Dear Friends and Family,
With happy hearts, Abhi and I are eager to share that on Saturday, July 23rd, 2022, we took our love to Stanley Park Rose Garden in Vancouver, B.C. and exchanged vows!
It was a joyful, intimate ceremony under the shade of trees.
You were in our thoughts and our hearts on our special day. We both knew early on that we wanted a small wedding in a beautiful place. A park in Canada was perfect for us. We were joined by our friends Jamie, Michelle, and P and Jane, our officiant. It was peaceful, low-key, and lovely. It was just what we wanted. AND we absolutely plan to host a big ole' party in the future to celebrate with everyone we love. #staytuned
For now though, we are excited to share our wedding day story with you below.
WE LOVE YOU!
Our Wedding Day:
On the morning of our wedding day, we called our families first thing. They knew our plan to elope and they sent us their love, excitement, and blessings from India, Washington and Florida. Then Abhi and I went on our wedding day date. We knew we needed some time to be completely present together before our day started moving fast. We walked hand-in-hand to Kitsilano Beach and then sat together on a bench, enjoying our coffee and the view. We stopped at a local flower shop, picked out a bouquet and thought, what a perfect day to get married!
*shoutout to Jamie for snapping these lovely pictures when she randomly spotted us on her morning run. :)
Next was manicures, pedicures, lunch, and a mad rush to get ready in time for the scheduled Uber pickups. But before we knew it, we were surrounded by roses and bright sunshine. We excitedly waited for Jane, our wonderful officiant from Young, Hip & Married to arrive. Together, we found the perfect quiet spot in the rose garden, nestled between two trees and surrounded by bright green grass.
The Ceremony
"It was serene, with just a few people and my focus was all on you. We were in the moment and everything that I imagined this day would be, was coming true." -Abhi
Jane started the ceremony with "today we don’t celebrate your beginning. We celebrate where you came from - all that you have built together - and we celebrate where you’re going - every wonderful thing the future holds for your marriage." Abhi and I held each other steady as we read our vows. Which was needed because I barely got through my first two words before the happy tears started flowing!
Some of our favorite lines:
"I promise to always care for you and encourage you. I always hold your hand on our walks and listen to you talk endlessly about cars, even when I'm over it...We are meant to love each other." -Faith
"I have fallen in love with you countless times, such that my math skills are useless at this point. You are clearly the best thing that has ever happened to me...I will love you from this moment until my last." -Abhi
After vows, we exchanged our rings. Next, Abhi put sindoor on my forehead. Sindoor is a bright crimson powder that signifies marriage and unity in Hindu culture. We sealed marriage with a kiss!
Just like that, we were married! We spent the next hour taking photos in the park.
Shoutout to Jamie, Michelle and P who acted as our witnesses, photographers, wedding managers and hype group all at the same time. They followed us around, finding the perfect spots to highlight our joy. We walked through the park, under the trees, on the bridge over the water and at times it felt like we were the only ones there. After dinner and drinks we ended our wedding day with a firework show. It was a dream of a day that we will always cherish.
Enjoy the photo slideshow below!
What's next for us:
We are enjoying wedded bliss, in the here and now. I'm currently visiting Abhi in Vancouver, B.C. for the summer and our long-term plan (work and home base) are still in development. #staytuned...However, we are starting to plan our honeymoon. :) We need nothing more than your love and support. If you want to give us a gift, please consider contributing to our honeymoon fund!
Link to our honeymoon fund: https://www.travelersjoy.com/faithandabhi
That's all for now! Thank you for your love and support,
Faith & Abhi
p.s. We highly recommend Young, Hip & Married! Definitely check them out if you are in the market for a wedding. ;)