfits. My family and I traveled to India for 2 weeks and purchase all of my outfits in Mumbai. I knew my wedding outfit was the “one” because when I saw it, I immediately pictured myself walking down the aisle in it. I hadn’t felt that way about any other outfit I had seen.

 What song did you dance to for your first dance? Our first dance was to “Lucky” by Jason Mraz & Colbie Calliat

 How did you choose your wedding color palette? Many traditional Indian weddings have gold, white and maroon or red as wedding colors so that was the easy part. For our reception, I wanted colors that represented Avaneesh and I. I love the color plum pink! I had always imagined that plum pink and snow white would somehow be incorporated into my reception colors. When Avaneesh and I went to India to do our wedding shopping, we both found the perfect reception outfits–mine was a dark plum pink and his was a royal blue. So, our color palette included different hues of pink and blue with snow white and silver accents to give an icy white look.

 Do you have any advice for bride and grooms that are in the planning process? Plan ahead!  Regardless of how much time you have (or don’t have), it’s important to move quickly on the decisions you have made and make a timely, sound decisions on those you haven’t.  In a city the size of Houston, there are hundreds (possibly thousands) of weddings year-round, so if you have a particular venue, photographer, make-up artist, etc. in-mind, then book them quickly because if you wait too long, you’re most likely going to be searching for the next-best option.  Also, most vendors require non-refundable deposits, so make sure you are completely sold on the vendor before signing any contract or paying any deposit because that money is not coming back.  I feel that some couples make decisions too quickly without having done the proper research and end up regretting it.  Some even take the loss (which can be in the thousands) and sign with another vendor they liked better.  Take your time in making decisions but make sure they are YOUR decisions.  It is okay to include family members and/or friends in the process but keep in mind that this is your wedding and you make the decisions!  Also, be as organized as possible.  We used Google applications (email, calendar, documents) to stay organized and to collaborate with our family members who were helping us.  If you have a large family, use them   Assign roles and responsibilities early on so everyone knows what’s expected of them on the Big Day.

Vendors:

Venue: Hilton Post Oak in Houston, TX

Dress: Bawree in Santacruz, Mumbai, India

Cake: We opted out of a cake and used that money to make our wedding even more special to us.

Floral: I ordered them from Sam’s Club and my sisters and cousins made my and my bridesmaids bouquets.

Linens: Mandap Creations for ALL of our decorations

Catering: Bombay Brasserie

DJ/Band: DJ Yogi Goyal

Videographer: A&A Video

Invitations/Wedding Stationery: I bought them from a small invitation shop in Mumbai. I cannot remember the name!

Event Planner: Avaneesh and I were the only planners for our wedding. He was amazing throughout the process!

Thank you so much, Ben, for sharing this amazing wedding with us! Please stop by his website and blog and show him some love! And thank you, Akata & Avaneesh, for taking your time to answer our questions! We wish you both a lifetime full of love, laughter, and happiness!!! May every day be better than the last!

If you have an engagement, wedding, day after, or anniversary session that you would like featured- Please send it to us at submissions@groomsoldseparately.com. We HEART submissions!

Favorite Wedding Post from 2011

Today is the very last day to vote for your favorite featured wedding blog post for 2011! We carefully selected our favorites and want to know which one is your FAVORITE? You can only vote once, but you can campaign for your favorite on Facebook, Twitter, or wherever else. Get to work to make sure your favorite reigns as the viewer’s choice! Voting ends at midnight on January 31st, 2012. Don’t delay!!

Ready to rock the vote? Click here!

Tangerine Bowtie with Blue Shirt and Birdie Boutonniere:   Image Courtesy of Erik Ekroth Photography

Tangerine Clutch Handbag:  Cahoots Handbags

Tangerine Peep Toe Pumps: Christian Louboutin

Turquoise and Tangerine Wedding Invitations- Two Paperdolls

Turquoise and Tangerine Place Setting:  Laurie Cinotto

Turquoise and Tangerine Wedding Favor Box:  Laurie Cinotto

Turquoise and Tangerine Centerpiece: Image Courtesy of Merriment Design

Turquoise and Tangerine Reception Mood Image:  Image Courtesy of Union Photography

Turquoise and Tangerine Cake:  Amy Atlas

Turquoise and Tangerine Bridesmaid/Bride Image:  Image Courtesy of Union Photography

GSS’s Things We LOVE :: Brides and Bridesmaids in Cardigans!

Good morning, Lovelies!!!  Since it’s winter cooler temps are the norm… Cardigans and sweaters are part of our everyday attire in the winter.  So, why wouldn’t they be part of your wedding day attire??  We’re loving that brides and her bridesmaids are incorporating these great sweaters into their wedding day attire.  Below are some of our favorite images from professional photographers as well as some of our favorite cardigans to purchase for this trend: James Moes … [Read More...]

GSS Favorite Featured Posts 2011

Its that time again … time for you to vote on your favorite wedding post from 2011. We carefully selected our favorites and want to know which one is your FAVORITE? You can only vote once, but you can campaign for your favorite on Facebook, Twitter, or wherever else. Get to work to make sure your favorite reigns as the viewer’s choice! Voting ends at midnight on January 31st, 2012. Don’t delay!!   The Finalists are………   Jenny & Alex’s Gorgeous Wedding :: Maile … [Read More...]

GSS Wedding Inspiration Board :: Champagne & Blush

We know that most women have loved pink since they little girls.  But when it comes to weddings, it can be tricky using pink.  You don’t want to end up with a wedding that looks like Pepto Bismol was spilled on everything or that a bubblegum bubble burst all over your reception!  There are other shades of pink that are extremely pleasing to the eye.  Take the color Blush for example.  It’s so soft and subtle.  Mix in some shimmering shades of gold, like Champagne and you’ve got yourself a … [Read More...]

James Moes Photography

Elisabeth Millay Photography

Cameron Ingalis Photography

Braedon Photography

Rebekah Westover Photography

Q Weddings, Schultz Photography, Jonathan Canlas Photography, Sarah Q Photography

1.  Forever 21:  $29.00

2.  Forever 21:  $19.80

3.  Forever 21:  $22.80

4.  Forever 21:  $22.90

5.  Forever 21:  $24.80

6.  NY & Company:  $32.86

7.  Forever 21:  $24.80

8.  Anthropologie:  $118.00

9.  Anthropologie:  $98.00

The Finalists are………

Jenny & Alex’s Gorgeous Wedding :: Maile Lani Photography

Kara & Anthony :: Doug Treiber Photography

Tamara & Mike’s Dallas Wedding :: Sara & Rocky Photography

Amber & Matt’s Eco Friendly Wedding :: Amie Otto Photography

Ginny & Andrew’s Viaggio Estate Wedding :: Jillian Bisinger Photography

Madelyn & Justin’s Romantic Vintage AND Sexy Modern Inspired Anniversary Photo Session :: Crave Photography

Emily & Justin’s FUN Scrabble Engagement :: Jodi Schlosser Photography

Akata & Avaneesh’s Lavish Indian Wedding :: Sassani Photography

Jennifer & Brian’s California Vineyard Wedding :: Three Nails Photography

Kristen & Frank’s 11.11.11 Antique Wedding :: Tara Swain Photography

Now that you have had the pleasure to see these beauties…..choose your favorite carefully and petition your friends and family, so you can see your favorite take home the gold! Voting ends at midnight on January 31st, 2012!

Side Note:  If you love this board, we also recently did an inspiration board for Platinum and Pink as well.  You can find it here!

Champagne Wedding Dress:  Lyn Ashworth

Champagne and Blush Place Setting:  Karen Tran

Gold and Blush Bracelets:  Miss Selfridge

Champagne Bridesmaid Dress:  Dolce & Gabbana

Champagne and Blush Wedding Cake:  Image Courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings

Champagne and Blush Tie:  Rabbit Stop via Etsy

Champagne and Blush Tablescape:  Karen Tran

Champagne Pumps:  Steve Madden

Blush Bridesmaid Dress:  JLM Couture

Side Note:  I love my mom and dad’s wedding picture.  My mom was 20 and my dad was 19… AND it was the 1970′s… Seriously, how about that HUGE bow on my mom’s head and that rockin’ lace printed tux with a pink  shirt!!!  Hahaha!  I get a ridiculously large grin on my face everytime I look at it.  Random fact about my parents wedding day:  They BOTH had the Swine Flu that day.  They were such troopers!

How did you know that dad was the one?  Hmmmm.  How did I know he was the one?  First, I don’t believe in love at first sight.  It’s actually lust at first sight – just physical attraction.  You have to get to know each other before you know if it’s truly love.  When I first met John, I thought he was the cutest guy I’d ever seen.  I also loved the way his skin smelled – and still do.  I’m not talking about the cologne he wore, just the clean smell of his neck.  We met in Square Dance Club in High School in September of 1969;  he was 15 and I was 16.   John was nothing but fun to be around.  We found humor in all the same things, and sometimes, even then, didn’t have to say a word, just looked at the same thing, people, animals, etc., and burst into laughter.  He can ALWAYS make me laugh, and the older you get the more important that is in a relationship.   We didn’t have a lot of money to date, so we spent a lot of time watching TV at his house or mine, or playing pool at my house, so we talked a lot, laughed a lot and got to know each other.   He was Baptist, just like me, came to church with me, and I knew within a few short months he wasn’t just the cutest and most fun, but I was just crazy about him.  My mom always said, “Before you get married, be sure his head is the one you want to wake up to on the pillow beside yours for the rest of your life,” and I knew that was true.  We were married on January 20, 1973.

What do you feel has made your marriage last this long?  We were married in our church when he was 19 and I was 20.  We both have a true love of the Lord and we have based our home on His Word.  If you have God first, all your other priorities fall into place as they should.  We waited until we were sure of our love and started a family.  One month short of six years after our marriage, our first baby girl was born, and two and a half years later, our second baby girl was born.  Our daughters are now 29 and 31.  After our first was born, we knew neither of us could give them up – even for a weekend or a couple of weeks in the summer – and we found such fun and joy in our girls.  We just felt like our love was complete.  I’m certainly not saying there weren’t rough spells in our marriage OR in raising our girls, but we knew any rough spots had to be prayed about, talked out, agreed upon and straightened out.  Concerning raising our girls, we had to stand together on all decisions concerning them.  Children are, by nature, self-centered, and they will play you against each other to get their way.  Although you love your children more than life itself, they need discipline to make it in this world.

What advice would you give to young marrieds or troubled marrieds?  Date for a good while before considering marriage.  Prospective mates may be on their best behavior when they are trying to win you over, but you need to see both sides of them.   The first year of marriage is usually a “honeymoon” year.  The second year we were married, we hadn’t learned to talk about what was bothering us yet – notice I said TALK about, not SCREAM at each other in anger.  John slammed a lot of doors that year, and I cut my hair when I was mad (both childlike behavior, because we WERE still children.)  My advice:  Always put God first, attend and be involved in church together; pray about your problems, then talk to each other about them without accusation.  For example, don’t say, “You just go head and do things without asking what I want because you think you’re so much smarter than me, your way must be best!!”  That puts the blame on him like a slap in the face, especially if he was trying to handle something he thought you had been struggling with so you wouldn’t have to think about it anymore.  Try a more gentle approach like, “I think you were trying to help, but just going ahead and making decisions without me make me feel like you think I’m not smart enough to make decisions.  From now on let’s talk things out.”   Always try to be loving to each other.  Never just say a word in anger when it pops into your head.  Oh, and by the way, if it’s true love, it grows everyday.

Thank you so much, Mom, for sharing with us today!  I am so thankful to have such loving and caring parents/role models.  Here’s to another 39 years!

You can see more of this amazing wedding filled to the brim with details by Carissa of JL Designs and Jesi Haack Weddings by clicking here.

image by Amy Karp Photography

Your wedding day is rapidly approaching. Your family and bridal party is frantically calling, texting and emailing you to find out where and when they should be lined up and ready to go for the wedding day. This can be a stressful thing to coordinate. With the help of your wedding professionals they can guide you. They have experience with weddings and if you are working with a wedding planner….no biggie. They have this timeline already planned. So you don’t have a wedding planner. Don’t turn into a B WORD….BRIDEZILLA! Don’t let the stress of the wedding day ruin what it is truly about – you are about to marry your best friend.

Things to think about for your timeline….

What – What will this block of time be for? Be realistic with time blocks. Talk to your wedding professionals to find out how long they will need for specific things.

Where – Where everyone will need to be? Calculate drive times with a cushion for potential traffic.

Who – Who needs to be where and at what time? Does your wedding florist need to be in the venue at a certain time to deliver flowers and set up before the guests arrive? Does your wedding photographer have a set time of contracted hours with you for your wedding day?

When – When will they need to be there?

Wedding Day Timeline from Style Me Pretty on Google Docs

We love this Excel template on Google Docs from Style Me Pretty. They have created this template and you can easily input your timeline and share it with your bridal party, family and wedding pros. Use this as a guide to make your own.

Because we love pictures so much, we want to add a few things to consider when scheduling these events. Some time blocks will be out of your control. For instance, the Church or venue has set times for you to be in and out and you really can’t work around that. If you have the entire day to start from scratch. Think about lighting….Do you prefer the natural light for all of you images? Do you want a first look in a garden with those golden rays of sun? The golden hour. That magic hour of light that is so beautiful happens about 30-45 minutes before sunset. Noon is not ideal for outdoor pictures. A seasoned photographer can catch you looking fantastic in most any lighting condition, but be aware of where the sun is in the sky before you schedule outdoor pictures on your timeline. If you schedule your formal portraits after sunset, know your photographer will most likely be using artificial light to capture these precious images for you. Sunset ceremonies are romantic in theory, however, due to very short window of light, your photographer will most likely be using artificial light for any formal portraits after the wedding ceremony.

Remember…this your wedding day! A day you have dreamed about for a very long time and don’t stress of the timeline. It will all be perfect. At the end of all of it, you will have married your best friend!