In three months' time, Priya Sharma and Daniel Walsh are getting married. The couple, both 31, have been together for six years, and they are now deep in the exciting — and occasionally stressful — process of planning their big day. We spoke to them about their preparations.
The ceremony itself is going to be small and personal. They are going to hold it in a beautiful country church in Devon, close to Daniel's family home. "We are not going to have a huge wedding," Priya says. "We want something intimate — fewer than 50 guests." Priya's family is going to travel from Mumbai for the occasion, which makes it even more special.
The food is going to reflect the couple's two cultures. They are going to serve both traditional Indian dishes and classic English food. Daniel is also going to wear a traditional Indian sherwani for the evening reception — a surprise he is keeping from most guests. "He looks wonderful in it," Priya says, smiling.
For music, they are not going to have a DJ. Instead, they are going to hire a string quartet for the ceremony and a live band for the reception. "We want it to feel elegant," says Daniel.
Priya has already chosen her dress, but she is not going to show it to Daniel before the ceremony. "He is going to have to wait," she laughs.
One small concern: Priya's aunt is going to give a speech. She is famously enthusiastic — and famously long-winded. "We are going to ask her to keep it to three minutes," Priya says. "She probably won't listen, but we are going to try."
In the meantime, preparations are moving fast. We are meeting the florist on Saturday to discuss the arrangements, and the venue is sending us the final menu next week. The big day is getting closer — and the couple couldn't be more excited.