June 2024 to November 2024

Exactly one week following their engagement, on June 16, 2024, Priya's cousin, Ria, celebrated her wedding. By this time, Sanjiv had become well-acquainted with many of Priya's friends and close relatives. Naturally, Sanjiv and his parents were special invitees to the wedding and associated festivities, allowing the families to forge an even stronger connection.

Sanjiv and Priya established a pattern of regular meetings, typically once a week, enjoying outings for lunch, dinner, or movie dates.

With February 2025 approaching, the two families began earnest preparations for the wedding. This involved visiting the wedding venue, BAPS Swaminarayan Kalakendra in Navi Mumbai, Vashi, and meeting with decorators, catering contractors, photographers, and other service providers crucial to the event's success.

Several traditional South Indian functions, including Varalakshmi Vratham, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Dassera, Diwali, and Pongal, fostered further bonding as the families visited each other's residences.

The intervening period also included travel for both families. Srini and his family enjoyed a vacation in Bhutan, Suresh and his family (with the exception of Sanjiv, who was unable to obtain leave) traveled to the USA.

The families embarked on a series of significant “projects” in preparation for the wedding. A major project was the procurement of textiles for family members, relatives, and close friends. Another involved meticulous planning with the catering contractor, including menu selection for the two-day event and accurate guest estimations. A third project entailed collaborating with the decorator, which included few site visits during an active event to assess arrangement options.

The selection of the bride's personal jewelry, including matching sets of bangles, necklaces, and earrings, was an essential undertaking. The families consulted with their jeweler for this purpose. A particularly important tradition was the ordering of the Thirumangalyam (mangalsutra). It is customary to have two sets made.

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