Kristen and Santosh chose to have a destination Maine wedding at The Barn at Flanagan Farm in Buxton, Maine. They spent their day surrounded by their friends and family from all over the world, many of whom shared wonderful anecdotes about the happy couple throughout the evening. We’re suckers for some good romance tales, and Kristen and Santosh kindly shared the story of theirs with us….enjoy it!
Santosh and Kristen were roomies and good friends in Somerville, Mass., until Kristen moved 3,000 miles away to Seattle for grad school, and then they kept in touch over email. They went on their first date when Kristen came home for Christmas break and they walked six miles (stopping for a snowball fight along the way) to Boston’s Chinatown through the snow because they had a craving for sushi. They stuffed themselves with salmon and tuna, sake and Sapporo, and just to make sure Kristen was thoroughly impressed, Santosh proceeded to eat a ping pong ball sized wad of wasabi in one bite. Something must have worked, whether it was the 6-mile walk, the snowball fight, or the wasabi-eating man points, because from then on they began dating.  Over the next year or so, they made it work, somehow knowing they had found the one, and the 3,000 miles of distance between them was merely a detail.

Ever since that first snowy date, they never say no to an adventure, whether it be camping trips on the Olympic Peninsula, white water rafting on the Kennebec and biking in Acadia, driving through Colorado, eating their way through Mexico City, and most recently traveling with Santosh’s family to Kerala, India. Though they hail from different cities and cultures, and they are opposites in many ways (organized planner vs. restless dreamer), they share strong foundations in their dedication to family and their desire to make the world a better place.

Here’s a peek at their gorgeous outdoor cultural fusion wedding!

The teapot and tea cups were incorporated into a Malayalee (South Indian) Tea Ceremony at the start of the reception. Kristen and Santosh’s mothers served them tea and milk to symbolize welcoming into their families.

Kristen and Santosh infused their cultures into the day, combining secular readings and blessings with Malayalee Christian Orthodox traditions and prayers. Here, the Priest performs the Blessing of the Thali /Minnu, a gold cross necklace and a thread from the wedding sari. It was then tied around Kristen’s neck to signify the lifelong bond of marriage. This was followed by the Blessing of the Manthrakodi (sari). Santosh covered Kristen’s head with the wedding sari (a gift to the bride from the groom’s family) signifying that he will always protect and cherish her.

A huge congrats to Kristen and Santosh!! Thank you for honoring us to capture this part of your adventure together ❤  xo

Venue: The Barn at Flanagan Farm / Officiant: Rev. Dr. Thomas Varughese / Caterering: The Black Tie Co. / Event Coordination: Kathleen Pacella of The Black Tie Co. / Entertainment: DJ Pat Daniels of Double Platinum Celebrations / Guest Emcee and Drumming:  Santosh’s Attendant, Tarun / Floral Design: Snell Family Farm / Hair: Kayleen Desouza / Makeup: Ana Freyre-Harris