The First Date Story Behind This Pretty Indian Wedding is 100% Rom-Com Worthy
"What's the craziest thing you've ever done?" she asked. He leaned over and kissed her.
Parina Agarwal and Siddharth Bindra held their Indian wedding ceremony at the Sheraton Valley Forge. Photography by Live View Studios
As fall marches forward and brings with it the dark tones of winter, we’re thrilled when a wedding that showcases the bright, light colors of seasons past rolls along and enlivens us once again. This late-summer Indian wedding and ceremony at the Sheraton Valley Forge, photographed by Brent Deitrich at Live View Studios, is vivacious yet subtle and beautifully showcases the culture.
Parina Agarwal and Siddharth Bindra met on Dil Mil — a dating app for people of South Asian descent. After they matched on the app, they began texting nonstop. “Regardless of the time difference or where we were or who we were with, we couldn’t stop thinking about each other,” Parina, a Philadelphia native, says of her instant connection with Siddharth, a D.C. resident at the time.
Three weeks into their texting relationship, Sid and Parina met up in New York City, where Parina was living at the time. “Thank god I wasn’t being catfished,” Sid remembers of his first in-person impression. “When she opened the door to her apartment, my heart exploded.”
That night, the duo took an Uber to the Standard Biergarten for their first date. At their table, Parina asked Sid what the craziest thing he’d ever done was. He responded with a kiss. By the end of the trip, Sid shared with Parina that before leaving home, he told his mom he was going to marry her.
Their whirlwind romance resulted in an engagement in less than six months. While vacationing in Positano, Italy, in August, Sid made plans with a photographer who gave him directions on where to propose. Sid instructed Parina to dress up for a “nice event,” and took his bride-to-be on a walk along the coast until they reached a crowd-free area. Sid got down on one knee — then, nervously, asked Parina to marry him. “We spent the next two hours shooting in Positano and producing the most beautiful memories of my life,” he says.
A year later, Parina and Sid married at the Sheraton Valley Forge. Their shared Indian heritage played a big role in the Big Day: Parina’s henna artist put an NYC landmark, the Statue of Liberty, on one of the bride’s hands and a D.C. landmark, the Capitol Building, on the other in honor of her and Sid’s long distance relationship; for their first dance, they danced to a medley of their favorite Bollywood songs.
Roses in pastel shades also played a big part in the celebration. During her entrance, four of Parina’s brothers and cousins held up a floral blanket that hovered over the bride, and her hairdo was covered with fresh roses. “I wanted a very soft and dreamy look,” the bride says.
THE DETAILS
Photographer & Videographer: Live View Studios | Venue: Sheraton Valley Forge | Florals: LAX States | Catering: Catering By Rasoi | Bride’s Gown: Shrangar | Hair & Makeup: Maliha Khan | Groom’s Attire: YSL | Entertainment: JP Entertainment | Cake: Isgro Pastries
Get more great content from Philadelphia Wedding:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST
Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Philadelphia Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.
