Romance was the farthest thing on the mind of Queen’s Preparatory School educator Julie Ramchandani while on a business trip to St Maarten. Fate, however, brought true love into her orbit. An intense courtship resulted in a wedding jamboree for herself and her newfound love Rajiv Harpalani, sales manager, Grand Jewellers St Maarten. Vows takes you from “Hello” to “I do”.

THE PILGRIMAGE TO THE ALTAR

Julie visited St Maarten in 2015 for a Rotary Conference. While out for drinks one evening, a mutual friend introduced her to Rajiv. The chemistry between the two was immediate. “From the moment we met I knew there was something special. We ended up spending the entire night talking, which was when we unofficially established our union. However, being in a long-distance relationship isn’t always easy, so we decided if it was going to work, we would have to meet at least once a month, she said”

Aided by accumulated frequent flyer miles, the couple set out on their journey to love. As the months went by, the lovebirds became more enamoured of each other, and after meeting Julie’s parents, Rajiv decided to pop the question. While Julie was on vacation in St Maarten with her three sisters, Rajiv arranged to show up at their hotel room one morning while she was still asleep. He knelt at her bedside and waited for her eyes to open. “I felt someone staring at me, and as soon as I opened my eyes, there he was on bended knee with a ring in his hands. Naturally, I said yes!” she said.

THE WEDDING DIGEST

The betrothed couple — both of Indian descent — welcomed 450 guests from India, St Maarten and Jamaica to a four-day celebration of traditional Indian activities held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel and coordinated by event planner Kimberly Wong. The festivities began on August 4, 2016, each one surpassing the allure of the other. Vows takes you through the journey.

Day 1 – The Engagement Ceremony. This ceremony, officiated by Pandit Ishwar Sharma, included the exchange and blessing of rings and the acceptance of the union by parents of both the bride and groom. This was a grand celebration of the Indian culture. Julie wore an embroidered V-neck pink dress while Rajiv sported a striped button-up dress shirt with jeans.

Day 2 – The Sacred Thread ceremony was performed for the young men of the bride’s family. Each was given three strands of the sacred thread which represent three promises that he makes: to respect the knowledge, the parents and the society.

Day 2 (Part 2) – Welcome Dinner. Showcasing Jamaica and its culture is very important to Julie, and she felt her guests should be able to see and appreciate her reasons for being so passionate about her island home. As family and friends arrived from overseas, they were all treated to a Jamaican-themed night, dubbed “Nyammin and Jammin”. Julie made her entrance in a gold draped-neck floor-length gown with Rajiv in a brown jacket over a button-up dress shirt and jeans. The evening showcased several aspects of the Jamaican culture — a peanut man, a sugar cane man, along with a wide array of Jamaican cuisine and desserts for guests to enjoy, courtesy of the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

Day 3 – The morning began with separate prayer ceremonies for the bride and groom. These ceremonies are called the NavGhrai and Ghari Puja, and are essential to the couple’s preparation for marriage.

Day 3 (Part 2) – The Sangeet. This was an evening of dancing, singing, and celebration of the upcoming union of the bride and groom. The ladies came together to apply their henna (mehendi) and were later joined by the men. Family members performed a re-enactment of how the bride and groom met, then proceeded to enjoy an evening of fun and laughter. There was a wide variety of Indian street food provided by Sucheta Sujanani, an open bar and an LED dance floor where guests spun and twirled until the wee hours of the morning.

Day 4 – Wedding Ceremony. The morning began with the couple walking around a sacred fire under their mandap — a temporary covered structure where they recited their vows to each other. Julie was stunning in a red sari imported from India complemented by gold Indian jewellery, while Rajiv was dapper in a traditional Hindu garment called a Sherwani. Rings were exchanged and a chain called the “mangalsutra” (worn only by married women) was gifted to the bride by the bridegroom.

THE RECEPTION

This was a glamorous night of gold and white décor, which featured dozens of arranged roses and orchids, courtesy of Sharon Bair and Melanie Miller. The newly-weds made their entrance to Bob Marley’s Could You Be Loved, after which cocktails were served, followed by formalities such as toasts to the bride and groom and the cutting of the three-tiered vanilla-flavoured cake by Vinisha Samtani. The couple performed their first dance as husband and wife to John Legend’s Stay With You, followed by their surprise performance to a mix of Indian music which got the party started. Guests enjoyed an array of cultural cuisine from Tamarind Indian Restaurant, Nirvanna Indian Fusion Cuisine, Sucheta Sujanani, and the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. A special candle-lighting ceremony was performed in honour of the bride’s deceased father. Bonbonnieres (wedding favours) were mini replicas of the wedding cake, done by Sweet Mischief Jamaica and gifted to the guests by the newly-weds. Guests partied and enjoyed an evening of fun and dancing into the wee hours of the morning.

THE HONEYMOON

After a long week of celebration, the newly-weds spent the next few days relaxing at Sandals, Ochi.