Vandana and Carlos Moore’s whirlwind romance (whose Indo-Caribbean wedding was featured in Issue 33!) began on May 6th, 2023, at a friend’s Gatsby-themed law firm anniversary gala in Atlanta.
Wearing a sleek black gown and a jeweled peacock feather headband, Vandana was pleasantly surprised when Carlos – decked out in a sharp royal blue dinner jacket and black bowtie – approached her table. A true gentleman, he asked if he could sit next to her. She said YES… and the rest has been magic ever since!
Two months later, they were engaged, and in January 2024, they said “I Do” in an extravagant wedding at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco, California.
Planning a wedding in only 5 months isn’t easy. Yet, every detail fell into place exactly as they envisioned. The bride honored her Indian heritage and Hindu culture through her Bridesmaids, who wore Indian sarees with bindis, and by having her sister Nirvana (a professionally trained Indian dancer) perform to an Indian/Trinidadian/American mix in a glamorous crimson red jeweled Lehenga.
For other brides planning their special day, Vandana’s advice is to “follow the path of least resistance – and move forward in the direction that flows effortlessly in all decisions!”
Keep scrolling for more details on their extravagant wedding day.
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- Full names of the couple: Vandana Moore and Carlos Moore
- Occupations: Vandana is a Physician turned Healthcare Executive. Carlos is an Attorney, retired Judge, and the 79th President of the National Bar Association.
- Wedding date: January 20, 2024
- Wedding Ceremony Location: The Rotunda at San Francisco City Hall, San Francisco, California
- Wedding Reception Location: The Westin St. Francis, San Francisco, California
Quick Facts:
- Gifts for your bridesmaids and groomsmen:
- Bridesmaids: A personalized tote with the initial of their first name filled with an elegant satin crimson red bridal robe, diamond earrings and bracelet to be worn on the wedding day, diamond floral brooch to be pinned on their bridesmaid saree, diamond teardrop bindi to be adorned on their forehead. The Maid of Honor and Matron of Honor were gifted additional personalized coffee mugs with caricatures resembling us!
- Groomsmen: A personalized engraved stainless steel flask set with matching engraved initial cufflinks, money clip, and tie bar.
- Gifts for one another: I gifted the groom a customized framed artwork with heart-shaped maps from momentous occasions during our journey. This included where we met (Atlanta, GA), where he proposed (Beverly Hills, CA), where we got married (San Francisco, CA), and where we honeymooned (Dubai and Maldives) – it was made in England and flown in! He gifted me a diamond silver earring and necklace set with a romantic poem inside the box.
- Ceremony entrance song: “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley played on Saxophone
- Bride Entrance coming down the rotunda stairs: “Why I Love You” by MAJOR performed by Lari Johns’n
- Reception entrance song: “Baby Will You Love Me” by MAJOR performed by Lari Johns’n
- First dance song: “You & I” by John Legend performed by Lari Johns’n
Quick Facts from the Bride:
- Florals for the Wedding Ceremony: David Austin Roses, Black Baccara, Gardenia flowers, Julie spray rose, Limonium, Camellia leaf blight.
- Florals for the Wedding Reception: Delphinium orchid, Gardenia flowers, David Austin Roses, Black Baccara, Cherry red spray roses, Julie spray rose, Limonium, Camellia leaf blight.
- Advice for brides: Be fully present on your wedding day – all of the attention is on you – be fully immersed and party until you’re the last one on the dance floor and the DJ shuts down, and they literally have to pull you out of the reception room!
How did you meet?
We met in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 6th, 2023, when we were invited to celebrate our friend’s law firm anniversary at a star-studded shindig. Flights were booked, and hotels were reserved. It was a Gatsby-themed gala. I was decked out in a black gown and a jeweled peacock feather headband. Carlos donned a sharp royal blue dinner jacket with a black bowtie – looking handsome as ever. In true gentlemanly style, he asked if he could sit next to me at my table. I said YES…and the rest has been a magic carpet ride!
Tell us about the proposal:
On July 29th, 2023, Carlos proposed during a gorgeous and intimate picnic in beautiful Beverly Hills, California. The morning started with a southern-style brunch prepared by a private chef at home – surrounded by my sister, family, and friends. Then, we got dressed for a photo shoot in Beverly Hills.
During the shoot, we were led to the most romantic picnic setup: champagne-colored umbrellas, pillows, candles, beautiful red roses, champagne, and a charcuterie spread. Completely shocked, I turned around and saw Carlos on bended knee.
He pulled out a Tiffany blue box and said, “Vandy, I choose you. Will you marry me?” I said YES, then we kissed… and we’ve been smiling ever since! We partied the night away at a concert by Boyz II Men, Neyo, Robin Thicke, and Mario. My dream came true…this was the best day of our lives!
The Ceremony…
The wedding ceremony was beautifully decorated with cascading flowers at the rotunda of San Francisco City Hall. The architectural design of City Hall, inspired by some of the most iconic buildings in Paris, provided a stunning backdrop that enhanced every photo with its historical and aesthetic significance. We used fresh flowers, including David Austin roses, to fill the air with the delicate scent of roses, creating a loving atmosphere. The use of spray roses added a special touch, while the inclusion of gardenia flowers expressed love profoundly. The transparent pillars provided an unobstructed view, showcasing the innate beauty of the flowers.
Describe your wedding attire. What was the wedding shopping experience like for you?
Our Wedding Style was a combination of Royalty, Presidential, Hollywood Glam, Palatial, and Luxurious. It emanated in every aspect, from the venues to the floral details to the bride’s crystal and pearl embellished gown and tiara and the groom’s custom-designed tuxedos.
The wedding shopping experience was an exciting adventure in New York City with Mother-Daughter time as my mom joined me for my dress fittings and shopping for my bridesmaid’s sarees. I had been following my dress designer, Esé Azénabor’s IG account for many years and knew she had the structural skills to make my dream dress. I love dressing uniquely, so I designed my wedding gown.
My gown defined my vision of what a classy, powerful, angelic, unique queen should wear on her wedding day – all while dipped in Swarovski crystals, classic pearls, and bridal sequins! I am a member of Zeta Phi Beta, so the classic pearls hand-sewn on the dress were the perfect touch.
Bride’s shoes: Jimmy Choo, Bing 120mm wedge sandals.
Sitting atop a high wedge sole for a bold silhouette, the Bing sandals are included in Jimmy Choo’s AW22 edit in a milk-white iteration. Crafted from buttery-soft nappa leather, they’re adorned with glistening crystals at the toe for a whimsical appeal synonymous with the brand.
Bride’s jewelry: Queen Elizabeth – Royal Swarovski Crystal earrings, necklace, and tiara set from a jeweler in New York.
My bridesmaid sarees were inspired by my Indian ethnicity.
My mom and I went into countless Indian clothing stores in bustling Jackson Heights, Queens, and New York. Finally, this crystal-bordered crystal-filled silk satin Crimson Red saree caught my mom’s eye – it was absolutely perfect! We had to order the material from India and then fly it down to Miami to get sewn. The saree style was custom-sewn by Miami seamstress Tulsidai Hanif.
Groom’s Tuxedo for Wedding Ceremony: Custom cream color, shawl lapel with bow tie and crimson rose boutonniere.
Groomsmen Tuxedos: Classic Black and White with bow tie and crimson rose boutonnieres.
Groom’s Jacket for Wedding Reception: Custom silk crimson red color, shawl lapel with bow tie and white rose boutonniere.
Did you incorporate any culture into your wedding?
Being born in Trinidad and Tobago, I have Indian ancestry with an Indo-Caribbean flare. Since this was an American Christian wedding, it was important to me that my Indian heritage and Hindu culture be portrayed throughout my special day.
First, it has been a forever dream of mine for my Bridesmaids to wear Indian sarees with bindis. The sarees were elegant, traditional, and adorned with Swarovski crystals. They were flown in from India.
Second, my Indo-Caribbean heritage shined when my sister Nirvana (a professionally trained Indian dancer) danced a beautiful Indian/Trinidadian/American mix song adorned in her stunning crimson-red, glamourous jeweled Lehenga (also flown in from India).
What is your best memory from your wedding?
Groom: My favorite memory was seeing Vandana walk out on top of the staircase at the rotunda and then escorting her down to the altar.
Bride: There’s so many! Definitely walking out on top of the staircase. I knew it would be a complete surprise and unique as most guests would expect me to traditionally come from the entrance. Seeing my handsome husband walking up the stairs to get me while getting a bird’s eye view of my beautiful wedding party, family, and friends centered in the beautiful architecture of San Francisco’s City Hall Rotunda was beyond breathtaking!
Reception details…
We aimed to organize an elegant reception at the prestigious Golden Gate Ballroom, located in the heart of Union Square in San Francisco. Our vision involved the incorporation of numerous crystal chandeliers and luxurious velvet materials to create an atmosphere of sophistication and charm.
By using Rosa ‘Black Baccara’ to emanate a deep crimson color, cherry red spray roses to convey a sense of intimate affection, Limonium red to symbolize enduring strength in love, and orchid delphinium to represent everlasting devotion, the entire ballroom was adorned with an abundance of red florals.
Additionally, we used black candles to enhance the warm ambiance throughout the ballroom, in conjunction with the chandeliers to embody the essence of royal and luxurious love.
Favorite item on the menu…
Our wedding cakes!! We had 2 of them! Our 4-tier wedding cake was a Citrus buttermilk cake with citrus cream filling and lemon curd, and the Groom’s cake was traditional red velvet. Both were custom-designed to fit both of our personalities. The wedding cake was elegant luxe with a pearlized, draped flare, while the Groom’s cake had Judge, travel, and Kappa Alpha Psi all over it! We had the entire Groom’s cake to ourselves in our honeymoon Suite after the wedding – the best cake ever!
What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples?
I only had a solid 5 months to plan our wedding. We met in May 2023, got engaged in July 2023, and had the wedding in January 2024. My advice is to follow the path of least resistance and move forward in the direction that flows effortlessly in all decisions!
Looking for more extravagant Indo-Caribbean wedding inspiration?
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Vendors:
- Planner: Visions of Elegance by Design
- Décor: Aab Creation
- Photo/Video: Ptaufiq Photography
- Bridal MUA: Makeup By Saba
- Bridesmaids and Mother of the Bride MUA: Bless your Beauty
- Dress: Esé Azénabor
- Groom’s Wedding Ceremony Tuxedo: Marcdión Clothier
- Groom’s Wedding Reception Jacket: Kyris Kustoms
- Bridal Party Sarees: Tulsidai Hanif
- Hair: Horty Dominican Beauty
- Invitations: Stylish Wedd
- Cake: Cake Coquette
- Venue: The Westin St. Francis
- Singer: Lari Johns’n Verbal Music
- DJ: Jerry Ross
- Saxophonist: Ralph Gordon
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