Hello, ladies! Don't miss Sandhya & Nitin's wedding in today's Platinum Guide Blog. You will love it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Nitin and I met through a dating website called “The League.” While I was somewhat skeptical that I would meet “the one” through a dating website, I thought it was worth a shot. Unfortunately, Nitin had been told by his sister to not look too overeager, and it took him a month to ask me out! I kept thinking “I’m done with this guy if he doesn’t ask me on a date” but then he would say something funny or cute, and I had to give him a little more time. After a few months of going on dates, we went to the movies to watch a Bollywood film, and we were cracking each other up in line for the snacks. I thought “if we can have this much fun just waiting on line for a movie, we can have fun anywhere.”
 
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Through a combination of deduction, seeing a Google Chrome tab open on his phone and a girls trip that got cancelled, I figured out that Nitin was going to propose to me on our “dating anniversary” at the Upper East Side restaurant Daniel. Nitin knew that I had a dream wedding ring picked out but he got a pair of earrings to propose with so that I could design my ring, so I knew something was up when I spotted the earrings on his phone. Daniel being the romantic spot that it is, and on a special date had my mind thinking we were getting engaged there, so I would mention in the days leading up to the date “I know you’re proposing to me with earrings at Daniel on Friday night.” What I didn’t know was that he managed a few surprises in that. First, he had my friend take me out before the dinner and convince me that because I had guessed the proposal, he cancelled the plan and was just taking me to anniversary dinner. He then planned for a bunch of our close friends to be on the roof of my apartment for a surprise engagement night party. Once at the restaurant, the wine and food were flowing and he got down on one knee while the waiter took photos…and didn’t propose! He told me that since I figured out the plan, and that he wanted it to be a surprise, he was not going to propose just yet. He gave me the earrings as an anniversary gift, and I thought “OK, it’s not tonight but it will be soon.” I then noticed Nitin looking around, and I jokingly said “are you looking for my Mom?” because I had told Nitin before that after getting engaged, I always wanted my Mom to be there. Nitin told me that my parents were not in the city, as they had another party to go to. Once I heard that, I started crying. Nitin of course got a little worried that I was crying so much, and he told me the waiters were taking us to a lounge area to have champagne and dessert for our anniversary. Tearfully, I followed Nitin into the lounge where I found our parents and our siblings who toasted us. Before I knew it, Nitin was on his knees for the second time, this time with a ring, and he said “I told you that I wouldn’t make you wait long. Sandhya, will you marry me.” And not to ruin the suspense, but I said yes!
 
Tell us how you went about planning your wedding, and your overall experience with the Venues, Hair & Makeup, Outfits, Decor Theme, and all of the other important details.
Planning a wedding, especially an Indian wedding, is never really easy. In 2020, with the global pandemic, it added a new level to how trying the whole process could be! There were many late nights of calls, analyzing contracts, and just wondering if we could even have the wedding at all. As New Jersey state restrictions limited the number of people indoors, we had to move the ceremony outdoors and limit the number of guests, which meant 3 weeks before the date we had to move to an entirely new venue! I was very lucky to have our good family friend and wedding planning superstar Urvashi Mishra by my side during the whole experience, as she helped me walk through the whole replanning. For the sake of safety, we postponed the reception and other events to our 1 year anniversary next year, so in a way the wedding festivities have not ended yet! Finally, when the day actually came, the venue, hair and makeup, and décor all looked more incredible than we could have ever imagined. It was like being in a dream, and Nitin and I couldn’t believe how lucky we were to be married in the midst of such beauty. None of it would have been possible without Urvashi and our other wonderful vendors: Abhishek Decorators, DNS Event Solutions, Ami Photography, Jay Arora Photography, the Sheraton Mahwah and so many more. 
 
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
My first plan was to wear mom’s wedding lehenga, which we took to India in early 2020. The plan was for it to be repolished and tailored by our tailor in Delhi, and to buy a deep rose gold lehenga for my reception. However, when we came back to the States and were shipped the clothes we had made in India, my reception lehenga arrived but in the wrong color! Blush pink instead of deep rose gold! But something totally unexpected happened – I fell in love with the pink lehenga once I saw it. In fact, I loved it so much that I made the reception lehenga my wedding lehenga (an easy choice since the reception was postponed for 1 year due to COVID). I did also manage to get the wonderful emotional significance of wearing something from my mom’s wedding, though. For one of the pre-wedding events, my Mom gave me a lehenga that she had made out of a sari her Dad gifted her at her own wedding. In the end, it all worked out amazingly and I couldn’t be happier.
 
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
One of the parts of wedding planning I do miss is the trip I took with my Mom and Nitin to India at the start of the year. The shopping in Delhi filled our days, and especially was amazing for me to spend so much time with my Grandmother – she was on her feet with us all day, and probably had more energy than all of us at when we got back to our hotel at the end of each day! Nitin and I also got to visit his Grandmother and family in Bangalore which was fun because we were attending his cousin’s wedding there. It was beautiful to see an Indian wedding in India as I was planning my Indian wedding in America. The trip is extra special in my memory because neither of our Grandmothers in India were able to attend our ceremony in person due to the pandemic, so we will always cherish the memories of our trip, and look forward to visiting them again in India when we can.
 
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
After the wedding, I heard from so many of the guests that they loved the ceremony, and they cited all sorts of different things. Some loved the custom protective face masks we provided our guests, designed by me and hand crafted in India just for our event. Many told me they loved the detailed program which I designed with my sister in law to explain all the different rituals and their significance, allowing our friends and family to follow along and understand each step of the way. Others loved the individual servings of Indian ice cream we provided during a break in the ceremony when I changed clothes from my lehenga to my sari. But above all the logistics, what our guests and I loved most were the beautiful vows Nitin wrote.
 
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The first thing that comes to mind is the vows. They were a chance for us to share how incredible the moment was and how deeply in love we were feeling – the emotions were heightened, and I could feel all the love in the air.
 
We also held a small party for family and close friends on the Friday before the ceremony, where I surprised Nitin by doing a choreographed dance medley to several of our favorite Bollywood hits. Watching his eyes light up and seeing him sway and mouth the words, I could tell he was shocked, overjoyed, and so excited. He couldn’t help himself and even came on the floor in the middle of the performance get in on the fun!
 
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
The first thing I’d say is: there’s no such thing as standard or normal or wedding etiquette anymore. You can’t be ruled by what you think you’re supposed to do, or what some people might expect. The most important thing when you look back on your wedding is to know that you put together an event that lines up with what you, your husband, and your families really want and what makes you happy. Also if you can I’d strongly recommend having someone who is a dedicated “day of” coordinator. There will be so much going through your head on the wedding day, having someone who is focused on all the little things so that you can think about and feel the big things lets you enjoy the day more. And if you hire an amazing wedding planner like Urvashi everything will be taken care of before you even have to ask, and the day will feel like it’s supposed to feel: like magic.
STYLE
GUIDE style
Traditional
Romantic
Outdoor
 season
Summer
 color
Floral & Decor: Abhishek Decorators | Hair & Makeup: Makeup by Anita | Mehndi Artists: Mehndikalogie | Planning & Design: Urvashi Mishra, Wedding & Event Planner | Mehndi Venue: The Palisadium | Ceremony Venue: Sheraton Mahwah Hotel | Catering: Moghul Caterers | DJ: DNS Events | Cinematography: Ami Video | Priest: Krishna Bhat Varanasi | Garlands: Vivek Flowers | Tent: Taylor Rental | Photography: Ami Video | Photography: Jay Arora Photography
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