Bride: Mandy
Groom: Amraj
Pictures Courtesy: filiophotography
Q1: How did you two meet, and what was your first impression of each other?
Mandy: Amraj and I met at a mutual friend’s wedding in Las Vegas. They had a chapel wedding with an Elvis impersonator officiating their ceremony. It caught us both off guard as neither of us went into the weekend expecting to meet someone. He was sitting in the back of the limo with some friends, and I thought that he was spoken for. Little did I know that he was trying to find an excuse to talk to me the entire time and finally found a moment to offer me a drink. Amraj was very charismatic, funny, and had an amazing smile. The rest is history.
Q2: Can you share the story of your proposal/engagement?
Mandy: Amraj planned a quiet, intimate moment on Emerald Lake to propose to me. I’ve always wanted to visit Emerald Lake and stay at the lodge and Canoe on the Lake. He planned a getaway to the Canadian Rockies in the summertime. It happened to be raining the day we got to Emerald Lake, but there was a brief break in the rain, and in our plastic ponchos, we decided to venture out on the Canoe. He eventually told me to take my poncho off and turn around for a photo. When I turned around, he proposed in his poncho 5 minutes before it started raining again. It was perfect!
Q3: Describe your wedding day for us. Did you have a favorite part of the wedding?
Amraj: The wedding day was a beautiful sunny winter day in Vancouver. My favorite part was after the Ardaas when Mandy and I exchanged rings and had a moment where we both really looked into each other’s eyes as if no one else was in the Gurdwara. The reality of the moment set in, and it felt like the beginning of the rest of our lives together.
Q4: How did you choose your wedding attire for both of you?
Mandy: We decided to shop locally. Both Amraj and I wanted something simple, elegant, and timeless for our wedding day. I wanted to find a lehenga that was unique and stood out without overpowering the rest of my look. Amraj had his Sherwani color match mine and had a very simple design in keeping with his style.
Q5: Were any traditions or customs particularly important to include in your wedding?
Mandy: Family is extremely important to Amraj and me, so it was important that we did the Sikh Maiyaan and Choora ceremonies during the wedding week. Certain family members were unfortunately not here with us, and it was important to both of us to honor them. It gave us both time with our closest friends and family to recognize how important they have been in shaping us.
Q6: Where did you honeymoon?
Mandy: We are going to honeymoon in Europe this coming May. Amraj lived in Greece for a few years and learned how to speak fluent Greek, and so we are planning to visit the small towns in Crete where he had the opportunity to live and play professional football.
Q7: Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
It flew by so fast that we wish we could relive some of the moments and celebrate with our family and friends all over again. It was the most amazing week of our lives.
Q8: What do you love the most about one another?
Amraj: Mandy and I are each other’s best friends. I love that we can be goofy together, and our friendship always comes first. We both love to go on new adventures together, but most of all, we both love coming home to each other every day after work and spending quality time together.
Q9: How does it feel to be married, and what are you most looking forward to in this new chapter together?
It feels very exciting to be married and very natural to live together. We are both looking forward to starting our own family together.
Q10: If you could give one piece of advice to couples planning their wedding, what would it be?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Remember that everyone is there to celebrate you and embrace that. It’s one of the only times in life that all your friends and family, the most important people in both of your lives, will be together in one room celebrating you, so make the most of every moment and try to focus on the present.
