Welcome to Maharani Weddings

Explore the Platinum Guide Blog to discover the enchanting love story of Roshni & Parth's wedding.

How did you meet your Groom, and when did you know he was "the one"?
I was living and working in St. Louis, MO. I owned a small home and was very happy with my growing career in medicine. I could easily take weekend trips to Iowa to visit my family. However, I struggled to date. So I left everything and took a chance on life and moved to a bigger city. I quit my job, sold my home, and moved far from my family. I found a new job and, in October 2022, began establishing myself in Houston, TX. And within three months of moving to Houston, I met Parth on Hinge (an online dating app). We instantly connected and started planning the next date and the next date.

And just a couple months into dating, my dog became ill. He needed to be hospitalized and needed close attention. I had a couple very busy work days so Parth stepped it up and took care of my boy Max. He brought him home from the Vet and spent the entire following day with him, so I could focus on my work. I appreciated him so much and knew at that moment that he was the one for me!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
The PROPOSAL was a dream come true.

Parth and I planned a beautiful trip to Peru last November. Since this was our first trip together - just the two of us, I wanted to do a photo session one evening with special outfits, a photographer and hair and make up. Parth utilized this photo opportunity to plan the most beautiful proposal.

We stayed at the Rio Sagrado, A Belmond Hotel in the Sacred Valley. As the sun went down, we got dressed, and the hotel staff picked us up in a golf cart. We were escorted to a private dinner set up outdoors. Romantic music was playing in the background, and we had our own private wait staff. The photographer was waiting, and we took gorgeous photos. After that, we were treated to a private 4-course dinner. When the staff brought out our dessert, they also brought an additional glass jar and told us it was a special from the house. As they opened the lid, the fog cleared, and a ring was sitting over rose petals. Parth took the ring, walked around the table, and asked me to be his wife. And the photographer was there to capture every moment. We cried and laughed...it was perfect in every way!

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.
As soon as we got engaged, I started looking for a wedding planner. After making a few calls, I chatted with Rathi Menon and I knew she was going to be perfect for us. She is intelligent, organized, and well versed with the Indian wedding scene, particularly in Texas.

As soon as we met, we got started on searching for a venue. I wanted a destination wedding and Parth wanted a location nearby to Houston so things are more convenient. After searching many options we absolutely fell in love with the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa. It was the perfect destination feel, just two hours away from Houston!

Once we had our date and venue set, everything else just fell into place. Everything flowed seamlessly together. The first step was to decide my outfits. I knew I wanted something fun and funky for the haldi, traditional for the sangeet, modern for the wedding, glamorous for the reception, and fresh for farewell. I went to India last December and worked with a Mumbai-based stylist, Shikha Dhandia. She understood my vision and we carefully curated each outfit and matching outfits for Parth. My outfits were only complete after discussing hair and make-up with my artist, Artee Kumar. She really understood my vision and pulled each look together so perfectly.

Each look really set the tone for each event and allowed the same themes to flow into the decor. Mandap Creations did an absolutely amazing job making each event come to life. The haldi was bright with yellows, whites, and pops of pink. The Sangeet was traditional with all the jewel tones. The wedding was modern, with ivory and pastel hues. The reception was glamorous, with a Paris theme and a curated Moulin Rouge entrance. Finally, the farewell was fresh for this final morning event.  

Music and dance is something that is important to me. As a trained Bharatanatyam Dancer myself, I knew I wanted to dance at my wedding, but I also wanted to include everyone else. I found an amazing India-based choreography team (AnushaWeddingChoreography) that created 23 dances in total. We had dances at the mehndi, haldi, sangeet, wedding and reception! The Sangeet night was incredibly special because we had a musical extravaganza featuring all of our family members on both sides and our friends! Everyone worked so hard to perform their best and it was remarkable to see it all come to life. The Bharat Welcoming dances by the ladies of my family and my father was spectacular. The reception featured a father-daughter dance with both my father and father-in-law and a heartfelt mother-son dance between Parth and his mother. Parth and I also performed together at each event!! Our first dance at the reception was something that I will remember forever. DesiJunctions, our DJ for the wedding, really kept the energy alive at each event. The LED wall at the Sangeet and Reception really made everything come to life.

We really wanted to add personal touches to the wedding, which really made everything so special. First, we started off our wedding week by releasing 2 of the three episodes of our own Podcast to introduce our love story and describe the details of the wedding weekend ahead. The third episode was our thank you episode which we released on the final day. Second, we created a personalized wedding newspaper containing photos, our love story, a personalized crossword puzzle, a word search, a remembrance of my mother, and a special thank you to our guests. We also created beautiful welcome hampers in packable cases containing snacks, personalized water bottles, and an emergency kit with all the essentials. Finally, we created a WhatsApp community for all of our wedding guests. We were able to be in touch with all of our guests during the entire wedding weekend, updating them with times and locations for each of the next events.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
My wedding dress was an absolute dream!! Growing up in America, I always dreamed of a white wedding dress. However, I am well rooted with my Indian heritage and wanted to be a traditional Indian bride. So I knew I wanted to wear a combo of the two with an ivory lengha!

I went to India last December to go shopping for wedding clothes. I tried on every white lengha I saw; however, nothing fit my vision. Finally, I met Simone Contractor, an up-and-coming designer, in Mumbai. I absolutely fell in love with her workmanship and decided to partner with her to design my own wedding dress. With the help of a Mumbai-based stylist, Shikha Dhandia, we designed a one-of-a-kind beautiful ivory lengha with floral accents. The lengha was designed in the form of French knots and loop stitches. There were highlights of rice pearls, glass beads, and crystal sequins. We added a cathedral-length veil with graded falling florals and personalized it with our names/wedding dates, my parents' names, and my son (dog) Max's name. It was incredibly personal, and I felt like a queen. To complete the outfit, I styled the ivory lengha with my mother's diamonds. Having lost my mother five years ago, it felt incredibly special to have my mom close to me during such an important day.

Check out Simone's IG page: @simone_handcrafted
Check out Shikha's page: @shikhadhandhia

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
EVERYTHING!!!

I absolutely loved every minute of the wedding planning process. It was a once in a lifetime event and we worked very hard to make it all happen! But in all honesty, I believe the entire wedding planning process brought Parth and I even closer. We worked together on everything and I am grateful to have him as a partner in life.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our wedding guests loved all of the personal touches that made the wedding so special. They really felt immersed in the love that Parth and I share for each other and wanted to experience everything that was going on.

During the Sangeet, we had a desi bazaar where we had two carts decorated with shopping goodies for our guests. The carts were filled with Indian styled purses, bangles, bindis, and earrings for the ladies and boxes filled with leather wallets and belts for the men. This bazaar was a huge hit with our guests who enjoyed the shopping experience! In addition to this, we had personalized dandiya that our guests enjoyed during the sangeet night.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My wedding entrance was so special and personal.

I knew the song I wanted to enter with but to make it more personal I pre-recorded a message for Parth. The audio played as I made my entrance and walked down the aisle. Hearing this audio and seeing Parth and his eyes filling with tears was priceless. I waited my entire life to meet him and that moment felt so special.

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.
I wanted each event to have a name.

Mehndi: 
Bride Outfit: Chamee and Palak 
Groom Outfit: Curato 

Haldi: Color Bash (Colors - Hot Pink, Yellow, White) (Theme - Fun and Games)
Bride Outfit: Label Anushree
Groom Outfit: Curato

Sangeet: The Dhoom Dham Mela - (Colors - Jewel Tones) (Theme - Traditional, Rajasthani, Carnival)
Outfits: Jayanti Reddy

Wedding: The Vows - (Colors - Soft Floral Hues - lilac, mint green, pink, peach) (Theme - Modern Traditional)
Bride Outfit: Simone Handcrafted
Groom Outfit: Kora

Reception: Soiree 'A Paris (Colors - Red, Black, and White - Black-Tie) (Theme - Glitz and Glam)
Outfits: Gaurav Gupta

Farewell/Vidhai: Happily Ever After (Colors - Summertime fun - Yellow, Green)
Outfits: Label Anushree

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
I have a few pieces of advice. First, try to be as organized as possible during the wedding planning process. The more organized you can be, the more smooth things will flow for your vendors and your guests. Second, never live life with regrets, so try to turn all of your dreams into a reality. There are so many creative and fun ways to make your wedding personal and unique, so let your imagination run wild! Finally, I would say to enjoy every single moment of the process and wedding weekend. Weddings are stressful with so much to plan and so much to do, but everything goes by so quickly, and then it is over. Once things are over, life goes back to routine, so enjoy this very special period in life.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
The Podcast:
We made a podcast in our own words which we shared Episode 1 and 2 the week leading up to the wedding and Episode 3 immediately following the wedding. Please hear our story.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ksDmyay7vRnHFmrQXbUUt

Max:
My son (dog) Max is my special boy, and I wanted him to be present at every event. I had custom-made clothes made for him for each event. He was present during each event and part of all photo sessions. The most special moment was Max's entry at the wedding. He came in styles in a lilac-colored kurta in a motorized white Mercedes convertible. As he entered the aisle, our guests watched in awe and photographed his entrance. He looked handsome and was so well-behaved.

The Food:
Dawat Catering did a remarkable job with the catering. Each menu was curated along with the theme of each event. The Sangeet was exquisite with 4 spreads (Thai, Italian, Indian street food, and Dessert) beautifully coordinated with 4 food stalls created by our decor company (Mandap Creations). The Wedding Lunch was a traditional spread of Gujarati and Rajasthani Food. We received numerous compliments about the food during the wedding.      

The Cake:
Roland's Swiss Pastry & Bakery did an absolutely amazing job creating our 4-tier Black-Tie Cake draped with 50 fresh red roses. It was gorgeous and fit the Parisian theme perfectly. The taste of both the fresh raspberry and chocolate swirl layers were incredible.
Darlings, the celebration was a perfect blend of romance, tradition, and unforgettable moments.

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa VIEW PORTFOLIO

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Hello, darlings! Get ready to immerse yourselves in the captivating love story of Dhara & Sunny at the Dallas Oasis. When guests arrived, they were greeted by the enchanting decor crafted by Prashe Decor. Every event detail, meticulously planned and designed by the talented Navi K. Productions, ensured a seamless and magical experience. As Dhara walked down the aisle, her radiant beauty was enhanced by the artistry of Makeup by Darshi and The Look, who crafted a timeless and ethereal look. Sheetal Behra's intricate mehndi beautifully showcased the love and tradition, adding to the cultural richness of the celebration. The couple's guests enjoyed an unforgettable culinary experience from Sawaii's exquisite catering. DJ Susant and Empire Entertainment kept the dance floor alive, creating an electrifying atmosphere. Le Cape Wedding Films captured every moment of this wedding with breathtaking cinematography, ensuring their love story would be cherished forever. The joyous laughter, heartfelt vows, and intimate moments were immortalized, allowing us to relive the magic.

Hello, Maharanis! We're exploring the enchanting wedding of Riya & Anshil. Weddings by ESL meticulously planned this splendid affair at the majestic Suryagarh Jaisalmer, creating a magical setting for this union. The wedding festivities kicked off in the serene dunes of Jaisalmer, where Riya dazzled in an exquisite Anamika Khanna outfit while Anshil looked dapper in a Rohit Bal creation. Riya & Anshil donned Krishna Mehta ensembles, rich in cross-stitched motifs and bright hues. At the Sangeet, themed around their favorite NYC lounge, "The Backroom," Riya wore a stunning Manish Malhotra creation, a corset-style blouse paired with a sequin lehenga, and Anshil wore a sophisticated Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla ensemble. The evening featured a stunning opening dance by Riya and her childhood Kathak friends. The grand finale, the wedding day itself, blended tradition and elegance. Riya, radiant in a Sabyasachi lehenga, and Anshil in a Tarun Tahiliani sherwani. Explore the gallery captured by the talented Raabta By Shrey Bhagat and enjoy this incredible celebration! 

Darlings, remember to check our other features and sweet stories until next time! See you soon.

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?

Mike and I met on the dating app, Hinge. Although it was during COVID in November, we both decided to meet for drinks outdoor at a bar called 'Harpers Garden.' On our first date, we talked about our families, hobbies, and jobs. It felt so natural.

By our third date, we sat at a wine bar and shared memories and inside jokes. That's when we both knew this was truly something special. What made me feel certain that Mike was the one was meeting all his friends and family - they were all wonderful people who only had the best things to say about Mike's caring and generous nature.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

I just returned from a work trip from Chicago, and we were planning to go to brunch near Rittenhouse Park in Philadelphia with his parents. He asked his parents to take a photo of us at the park, which was a way to capture video of when he knelt down and proposed!

He told me he booked reservations at the same wine bar we frequented. When we got there, my parents and brother were there as well. We spent the weekend celebrating with our families.

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.

We had wonderful vendors, which made the planning process much easier! We prioritized finding the best possible teams to work with us for the venue, decor, and band. These vendors were instrumental in making our wedding weekend a true success and memorable experience for our guests.

- The Loews Hotel in Philadelphia are true professionals and helped us plan an amazing Sangeet Friday night, wedding/reception Saturday, and brunch Sunday. They even worked with us on Indian fusion menu and co-created our signature mango-lassi cocktail!

In addition to Loews, our florist/decorator was phenomenal. He has done INdian weddings in the past and understood what was important, but also where we wanted to deviate from tradition. He created a floral and beautiful mandap, along with a reception room with breathtaking high centerpieces.

Finally, we worked with the Dreamtime band from EBE Entertainment. Our guests still rave about the band - they made sure everyone was having a blast on the dancefloor. They played catchy live music and also incorporated Indian music playlists.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?

I chose a pink bridal lengha for the ceremony and white lengha for the reception. I wanted to honor both our backgrounds through the outfits. I chose pink because it's my favorite color and I always imagined wearing something delicately and femininely pink. The white lengha was just as special, if not more! I chose this to honor the Hindu / Catholic fusion nature of our wedding.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?

Two things come to mind!

1. We wrote our own ceremony script, which was a Hindu ceremony. We wrote English explanations for each step of the Hindu ceremony and infused elements that were unique to us. For example, we replaced the mangal sutra with Mike's family pearl necklace, worn by his mom and grandma at their weddings. Our guests still comment on how unique the ceremony was and how much they enjoyed learning about the Hindu ceremony in English throughout the day.

2. We had the joy of working with Vito Russo from Xtraordinary Events, our florist and decorator. From the moment we met him, he instantly understood our unique vision. We didn't want a traditional Indian wedding or Caholic wedding, but something unique to our personalities - modern and elegent, and bringing forward the tradtiions from both our Indian and American upbringings. He was an absolute joy to brainstorm creatively with and he created so many amazing moments all weekend.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

During the ceremony, there were tears and love all around the room. Because we wrote the script oursleves, it was our chance to share this love with everyone. The tears in the room shocked me and reminded me how blessed we were.

Our guests told us "I've never felt so much love in one room." Giving our guests the chance to feel all the love that we felt that day is something Mike and I will never forget.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?

Mike and his mother putting the pearl necklace worn by his family for generations - this was a special moment that made me feel connected to both our pasts. I felt honored by that moment and knew how important it was that Mike and I carry forward this honor in the future.

Our dance floor was non-stop as well! It was overpacked the entire night, and continued through the afterparty. Mike and I love dancing and loved even more dancing with all our friends.

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.

Purple, white, and green were our color themes! The wedding was inside a renovated bank building, so it had a historical but modern look. The floor to ceiling windows had stunning views of downtown Philadelphia. This backdrop gave us the chance to create a modern and elegant experience. We chose purple, green, and white as our color theme.

During the reception, the lighting turned purple in the room, which created a stunning look in the ballroom.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?

Focus on what matters to you and your partner, not norms or traditions you feel obligated to include. A wedding can be about creating your own traditions

We hope this enchanting celebration leaves you inspired and filled with love until next time, loves!

Loews Philadelphia Hotel is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Loews Philadelphia Hotel VIEW PORTFOLIO

For more information on how Platinum Guide members are chosen, click here.

Prepare to be enchanted by Oksana & Siddhartha's spectacular wedding. The Event Casa visionary planners Shobhit and Ashi Jain understood Oksana's dream of a stately, royal Indian wedding and suggested the magnificent Umaid Bhawan Palace as the perfect venue. In a reversal of traditional roles, Oksana led a vibrant procession of friends and family in vintage cars, complete with drummers, elephants, and lancers on horseback. Oksana's journey to find the perfect bridal outfit was a delightful adventure. Staying true to her vision of a classic red lehenga, she chose a stunning creation by Manish Malhotra, complete with an intricately designed veil that added a touch of regal elegance. The Murphy Studio crafted bespoke invitations and wedding stationery, setting the tone for a sophisticated and luxurious celebration. The most enchanting wedding moment was the stunning drone display, with over 400 drones moving in perfect synchronization to create captivating patterns in the night sky. Check out the gallery by Cupcake Productions, where each picture reflects the event's grandeur and the essence of their love story. Relive the magic of their special day and enjoy it.

Dear Maharanis, each feature celebrates love, tradition, and cultural fusion. Come back for more!