Meet Shilpa! We had the opportunity to get her ready for her big day back in May 2023. Her wedding took place at St. Thomas Malankara Orthodox Church, where she and her husband, Vineeth, first met as kids. In this interview, she talks about her bridal look, her wedding preparations, and her experiences with Cinderella Bridez.

Q: What Bridal Look Were You Going for? Glamorous and Bold? Simple yet Elegant?

Shilpa wanted to emphasize her natural beauty with a simple look that enhanced her features without changing her face shape. In the past, she’s had professional makeup artists that made her look unrecognizable, which she wanted to avoid for her wedding. She also didn’t want to distract too much from her beautiful dress and sari which were full of beadwork and intricate designs.

How Did You Get Your Skin Ready for Your Makeup Look?

During the month leading up to her wedding, Shilpa focused on perfecting her skincare routine. She drank at least two-three liters of water a day, did weekly face masks and lip scrubs, and used moisturizers and sunscreen throughout the day. A few days before the wedding, she used gel polish to do a French tip on her nails, got a caramel balayage and hair trim to get rid of some split ends, and got henna done. For any upcoming brides, she highly recommends getting henna done before guests so you can celebrate with friends and family as they get theirs done.

How Did You Handle any Stress while Getting Ready for Your Wedding?

Shilpa and her husband were the first to get married from both sides of their families. They also had a large Indian wedding, and everyone wanted to get involved in some way. They all gave their own opinions on how their big day should go, but Shilpa realized that she had to focus on her own likes in order to achieve her perfect wedding. By tuning out others’ passing comments, she was able to make her own decisions and stick to them. Another stressor she faced was planning her wedding while working a full-time job as a Resident. Her way of pushing past this stress was to separate her work from her wedding planning. She thought of her wedding planning as another “shift” at a different job. After her work ended at 7:00PM, she would start her second “job,” which would last two hours. This made it easier to dedicate time to what needed to be done for the wedding, and it allowed her to not spend excess time re-thinking her decisions.

Where Did Your Wedding Take Place? What Made You Decide to Choose This Venue?

Their wedding took place at the parish that the two of them first met. They’ve both been members of this parish since they were toddlers, and they have been friends since then. Although the physical building has changed throughout the years, the sentiment behind every memory they created there made it an easy decision to choose this location for their wedding. Shilpa and her husband are still members of this church and attend Sunday service together. She loved looking down the aisle knowing that the parish they grew up running around is the same place they were becoming husband and wife.

Where Did Your Guests Travel from?

Their guests traveled from all over the country, including Florida, Texas, California, and Washington. Some guests even flew in from India and London. Her grandparents were also able to come to their wedding from India, and it was a huge blessing for Shilpa to have them there not only for her big day, but also for the month afterwards.

How Did You Prepare for Your Wedding Ceremony? What Aspects Did You Consider for Your Wedding?

For their wedding, Shilpa and her husband had to prepare their aisle decor, the accessories and outfits of their flower girl and ring bearer, and getting priests, deacons, and even bishops to attend. They also spiritually prepared for their marriage with counseling sessions from their parish Vicar. They met with him almost every month for about a year before their ceremony to discuss what marriage means in an Orthodox Church. These sessions helped them learn more about each other and their faith.

How Did You and Your Spouse Meet? How Did You Know You Wanted to Marry Them?

Shilpa and her husband met more than 20 years ago, when they were members of the same church. As kids, they were very close friends, but eventually grew apart as they got a bit older because of fear of “cooties.” When they were 16, and this fear became nothing more than a silly idea that children often have, they started dating. Ever since the beginning, Shilpa had a gut feeling that Vineeth was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Even after 20 years of knowing each other, their feelings never faded, but continue to grow.

What Are/Were Your Honeymoon Plans?

After their wedding, Shilpa and her husband went to Sandals Barbados for a week. After planning their big day for a year and working on wedding preparations, this trip allowed them the relaxation they both deserved. They were able to just enjoy each other’s company and experience their first trip together as a married couple.

What Advice Would You Give to a Bride Who’s Planning Her Wedding?

For any upcoming brides, Shilpa advises to find parts of the wedding preparation that you’re not entirely passionate about, such as finding a florist or figuring out party favors, and spend less time, money, or resources on them. This way, you can focus on the parts of your wedding that you are really passionate about, such as food or music. If you focus on every aspect of your upcoming day, it might get too overwhelming, expensive, or stressful. For Shilpa, she did not want extravagant floral arrangements, and because of this, she was able to spend less time and money on them. She also ordered heart-shaped sunglasses from Amazon as party favors. Because she spent less time on these parts of her wedding, she was able to focus her time and energy on the parts that mattered more to her, which were the outfits, food, and entertainment. Even though she didn’t focus on her party favors or flowers, her guests loved them either way!

Are There any Moments that Stand out to You from Your Wedding?

Right before Shilpa walked down the aisle, she and her immediate family were squeezed into a side room of the church so she could be hidden from the crowd before her big reveal. They were all so happy together at that moment. They shared a few nervous laughs and kept any nerves at bay by reassuring each other. Another moment that stands out to Shilpa is when she was getting ready for her grand entrance with Vineeth at their reception in Crest Hollow Country Club. They had just changed into their second outfits, a sari and sherwani, and both exchanged big smiles out of pure excitement to get on the dance floor.

Do You Have any Do’s and Don’ts for Planning a Wedding?

For anyone planning their perfect wedding, Shilpa advises to start planning early so you have plenty of time to book the vendors you like and to choose an official wedding date. She also says to start following Instagram pages of wedding planners to see the vendors they’ve tagged in their posts. This way, you get to find out the styles, designs, makeup, photography, and entertainment you would like at your wedding. As for don’ts, she says to not rethink any decisions you’ve already made just because someone else is making you doubt yourself. Your wedding should be about you and your partner, and it can’t be if you’re following someone else’s opinions and not your own.

Why Did You Choose Cinderella Bridez for Your Wedding Day?

Shilpa had her hair and makeup done by Cinderella Bridez a few years ago when she was a bridesmaid. She loved that they were not only exceptional at makeup and hair services, but they were also personable and kind artists. She loved her look, and she felt that they really started her morning off right. She knew she wanted that same confidence and reassurance for her own bridesmaids and her mother and mother-in-law, who were all anxious about their makeup. Her family and friends could not stop complimenting everyone’s looks. The morning of the wedding, everyone was filled with laughs and happiness, which is all she could have asked for. She knew that she made the right choice, and she says she could work with them again in a heartbeat.

To Shilpa and Vineeth, we wish you guys a long, happy life together! Thank you so much again for giving us the opportunity to interview you about your experiences.

If you want to read more about our bridal services, check out the rest of our website at cinderellabridez.com. Or if you want to read about Barbie’s experiences as a small business owner, visit her website at barbiepatel.com.