Arshad and his brother Aasif found us at the very last minute through a Google search, and fortunately I had availability on Friday & Saturday evenings to cover the highlights of Arshad & Melissa’s big weekend. Everything took place at the Renaissance Hotel in Carmel, and I was amazed at the level of contemporary chic througout the new hotel’s interior. Friday evening’s events included a formal engagement ceremony, a henna ceremony, and some of the best Indian food I had ever tasted.
The wedding ceremony on Saturday took place in an adjacent ballroom and featured some humorous traditions, including seating the bride amidst the crowd before joining the groom and then requiring the bride to agree three times to marry the groom before it was official. The main ballroom was magnificently adorned for the reception by Enflora, the centerpiece being the couple’s table under a colorful canopy, from which they could enjoy the evening’s many highlights. This was easily the most culturally diverse event I’ve ever covered, combining Indian, Muslim, Spanish and Catholic traditions among others.
