Wedding bliss was in the air at the Santa Clara Convention Center Oct.11, as future brides and grooms along with their family and friends came out in droves to discover and experience exciting and convenient options and ideas needed to pull off the perfect wedding, during the annual Wedding & Lifestyle Expo Asiana, “Vivaah 2015.”
Nearly 2,000 visitors were greeted with an impressive array of elaborate displays at the premier wedding ware show’s 8th edition. About 75 booths featuring jewelry vendors, photography services, skin care specialists, venue options, décor ideas, wedding invitations, floral displays and more were on site for the benefit of the prospective newlyweds offering them a variety of high quality services and products available locally. Indian weddings are lavish affairs, and some take on a larger than life dimension, said WLEA president Leena Jay.
“The big thing always with our community is that people want to do and go above and beyond what everyone else is doing, so with our vendors and the themes that we have, that’s what we try to portray, go bigger and better, so instead of having a limo company we have an exotic car company that has Bentleys and Lamborghinis,” she told the media.
Attendees strolled through the stalls, sampling delicacies, looking for the most up-to-date wedding attire and décor, and some even hoping to land good bargains. Among the highlights of the day were the professionally choreographed fashion shows displaying the latest in bridal trousseau. Models draped in opulent saris and lehenga sets with cutout and patterned blouses took to the runway showcasing a collection that was an eclectic mix of ethnic and contemporary wear. Sporting the 60’s look with winged liners and intricate hairdos, models sashayed down the ramp to Bollywood classics wearing heavily embellished outfits in a myriad of colors.
From the gold smattered classic red to the soft, subtle, shimmery ivory, the wide ranging color palette also included pink, lilac, midnight blue, coral, fuchsia and peach. Attendees were treated to the latest trends in anarkalis, lehengas, saris and glamorous cocktail dresses.
Ornate embroidery like zardozi, kundan work, colored stones, beads and intricate threadwork formed most of the collection, which used fabrics like brocade, georgette, lace and velvet for that ultra luxurious look. Bold and dramatic metallic gold, kundan and diamond jewelry complemented the bridal wear.
For the grooms, multihued sherwanis in rich fabrics and tuxedos in black and grey were on display. The fashion, music and dance, which lasted close to two hours, commenced with a Kathak performance by Shalini Dance Academy and continued with performances by the Mona Khan Dance Company interspersed between the fashion show segments.
Shale and Patrick from Castro Valley, who will be tying the knot in July next year, won the “Raja/Rani Couple of the Year” sweepstake and will now receive a fully sponsored wedding for up to 200 guests. The contest invited prospective brides and grooms to share their love stories via video entries on social networks to win the giveaway. “We had about 10,000 views, 6,000 likes and almost 1,000 comments on social media,” Jay told the media.
The event was emceed by Puneet Singh and Vishal Gurbuxani who kept the large crowds entertained. For the exhibitors, the popularity of the show and a chance to connect face-to-face with future customers helped improve their business prospects.