Thank you!
If you are reading this, then you have been a part of this journey. And, we sincerely thank you for being part of our lives.
For those of you who came to Ireland - we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making the sacrifices that you did to be with us as we start this new chapter in our life together. Many of you left your small children and partners for a few days to be with us. We know that we did not make this easy on you by scheduling this wedding on short notice, choosing a relatively expensive destination and then making you travel once you got to Ireland! We are absolutely honored and humbled that you attended. We hope that you felt that this experience was unique & worthwhile. You are etched in our hearts forever.
For those of you who were unable to join us in Ireland, but hosted/attended pre-wedding events, sent us cards, messages, gifts, and blessings - thank you! We are sorry you were unable to join us, but you were there with us in spirit and we were thinking of you throughout the weekend. We created this space for you to get a glimpse of how the weekend unfolded.
With love & gratitude,
Rina and Matt
As I didn't have an opportunity to make a speech over the wedding weekend, I would like to take a few moments to acknowledge a few people specifically without whom the weekend would not have been possible.
Thank you to my Father for trusting me to do the right thing for our relationship in planning a destination wedding and being open to having a celebration of both cultures. Thank you for your generosity of hosting this grand celebration. You truly made our dreams come true!
Our families both supported us, and we thank them for the sacrifices of dropping everything and coming to Ireland and supporting us through a crazy time. Specifically, thank you Tina and Jim for going the extra mile and really stepping up to help us pull this off despite your own busy lives.
Bridesmaids (Elena, Mariya, Nichola, Priya, Sapna, Swati, Tina, & Trina): You did so much that I can't go into detail otherwise people may stop reading! But, you know what you did for me/us & I couldn't ask for a better group of women to stand with me not only on my wedding day, but everyday we are blessed to be together. I hope you enjoyed "our" day and had fun! You were absolute stars.
Kieran: I wish I could have made you part of my bridal party. You found & screened two of our main vendors (photographer & videographer), you remixed our first dance song, AND you created the reception slideshow. Plus you and Hollie brought your energy to the weekend & gave us an awesome wedding video that we will cherish for years to come! You both are seriously the type of friends everyone wishes they had - so thank you for doing all this for us and of course for your friendship.
Karen: I also wish I could have made you part of the wedding party; but you know how much I count on your friendship and support. Thank you for allowing Matt to store his apartment at your home, moving all our luggage from K Club to Cliff at Lyons on the wedding day, coordinating the coaches with all the guests on the wedding day AND bringing back luggage from Ireland to NYC so we didn't have to drag it around on our honeymoon (which was something crazy like 13 flights in 10 days). We are so lucky to have a friend like you in our lives!
Bulbul: Thanks for looking after my Dad and your folks, all the coordinating, driving, and Big Sister emotional support.
Anita: You got your folks to Ireland which meant we were able to have a Hindu ceremony! You helped us plan the ceremony, fixed Matt's hat, and made fun of me for considering having a naked wedding cake. While you were not able to make it, we were thinking of you and your family loads.
Sundip: Thank you for bringing your positive energy & documenting the weekend in detail so it could be enjoyed by relatives who were unable join us!
Sormistha: Thank you for everything that you did in the 10 days I was in India, from all the shopping to all the life advice. You continue to inspire me! No one else could have helped me the way that you did & somehow it all came together! While I am disappointed you were unable to attend and be apart of the celebration weekend, I hope you were able to see your impact on this wedding.
Finally, Matt: I am thankful everyday that you are in my life and could not have asked for a better partner. Our love is both a miracle and a mystery to me. I don't worry about the future anymore, because I know whatever happens, we will face it together with courage, compassion, and love. I look forward to continuing our adventure together!
And, to everyone else I didn't acknowledge ( I could go on...Maitri Kaki (Indian shopping), Jie (driving out of her way to pick up my suitcase after work and bringing it to Ireland), Amy (who went the extra mile and managed to get Cliff policy changed to allow fireworks)), I thank you as well for making this event possible!