Jaya Mehta and Alexander Whiting met when they were both attending medical school at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Six months after their initial encounter in the school library, Alex asked Jaya out on a date – a visit to America’s oldest candy shop, and then an iconic ice cream spot in Old Town Philadelphia called Franklin Fountain.
When it came time to propose, Alex chose the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, as Jaya’s favorite thing in the world is flowers. At the time, the two were in a long-distance relationship, with Alex being in Phoenix for a neurosurgical residency and Jaya completing med school back in Philadelphia. With plans to meet in Pittsburgh (where Alex’s family lives) over Christmas, Alex told Jaya that he had an early morning school reunion at the conservatory.
“THE BRIDE’S MAIN REQUEST WAS TO HAVE FLOWERS EVERYWHERE”
When they arrived, Jaya was surprised to find a room filled with poinsettias and “Will you marry me?” spelled out in rose petals. She was also surprised to find out Alex had arranged for her entire family to fly out from LA to celebrate, and the day was topped off with a Christmas show later that night.
Although Alex and Jaya are both resident physicians in Phoenix, Jaya’s lifelong dream was to have her wedding in Palos Verdes, California where she grew up. Thanks to wedding planner Flavia Lamoglia, the wedding planning process for a beautiful destination wedding in California was made easier, despite the couple’s busy schedules.
With such a great team of vendors on their side, the bride and groom were able to enjoy an incredibly stress-free wedding day. The ceremony began just as the sun was setting, and the sitar music of Ronobir Lahiri filled the air. A Hindu ceremony was held and the couple was married by the bride’s older brother. The groom’s best friend followed with a Bible verse reading in honor of Alex’s grandparents. By the end of the ceremony, twilight had set in and everyone transitioned to the cocktail hour.
For the wedding reception, the ambiance was magical and romantic. The ballroom had draping along the ceiling, and the décor featured a nude palette with pops of pink flowers. Glowing candles gave the room a warm, holiday feel, and the tables were graced with garden roses, peonies and orchids. Since the bride’s main request was to have flowers everywhere, even the chandelier over the dance floor was draped with greens and colorful florals.
After an indulgent Indian meal, the newlyweds and their guests enjoyed hours of dancing and socializing. The bride and her father danced to their favorite song, “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles, and the groom and his mother danced to Van Morrison’s “Mama Told Me.” For their first dance, Jaya and Alex danced to “This Must Be the Place” by Talking Heads.
At 11pm, an In-N-Out Burger truck stopped by to offer more fuel for late night dancing. Instead of having a wedding cake, sweets were provided via an exquisite dessert table along with exotic fruits like figs and pomegranates.
“The overall feeling at the end of the day, unanimously, was how much love we had around us from all our family and friends,” Jaya says. “Everyone ate, drank and danced. People made new relationships and friendships. It was a dream and an intimate, yet big Indian American wedding.”
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Palos Verdes Golf Club, Palos Verdes Estates, CA: Event Design and Planner: Allure Events Atelier Los Angeles, CA; Floral Design: Celio’s Designs, Los Angeles, CA; Linen: La Tavola Fine Linen Rental, Los Angeles, CA; Rentals: Revelry Event Designers Los Angeles, CA; Rentals: CMC Rentals, Sun Valley, CA
Lighting: Special Occasions DJ & Lighting, Brea, CA
