1. Real Weddings

Alexandra & Rishi: A Formal Wedding in Clifton, NJ

Alexandra and Rishi's sophisticated ballroom celebration was awash in soft pinks and greens. The Bride Alexandra Sanchez, 27, medical project coordi

Alexandra and Rishi's sophisticated ballroom celebration was awash in soft pinks and greens. The Bride Alexandra Sanchez, 27, medical project coordinator The Groom Rishi Pimentelm, 31, pharmaceutical sales executive The Date May 22 Alexandra and Rishi have a persistent friend to thank for their romance. After meeting Rishi at a nightclub in Fairview, Alexandra spent much of the evening dancing with him. As Alexandra and her friend were leaving at the end of the night, her friend told Rishi that it didn’t have to be the last time he and Alexandra saw each other. “I was mortified,” Alexandra says, “and when he asked for my number, I simply replied that I didn’t have one.” Luckily, her friend knew better and insisted that she’d give Rishi Alexandra’s number if Alexandra would not. “He called two days later and we’ve been together ever since,” Alexandra says, “so it was worth the embarrassment!” Though keeping secrets isn’t Rishi’s forte (“He once told me a surprise he was planning for the upcoming Valentine’s Day while opening Christmas presents,” Alexandra says), he pulled off a romantic proposal in Miami three years later that caught Alexandra completely off guard.

The Reception Decor
Alexandra’s maids wore two-piece dresses in celadon green, with halter tops that had small beaded details and full-length mermaid skirts. The groomsmen wore black tuxes from After Hours Formalwear with celadon vests by Ralph Lauren, while the groom stood out with a white vest.
The couple was married at Alexandra’s mother’s place of worship. “To incorporate both of our cultures,” Alexandra says, “we had the ceremony conducted in both English and Spanish.” The couple loved the simple, spiritual look of the church and opted for minimal decoration to maintain the space’s intimate feel.
“I loved two different gowns,” Alexandra says, “but I refused to choose between the two!” Instead, the bride found a seamstress to combine both styles, and the result was a diamond white ball gown with crystal beading on the bodice and pleats around the waist.
The Ceremony Decor
Alexandra wanted a nontraditional wedding cake, so dessert was a square three-tier dark chocolate confection with chocolate-covered strawberries cascading down from the top tier to the bottom.
Alexandra and Rishi treated guests to a candy buffet that reflected their green and pink color scheme, with goodies such as chocolate-covered pretzels, sugar candy, truffles, M&Ms, jelly beans, lollipops, and more.
The Ceremony Decor
The elegant reception space was tied together with the couple’s monogram, which was found on the table numbers, favor tags, place cards, cake, and a gobo light projected onto the dance floor.