Amy & James

Amy's bridal mehndi was recently posted on my Instagram page and boy, it was shown so much love! I have been dying to share all the little sentimental details behind her bridal piece which was meticulously created to fit her and James' love story. Amy is of the Hindu faith and James is of the Jewish faith. Having said that, it was very important for Amy to represent both faiths in all aspects of their wedding, especially since they were having two wedding ceremonies.

First off, Amy decided to only get mehndi done on the palm side of her hands leading up to her elbows. She didnt want the mehndi to show so prominently while she wore her white dress for the Jewish ceremony. However, for the Hindu ceremony, the bridal mehndi complimented her bridal attire, jewelry and flower garland that she wore. 

Now for my favorite part, THE DETAILS! I started with Amy's left forearm to incorporate the Miami skyline. Typically, when I am asked to include the skyline of a specific city, I like to draw it out on the widest part of the forearm in order to be able to include as many details as possible. Miami is where James' proposed and, well.... the rest is history! I shaded around the skyline to make it pop. The shading also adds dimension and texture to the whole piece. I did something similar with the San Diego skyline on Amy's right forearm to give a mirror effect while both arms have their own personality and tell a story. The words San Diego and Miami are inconspicuously written along side each skyline which add a little bit of personality.

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The paw prints of Amy and James' pups can also be found in the bridal piece! Each paw print contains the initial of their dogs. Opposite the paws is the Los Angeles Dodgers Tropical logo since James is a huge fan! Included is also the Mathnasium logo which represents Amy's job as a Business Developer for the franchise. James' company logo is also included - EDF Renewables. 

Hiding the groom's name in the bridal mehndi is an ancient Indian tradition that I love to carry on until today. Amy wanted to take this step a bit further and include James' name, not only in English, but in Hebrew as well. On her left wrist his name is written and it pronounced "Chaim", which means life. 

In each palm we included significant details from the Hindu and Jewish faiths - the Om symbol and the Star of David. On her right ring finger Amy's last name, Shukla, is written in the same font as the words Miami and San Diego that was written under each skyline. James' name in English is also written in the bridal piece. Traditionally, the groom's name is hidden in the bride's bridal mehndi and the groom has to search for it on the night of the wedding. They say, "The faster he finds it, the more he loves you".

Amy is holding a set of keys to a brand new Indian Motorcycle that she gifted James for their wedding. I say this time and time again and I will always say it. Aftercare is everything! Each of my brides receives a full aftercare package complete with products and specific instructions on how to care for their bridal mehndi. In this case, I can see that Amy followed instructions to the T as her mehndi reached its optimum color for her special day. 

Join me in congratulating Amy and James on their journey as they start a new chapter in life together! Thank you both for letting #theNehaAssarExperience be a part of your special day!