Editorial March 2016

Dear Readers,

It is that time of year again when we talk about love, honeymoons, and a commitment to cherish one another for a lifetime. Yes, I am talking about wedding and newlyweds. It is our pleasure to present our first wedding issue of 2016. The year comes with lot of new innovative ideas, and new trends in South Asian weddings.

Rina Shah, who is with our own PR company, The Arpan Group, has written a very interesting article about Destination Weddings. While this is not a new idea, it is a new and growing trend among South Asian weddings. In the last three to four years, the number of Destination and Cruise Weddings in the South Asian community has increased about 30% to 40%.

As in all our wedding resource issues, we highlight a few real weddings in this month’s issue. Each represents a unique story, and as the pictures show, each couple’s wedding themes give us a glimpse into their personalities and love story! We hope these stories inspire all those newly engaged couples out there!

Speaking of newlyweds, let me take this opportunity to congratulate my good friend and 2015 Desh Videsh Community Leader Award winner Michele Renee on her wedding! It seems that Michele Renee has found a love to last a lifetime, and we wish her and her husband, Osama, a wonderful married life filled with love, joy, and laughter.

The time is here! The first of four MyShadi Bridal Expos starts this month at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel on Sunday, March 20. As always, admission and parking are free, so stop by and meet with the industry’s best wedding/event planning vendors. We’re really excited about the Destination Wedding Pavilion at this Expo – we’ve got some great venues and travel agents hosting booths. The next two shows will be in Ft. Lauderdale at the Bonaventure Resort & Spa on Sunday, April 3, and in Tampa at Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort. Be sure to register online (myshadibridalexpo.com) to attend!

Raj Shah
Managing Editor