Katherine and Sameer

Posted on: December 4, 2017

Photographer:
Castaldo Studios LLC

Doctors Katherine Bautista, 34, and Sameer Draviam, 34, tied the knot on November 4 in Orlando, Florida. The couple dated for two years, before getting engaged and getting hitched this fall.

Katherine, an OBGYN Resident Physician met Sameer, an Emergency Medicine Physician (EMR) while working at the Osceola Regional Medical Center. Katherine is from Colorado Springs, while Sameer is from Cleveland, Ohio. From the very first instance when they met at the hospital, Katherine and Sameer connected.

It was on Katherine’s birthday on the Big Island, Hawaii, that Sameer popped the question. The duo went on a week’s holiday after attending Sameer’s friend’s wedding in California. It was a surprise trip planned as Katherine loved adventure. They hiked volcanoes and enjoyed scuba diving.

Katherine was not expecting a proposal, but rather was looking forward to a sunrise hike. However, when Sameer found a secluded waterfall while hiking, he went down on his knees and proposed. “I was very nervous and slipped on a wet rock, hurt my knee, but didn’t drop the ring,” he said. The duo celebrated their engagement with a private oceanfront dining at the Four Seasons that evening.

The couple hired a wedding planner — Casie Caldwell from Sparkleigh Productions. The couple also attended the My Shadi Bridal Expo in Orlando, where Katherine and Sameer had no doubts that the Hilton Orlando Resort would be the perfect venue for their wedding. Their guest list included 280 people.

The sangeet or mehndi was organized at the Winter Park Community Center. The décor was traditional Indian, while the mood was set by the DJ with foot-tapping numbers.

The couple had a church wedding followed by a reception. The church wedding was held in the First Congregational Church of Winter Park, Florida. Decor at the church included flower arrangements on the altar and front, a white runner, tall candelabras with bright colored sashes tied on both sides. “We left the ceremony in a horse drawn carriage with ‘Just Married’ written across,” said Katherine.

The baarat arrived after the Christian wedding ceremony dancing to Bollywood, Bhangra, and desi numbers as a dhol player played on. Sameer sat on a white horse that was visibly restless, while the bridal party arrived in a black Hummer limo. Three cabana tents were erected at the Hilton; one was transformed into a hookah lounge with live flamenco and a guitarist.

The outdoors, sunset with candelabras, crystal chandeliers, and flowers were perfect for the cocktail and reception. Bollywood, Bhangra, Hip Hop, EDM, Reggae, Reggaeton, and dancehall music played.

Katherine advises couples to spend more on decorations rather than the venue. One incident she laughs about is how Sameer’s brother forgot the mangalsutra in the hotel before the ceremony, but luckily his mom was able to find it on time!