A Luxurious Jewel Toned Indian Wedding at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City

In the summer of 2009, Ansu Shah Pardasani met Karan at her brother’s engagement party. Ansu initially found Karan to be reserved, but she soon discovered his humorous, kindhearted and spontaneous personality. After three years of numerous social run-ins and chatting via Blackberry messenger, Karan finally made a first move and the two started dating.

“It’s cliché to say that it was love at first sight, but when I met Ansu it nearly was,” Karan says. “Ansu wasn’t like most girls; she was welcoming, curious, and full of witty, sarcastic remarks – something I could appreciate.”

The engagement took place at Toshi’s Penthouse, situated at the top of New York City’s Flatiron Hotel. Being the inquisitive woman she is, Ansu made it difficult for Karan to maintain an element of surprise; but knowing Ansu’s love for rooftops, Karan waited for her to initiate the move from the lobby up to the rooftop bar. There, Ansu was shocked to discover her then-boyfriend had rented out the entire upstairs space and hired a cover band to play “all her favorite sappy songs” as he got down on one knee and proposed.

During the wedding planning process, the couple decided to get married right in New York City, and are still reminded of their wedding each time they walk down Park Avenue near the Waldorf Astoria. One of the main things they envisioned was a vibrant Sangeet full of bold colors and immersed in traditional Indian culture, which led to an epic celebration in the middle of NYC.

“The vivacious baraat enticed Ansu’s guests and random bystanders to join in, which is very uncommon,” the groom describes. “We wanted our Sangeet to be almost overwhelming, which is why we chose to have a few stations of entertainment – a flip book station, Ansu’s boutique where guests were able to select, wear, and take home costume jewelry, and a range of Indian and Italian food stations.”

For the wedding and reception décor, the bride and groom wanted to include a mix of modern and classic details. The wedding mandap featured a full backdrop of roses, which created beautiful photo ops from every angle, and the reception space was kept clean, white and elegant. Guests were surrounded by an abundance of roses, per the bride’s request, and enjoyed a lavish spread of food and drinks, which was the groom’s top priority.

By the end of the reception, the newlyweds felt a bittersweet onset of sadness, realizing they couldn’t have their friends and family dancing around them every day. Not only was the wedding aesthetically gorgeous, but the couple felt an unbelievable amount of energy and joy from their loved ones.

“We truly feel we had the best of everything – planners, décor, food, entertainment, photos/video, hair and makeup, and of course our guests,” says Karan. “At the end of it all, it was liberating because we knew that this amazing event, created and enjoyed by amazing people, was just the beginning of our life together.”