Indian Fusion Wedding: Bridging Cultural Customs and Modern Wedding Trends

Many couples want to honor their family and cultural traditions on their wedding day while simultaneously exhibiting their style and personality in a modern way. Our most recent styled photoshoot showcases just how a couple can bring meaningful cultural elements into a gorgeous modern wedding.

The models, Jessica and Sameer, met at a local Buffalo coffee shop. Jessica, a Buffalo native, and Sameer, who moved to the States from India for higher education, quickly hit it off. After 11.5 months of dating, they eloped in Las Vegas in December 2014. A year later, they hosted a reception in Buffalo for family and friends.

But with a non-conventional wedding, they were missing the elements, like cultural garb and colors, that would have come if they had hosted a larger, more traditional affair. So, this photoshoot was an opportunity to showcase as many traditional and culturally important items as possible.

There were so many deep-rooted cultural elements—from the Seven Sacred Steps, exchanging garlands to welcome each other into the other’s family, and the traditional pre-wedding Henna ceremony—that inspiration was everywhere. (Check out Upstate Indie Wedding’s post for more detailed information about the variety of cultural elements our team drew on.)

For our part, Graphic-Poetry really wanted to focus on the deep traditions that Hindu weddings have and their significance in the culture and to the couple. Liz, the owner and lead designer at Graphic-Poetry, was thrilled to be a part of it.

“It was particularly close to my heart since I have been a student of yogic theology and Ayurveda for so long. I have a deep respect for and feel a strong connection to this culture,” Liz said.

 Some of the important elements in the design included the invitation for the traditional Henna ceremony. While this wouldn’t be a part of traditional Western weddings, this ceremony is an important piece of Hindu weddings. It is usually held the night before the wedding, and it is a way of wishing the bride good health and prosperity as she makes her journey into her marriage.

Also included in the stationery was a more detailed ceremony program. Of course, many couples have programs to guide their guests through the ceremony and to have as keepsakes for years to come. But with this Indian Fusion wedding, many of the guests may not have been familiar with the customs and traditions of an Indian ceremony. It was important to showcase the traditions and guide those unfamiliar with them in a beautiful, simple way.

 The place cards are one of our favorite design elements from this shoot. With a vibrant mosaic background and a unique shape (who doesn’t love arched cards?), it felt like the most gorgeous blend of the traditional vibrant colors and shapes, with modern flair in the font and velvet ribbon accent. Believe it or not, this was a last-minute add on, but we couldn’t imagine the shoot without it now.

While this suite of cards wasn’t as extensive as a traditional wedding, it still included place cards, menus, ceremony programs, and, of course, the invitations. Can we talk about those invites for a minute? Henna-inspired swirls with unique, tiny details and the printed envelope interior—it makes us gush just thinking about it. In fact the Henna design on the invites was taken from the real Henna application on Jessica by Loti Henna, a fellow village of Hamburg boutique! 

While this couple has been married for years, we were so happy to bring their customs to life and provide them with a gorgeous experience with Indian cultural flair and modern elements. Further proving that every couple’s wedding experience is entirely unique—and it’s possible to bring wedding inspo from nearly anywhere!

SHOOT OUT @upstateindieweddings

VENUE @marygoldmanor

PLANNING / FLORAL / DESIGN @bushelevents

SIGNAGE / INVITES @gpinvitations 

DESSERTS @fairycakesbuffalo

VIDEO @filmwellstudios 

ATTIRE @madebyanatomy

RENTALS @mccarthyevents @shared_treasures_rental

BEAUTY @salonelizabeth_buffalo

HENNA @lotihennastudio

PHOTO @nspstudiodotcom @lydia.maybee @jeffwelt_weddings @sarahawintle

Look to the Stars: Astrological Inspo and Tips for an Elegant Themed Wedding

Ever feel like your love was written in the stars? Like the planets aligned ever so perfectly to bring you two together? That’s precisely the feeling we wanted to evoke in our celestial styled photoshoot.

Somewhere out there, in the middle of nowhere on a long dirt road, where the city lights couldn’t possibly obstruct the view of the stars, we set our scene. Delicate pale flowers and frosty blue and white accents charmed an intimate setting.

Of course, this wasn’t a real wedding, but the models, Jess and Nico, are a real couple. In fact, they became Graphic-Poetry clients after this shoot and also used Blue Violet Wedding Design (who is responsible for the gorgeous floral design, rentals, and styling in this photoshoot) for their own wedding as well.

There are so many things we love about this styled shoot. What’s not to love about a theme that feels so ancient and purposeful (I mean, stars are incredibly old!) but also so charming, intimate, and modern?

For this shoot, Graphic-Poetry created the invitation set and the menu card, bringing the specs of shimmering gold and silver to dark, moody backgrounds to really mimic the feel of a magical night sky. Fun fact: The menu design you see here was the first round menu we’ve ever created, and it has been a huge hit ever since.

I think, even more than the mystical vibe this photoshoot brings, I love the subtlety of it all. Accessories like the bride’s jacket and hair piece complement the table accents—like the menu details and the crystals in the flowers on the cake—to create an elegant atmosphere. The theme is there, but it isn’t overwhelming.

Many couples may feel that having a themed wedding feels weird. “More like a prom,” I’ve heard said. But unlike those tacky themed school dances we all remember (didn’t everyone have an “under the sea” theme at some point?), a themed wedding can showcase the personalities of the bride and groom in a mature way. Working with professional wedding vendors can help make sure that your theme unveils itself in the most elegant, subtle, and gorgeous ways.

Have a theme in mind for your special day? Check out Graphic-Poetry’s custom invitation gallery to see how we’ve helped coupled bring their specific themes to life through invitations, menus, and more. Want to discuss your theme and everything we can offer? Book a complimentary design consultation today.

We can’t wait to make your wedding dreams come true. It’s almost like…it was written in the stars.

Credits:

Photographer: Colleen Kelly / @colleenkellyphoto

Floral Design, Rentals and Styling: Blue Violet Wedding Design / @bluevioletbuffalo

Cake: Cake Effect / @cake_effect_buffalo

Stationery: Graphic Poetry / @gpinvitations

Bridal Gown: A.P. Bridal / @a.p.bridal

Bridal Jacket: Smith & Nash / @smithandnash

Makeup: Brianna Ronan Beauty / @briannaronanbeauty

Models: Jess Warner & Nico Capron @Jess.warner & @capron32

Boho Inspo: Graphic-Poetry's First Styled Photoshoot

It’s no secret that boho-themed weddings have been a popular choice for couples looking to showcase their free-spirited, nature-centric relationship. When the bohemian vibe first took stage (or altar?) a few years ago, Graphic-Poetry was invited to take part in a styled photoshoot with—you guessed it—a boho theme!

I was nervous, having never been a part of a styled shoot before, but I was excited to network with the other small businesses that would further introduce me to the local wedding community. And, of course, I was thrilled at the prospect of getting creative with other artsy, imaginative brands.  

After much preparation, designing the perfect boho-floral invites and menu card, along with lacy, dreamcatcher-style seating chart signs, I showed up on the day of the shoot to find out that the team had already run into a few snags. The model that was going to play the part of the bride cancelled due to the flu. Soon after, the groom model cancelled too. But just like troubleshooting on a real wedding day, the team of professionals though quickly to remedy the situation and keep the shoot alive. Beth Clark, owner of Bridal Chateau, suddenly became her own model, donning the bridal dress she supplied for the shoot. Another team member called in a favor from a friend, and in short order we had a groom to complete the pair!

After that snaffu, the day was nothing but fun. The team bonded, wondering how we managed to have perfectly matched décor, accessories, and stationary without having spoken to one other beforehand. It was uncanny how well my invites and menu matched the florals and antiques from Blue Violet Buffalo.

When all was said and done, I not only had a wonderful new group of local wedding professionals to call on, but I also had photos depicting one of the most beautiful boho weddings I’ve ever seen! (Even though it wasn’t real!) I’ve continued to do more styled shoots with the professionals that collaborated that day and we’ve done many different wedding styles, so I’ll be sharing more about those in the future.

Perhaps the most important thing that came from that day was the future impact of having those professional photos. Wedding planning is hard enough for couples, as they make choices about a day far in the future and often without having a concrete idea of exactly how things will look. With the stress and cost of a wedding, it’s understandable when couples want a real visual—something tangible they can see and approve—before their order is in their hands.

 For Graphic-Poetry, we have samples of stock and card designs, but couples wonder how they will look with other décor they’ve already chosen. How will the table seating chart look next to the table linens? How will the menu card look with the plates? Will the dress really fit the ambiance they are going for?

Having professional styled shoots helps change those anxieties for engaged couples. They can see how things may come together, an example—and not just ones they’ve found on Pinterest—of what their big day may look like. And, better yet, they can have access to all the vendors that worked on the shoot, so if they see a particular piece they just need to add, I can put them in contact with the person who created that piece.

Styled shoots have become a staple in Graphic-Poetry, not just for the gorgeous, beyond Insta-worthy photos, but because it is just one more way we can help our clients ease their anxieties and ensure their day will be as perfect and unique as their relationship is to them.

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Follow the Brands Involved in this Shoot on Instagram for More Wedding Inspo:

Photography: @LeannaAlexis

Planning: @EVLEvents

Models: @ErinDougherty

Hair: @SalonElizabeth_Buffalo

Makeup: @BriannaRonanBeauty

Styling/Venue: @LaGalleriaEvents

Dress: @BridalChateau

Accessories: @BinaBonnet

Florist/Rentals: @BlueVioletBuffalo

Desserts: @CupCakeDevl

Jewelry: @AurumJewelersBuffalo

Stationary: @GPInvitations