BT Celebrity Exclusive: Inside Richa Moorjani and Bharat Rishi's Destination Wedding in Mexico

Brides Today: Tell us how you met your husband.

Richa Moorjani: "My husband, Bharat (also goes by his middle name Rishi), and I found each other 4 years ago through a dating app specifically designed for South Asian singles living in the U.S. Bharat was born and raised in Vancouver, while I was born and raised in California. We met in person for the first time in Los Angeles (where we both live) at the famous landmark, the Griffith Observatory ( the one from La La Land). We both felt comfortable around each other right away, as if we had already known each other for a very long time. We fell in love quickly, over our common interests in things like spirituality and culture, as well as over our differences. Bharat is a finance professional while I am an actress/dancer, so naturally, our personalities are a bit different but these differences complement each other in the most lovely way."

Brides Today: When did you know that he was the one? 

Richa Moorjani: "I think I knew he was the one right after a few dates, but I specifically remember realizing I had fallen in love with him the first time he met my family, about one month after we started dating. He was so respectful and natural around my family right away, and he won their hearts immediately with his genuine and caring personality."

Brides Today: What was the proposal like? 

Richa Moorjani: "Because I’m an actress, Bharat (with the help of my agents) set up a faux acting audition for a 'romantic comedy film'. I was asked to dress up and go to a casting office and answer a series of questions about love and relationships on camera. In the middle of the 'audition', he came into the room and got down on one knee with tears in his eyes, and I was completely shocked. I was totally confused and didn't know if it was still part of the audition until he pulled out the ring! The whole thing was caught on video camera, the one that I thought was for the audition."

"Bharat and I after we jumped in the pool after our Haldi ceremony, completely dressed and covered in Haldi. We hadn’t planned it, and that’s what made it even more fun." 

Brides Today: "Tell us how you decided on the venue, outfit and themes for your wedding?" 

Richa Moorjani: "I had always dreamt of having a destination wedding with a beach ceremony. We both wanted it to be an intimate event with only our closest friends and family present, unlike the typical 500-1000 guest big fat Indian weddings we had both had been to a countless number of times. We did a site visit to the resort we ended up choosing (Dreams Playa Mujeres) in Cancun and fell in love with the venue. I went to Delhi with my mom for 2 weeks and chose all my outfits along with Bharat's, as well as half of our family and friends! It was a whirlwind trip, shopping for so many people and events in such a short period of time, but it was exciting and a beautiful bonding experience between me and my mom, one that I'll never forget. The overall theme I was going for was eclectic and elegant, mixing elements of both Indian and Mexican traditions (since we were in Cancun), without it feeling lavish or over the top. Also, because all of our events were outdoors, I wanted to let the beauty of the resort and the ocean backdrop be the most prominent aspect of the décor."

"My sister and I at the sangeet (She’s wearing a crème coloured Banarasi lehenga that I designed myself to match my Ritu Kumar Banarasi lehenga) My sister was my rock throughout the whole wedding."

Brides Today: Do share any fun anecdotes and memorable moments. 

Richa Moorjani: "After our Haldi ceremony, both Bharat and I jumped into the pool fully dressed with all the Haldi all over us, and one by one our friends all started jumping in the pool after us (also fully dressed), and even our parents jumped in! It was completely unexpected and so much fun, although I think I ruined my lehenga!"

"It was raining heavily before the ceremony, so Bharat and I couldn’t do our “first look” photos on the beach beforehand that I had planned. Even though I was initially sad about it, because it wasn’t how I had imagined it, we ended up having our “first look” when I walked down the aisle, which is traditionally the first time the bride/groom are supposed to see each other anyways. It was incredibly emotional when we saw each other for the first time at the Mandap, and both of us were filled with tears. I was so glad it worked out the way it did."

"One of my favourite parts of the wedding was the live Latin Jazz-Rock band (Shine Band) we hired for the Sangeet. We danced the night away under the stars to me and Bharat’s curated playlist of our favourite Latin/rock songs performed live (Shakira, Carlos Santana, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, etc.)"

"Our first dance as husband/wife at the reception to the Spanish romantic song “Besame Mucho” sung live by my sister Sanjana."

"After the reception, we continued with an afterparty at the resort nightclub. No one else was there, so it was an entire dance floor just for us and our guests, and the DJ played all our favourite Bollywood and hip-hop songs."

 "Both Mom and Dad walking me down the aisle, at the same moment I was seeing Bharat for the first time that day (we didn’t have a first look before the ceremony). It was emotional on so many levels."

Brides Today: Since we are talking about moments, what was your favourite part of the wedding? 

Richa Moorjani: "It’s so hard to choose! One moment that will stay with me forever was when we said our hand-written vows to each other at the end of the ceremony. It was incredibly emotional, and even though the Hindu ceremony was important to us and beautiful, saying our own vows really made it feel complete and personal."

"Bharat putting the mangal sutra around my neck during the ceremony, which he had a lot of trouble with so I kept laughing."

Brides Today: Your parting advice to brides-to-be? 

Richa Moorjani: "Remember that ultimately, all that matters is the love between you and your partner. If the wedding planning is stressing you out or causing fights, it defeats the whole purpose of trying to plan something beautiful that should only bring you joy. Naturally, some things will be challenging, but pick your battles, compromise and make a vow to yourself and each other to never let the pressures and stresses of wedding planning get in the way of your excitement and overall joy. During the wedding, I made sure I got up every morning early enough to meditate before seeing anyone or getting ready. I also made sure I got at least 6-7 hours of sleep every night because I can’t function without enough sleep. I also asked my sisters and bridesmaids to keep feeding me throughout the events, because I swore to never be the type of bride that didn’t eat during her own wedding. There are so many pictures of me eating during every event, and they are my favourite pictures.

So my secrets are: Meditation, good sleep, eating well and having the intention to have fun and go with the flow no matter what happens. Also, if possible, hire a great wedding planner (mine was JC Castillo/Shaadi Destinations based in Cancun, and I couldn’t have done it without them)."

Events and Functions

• October 16th- Private Mehndi in the bridal suite with a few friends/family members 
• October 17th- Welcome Cocktail party on the beach  
• October 18th- Poolside Haldi Ceremony followed by a pool party
• October 18th- Sangeet with live Latin Jazz Rock band 
• October 19th: Baraat with the groom arriving in a vintage car, Beach Ceremony and Vows, Outdoor lawn reception in the evening followed by an afterparty at the resort night club