Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

Garba

Our Story

The Journey Begins

We remember the day we started talking as if it was yesterday, we both just started new ventures in our life. I recently moved to Jacksonville and Pavan was working overseas in Ireland for 3 months. Even with the big time difference we talked nonstop every single day. Even if it meant Pavan had to stay up until 3am till I went to bed. In the beginning, we were unsure if we were going to get to see each other as I was there for 3 months. But who would have thought Facetime would bring us closer together. I remember the first time I facetimed her. I was hanging off the side of the cliffs (literally) on the Howth Cliff Walk, when I thought how cool it would be to show Megha the beautiful scenery of Ireland. Little did I know that it was early morning and Megha was just waking up. I still remember she had her retainer on, no makeup, and bed hair; so I was surprised that she even got on Facetime. Seeing her not care about looking perfect the first time I saw her I knew she was my kind of girl. From that moment on Pavan facetimed me from every country he traveled too. This made me feel as if I was getting to explore the world with him.Three months quickly passed and it was finally time for Pavan to come home…at least I thought. Exactly a week after he came back, he was headed to Southeast Asia with his boys for 3 long weeks. Thinking to myself I am never going to get to see him....

The First Date

Megha was thinking that she was never going to get to see me, but little did she know that I was flying out of Florida, so I wasted no time in asking her on a date to her favorite city (ST. AUGUSTINE!!). I was both super excited and anxious to see her, but that quickly went away when I saw her get out of the car. I had to pinch myself as I couldn't believe that we were finally seeing each other. I was really excited to show him my favorite city, so we boarded the trolley train and acted like tourist for the day.We went through St. Augustine hoping on and off at some great places. One of the moments that I remember vividly was when we are standing at the fort staring out at the water; everything just seemed perfect.We were having so much fun that we didn't even realize where the day had gone and it was time to say goodbye, but before I did I gave Pavan a going away care package for his trip to Southeast Asia.I remember sitting in the car looking at the care package and the note within; thinking to myself...this girl's a keeper.

The Proposal

Fast forwarding through out the year and many trips later, Megha and I decided to make a trip to Hawaii in December 2016. I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to propose to her, since she had no idea. I had done a ton of research and determined the perfect place in Maui. I even hired a photographer to capture the moment as it happened. But….as with anything, things rarely go as smoothly as planned. The day before going to Hawaii, I got a call from the photographer saying the weather didn't look good, so I decided to scrap the whole plan and do something else special. On a side note....I still didn't have a ring, therefore, I had to ship it to the hotel where we were staying, which was of course nerve-racking. Luckily the ring got to the hotel safely and once I had the ring I was itching to propose to the girl I love. However, I knew I had to wait for the perfect moment. On our last day in Honolulu, Megha and I planned to hike up Diamond Head, and I knew that this was the spot as Megha was dying to see Diamond Head. We started the hike early in the morning in attempt to catch the perfect sunrise. We reached the top of Diamond Head just in time to catch the perfect sunrise overlooking the water and then I knew this was the moment I had been waiting for. I had the perfect proposal speech prepared and was ready to get down on one knee, but….Megha had other plans. ...so my plans included of climbing to the top of the crater to find the perfect spot for my next selfie.… LOL once we got up to the top I noticed Pavan was being overly romantic. I didn't think much of it since I was ready to explore Diamond Head Crater. Then all of a sudden, Pavan dropped onto one knee and I just froze. I couldn't believe this was happening!!! I was speechless, but also so excited to share the details of the perfect proposal with my family and friends…(#gotadiamondondiamondhead)

Our Story 1

Our Wedding

Grah Shanti

Grah Shanti Pooja is the ritual before the wedding that is performed by a priest. During this ritual the priest calls forth Lord Ganesha and asks him to remove the obstacles from the path of the bride and groom, so that they may have a happy livelihood.Megha's Grah Shanti:Friday November 10, 20179:00 am - 1:00 pmPatel Residence11974 Jackson Creek Dr.Jacksonville, FL 32258********************************Pavan's Grah Shanti:Saturday November 11, 20178:30 am - 1:00 pmCourtyard St. Augustine Beach605 A1A Beach BoulevardSt. Augustine, FL 32080

Garba/Raas

A night of energetic and fun folk dancing for all of the family and friends, getting everyone excited for the wedding.Saturday November 11, 20176:00 pm - 11:30 pmElks Lodge of St. Augustine1420 A1A S,St. Augustine, FL 32080

The Hindu wedding ceremony begins with welcoming the groom and his family, also known as the Baraat/Jaan, to the wedding. The Baraat/Jaan is a parade-like procession accompanied with music &amp; dancing until the groom arrives to wedding venue. The mother of the bride welcomes &amp; blesses the groom &amp; leads him to the Mandap. The bride is then led to the Mandap by her maternal uncles, where the bride &amp; groom see each other for the first time. The bride &amp; groom then garland each other, indicating mutual approval to proceed with the ceremony. A number of prayers are recited by the priest throughout the ceremony, which bind the couple as husband and wife. Kannyadan is performed by the bride's parents to symbolize "giving away" of the bride. The mother of the bride pours water into bride's father's palm which flows into the groom's hand &amp; into the bride's hand symbolizing the continuity of life &amp; passing of the family heritage. Soon after the groom adorns the bride with a Mangalsutra, which is a symbol of love, friendship &amp; good luck. The groom then applies kumkum/sindhoor on the bride's forehead, symbolizing a married woman. A holy fire [Agni] is lit, around which the couple completes the 4 sacred circles signifying their transition into married life. The couple then takes 7 steps [Saptapadi] together to reiterate their aspirations of their married life. This marks the end of the wedding ceremony &amp; blessing are given by family members to the married couple. Sunday November 12th, 20178:00 am – 2:00 pm Treasury on the Plaza24 Cathedral Place Suite 111St. Augustine, FL 32084

It's time to introduce the newly married couple and enjoy the night with cocktails, dinner and dancing! Let's Get Ready to Party!!Sunday November 12th, 20176:00 pm – 11:30 pm Treasury on the Plaza24 Cathedral Place Suite 111St. Augustine, FL 32084

Our Events

Photos

Details

Wedding Party

Q + A

For everyone who is traveling from out-of-town, thank you so much for making the trip! We are happy and excited that you are able to join us for our wedding celebrations! All of the airports close to the hotel are below. Airports close to the Courtyard St. Augustine Beach:Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) - Roughly 1 hourDaytona Beach International Airport (DAB) - Roughly 1 hourSanford International Airport (SFB) - Roughly 1 hour and 30 minsOrlando International Airport (MCO) - Roughly 2 hours

Courtyard by Marriott St. Augustine Beach

Travel

Registry

Hop-on and hop-off wherever you like to explore landmarks and museums at your pace. Or sit back and relax and see the best that St. Augustine has to offer with this live narrated tour.
Enjoy scenic views of the city's unique terrain as you learn about over 100 points of historical interest from your knowledgeable guide. Step off and board at your leisure to explore attractions, historic sites, restaurants, and shopping in the nation’s oldest city. Some locales date back to the 18th century, such as the Spanish Military Hospital on Aviles Street, which was named after the Spanish city in which the city’s founder was born.
Route stops include:
<ul>
<li>San Sebastian Winery</li>
<li>Whetstone Chocolate Factory</li>
<li>The Lightner Museum</li>
<li>The Oldest House</li>
<li>Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Odditorum</li>
<li>Castillo de San Marcos</li>
<li>Colonial Spanish Quarter</li>
<li>Fort Menendez</li>
<li>Mission Nombre de Dios</li>
<li>Spanish Military Hospital</li>
</ul>
Choose from a 1-day or 3-day ticket to ride the Red Trains and see all that St. Augustine has to offer.

Megha & Pavan

Megha & Pavan

Photos