Manpreet & Sukhdeep

The Sparkle Issue is about embracing sparkle of all different kinds and today’s amazing wedding shows how sparkle can indeed be included in any wedding. For Manpreet and Sukhdeep, who first met through mutual friends, this took the form of a  traditional Sikh ceremony (a Anand Karaj) taking place in beautiful New Zealand, a beautiful beaded sari (and a sparkling silver one!) echoes of tradition of times gone by, and the creation of new ones.

There is a beauty that comes with tradition, and when you add a little sparkle? We’re so on board! Hannah McMaster was there to capture this one so we can share it all with you today.

“My wedding day outfit was selected to compliment Manpreet’s dress” explains the groom. “We went with a simple design that had a regal feel about it. My turban was tied by my Dad, which we felt was an important and meaningful part of the wedding day.”

The bride wore a traditional sari of pink and blue. She shares “I always wanted to get married in a pink colour, a bit different from the traditional colour of red. The embroidery on the dress took 40 days to make. The dress was custom made by a designer in Delhi, India, who did one of my best friends’ wedding dresses. I flew to India to be there to select and help design the outfit. The experience of selecting my particular outfit was overwhelming as there were so many options but once she made decision, it was an enjoyable process.”

Manpreet & Sukhdeep held their ceremony at Gurudwara Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.  “Gurudwara Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji has important significance to Manpreet. It’s where she grew up and spent a lot of time in her childhood. It’s where she attended Punjabi language school.”

The bride entered the ceremony accompanied by her closest family and friends.

Manpreet & Sukhdeep share of their ceremony “The ceremony was a traditional Sikh wedding called the Anand Karaj. It is a significant moment in the life of a Sikh as they are coming together to recognise the value of their Guru in their lives. They make a promise together to commit to one another and to the Guru. We tried our best to be positive and focus on the shabad kirtan that was being played throughout the ceremony.”

“For both of us, having all of our close friends and family in attendance was special. We’re grateful to have had them be there with us on this day” tell the newlyweds. “For Sukhdeep, his groomsmen included his brother and two cousins from his Mum’s side of the family. And for Manpreet it was a combination of her closest friends and cousins. All of them wore specifically selected outfits from designers in India, again to compliment the colour scheme of the day. Their outfits were designed around a green colour palette.”

Mother Nature sent her own best wishes. “It rained on our wedding day, which we perceive as a good thing, as a blessing.”

The couple were thrilled with their choice of photographer, noting “We invited Hannah to share our special day with us. She was a pleasure to work with, so kind, empathetic and professional. To be honest, during the ceremony and most of the day, we barely noticed her taking photos. She found a way to capture and document our wedding day without interrupting the flow of the day, which is a very difficult thing to do as a wedding photographer. When we were taking staged photos after the wedding or throughout the day, she knew exactly the shots she was after, so the process was quick and fluent. We really enjoyed the conversations with her that we had here and there throughout the day too. She was a blessing.”

For their celebrations, Mandeep changed into a sparkling silver sari, while Sukhdeep chose a suit by Montagio Custom Tailoring.

“Your wedding day will be one of the most hectic days of your life” advises Manpreet. “Remember to take a moment to breathe and appreciate what’s happening around you. It’s a special day and having even just a single moment to take it all in is important.”

The newlyweds hosted a reception luncheon at The Indian Lounge.

The groom’s favourite memory, happened after the wedding itself, he shares “At the end of the entire day, both Manpreet and I were exhausted. We got back to the hotel we were staying in and realised we hadn’t really eaten much all day. So while we were both still in our wedding day outfits, we ordered Uber Eats haha. The scene of us, in our wedding outfits, eating takeout dinner is definitely us. The traditional and the contemporary in one.”

A big congratulations to you both Manpreet & Sukhdeep! What an honour it was to share your story, Thank you both and thank you to Hannah McMaster for today’s images.