How & Where Did You Meet?
We met each other at secondary school and have been dating ever since!

Which Venue Did You Choose & Why?
We started looking around for venues in June 2006. We wanted a large hotel venue as we intended to invite 300 guests for both our wedding and reception. We finally decided on the Leicester Marriott as it had recently opened and had a clean and contemporary feel that would accommodate all our needs and had fantastic wedding planner affiliated with it - Tania Tapel.

We chose the venue due to it's proximity to London, the rural feel due to the gardens and the sheer space available. Other factors included the capacity to accommodate 300 guests and permission for us to use our chosen caterers, Vama. The flexibility for decorations & creating the wow factor with the semi permanent marquee structure already erected on the grounds made this the perfect venue choice for us.

How did you plan your wedding?
Leicester Marriott recommended us to the expert wedding planning services of Tania Tapel. Anita and her team were on hand to help us with Logistics, advice and ensuring the smooth running of the day. We would wholeheartedly recommend their services for any couple looking to execute a wow factor wedding without the stress!

What did the bride wear?
For the civil marriage, I wore a pink fushcia skirt and top in a simple contemporary style. I then changed for the Indian wedding into a salmon fishtail bridal lengha and for the evening reception I wore a gold dress, made from Indian golden brocade with a westernised design. Each outfit was complimented by matching jewellery and shoes.

What did the groom wear?
For the civil ceremony Vinesh wore a dark suit with a stylish cala lily buttonhole. For the Indian wedding he wore a traditional copper silk sherwani and for the reception he wore an English morning suit in dark colours, with a golden waistcoat and cravat that matched my outfit.

Describe the ceremony. Were there any particularly memorable moments?
For the civil ceremony we invited only our immediate families from both sides which equated to about 50 people. This was followed by our Indian ceremony where we invited approximately 150 guests. The ceremony was conducted in Sanskrit and English by a priest who came from the Hare Krishna temple. He carried out a shortened ceremony which lasted no more than an hour. It was a silent ceremony and all our guests listened attentively, making it intimate and truly beautiful.

Tell Us About The Reception?
We invited 300 people for the evening reception. The banquet hall was decorated with gold organza drapes with pealights across the ceiling. The walls were covered with off-white pleated drapes with hot pink coloured uplighters to complement our colour scheme, as well as chair covers with gold organza bows. Flowers consisting of hot pink gerberas and antherym lilies, with stationary to match for the menu cards, place name cards and favour boxes. The overall effect was stunning and took all our guests breath away!

What Kind Of Food Did You Have?
We served North Indian Tandoori style cuisine to our guests with a Karahi stand for each table.We also had a four-tier stacked wedding cake, in sponge, iced and decorated with a design to match our wedding stationery.

What Was Your First Dance?
Stuck On You by Lionel Ritchie

Where Did You Go On Honeymoon?
We went to Bangkok, Singapore and Bali, one of the most incredible and beautiful places in the world. The perfect start to our married life!

Our Wedding Planner
Tania-Tapel - Anita Patel - 0116 247 1115

Our Photographer
Glen Ford Photography - www.glenfordphotography.co.uk

Our Videographer
Raks Videography

Our Beautician
Nita, Neat Hair & Makeup

Wedding Dress
Rang Collection