Latest news with #TheKnot
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Big fat Wall Street wedding: Lavish Indian baraat shuts down Manhattan's financial district
Lavish Indian baraat shuts down Manhattan's financial district In a stunning display of love, culture, and sheer spectacle, Wall Street ground to a halt over the weekend, not for a stock market crash, but for a spectacular Indian wedding 'baraat' that turned the financial district into a full-blown dance floor. Hundreds gathered on Saturday outside the iconic Cipriani Wall Street , dressed in shimmering sarees, sequinned lehengas, and golden finery, to witness the extravagant baraat, complete with a live DJ spinning Bollywood beats. 'We shut down Wall Street for a 400-person baraat,' DJ AJ (@djmumbai) posted on Instagram alongside a viral video of the electrifying moment. 'Who would've ever thought?!' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Devarshi Shah (@devarshishah7) by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [단독] 서울 임플란트 '33만원' 에 가능해 플란치과 더 알아보기 Undo Meet the couple who stopped traffic and dropped jaws The glamorous newlyweds were identified as Varun Navani , CEO of enterprise AI company Rolai, and Amanda Soll , a director of legal compliance and risk management. The Boston-based power couple's identities surfaced through a wave of social media tags and their wedding page on The Knot, which outlined a four-day celebration worthy of a movie montage. Though based in Boston, the pair chose to make their matrimonial mark on Manhattan and did so in blockbuster fashion. 'Who are the bride and groom? Must be billionaires,' one stunned onlooker commented online. Permits, price tags, and a party for the ages City records reviewed by The Post revealed the couple filed 28 permits to execute the grand affair, shelling out an estimated $25,000 to $66,000 per location to secure the financial district for their festivities. Depending on size and disruption, the city classifies street events like this as "large" or "extra-large," requiring full-block closures, complex setup logistics, and NYPD coordination. For a few unforgettable hours, Wall Street wasn't about stocks, suits, or spreadsheets, it was about dhol beats, dancing feet, and the ultimate fusion of Indian tradition and New York swagger. From boardrooms to baraats In a city where anything can happen, Varun and Amanda proved that even Wall Street can be made to dance, literally. As the music echoed between skyscrapers and guests swirled in sync, the celebration made one thing clear: this wasn't just a wedding. It was a moment that stopped Manhattan in its tracks and brought a burst of colour and culture to the heart of global finance. From boardrooms to baraats, these newlyweds just gave Wall Street a wedding to remember.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Indian couple's extravagant wedding parade shuts down Wall Street — meet the bride and groom
It was a marriage made in Manhattan — and it brought Wall Street to a full stop. An extravagant Indian wedding parade, or baraat, turned the Financial District into a full-blown block party on Saturday, halting traffic and causing jaws to drop faster than a stock market crash. Hundreds of people, decked in glittering sarees, sequinned lehengas and gold-embellished finery, gathered outside Cipriani Wall Street to watch the happy couple arrive and grooved to a pulsating blend of Bollywood beats and pop bangers spun by a live DJ. 'We shut down Wall Street for a 400-person Baraat,' DJ AJ @djmumbai wrote alongside a clip of the epic moment. 'Who would've ever thought?!' 'Who are the bride and the groom? Must be billionaires,' one person commented. Turns out, the mystery newlyweds weren't Bollywood royalty — but they might as well be. Thanks to a plethora of social media posts tagging them, the duo was identified as Varun Navani, CEO of enterprise AI platform Rolai, and Amanda Soll, a director of legal compliance and risk management, per their LinkedIn pages. Their identities were confirmed by their wedding page on The Knot, which contained the details of their four-day wedding celebration. The high-powered pair hail from Boston, Mass., but decided to tie the knot in the city that never sleeps. The bride and groom didn't just break the internet — they broke the bank. According to city records viewed by The Post, the couple filed 28 permits for their big day, likely shelling out between $25,000 and $66,000 per location to shut down the Financial District. The Mayor's Office classifies street events — which take over curbs, sidewalks and roads — by size and impact, with 'large' events requiring a full block closure and extensive setup, and 'extra-large' events demanding even more space, permits and NYPD coordination. The baraat — a time-honored tradition in Hindu and Muslim South Asian weddings — is essentially a pre-ceremony procession where the groom's family and friends dance their way to the venue, often with dhol drums, music and more flair than a Broadway finale. Traditionally, the groom arrives on horseback, following rituals like his sister feeding daal-channa (lentils) to the steed and sisters-in-law applying kaala teeka (a black dot) to the back of his neck to ward off the evil eye. According to their Knot page, the lovefest kicked off Friday, May 23, with breakfast and afternoon tea at the Conrad hotel, followed by a lively sangeet — a pre-wedding bash full of music, dancing and revelry — at The Glasshouse. Saturday brought more breakfast, brunch and tea at the Conrad before the main event: the baraat at 3:30 p.m., followed by a lavish reception at Cipriani Wall Street that kept guests partying from 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. For the baraat, Navani arrived in a traditional ivory long coat, or sherwani, and layered pearl necklaces and stunned onlookers, who captured the dazzling scene of hundreds dancing down the historic street. The groom was also seen riding in a white vehicle down the street at one point and clapped with a megawatt grin as his crew hoisted him into the air. Soll, the bride, stunned in a deep ruby lehenga by renowned Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, adorned with ornate gold embellishments and matching glimmering jewelry. Her brunette tresses swept into an elegant updo with soft face-framing tendrils. Her glam? A modern classic with kohl-rimmed, winged liner, glistening highlighter and rosy blush on her cheekbones and a minimal nude lip. Even the groomsmen brought the fashion heat in coordinated pink-and-white ethnic attire, setting a festive tone for the scene that had bystanders wondering if they'd stumbled onto a movie set. But wait — there's more. On Sunday, the pair hosted another round of breakfast and tea before exchanging vows again in an evening Jewish wedding at Cipriani and an after-party at Slate that lasted until 4 a.m. And on Monday, they wrapped it all up with one last post-wedding brunch and lunch send-off at the Conrad's West Ballroom before guests were bussed out of the Big Apple — likely in need of a vacation from the wedding. From boardrooms to baraats, these newlyweds made Wall Street dance to their own beat.
Axios
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
How to nab a wedding dress for under $100 in Richmond this weekend
The local branch of Goodwill is hosting its first-ever Richmond bridal pop-up shop this weekend. Why it matters: You could score a wedding dress for as little as $49.99, per a news release. That's way less than $2,000, which is the latest average cost of a wedding dress according to The Knot. State of play: Something Blue: Goodwill Bridal Pop-Up 2025 will takeover Goodwill's Stratford Hills location on Saturday and Sunday. There, shoppers will find more than 200 bridal gowns, plus veils, shoes, accessories and dresses for bridesmaids, mother-of-the-brides and flower girls — all for a fraction of the price. Some of the items are gently used, per Goodwill, and some items still have the tags attached. The folks from Richmond PhotoBooth will be there, too, so shoppers can pose for a free pic to commemorate the day. If you go: The pop-up at the Stratford Hills store (7101A Forest Hill Ave.) will run Saturday, 9am-8pm and Sunday, 10am-6pm.
Axios
4 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Why weddings are shrinking
Ballrooms are out. "Micro weddings" are in — and they might be smarter, too. Why it matters: Some couples are skipping big weddings to save money and throw a more intimate gathering. By the numbers: The average guest count nationwide was 131 in 2024, down from 184 in 2006, according to data shared with Axios by The Wedding Report. And smaller celebrations, those with 50 guests or fewer, made up 18% of nuptials last year, compared to 10% in 2013, per the research company. What we're hearing: Courthouse ceremonies and parties in cozy restaurants or backyards let couples spend more time with loved ones. Downsizing can also limit stress, plus free up cash for that open bar or unforgettable carving station. Zoom in: Vegas-style chapels and businesses offering curated micro weddings and elopements have opened in Boston, Dallas, Portland, Oregon, Richmond, Virginia and beyond. Reality check: While certain people "just like low-key events," most go smaller to spend less, Shane McMurray, CEO of The Wedding Report, tells Axios. The big picture: Cutting the guest list is the best way to save, with prices for meals, venues, invitations and more usually based on headcount, McMurray says. Pros estimate micro weddings can cost over 50% less than traditional ones. Between the lines: Many brides and grooms-to-be are bracing for pricier nuptials as tariffs stand to hike the $33,000 cost of an average U.S. wedding, according to The Knot, a planning and registry site. Those worrying about their jobs or finances may delay celebrations altogether. The bottom line: No need to invite the roommate you haven't talked to since graduation.
Axios
20-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Couples brace for pricier weddings due to tariffs
Getting hitched could soon get even more expensive. Why it matters: Engaged couples are bracing for price hikes on flowers, dresses, cakes, invitations and more because of President Trump's roller-coaster tariffs. The big picture: America imports many of its wedding staples. Nearly all clothes and shoes sold here arrive from other countries. Between the lines: Tariffs stand to push up the $33,000 cost of an average U.S. wedding, according to The Knot, a planning and registry website. Alcohol ($2,800), floral arrangements ($2,700) and a dress ($2,100) represent some of the steepest expenses. As brides and grooms-to-be commiserate on social media, they urge others to rush certain purchases and book vendors early. "Get those bridesmaid dresses ordered," one user posted in a Reddit community for wedding planning. Speaking of dresses, David's Bridal is responding to tariff troubles by hosting a "Sample Sale" from May 28-30, which features steep discounts.
