July 22, 2017 | Melissa Stimpson Photography
Neha & Ryan
The Meet Cute: Though Neha is from Rhode Island and Ryan is from Connecticut, they met
while living in Boston after matching on a dating site.
The Engagement: The proposal came three years later, right after the couple adopted their
second dog, Jack. “I had come home for my lunch break to check on him, and Ryan was
on his knee when I opened the door,” she recalls. “I guess the ring was coming in that day
and he was nervous I would see it early, so instead of waiting, he proposed that afternoon.
It was such a surprise!”
The Long Distance: "Our least favorite part was planning everything from our current Seattle
residence,” Neha admits. “We had wanted our wedding to be close to what we considered
home. Without help from our friends and family, especially my sister and best friend, it wouldn’t
have been possible.”
The Aesthetic: Neha envisioned a simple and elegant look for the wedding. “Once we saw Glen
Manor, we knew we didn’t need a ton to make it look amazing,” she says. “The venue rooms
opened up to the grounds, so we wanted everything from the inside to flow to the outside.”
And so, they opted for adding more natural elements, including wood table numbers, burlap,
boxed floral arrangements, a naked-style wedding cake and a chic flower wall.
The Cultural Elements: “We didn’t want the big crazy Indian wedding, but did want to
incorporate elements of my culture into the wedding,” Neha explains. “Ryan was really
open to wearing Indian clothes, so we actually flew to India to find our wedding attire.” For
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the ceremony, Neha ended up with a traditional white dress made by Indian designer
Manish Molhotra, while Ryan wore a traditional Shirvani. Then, “In the evening, I knew I
wanted a gown,” she adds. “It was a hand-beaded navy floral dress made by a designer
named Sionnah in Mumbai. Ryan wore a suit from Nordstrom, which he looked fantastic
in.” The couple also decided to serve Indian food at the reception, made by Neha’s
favorite Rhode Island-based Indian restaurant, Rasoi.
The First Dance: It was set to John Legend’s “PDA.” “The summer Ryan and I had met, I
was obsessed with that song,” says Neha. “On our second date, Ryan made me dinner and
then I made him dance with me to that song in his kitchen. It’s been our song ever since.”
The Ring Puppers: Neha and Ryan’s fur babies, Dink and Jack, couldn’t miss the
occasion. “We flew them out for the wedding because they play such a big part in our
lives,” Neha says. “They were our ring bearers, along with one of my cousins.”
The Highlights: “My friend had given me some great advice; she said to find some time to
get away together between the craziness. I remember grabbing Ryan and going upstairs
into the bridal suite for a minute. We could see all of our guests from the windows, and
it was such a humbling moment looking out at all of the people who showed for our
special day. My other favorite part was having my brother officiate the wedding. Our
father passed away when we were in high school, so he has really become the man of
the family. It was amazing to have my now-grown brother be the one that married us
off. I think it was a really special moment for my family.” — Neha