The wedding of Sharon Lawrence to Abisheg Elijah on the 28th of December, 2011 witnessed two families uniting in love and harmony through the budding relationship of the young couple.
‘Abisheg and I were introduced through mutual cousins. It was an arranged marriage so we first met at my grandparents’ house in Chennai,’ says Sharon. ‘When my uncle asked him if he would like to talk to me in private, he refused and said that we could catch up ‘offline’. I was shocked by his response,’ she laughs.
‘Then we went out together a few evenings to get to know each other better. Very soon he popped the question, and I said yes!! He even teamed up with my parents and played a prank on me on April Fools day!’ And so the process of wedding planning began.
The process of wedding planning is stressful for most brides, although different issues might have their concerns. For Sharon, it was the health of her grandparents. ‘I really hoped that they would be able to attend my wedding in the best of their health and that it wouldn’t be much of a strain on them,’ she says.
‘Another major challenge while planning the wedding was coordinating the flower girl dresses and the bridesmaid outfits. Since the bridesmaids were wearing saris and the flower girls were wearing frocks, it was a bit difficult finding a look that went with both traditional and western wear, and that also adhered to the colour theme of the wedding – gold and red.’
As for her major worries, like most brides, Sharon too was slightly apprehensive about how every element of the wedding would be executed and whether all aspects of the big day would go off well. ‘But I was particularly concerned about how my makeup and hairstyle would turn out on the final day!’ she exclaims.
Despite all these worries, the couple’s wedding went off beautifully and without a hitch. Sharon’s family was with her through the difficult parts of planning and coordination. ‘Throughout all those months of wedding planning, my parents, grandparents and close relatives prayed for us each and every day before the wedding. That was a great source of encouragement to me, and it kept me going,’ says Sharon.
When asked what she would advise future brides to do for a successful wedding, she says, ‘Don’t get sidetracked by others’ expectations. Be realistic. Value relationships…sometimes, we get so caught up in the wedding preparations that we end up stepping on one another’s toes. Put aside your ego and don’t compromise on your relationships. Also, remember to do a trial round of makeup before your big day, so that you don’t freak out on the day of the wedding experimenting with different looks.’
As for Sharon’s most favourite memories of her wedding, ‘What is really memorable about my wedding is how lucky we were. We were having an outdoor reception, and there was a forecast for heavy rain, but we narrowly missed the deluge by a day. It seemed like a miracle. On the day of the wedding, during the reception, both Abi and I sang the duet ‘It takes three’.
That was a very special and memorable moment. I also treasure the fact that my grandparents were there to witness and bless one of the most important and beautiful days of my life. Altogether it was a very memorable day – one of lifelong commitment and unconditional love.’
So this is the story of Sharon & Abisheg. Do you like this story? Tell us your views in the comment section.
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u are the best couples & very special friends God bless u