The Groom Arrived on a Horse and Then Stepped in as The DJ At This Indian Wedding

Sonia and Raghav got married at The Merion on June 2, 2024.

Their Story 

Their love story began when they met at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Little did they know that their friends had been trying to set them up for a while.

“I met Raghav at a campus meeting in 2015, and we officially started dating in 2016,” says Sonia. “We found out we were both from South Jersey and only lived 15 minutes from each other! It was meant to be.”

“Fast forward to now, we have been by each other’s side through everything since then and supported each other in our goal of becoming doctors,” says Sonia. “We are so happy to be starting our married life together!”

The Proposal

In 2022, Raghav planned the most incredible and magical proposal at Shofuso Japanese Garden in Philadelphia. “We arrived at Di Bruno Brother’s Alimentari and I had no idea our friends and family were waiting there to surprise me and celebrate our engagement with us,” says Sonia.

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Details of the Day 

“Our wedding day was beautiful,” says Sonia. “Raghav had a traditional baraat with a white horse to kick off the day. I carried a bouquet that I designed with my florist to resemble my mom’s bouquet from my parents’ wedding in 1990.”

The ceremony was followed by an amazing lunch of Indian and Italian food. Later in the evening, they had their cocktail hour and reception complete with a live saxophonist.

Choosing the Venue

“We chose the Merion because they had so much versatility with their ballrooms,” says Sonia. “We loved the ceremony space with the glass ceiling and could really envision our ceremony taking place there.”

“They also are known for their amazing fusion food, cocktail hour and dessert displays,” says Sonia. “We wanted our guests to be taken care of and knew the Merion would give our guests an incredible experience!”

Favorite Moment 

“One of the best moments was my husband performing a DJ set during our reception,” says Sonia. “He was a DJ in college and it was so much fun to see him DJ again!”

Detail They Couldn’t Live Without

“I loved every detail of our wedding,” says Sonia. “I think our saxophone player was incredible and we are so grateful he was able to perform at our cocktail hour and reception! He really kept the party going and stayed the entire evening with us! ”

Wedding Day Attire

Sonia and Raghav’s outfits were bought in India and so were the bridesmaids and groomsmen outfits.

Honeymoon

They went to Italy at the end of September into October. They visited Rome, Florence, Tuscany and Positano. They also took a day trip to Naples.

“We stayed for two weeks,” says Sonia. “Our favorite part of the trip was Tuscany. We stayed in a beautiful castle overlooking the vineyards. Another highlight was chartering a private yacht in Positano. We can’t wait to go back.”

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