Maya & Achyut's love story began in college with a chance encounter that led to a deep connection. The night they met was a whirlwind of dancing, late-night sandwiches, and endless conversation, setting the stage for an unforgettable bond. Over time, Achyut became more than just a partner to Maya—he became her confidant and adventure companion. Their relationship blossomed, rooted in mutual understanding and acceptance.
On a chilly December day, Maya thought she was visiting her brother in St. Louis, unaware that Achyut had planned an elaborate scavenger hunt. This thoughtful journey took her through familiar places from their shared past, and each stop a nod to the special memories and adventures that had shaped their relationship. From revisiting their alma mater to retracing the steps of their first meal together, each clue reminded them how far they had come as a couple, culminating in a proposal that perfectly captured their history and love.
The couple found Lanikuhonua's lush palms and serene waters the perfect backdrop for their outdoor ceremony. The location held deep meaning for the couple, offering natural beauty and a connection to their cultural heritage. It was the perfect place to honor their backgrounds while celebrating their love in a setting that felt both meaningful and breathtaking.
Maya & Achyut's wedding attire beautifully reflected the fusion of their cultures, with Maya stunning in a traditional red and gold lehenga from Mumbai. She had always envisioned herself in a classic red ensemble, a color steeped in significance for generations of brides. The moment she slipped into the lehenga, she felt a deep connection to her heritage and the timeless tradition that so many brides before her had embraced, adding a sense of continuity and meaning to the celebration.
After Achyut's playful clues inspired a theme, Maya creatively wove pineapples into every wedding detail, from centerpieces to guest favors. This whimsical motif became a charming nod to their shared history, symbolizing the joy and lightheartedness that define their relationship. It was a subtle yet meaningful reminder of the fun they find in each other's company, adding a personal touch to the celebration.
Looking ahead, Maya & Achyut are excited about the future, knowing their wedding was just the start of their most incredible adventure together. Their shared smiles and glances speak volumes about the love and optimism that will continue to guide them on their journey.
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Achyut in my junior year of college, and to be quite honest, I didn't think he was the one until years later. We caught each other's eye during a night out and the sparks were flying. We ended up spending the whole night together, dancing and chatting and having fun. We ended up going to Jimmy Johns at 2 AM and ate sandwiches and chatted some more. It was a few days before Labor Day weekend, and we shared our plans with each other, including the bus I was planning to catch to go back home. Lo and behold, that following day, I found him sitting on the same bus, saving the seat next to him for me. We talked the entire 2.5 hr bus ride home.
I can't pinpoint one specific moment when I knew he was "the one". Many years later, I remember looking over at him and feeling grateful that he was in my life, a person I could be my genuine (weird) self with, and couldn't imagine life without him.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
It was December of 2022 on a particularly cold and windy day, and Achyut and I were heading down to St. Louis (or so I thought) from Chicago to see my brother for the weekend. My brother told me that he had a formal work luncheon that Sunday, and siblings were invited (odd, but I liked the idea of going to see him for a weekend, so I obliged). He even sent me this official-looking e-vite that he fabricated, so I had no reason to be suspicious. It was going to be a 5-hour drive to St. Louis, and Achyut suggested that we stop over at U of I in Champaign, our alma mater, to go eat at our favorite Mexican spot, Maize, to which I readily agreed. Soon after we were seated and placed our order, Achyut got a "work call" and disappeared. When the waiter brought my order, I asked about Achyut's food, and the waiter simply stated he wasn't coming back. I looked at him, puzzled, and he handed me an envelope. Inside was a note that read:
"A thing that I love about our relationship is the adventures that we have taken together as well as the ones we will continue to take in the future. While today might not be the best day for an adventure, I think it is time for our best one yet! Enjoy your meal, but afterward, it is time. Each adventure requires proper attire! For this one, you will want to dress to impress. There's a room reserved for you. Hint: Globalist"
Bewildered, I finally figured out that today was going to be the day he proposed, so I attempted to call my family and friends. No one would pick up my call. We all shared our locations with each other, and theirs was nowhere to be found on the map. I attempted to FaceTime my best friend, who texted me a very convincing lie about why she couldn't pick up and that she wasn't on her way down to St. Louis as I had hoped. I was so nervous I couldn't even eat my enchiladas (and I love to eat). Achyut could see that I was still sitting in the restaurant an hour after he left and, worried that the sun would set before he had the chance to propose, texted me and urged me to follow the clue while dodging my questions about where he was and what's going on. Re-reading the note and realizing that I was going to fail this scavenger hunt, I desperately wracked my brain to figure out where I was supposed to go next. I wasn't sure if Achyut had taken the car when he mysteriously disappeared, and whether I had to go about this scavenger hunt on foot, or even worse, figure out the campus bus system again. I was immensely thankful for the hint at the end of the note. The word "globalist" refers to our loyalty status with Hyatt, where we typically stay while we travel. I had no idea if there was even a Hyatt in the vicinity, so I look to the waiter for help. He tells me there's one in just a couple blocks away, and I take one last, longing look at my uneaten enchiladas and rush out of the restaurant, hoping to see the car still waiting for me in the parking lot. Thankfully, it is still there and I jump in and drive to the hotel. Dressed in my road trip clothes (sweatpants and a hoodie), I timidly ask the woman at the front desk: "Uhm, I think I'm supposed to come here, my boyfriend is proposing and he told me I need to come here?" As the words tumble out of my mouth, I am relieved as I watch the confused look on the woman's face slowly turn into an expression of understanding. "Yes, you're right," she says with a smile, handing me another envelope. I excitedly rip it open and read:
"Good job on reaching your first destination! When you are ready, the journey continues. To find your next clue, you will need to find a very studious engineer. He loves to frequent the library and his favorite pastime is reading on the bench in the same exact spot! Hint: You can find him near the south entrance."
Grainger Bob! I immediately picture the statue outside Grainger, the engineering library on campus, that had been the subject of way too many selfies back in the day. I know exactly where to go. I hurriedly thank the receptionist and rush out of the hotel, still dressed in my frumpy sweatpants and hoodie, my hair in a messy bun. Later on I would end up kicking myself for not remembering to check into the hotel and change into the outfit I had packed for my brother's alleged "work luncheon". I jump into the car and drive to the library and run up to Grainger Bob, seeing an envelope taped to his arm. My hands shaking, I rip it off and read the next clue:
"For your next clue, you will need to go to the site where we shared our first meal. To obtain the clue you will need to order the same food that you had 11 years ago! Hint: Freaky Fast."
Jimmy Johns! I frantically run back to my car, type in "jimmy johns" into Google maps, and navigate to the closest one. I jump out of the car, walk up to the cashier and say: "Hi! Um...I think I'm supposed to come here for a clue? My boyfriend is proposing and he said I needed to come to the place where we shared our first meal 11 years ago and it was at Jimmy Johns so do you have an envelope or something?" As I fumble over my words, I could only imagine how I looked to the cashier, and I sympathized as he furrowed his brow, not quite understanding. "Ma'am, this location didn't exist 11 years ago. You probably have the wrong Jimmy Johns." As my face starts to get hot with embarrassment, I see a text from my brother pop up on my phone: "Jimmy johns on 6th St". I mumble words of apology to the cashier, run back to my car freakily fast, and navigate to the correct Jimmy Johns. The staff had been expecting me. I don't have to say a word as they smile and ask for my order. "I'm actually not here to order, do you have an envelope for me or something??" The cashier replies, "well you have to order the right thing." What did I order the night we met? Oh, yeah, because it was fun to say: "turkey tom, extra tom!" I used to love extra tomatoes on my sandwiches. I nervously say to her, "well I don't actually eat meat anymore, I don't actually want a turkey tom--" She puts her hand up and hands me the next envelope. "You just had to say the correct words." I give her a weak smile as I tear it open:
"We're almost done. You were able to recall where we had our first meal, and now you will need to head over to where we first met to get your next clue. To obtain the next clue you will need to order the first drink that we had together. Hint: shots shots shots."
I feel a jolt of anxiety. My liver isn't what is was a decade ago in my college days. I drive over to Joe's Brewery on 5th street and the bouncer cards me. "Oh, I'm not actually here to stay I'm just supposed to get something---" my voice trails off as he repeats himself, "ID please." As I proceed to present my drivers license, I eyes wander over to the main bar where I can see the bartender looking in my direction. I rush over to him and announce, "I'm supposed to come here and order the same drink I ordered when I met my boyfriend 11 years ago and I know we had a shot of something but I can't remember what!" I meekly look down at my watch: 4:30pm. I apprehensively look at the bottles of hard liquor behind him, hoping that he wouldn't make me down a shot in the middle of the afternoon. To my relief, he hands me the final envelope.
"Hope you had a fun time walking down memory lane and visiting memorable places from our relationship. Your final destination is the building on campus that pays homage to our home starting in January. At this location you will find a question waiting for you! Hint: large auditorium on Quad"
Pays homage to our home starting in January? We were moving back to Hawaii in January, but what did that have to do with Foellinger, the auditorium? Later on, I realize that there was a pineapple at the top of the roof of the auditorium, and was again grateful for his obvious hints because there was no way I would have figured it out on my own. I quickly look in the mirror and realize that I am less than presentable for the public, let alone camera-ready for a proposal. I text my brother, "Am I supposed to be dressed up?" He responds "umm..yeah." DUH! I glance at the duffel bag in the passenger's seat and realize that I was going to have to writhe around in the car and try to change clothes. I was on Green St, the most central street on campus filled with restaurants, high rises, and bookstores. To my relief, I see a familiar sign in my side view mirror: Cravings. Our go-to spot for greasy but oh-so-good Asian food. I grab my duffel and walk in, greeted with the familiar smell of sweet and sour sauce. I hadn't been there in years. Memories from a decade ago rush back into my mind: Me and Achyut sitting in the corner, with the plate of tofu gado gado he always used to order, and me stealing food off his plate because somehow he always ended up ordering something much more delicious than what I did. I ask to use the bathroom and change quickly. A see another text pop up on my phone, this time from Achyut, "nothing at cravings." He's tracking my every move. The sun is going to set soon! I hurriedly apply makeup, and of course I mess up my eyeliner! My hands were shaking. I take a deep breath and go slow, and while my cat eye wing is less than perfect, it will have to do. I rush back to my car and drive over to the quad. As I walk to auditorium at the opposite end, I can feel the butterflies in my stomach. Is this really happening?! My gaze meets Achyut's as I approach the auditorium, and we smile at each other, both excited and anxious over what was about to happen. There are rose petals everywhere and he has the words "Marry Me?" in glowing block letters across the ground. Achyut is holding our dog's leash, and she goes crazy and tries to run up to me when she sees me. I hear the photographer's camera click repeatedly as I kneel down to greet our dog. Realizing how odd it would look if he knelt down on one knee while I was also kneeling, he stares and waits for what seems like an eternity. As I finally calm down my dog and straighten up, he proceeds to kneel and pop the question, "Maya, will you marry me?" My heart is beating out of my chest. "Yes," I reply excitedly, but he remains kneeling, holding the ring, smiling at me. "Yes," I say again, louder. Click, click, click, flash. The photographer has a field day. Achyut straightens up, puts the ring on my finger, and hugs me. My heart immediately slows down as I melt into him. After 11 years of dating, making memories, and going on adventures, we were FINALLY ENGAGED! We take more pictures with our dog before walking over to the opposite end of the quad, where we are greeted by our cheering family and friends. While exchanging countless hugs, taking a million pictures, and watching faces light up as they see the ring, I feel a sense of disbelief that Achyut actually pulled off the proposal of my dreams with minimal help. I look over at him while he chatted and took photos with family. My fiance. It felt foreign, but in a good way. I feel a jolt of excitement as a gaze down at the ring, when it finally starts to sink in: We are going to get married!
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.
Achyut and I wanted to have the wedding in Hawaii, as we had spent the last couple years there and really fell in love with the islands. We knew we wanted an Indian wedding, but we didn't know if there were any local wedding planners that were experienced in them. We literally type the words "Indian wedding planner Hawaii" and Mira's profile pops up. As we check out photos and reviews from her previous events, we decided to give her a call. On the phone, we are immediately blown away by how much enthusiasm she had. As she listed out all the details we would need to consider for the wedding - caterers, logistics, decor, entertainment - we realized how comfortable we felt with her, enough to put the details of our big day in her hands. We literally knew nothing about any of it, and we were so happy to have her and her partner, Mona, helping us through it.
We knew we wanted an outdoor wedding ceremony but indoor reception so we could party a little later into the night (outdoor events must be over by 10PM in Hawaii). We started to do site visits, and while many of the venues were beautiful, they just didn't seem right for us. I wanted an open space, by the water, with great photo opportunities. When we toured Lanikuhonua, we knew that it was the perfect place. There were dreamy palm trees everywhere and water in every direction, with lush mountains in the backdrop. We couldn't imagine our wedding anywhere else! We wanted the sangeet and reception to be in the same vicinity as the ceremony for convenience, and we were lucky to find Paradise Cove and Disney Aulani Resort. Their staff was so helpful and the chef at Aulani went out of his way to cook Indian food for our guests!
Achyut and I knew that we would have to make a trip to India to get all our outfits, which we planned for November 2023. After going to countless many stores in Mumbai and trying on outfit after outfit, Achyut finally settled on a sage green bandhgala set from Anita Dongre and a sherwani from Ajay Arvindbhai Khatri for the reception. I ended up choosing a matching sage & silver lehenga and a blood red & gold lehenga by Seema Gujral for the sangeet and ceremony. For the reception, Achyut went with a tuxedo and I wore an Indowestern ball gown from Aza.
For the decor theme, I saw some inspiration from my wedding planner for centerpieces. She knew a woman that made centerpieces from pineapples and showed me a picture. I thought it looked do-able and decided to DIY it. I ended up spray-painting the pineapples gold, placing them inside a wreath of Hawaiian flowers, and placed large monstera leaves at the base of the pineapple, extending outward. Between each leaf, I placed a flickering LED candle. These ended up being the centerpieces for the sangeet and at cocktail hour before the reception. I really liked the idea of pineapples (plus it also was special from the proposal story) so I decided to make it the theme! I placed pineapples flavored items in the welcome bags, put pictures of pineapples on the giant crossword puzzle we had out at the cocktail hour, and give out pineapple-shaped ceramic plates as thank you gifts for the guests. I wanted to add a personal touch at the reception, so I decided to make table numbers using photos of us from when we were that age. For table 1, I glued a photo of myself at age 1 to the back of a photo of Achyut at the age 1, put a cardstock fancy frame around it, and stuck a table number out of the top of the photo, and put each frame on a tall stand, and did this for 15 tables.
As for hair and makeup, I didn't really know where to start since Pinterest was so overwhelming and I didn't really know what all the types of makeup were. The terms "soft-glam", "classic," "retro," and "dewy" made my head spin. Thankfully, my planners had several hair and makeup artists they referred me to and after looking up their work on Instagram, I chose Cherbu makeup. She did my trial and I absolutely loved it. Also shout-out to her for going out of her way to Sephora and finding a shade of lipstick that worked with my skin tone. I went with a half up/half down look with extensions and baby's breath for the sangeet, an updo with face-framing tendrils for the ceremony, and another half up/half down look with soft curls & extensions for the reception.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew that I wanted to go with the traditional red, and I wanted a darker red since I think it looked elegant. I knew that I wanted red and gold, as I just couldn't imagine myself with anything but gold jewelry. I found the perfect dress by just going to a bunch of stores in Mumbai, trying on dresses, and facetiming family and friends. The dress I ultimately ended up picking was the one that my MIL also loved the most. I decided to go all out for the ceremony - tikka, nose ring, dangly earrings, choker, ring-bracelet adornments, and heavy bangles. I thankfully didn't have to move too much at the ceremony ;)
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part was easily the food tasting. Achyut and I are both foodies and we will literally fly to New York just to eat pizza. It was particularly difficult to get Indian food in Hawaii, and although there were a few Indian restaurants on the island, they weren't equipped to cater a wedding. We tried Thai, Mediterranean, Italian, and we finally settled on a well-known and loved catering company, Memoirs. We also particularly enjoyed the wedding cake tasting at Aulani! We loved the tropical flavors of a signature cake by the Aulani pastry chef, a coconut pineapple cake with haupia cream, roasted pineapple compote, and coconut shavings, and the guests loved it.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think the guests particularly liked our dog's entrance into the ceremony. My wedding planner had sent us a video of a couple incorporating their dog's into the ceremony by having him ride down the aisle in a remote controlled car. I ran with the idea and found a remote control car big enough for a child to sit in and spray-painted it pink, and had our dog, Rani, ride down the aisle in her dress (although her crown fell off) while Achyut's brother controlled the car from behind. I also saw a bunch of reels on social media of dogs riding on roombas with the song "Ridin' Dirty" by Chamillionaire playing in the background and thought it was absolutely hilarious. But I wanted to personalize the lyrics for Rani, so I made a spoof of the song:
They see me rollin'
They hatin'
Patrollin and tryna make me cute & furry
Tryna make me cute & furry
Tryna make me cute & furry
Tryna make me cute & furry
Tryna make me cute & furry
My bark is so loud
I'm a guard dog
They hopin' that they gon' come and steal my chew toy
Tryna steal my favorite chew toy
Tryna steal my favorite chew toy
Tryna steal my favorite chew toy
Tryna steal my favorite chew toy
I am the princess of the family
When I pose it’s simply insanity
Don't try to deny I'm a canine queen
I be the baddest puppy you aint never seen
That's why they call me miss Ra-a-ni
Cuz my lil crown be fly and shi-i-ny
So when you see me ride by shield them eyeballs
I be up in fancy shoppin' malls
Gettin all four paws with the finest manicure
But there's so much more to my allure
Yeah!
I used voice-editing software to make the voice girly. The guests couldn't get enough of it!
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
One special moment that replays in my mind is the moment the antarpat came down. We had already had our first look, but this was right on the mandap, moments before we got married to each other. I remember waving to him as they lowered the antarpat and we just smiled at each other, just happy that this day was finally here.
For events other than your ceremony, please tell us as much as you would like about the decor, style, dances, and all the special details.
We are really happy with how our first dance came out. Our wedding planner linked us up with Sumoha, who had extensive experience with Bollywood dancing, and she along with her fellow dance instructor Nada helped learn our entire 8 minute dance. When picking the song, Sumoha asked us to find something that told the story of our relationship. We had been together so long, and we couldn't possibly pick one single song that reflected our entire relationship because there were so many phases. So I decided to clip together several songs, with voice-overs in between. We danced to "Pretty Woman" from Kal Ho Naa Ho, "Sweet Nothings" by Taylor Swift (Achyut is a major Swiftie), "Best I Ever Had" by Drake, "Vamos a la Playa" and "Stand by You" by Nish.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Savor the moment. You plan for months and months and it's over before you know it. Don't worry about the small things at your wedding, like whether the decorations are perfect or the cocktails are strong enough. Just relax and enjoy being around your loved ones, who are all there to celebrate you. It's over in the blink of an eye.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
I am particularly happy with how my mehendi night came out. We ended up renting a large house for our entire extended family to stay, and Achyut's family rented another house closeby. I hired two mehendi artists that worked locally in Hawaii (Henna Happens) and Karissa did such an amazing job on my bridal mehendi! I asked her to incorporate elements like nursing, dogs, pineapples, Hawaii, etc into the design and she did it wonderfully. It took four hours, but Achyut came through and fed me when I couldn't use my hands. I had Karissa hide his name in my mehendi, and I thought it was really well hidden, but he ended up finding it in less than 30 seconds. We catered from Neha's Kitchen, and the samosa chaat was so good. I also had Mexican food catered from Quezada's, which was a hit. I bought a metal backdrop and we used multicolor curtains, and adorned them with marigold garlands. We put couch covers on and used Indian cushions for accents. I put out a bunch of LED candles, made a welcome sign on Canva that had a cartoon version of me on it, and had a DIY mehendi station for people to have fun and use stencils to make their own art. My friends and I made a really cute reel with all of our mehendi designs. I had gold bowls filled with water and fresh flowers by the front door, and my cousin did some beautiful rangoli to welcome guests. It was such a beautiful turn out!
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