Dimble and Abhilash’s Clearwater Indian wedding was a wintery dream, featuring twinkling white branches and romantic candlelight in an ornate ballroom setting.
“I had the vision of a winter wonderland theme. Our venue is extraordinary by itself, but I knew that the secret garden feel with the fountains, statues, and chandeliers would add a special touch. I wanted everything to be white, sparkly, and iced out,” the bride articulated. “We had minimal florals overall, but we lined the ceremony room and reception hall with lit-up white birchwood trees, a lot of candles, and a slight accent of classic white flowers with blush highlights. It was magical!”
The Tampa couple turned to the team of experts at Coastal Coordinating to guide them through the process of planning an event for their 450 friends and family. Given their busy schedules, the pair relied on their planner to provide referrals for the area’s top wedding professionals and to ensure no details were missed.
“I needed a planner who provided a full wedding planning package, not just day-of-coordination. I work full-time, and we were moving during the wedding planning process, so I specifically needed someone who could help from start to finish,” Dimble shared. “Katy at Coastal Coordinating is extremely thorough and kept me organized! She has many contacts throughout Tampa Bay and remembered all of the little things that any stressed bride-to-be would forget.”
The bride and groom wanted their strong faith reflected through a sentimental and religious ceremony. The pair partook in communion together and exchanged vows led by their church pastor for a meaningful and intimate experience.
“Our ceremony was very special for us. We were both raised in Christian families, and our faith is very important to us and our foundation,” Dimble detailed. “Our pastor from Radiant Church presided; it was literally ‘church.’ We had our first communion together while the worship team sang, and it was a private and sacred moment for us. Everyone said that they could just feel the reverence and love surrounding the entire evening.”
Since the bride’s decor vision incorporated fewer flowers and more sparkle, she sought a floral designer with an impressive inventory of décor pieces that could translate her wintery wedding dream into reality. Upon meeting Lemon Drops Weddings & Events and seeing their decorative elements in person, Dimble was confident that their team would flawlessly execute the transformation of the space.
“It was a challenge finding a decorator who could create my winter wonderland vision in my budget. Then we found Lemon Drops; they had a beautiful showroom where I could actually see what they had in stock, and they had plenty of inventory to facilitate my dream wedding. They were very flexible with tweaking the proposal until it was perfect, and I was happy,” the bride raved.
Dimble and Abhilash’s wedding was the culmination of their long relationship and the joining together of two families, which made for a truly epic party. Their mutual love of music was on full display during the celebration, with everything from string musicians to DJs flown in from across the country, and it ended with an unforgettable last dance.
“We both love to host and bring our family and friends together whenever we can. We met in college and have been dating for 13 years, so we anticipated a huge reunion, and the goal was for our wedding the be the party of the year!” the bride beamed. “Our friends and family did multiple dance performances throughout the night ending in a surprise flash mob! We had so much entertainment!”
What did you look for in a wedding planner?
I needed a planner who provided a full wedding planning package, not just day-of-coordination. I work full-time, and we were moving during the wedding planning process, so I specifically needed someone who could help from start to finish.
Katy at Coastal Coordinating is extremely thorough and kept me organized! She has many contacts throughout Tampa Bay and remembered all of the little things that any stressed bride-to-be would forget.
The Proposal:
Abhilash planned a very intimate proposal at his condo after tricking me to arrive with the ruse of his nephew’s “graduation party.” He lined a walkway to his office in grass shavings (he’s very rugged) and rose petals to end in a bucket of champagne, roses, and balloons. He recruited my cousin, a photographer, to capture the moment, and afterward, he planned a surprise proposal party with my closest family and friends; it was perfect!
How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
I had the vision of a winter wonderland theme. Our venue is extraordinary by itself, but I knew that the secret garden feel with the fountains, statues, and chandeliers would add a special touch. I wanted everything to be white, sparkly, and iced out. We had minimal florals overall, but we lined the ceremony room and reception hall with lit-up white birchwood trees, a lot of candles, and a slight accent of classic white flowers with blush highlights. It was magical!
What were your colors?
Since the white winter wonderland theme was already in motion, we went with navy, burgundy, and dusty rose for the main colors. These were used more in the Indian outfits we changed into and that the bridal party and families wore.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We are going to India and the Maldives in the fall. I only have one living grandparent, and she was unable to travel to the U.S. for our wedding, so we will be first traveling to Kerala, South India, so she can meet my husband and then to my dream honeymoon location!
Where did you host your bachelorette party?
I had never been to Vegas and always knew that would be my bachelorette spot. We had 24 girls booked for Vegas two months before the wedding, and then Hurricane Ian came to stop us from going! After a few crazy detours, 14 of us finally made it to Vegas, and it was a trip to remember!
What did you look for in a wedding florist?
I wanted everything to be white, sparkly, and iced out. We had minimal florals overall, but we lined the ceremony room and reception hall with lit-up white birchwood trees, a lot of candles, and a slight accent of classic white flowers with blush highlights. It was magical!
It was a challenge finding a decorator who could create my winter wonderland vision in my budget. Then we found Lemon Drops Weddings & Events; they had a beautiful showroom where I could actually see what they had in stock, and they had plenty of inventory to facilitate my dream wedding. They were very flexible with tweaking the proposal until it was perfect, and I was happy.”
“I needed a planner who provided a full wedding planning package, not just day-of-coordination. I work full-time, and we were moving during the wedding planning process, so I specifically needed someone who could help from start to finish. Katy at Coastal Coordinating is extremely thorough and kept me organized! She has many contacts throughout Tampa Bay and remembered all of the little things that any stressed bride-to-be would forget.”
-The Bride
Which vendors really exceeded your expectations?
Overall, I was very happy with all of my vendors. I was extremely thankful for my hair and makeup team. Their artists do an exceptional job and made me and 15 of my best girlfriends look absolutely amazing! It was a very emotional day with a lot of busyness, and even through the tears and activity, our hair and makeup didn’t budge.
What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
Wedding planning is stressful, and this will never change. Use all of the help you can get from your family and friends, and hire a reputable wedding planner to take as much off your plate as possible. You will not regret it.
