Romantic Elopement & Backyard Wedding Surprise in Carolinas

Multicultural couple ties-the-knot (twice!) in romantic elopement & backyard wedding surprise!

After planning their wedding for almost two years, Harini and Jarvis had to cancel their wedding due to COVID. But after pushing their date back month after month, the pair realized: “What are we waiting for? We love each other! That’s all we need!”

So, with their parents’ blessings, they traveled to Charleston, South Carolina to elope in an intimate ceremony at the beautiful Hotel Bennet. 

After returning home to Charlotte, North Carolina, the couple were surprised by Harini’s dad with a second backyard wedding! Surrounded by ten of their closest family members, the couple celebrated their love all over again!

Looking back, Harini initially wondered if she would regret not having a traditional wedding. To her surprise, “not only did [she] not regret it, [she] and [her] husband were so moved by all the love!”

She adds: “It’s true what they say, love really does win!”

For more details on their romantic elopement and backyard wedding surprise, keep reading below!

• Couple: Harini Saravanan & Jarvis Harrison
• Occupations: Engineer and Finance professional
• Wedding Date: July 20, 2020 & August 1, 2020
• Wedding Location: Charleston, SC & Charlotte, NC

Quick Facts:

• Gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen: Harini gave her bridesmaids a box full of memories from their friendship (photos, drinks we love, and a necklace with the coordinates of their birthplaces). Jarvis gave his groomsmen Rayban sunglasses with GoYard card holders in their favorite colors.
• Gifts for one another: The couple exchanged hand written vows in tiny composition books.
• Ceremony entrance song: N/A
• First dance song: N/A

The romantic elopement…

How they met…

The couple’s love story began after matching on Tinder.

The proposal…

Harini recalls Jarvis’s proposal with a smile and lots of love!

She says, “After four years of dating, he proposed to me in front of the Rockefeller center on a crisp fall evening with the most beautiful ring and an even more beautiful speech.” 

She said yes in a heartbeat!

Wedding style & shopping experience…

Harini’s describes her overall wedding style as Indian.

Before COVID Harini traveled to India with her mother and aunty to pick out her wedding dresses.

Surprise backyard wedding…

To bring their backyard wedding to life, their family’s worked together to make sure the day was extra special!

Harini says her “sister cooked everything, including pear based tapas made from [her] parents pear tree. And [Her] mother hand strung two floral garlands.”

There were also, as Harini calls them, “perfect imperfections” like the grocery store “cake with the wrong spelling which was smeared off last minute!”

Nevertheless, the couple wouldn’t have wanted their wedding any other way!

Cultural elements…

The bride and groom incorporated both of their cultures into their wedding. 

For Harini, they “included tying of the Thali [and] the seven circles around the fire.” 

To honor Jarvis’s background, they included jumping the broom and exchanging rings.

Seven circles around the fire…

Tying of the Thali…

Exchanging rings & jumping the broom…

Favorite Memory…

Of their two weddings, the couples favorite memory was “seeing [their] loved ones who couldn’t make it because of COVID restrictions at the end of [their second] ceremony on zoom.”

Harini says, “I was surprised how many people tuned in to to watch and it was wonderful being surprised with all their faces.”

The reception…

Advice for other engaged couples…

While COVID made them alter their original plans, Harini advices other couples to let their “love [for one another] speak for [their] decisions right now!“

Her love for Jarvis and his love for her is what ultimately led them to tie-the-knot (twice!) in spite of the pandemic. 

She adds “what is…very much stable is how much you love the other” and it’s important to remember that above all things during these unpredictable times.

Looking for more romantic elopement & backyard wedding inspiration?

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Vendors:

• Photographer: Taylor Torbert @beulahphotography
• @chef.varsha
• @veda4art
• @hotelbennett
• @lyshedraw
• @pothysofficial
• @erinmichelleartistry