Engagement Feature
Good Day,
We, Jordan and Rohita are New York natives who are in-love and after 7 years together are taking the next step in our lives toward marriage by getting engaged.
Our story is extraordinary and proof of the kismet nature of the world. In the midst of disaster on August 14, 2003, also known as The Great Northeast Power Blackout of 2003, we found love walking down the streets of NYC. Like everyone else that day Rohita and Jordan were forced to walk to their destination and on 75th Street and 1st Avenue Jordan and Rohita bumped into one another. It happened that Rohita’s friend (whom she was walking with) was a childhood friend of Jordan so introduction was simple. We spent the night talking, exchanging our phone numbers and have had a whirlwind romance since then.
On October 24, 2010, Jordan told Rohita that they were going to dinner so they got dressed up and began walking towards their destination. On the corner of 75th and 1st Jordan points to a perfectly set up table with two champagne glasses and a small chocolate blackout cake and says, “what’s that?” He starts to lure her over to the table and immediately her jaw drops. She becomes silent, which for Ro is a miracle in itself. A crowd gathers and a paparazzi photographer jumps out of the bushes and starts taking pictures. Ro is absolutely stunned and begins crying immediately. Jordan drops to one knee, pulls out the ring and says “will you make me the happiest man in the world and do me the honor of being my wife?” Ro screams, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” and gives him the world’s biggest hug. He puts the ring on her finger and the crowd goes wild. At that point a group of young children, who were trick or treating early saw this all happen. They stop, they cheer and come over to Jordan and Ro and give them a big hug.
After some more hugging, kissing and applause they sat and enjoyed champagne and cake. Throughout the celebration passer bys continued with the congratulatory remarks and well wishes, one woman even came to kiss both of their hands.
Our friends and family enjoy our love story and are Engagement. We would like to share our story and our Engagement with the world. Our story gives hope that Love is real, it does exist and the world works in miraculous ways.
In accordance with Hindu tradition, there will be an Engagement Ceremony held on Sunday, November 28, 2010 at 2:30PM at Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir (128-04 Liberty Avenue Queens, NY). Our engagement party is scheduled for Sunday, December 12, 2010 at 2PM at Honey (243 W14 Street New York, NY).
We are writing to your publication in hopes to have our Engagement Announcement and future Wedding featured. Please let us know how we can go about attaining this, it would mean the world to us. Thank you for your time and for reading our story. Our pictures, website and contact information are included in this correspondence.
Sincerely,
Rohita & Jordan
www.gu-ro.com/jordanrohita
This post was submitted by Jordan & Rohita .
Submit a Bollywood-eqse Love Story, Proposal & Wedding
Do you believe that in this day and age that a boy and a girl could meet walking down a NYC street during a catastrophic event, fall in love and seven years later get engaged to be married? Well, on August 14, 2003 a Blackout hit the Northeast portion of the US and parts of Canada. Jordan and Rohita met, walking down the street on the Upper East Side. They fell in love and they got engaged on October 24, 2010 at the very spot they met! This is the perfect couple to be featured as a part of your publication.
The day of the Blackout, Rohita left work and walked with a friend towards the Upper East Side. They were headed to her friend’s father to get a ride home since there was no public transportation. Jordan just finished a real estate closing; he picked up his dog (Snoopy…now our dog) and dropped him at his parent’s house which was also on the Upper East Side. On his way down and her way up, right on the South East corner of 75th Street and 1st Avenue they met. Rohita’s friend happened to be a childhood friend of Jordan’s, so introduction was simple. They locked eyes and before you know it they fell in love. Together they travelled the world they built their lives, careers, dreams and network of supporters.
October 24, 2010 Jordan told Rohita that they were going to dinner, so they got dressed up and began walking. There on the corner of 75th and 1st (sound familiar? It was where the couple met!) Jordan points to a perfectly set up table with two champagne glasses and a small chocolate blackout cake and says, “what’s that?” He starts to lure her over to the table and immediately her jaw drops. She becomes silent, which for Ro is a miracle in itself. A crowd gathers and a paparazzi photographer jumps out of the bushes and starts taking pictures. Ro is absolutely stunned and begins crying immediately. Jordan drops to one knee, pulls out the ring and says “will you make me the happiest man in the world and do me the honor of being my wife?” Ro screams, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” and gives him the world’s biggest hug. He puts the ring on her finger and the crowd goes wild. At that point a group of young children, who trick or treating early saw this all happen. They stop, they cheer and come over to Jordan and Ro and give them the biggest hug they could.
After some more hugging, kissing and applause they say and enjoyed champagne and cake. Throughout the celebration passer bys continued with the congratulatory remarks and well wishes, one woman even came to kiss both of their hands.
This post was submitted by Rohita Shivnarain & Jordan Land.
One of the biggest Indian weddings of the year is taking place in Mumbai this week

Th lavish wedding will take place at Mumbai's Turf Club
The pre-wedding celebrations for one of the biggest Indian weddings this year are well underway in Mumbai. The marriage of the eldest daughter of one of India’s most prominent industrialists, Champalal Vardnan, is due to take place on Friday 21st, although the party has got into full swing ahead of the nuptials.
Vardnan’s daughter, Neelam, is due to marry Tushar Parekh. The match is an arranged marriage and Neelma’s father is said to be very happy with Tushar as he believes he will make a great son-in-law.
10 separate events have been planned to celebrate the union. A number of parties have been organised in the run-up to the big day including some unusual events like a bingo night and a DJ evening, as well as the more traditional occasions like a formal sangeet and mehendi.
The bingo night has already taken place and was a hit with the many guests as the prizes which were on offer were extremely extravagant. Those who were lucky enough to get a “full house” on the night received prizes in the form of state of the art mobile phones, luxury holidays, and even sports cars.
The wedding itself is being held at the Turf Club on Friday and is expected to be a huge occasion with somewhere in the region of 5,000 guests scheduled to attend.
Indian wedding guests hospitalised with suspected food poisoning

A suspected case of food poisoning has been reported at a wedding banquet in North India
It’s been reported that in the region of 100 people in North of India have been hospitalised with suspected food poisoning after attending a wedding banquet in the village of Bhojpur.
The occasion was held in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India’s northern district of Bijnor. The guests at the wedding were said to have contracted symptoms commonly associated with food poisoning after eating at the wedding celebrations.
100 people have been admitted to a local hospital for medical treatment, 12 of whom are said to be in a critical state.
A team of health and safety officials have descended upon the establishment in question, which has not been named, to carry out a thorough investigation. Food which was served during the wedding banquet has been taken away for testing to try and determine the source of the poisoning. The chief medical officer for the state has been drafted in to investigate the situation.
In the past establishments have been hit with hefty fines when an incident of food poisoning has been traced back to their catering.
It’s been suggested that catering for Indian weddings in the heat of summer can be a risky task as food spoils very quickly due to the soaring temperatures. Plus the added danger of flies infecting food during this time also poses another health food risk meaning catering staff must be extra vigilant to prevent incidents of food poisoning at Indian weddings.
Demand for wedding halls ahead of Auspicious Hindu date Akshaya Tritiya

Rush on wedding halls ahead of Akshaya Tritya
Many wedding hall owners are reporting a surge in enquiries for bookings on Sunday as the auspicious date in the Hindu calendar, Akshaya Tritya, falls this year on May 16th.
Thousands of Hindu weddings are scheduled to take place on this date as traditionally it brings good luck and success, the main reason why so many couples are scrambling to tie the knot on this lucky day.
Several wedding hall owners have had to turn couples away, with many saying they were booked over a year in advance for the auspicious Hindu date. Because of the huge demand for weddings on this day, some owners are considering putting up their rates for Akshaya Tritya in 2011 in order to make the most out of this lucrative period in the Hindu wedding season.
Jewellery retailers are also hopeful Akshaya Tritya will spell good news for them. Because of the sky-high prices of gold we are currently experiencing, some jewellery retailers are reporting that their sales have halved when compared to last year. Many have their finger crossed for a last-minute rush on wedding jewellery ahead of the auspicious Hindu date as there won’t be another sacred date until November, hence the rush to wed this May.
21 Sikh couples tie the knot in mass marriage ceremony

A mass Sikh wedding was held to enable 21 couples from poor backgrounds to marry
For 21 Sikh couples it was the day that they had always dreamed of, but never thought possible. Thanks to the Prabhandak committee, Gurudwara Saheb Barambala, Sikh Chawniat, Kishanbagh, Hyderabad, the couples were able to celebrate their union in style.
The mass marriage ceremony, or Samuhik Vivaha, was organised to allow the poorest Sikh couples living in Andhra Pradesh to have a wedding day with all of the trappings of a lavish Sikh ceremony, without it costing them a penny. The cost of a traditional Sikh marriage ceremony is simply beyond many couples which is why the mass wedding was held.
The day started with a colourful Baraat, which saw all of the bridegrooms arrive on horseback marking the beginning of proceedings. At 11am the brides joined their husbands-to-be for the marriage service known as Sagai. Later at 7pm Lawn Phere, or the solemnising of the marriage, took place.
The occasion was made extra special with the presence of several government officials, plus some 25,000 people travelled from different parts of India to come and bless the 21 newlyweds.
In order to help the new husbands and wives as they embark on married life, the Minorities Welfare Department gifted each couple with Rs 15,000 worth of household articles.
All 21 Sikh couples extended their sincere thanks to everyone who made their special day possible.
Top Asian bridal designer attends Mumbai wedding fair to offer advice

Vikram Phadnis's bridal collection was on display at the wedding show on Sunday
Top fashion designer Vikram Phadnis was in attendance at last weekend’s wedding fair at J.W Marriott Hotel in Juhu, Mumbai. Phadnis’s bridal collection was showcased at the event and the designer himself was on hand to offer Indian brides-to-be advice on choosing their bridal outfits.
As a former choreographer, fashion designer Vikram is well connected in the world of celebrity and has dressed some of the biggest stars from the movie and music industry. Not surprisingly, Vikram says he is always being asked to re-create these looks for private clients as the fashion of women in the public eye tends to shape what the other women in India want to wear.
This also follows through into bridal attire, however the designer warns against choosing a style you’ve seen your favourite celebrity in, and to instead choose an outfit which suits your own shape.
Vikram Phadnis says that it is often a case of balancing different outfits for the modern Asian bride as many choose to wear a glamorous show-stopping outfit for their cocktails and sangeet, and opt for a traditional classic look for the actual wedding ceremony itself.
One of the event organisers at Juhu’s Marriott Hotel said that this is the third time they’ve held the show and visitor number are increasing every year. As well as Vikram Phadnis’s bridal range, wedding planners, wedding catering specialists, and mandap designers were present at the show to assist brides and groom-to-be in their quest to plan the perfect wedding day.
Elite jewellery association launches Great Indian Wedding Carnival

Customers will receive free gifts as part of the jewellery promotion
Leading Jewellers of the World (LJOTW) which showcases 100 of the world’s leading jewellery designers has launched the Great Indian Wedding Carnival to coincide with the beginning of the Asian wedding season and also the auspicious date in the Hindu calendar, Akshaya Tritiya.
A similar event was held between April and May last year and proved such as success that LJOTW decided to do it all over again in 2010.
The Indian arm of LJOTW is launching the exclusive event. The association boasts only the elite jewellers amongst its members such as Gili, Nakshatra, Asmi & D. Damas, and Sangini.
As part of the Great Indian Wedding Carnival each customer who spends Rs 5,000 on more at one of the jewellers who are accredited as part of LJOTW, will receive a free item of jewellery. The free item which the customer receives is determined by a scratch card. A range of fantastic giveaways are available including ruby and diamond earrings, pearl necklaces, solitaire diamonds and even a luxury holiday.
With the Indian wedding season coming upon us, sales of jewellery are soaring. The Carnival will offer customers the opportunity to purchase items of jewellery of exquisite quality, while at the same time receiving a great value for money through the exclusive promotion.
Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif goes bridal for Femina cover shoot

Despite posing on the cover of the bridal edition of Femina, Katrina Kaif isn't planning to marry for another two years
Bollywood babe Katrina Kaif can be seen gracing the front cover of the wedding edition of Femina magazine in traditional bridal attire. This isn’t the actress’s first foray into the wedding industry as she was also seen last month helping to launch a brand new line of wedding jewellery for Nakshatra Vivaah.
Katrina Kaif launched the new diamond wedding jewellery collection at a glittering event held in Mumbai’s Taj Land’s End last month. The Bollywood beauty also appears to be a big fan of the exquisite jewellery saying that the intricate floral design featured on many of the pieces is not only beautiful, but also brings good luck.
At an event which is focused upon the ritual of marriage, the question had to crop up, when is Katrina going to tie the knot? The actress spoke candidly saying that she expects to be married in “I think in two years” before adding, “but two years is a long time. I think I still have some time. Let’s see.”
Of course the question on everyone’s lips would be, whom will she marry? The 25-year-old was last said to be dating Salman Khan, however rumours have began circling that she is now seeing Ranbir Kapoor. Although there’s been no word on who Katrina wishes to pick as her future husband as the Bollywood star continues to play her cards close to her chest.

