The stunning skyline of the city served as the backdrop for Akina & Nirav’s colorful urban wedding last September.
How they met: Nirav is a corporate lawyer who had moved from his firm’s New York office to the Tokyo office, and he was living in Shibuya, Tokyo. Meanwhile, Akina, who had studied sculpture at the Joshibi University of Art and Design in Tokyo, was living and working in Sagamihara, in nearby Kanagawa. Independently, Nirav and Akina were both big beer connoisseurs, and also happened to both be regulars at Belgo, one of Tokyo’s oldest Belgian beer bars, in Shibuya. Nirav would often stop in at Belgo after late nights in the office, while Akina would spend slow Sunday afternoons there with friends. Since Nirav tended to be at the bar on weeknights, and Akina on Sundays, they had a number of common friends and acquaintances, but their paths never crossed. That is, until the fateful Saturday when Akina happened to have the day off from work, and Nirav was stopping in for a nightcap.
From the bride: In a traditional Indian wedding, the groom approaches the wedding venue as part of a baraat, a wedding procession where the grooms family and friends dance in front of the groom, who is seated on a horse. Meanwhile, the bride watches expectantly from the wedding venue. For our wedding, Nirav’s baraat processed along the Jersey City waterfront, with the New York City skyline in the background, while I watched from a window seat at the hotel restaurant. That moment, watching the collected friends and family having a blast on their way to the wedding under a bright and beautiful September sky, will stay with me forever.
Event Venue: Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson//Ring Designer: Sona Jewelers//Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Manyavar//Makeup Artist: kc makeup//Cake Designer: City sweets & confections//Caterer: Bukhara Grill//Paper Props: Bright and Blue Designs//Other: Shout! Dance Floor Wraps//Equipment Rentals: Hi Tech Events, LLC – Dance Floor//Lighting: Bentley Meeker//Other: Luxe Event Rentals//Equipment Rentals: Evolution Event Rentals//Floral Designer: Design House Decor//Event Planner: Sonal J. Shah Event Consultants//Professional: Clane Gessel Photography//Photographer: Clane Gessel Photography