1 of 8
Magic Moment: Kathleen’s gown featured hundreds of hand-sewn flowers. Her decorative floral hair adornment was purchased along with her gown and veil from Gabriella New York.
2 of 8
Howl at the Moon: Jordan Cotton designed the wedding invitation suite, which featured a full moon theme. Kathleen’s engagement ring and wedding band, both designed by ILA Fine Jewelry, were purchased at Catbird in Brooklyn, New York. Ganesh’s wedding ring was created by an Indian jeweler who also made his father’s wedding ring.
3 of 8
Visual Delight: At the reception, each floral centerpiece was different and featured colors that contrasted with the Marble Hall’s pink hue. Velvet fabrics and modern glassware were sourced from Rent-E-Quip.
4 of 8
Meaningful Traditions: Kathleen and Ganesh wore mala floral garlands inspired by Ganesh’s parents’ wedding malas. Kathleen’s dress and veil were designed by Viktor & Rolf and purchased from Gabriella New York.
5 of 8
Autumn Colors: The bridal party took pre-wedding photos at Quirk Hotel. Bridesmaids chose dresses in shades of dark green, orange and yellow. Groomsmen wore charcoal suits with orange paisley print ties.
6 of 8
Making a Statement: Ganesh’s deep red custom suit was created by Alan David Custom. His boutonniere included a simple flower with sprigs of rosemary, a reference to the couple’s love of cooking.
7 of 8
Boho Love: For Love of Love helped the couple create their ceremony space. The main backdrop was made using long floral garlands, and the aisle was decorated with bohemian rugs from Paisley and Jade, flanked by architectural floral pieces by Wild Fleurette.
8 of 8
Pops of Color: The couple opted for a simply designed wedding cake from WPA Bakery accented with brightly colored flowers and placed atop a gold cake stand from Paisley and Jade.
Kathleen Barron and Ganesh Sarma met through mutual friends in 2009 while attending Virginia Commonwealth University. When Kathleen noticed one of her favorite albums, Prince’s “Purple Rain,” in Ganesh’s record collection, the pair hit it off and began dating. After nearly a decade together, they became engaged during a family beach trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina.
The fall-loving couple specifically chose Oct. 12, 2019, as their wedding date because it almost fell upon a full moon. Though they make their home in Brooklyn, New York, the bride and groom chose to wed in the city where they met, with a ceremony at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture followed by a reception at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Marble Hall. They worked with Lauren Hill of For Love of Love and Lynn Killberg Thoreson of Wild Fleurette to plan a colorful, bohemian South Indian celebration to honor the groom’s cultural heritage. “The Marble Hall has beautiful, colorful geometric pieces throughout the space that we drew a lot of inspiration from,” Kathleen says.
The menu featured a mix of traditional Indian dishes, such as samosas, and classic American favorites, like fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese. For the main course, guests had the option of beef and salmon with seasonal vegetables or paneer tikka masala, mushroom saag, jeera rice and naan bread.
In honor of the album that inspired their romance, the couple did their first dance to Prince’s “Purple Rain” as the Marble Hall was illuminated in purple lights. “It was the song that brought us together in the first place,” Kathleen says. “We had so much fun dancing together.”
Event Planning and Design: For Love of Love
Florals: Wild Fleurette
Catering: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Cake: WPA Bakery
Hair and Makeup: Elle Style Studio
