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  Vatsla Kohli & Curtis Watkins May 16, 2009 Uptown Charlotte

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  Vatsla Kohli & Curtis Watkins May 16, 2009 Mint Museum

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  Vatsla Kohli & Curtis Watkins May 16, 2009 Mint Museum

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In Hindi, the name Vatsla means, “loving,” and the same can be said of Vatsla Kohli Watkins. Vatsla and her husband Curtis have begun tutoring children through a program at their church, fueling the couple’s passion for faith and charity. “The emphasis of the program is on reading, but we help them with their homework and anything else they need,” says the ambitious and hard-working Vatsla.

Raised in Chandigarh, India, near New Dehli, Vatsla moved to Charlotte when she was 18. The software engineer and fashion designer recently started Vasini, a clothing collection that is Indian-inspired with Western influence. Tired of meeting “Mr. Wrong,” Vatsla connected with Curtis, an energy industry project manager and owner of a private IT consulting firm, through Match.com. After several emails and one phone call, Curtis suggested they meet at Sullivan’s Steakhouse. “Curtis and I are both in technical professions, so when he initially approached me he used his geeky humor, which rubbed me the wrong way,” Vatsla admits. “However, after meeting him in person I was totally smitten.” Vatsla wanted to take things slow, so she could be sure of her feelings, but admits she knew early on Curtis was the one.

A few days before Curtis proposed, the bride-to-be had a gut feeling something was up. That something turned out to be a scavenger hunt. Curtis placed clues in various locations symbolic to the couple. Each clue was a poem written by Curtis on parchment paper tied with a ribbon. The final clue told her to go to the place where they first met. Vatsla found the final envelope on a table inside Sullivan’s. “I was supposed to text him when I got there, but I forgot to follow the rules,” Vatsla admits. “As I read the last poem, I started to cry. The last line asked, ‘Will you be my wife?’ and I looked up to see Curtis down on one knee!”

Both Curtis and Vatsla wanted a unique wedding that combined their cultures and honored their families. They decided to hold a traditional Christian ceremony followed by an Indian-style reception at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design. “The actual ceremony is about marriage, and we wanted to keep that part serious,” Vatsla explains. “But at the reception, we wanted to show our personalities. We had been to a gala at the museum while we were dating, so the location was sentimental to us. Plus I love the skyline of the city and the art, so it was perfect.”

When it came to photographers, the couple chose Kate Ashbrook. “I met Kate at a Women of Charlotte function years before,” Vatlsa says. “Curtis and I thought her photos were high-quality and very romantic.” Kate easily captured the couple’s personalities and was able to incorporate Curtis’s passion for antique cars by using his vintage black pickup truck as a backdrop in some of the engagement photos.

On the big day, the bride’s long ebony hair cascaded down her white strapless, fit-and-flare gown that complimented her petite figure. In her hands she carried a simple bouquet of hot pink and orange roses bound with a white ribbon. After “I do,” the newlyweds kicked the tux and gown attire for colorful Indian garb.

Before the wedding, Vatsla made a special trip to India to find her reception dress. “It’s hard to find ready-to-wear in India,” Vatsla explains. “That’s a large reason behind my clothing line. I think the female form is beautiful, but it is hard to find form-fitting [Indian] clothing.” The bride chose a two-piece ensemble in vibrant turquoise and rose with light pink and silver embroidery. To complete the look she wore jewelry passed down from her paternal grandmother, and a friend painted a freestyle henna design on her hands. “The traditional bridal henna is very intricate and heavy,” says Vatsla. “I wanted something lighter, less traditional.”

The buffet-style dinner offered chicken tikka masala, rice pulao, saag paneer and naan bread, after a course of samosa appetizers. Two DJs played a mix of Indian pop songs while the bride and groom interpreted moves from a Bhangra dance with Bollywood flair. “My favorite part of the whole day, besides marrying my husband,” Vatsla says, “was standing back and seeing so many people I love all in one place.”

Featured vendors

Photography
Kate Ashbrook Photography
704-467-6363
www.kateashbrook.com

Jewelry
Diamonds Direct SouthPark
704-532-9041
www.diamondsdirectsouthpark.com