Welcome to Maharani Weddings

Good morning, beauty queens! We are starting this Tuesday with a trip to India. Yes, you read right: India! Today, we are heading over to Rajasthan, India, to take part in Shalini & Rishi's 3-day wedding festivities. So, get yourselves ready, because what is coming right ahead will take your breath away! There is something extra special about weddings that take place in India that never ceases to amaze us. Maybe it is the fact that they are full of flair and traditions, or perhaps it is the fact that seeing a love story come to life in the very same place where our dearest traditions started is mindblowing. We really don't know! What we do know is that today's love story will make your inspiration fly, and your hearts melt with tenderness and joy, so let's don't wait any longer and get ready to be amazed! Let's start by taking a look at the mesmerizing wedding ceremony held at the surroundings of the Joypur Bansi Resort. This striking venue, which also hosted the Sangeet and the reception party, was the perfect place for Shalini & Rishi to tie the knot. There was so much beauty overflowing from every single scene of the ceremony that anywhere you looked, it had perfection written all over the place. Same perfection and beauty that we found in our gorgeous Maharani. She donned a traditional but glamorous lengha designed by Papa Don't Preach By Shubhika, and walked down the aisle looking like a goddess! It was a perfect moment, where everyone sighed and dropped a couple of tears of joy over so much beauty. And we want to give a big shoutout to Shraddha Luthra and Sunita Pawar for taking such good care of Shalini's beauty needs. Their spectacular work is so impressive, and we cannot stress how much we loved it. But that is not all! Shalini went a little further to achieve her dreamed bridal look and got marvelous pieces of jewelry from Ra Abta by Rahul Luthra and a fabulous Mehndi designed by Deepa Mehandi Art. After the ceremony, there was an epic reception party that marked the end of the wedding festivities, and it was so spectacular that we found ourselves lost in words to describe it. Thankfully, the good friends from Vows and Tales were there to capture all the amazingness. Dive into this fabulous celebration by visiting today's gallery!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I wrote a short story about us, would like to share it here.

A ‘Just In Time’ Love Story

As most of the best relationships go, Rishi and I were introduced through mutual friends. From our first date in a small italian restaurant, to a romantic surprise proposal full of champagne and best friends in NYC’s Central Park Bow Bridge, our love story was the fairytale every girl dreams of.

While there were months of being physically apart and plenty of arguments due to many cultural differences, our love story is one for the modern age.

Several years ago, my sister settled in the US and ever since, my heart and spirit were torn. My heart will forever belong to India but my spirit wanted to achieve something wonderful in the land of opportunity. Rishi was the answer to a question I never asked.

God’s timing is a mysterious thing and one needs to have faith in it

From Rishi’s surprise trip to India early in our relationship, to our Iceland and Paris vacations, to my parents surprising us in Los Angeles, We were blessed with the hand of God gently guiding us throughout. This followed our engagement in LA in the presence of our loved ones.

Our The-Day was here!!

I have always wanted a wedding full of memories, traditions, much fun with our loved ones.. much before this had planned it all!
Just days before the world went under lockdown, We lived our Dream, a magnificent Destination Wedding in Jaipur, India- full of many loved ones who braved COVID-19 to celebrate our union.
Just the way I dreamt my wedding to be! I am and will be forever thankful to the ones who were part creating these moments.

Now, quarantined together in Santa Monica, California - looking through our incredible pictures by Vows & Tales and waking up to such beautiful posts by bloggers from across, is reliving those memories.

Realizing how many couples have had to postpone their wedding celebrations - I want to share a small piece of advice. Love is more important than any celebration - but a wedding celebration is about the people - so, if you can - wait and do it right.

Hang in there and lots of love,
-Shalini

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
RED. The only thing I was sure about is - Wanted to keep my wedding lehanga red. Red color may be played out or something that brides have been wearing since centuries but I needed no modern twist there, Specially when Pastels are trending, I still wanted to have a red lehanga which could look very traditional and royal for the ceremony but since I was wearing my lehanga for the reception too after the sunset Pheeras, I needed something that could look very royal for the ceremony and classy as well as chic for the reception.
I instantly fell in love with my outfit when I tried the Rimple and Harpreet's beautiful design. I did not even try any other design.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
You never enjoy planning your own wedding.
Being an event planner myself, planning my own wedding and whole process was extremely stressful.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Guest had A LOT OF FUN. All they did was - dress up, dance, drink and eat.
They enjoyed pretty much everything- from the world's cuisines personally curated for each event according to theme, dancing till 8AM every night, interesting and unique themes of events. All 4 days for them were total madness and fun. And last but not the least the gorgeous cake is something they still talking about.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
On my D day - The moment when I saw my groom and when Rishi saw his bride. The connection and that eye contact between me and Rishi was the most amazing feeling ever. The moment I would cherish for life. It's a feeling that can't be put in word.

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.
The whole wedding was inspired by Peacocks and elephants that includes the Mandap decor, the favours, cutleries, Decor, My mehendi and even my LEHENGA. This was because Rishi loves elephants and I adore peacocks.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
YOU should be the one to have the most fun in your wedding. So enjoy to the fullest.
ALWAYS HAVE A SMILE. They say is right, happy brides are the prettiest
Start taking extra care of your skin from the day you decide to get married lol

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
We had a Royal Welcome dinner at one of the most beautiful forts in India - Amer Fort, Jaipur which was the start of the events. - Gazal Nights followed by my mehendi.
Rainbow Mehandi the next day.
Rishi's Haldi
Cocktail Night - For which I designed my gown myself, My train was approx 8 Mts long.
Chuda Ceremony & my haldi
Wedding ceremony
Reception- Our wedding cake was highlight of the evening which had a beautiful decor of flowers and crystals and was grand and gorgeous.

We are still sighing over so much beauty, and we need a moment to catch our breath. But don't forget to join us tomorrow for more. We will have a new love story to share with you! 

Good Morning, beauty queens! We are right in the middle of this fabulous week, and we are back with a new romantic story for you to get a refill of inspiration to face the last few days of this week in the best possible way. So, get ready to enjoy Nandni & Vahin's wedding bash coming from Dehli, India, as it is nothing less than spectacular! Plus, it encompasses all the things that you would expect to see at an Indian wedding celebration, and so much more! Right before the big wedding ceremony that untied these two lovebirds in marriage, there was a series of pre-wedding events overflowing with so many traditions and emotions that started building up the mood and the environment for this life milestone. But among all the pre-wedding festivities that was one that particularly caught our attention: The fantastic Sangeet held inside the halls of The Imperial, same place that later on hosted the spectacular wedding ceremony of this lovely duo. Right from the get-go, this Sangeet was an upbeating event overflowing with elegance, traditional flair, dancing, and lots of laughter and emotions. A perfect combination of tradition and joyfulness at its best! After all pre-wedding events concluded, Nandni & Vahin were more than ready to unite their lives in marriage, and they did it in a magical wedding ceremony that we loved so much to the point that we are still sighing over it! From the perfect planning and execution in the hands of Plush Events & Weddings to the astonishing decor crafted by Elements Design, everything surrounding this wedding had perfection written all over the place, starting with the marvelous look of our dazzling Maharani! Nandni stole the show walking down the aisle dressed in a champagne lengha from Rimple & Harpreet Narula and looking like a goddess thanks to the exquisite makeup and hairstyle designed by Emelda Lepcha Tamta. And let's not forget about the artistic Mehndi designed by Raju Mehendi Wala. It was fabulous! Without any question, this was the dreamy wedding Nandni & Vahin always wanted. Check more of this lovely couple in today's inspiring gallery, thanks to the remarkable shots captured by Twogether Studios!

We loved every single moment of this grand celebration, and we hope you did it as well! If you enjoy Indian wedding as much as we do, don't forget to join us tomorrow. We have new stories every day!

Happy Friday, Maharanis! We've arrived at the end of this fabulous week, and as always, we have a sweet and charming story for you. So, get yourselves prepared because we are about to take you on a visual journey to Glenwood, Australia. Yes, you heard right: Australia! Today, we have the pleasure to present the jaw-dropping scenes captured by Rolling Canvas during Rustam & Harustat's big wedding celebration. And believe us, you are going to love every bit of this fabulous event! The wedding day arrived, and these lovebirds were so excited to achieve this life milestone that they wanted to immortalize every moment of this day, so they headed over to the Curzon Hall by Navarra Venue to snap some shots right before the wedding ceremony. And oh boy, every image is a visual delight!. After this initial photoshoot, it was time to carry on with the wedding ceremony hosted inside the halls of the Gurdwara Sahib Glenwood. As soon as the guests stepped into the interiors of this venue, they were immediately amazed by the fabulous decor crafted by Shagun Events and the gorgeous floral arrangements put together by Anna Wang. It was a winning combination that delivered nothing but utter perfection! And we want to give a big shoutout to Rustam & Harustat as they were the masterminds behind the planning and execution of this spectacular event. They took the vision of their dreamed wedding and made it a reality. How amazing is that! And talking about amazingness, let's take a moment to admire the fashion and jewelry choices selected by our gorgeous Maharani. She trusted her beauty needs to Sana Hair & Makeup, while Rimple and Harpreet Narula Couture took her fashion needs care. And my gosh, we loved the final result! To crown this traditional look, she got dazzling pieces of jewelry from Jagdish Jewellers and LeFleur Jewels, adding an extra touch of flair to her look. And let's not forget about the gorgeous Mehndi designed by Arora Mehndi. Simply amazing! If you can't get enough of this lovely couple, don't miss today's full gallery!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
This tale begins around two years ago when the couple first exchanged a harmless follow on Instagram. Seeing the sweet, sensible and cultured photos on Harustat’s page, Rustam knew she was the perfect type of girl for him. He also knew a direct approach would get him nowhere so he started a conversation about Harustat’s dog Rex, a topic he knew would spark some good conversation. Talking about this special pupper lead to a conversation about various topics whereby they discovered this casual conversation could actually lead somewhere.

Upon discussing this with family, a first meeting was set and Rustam boarded the next flight to Adelaide. Butterflies flying around in the stomach and goosebumps everywhere, they approached each other in person for the first time. Spending some quality time with one another and Harustat’s family in the peaceful city of Adelaide, the couple realised their intuition was correct, and their relationship progressed to the next step.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
After careful and coordinated research (and the assistance from both sides of the family), Rustam planned the perfect proposal for Harustat. Many factors had to align to create the perfectly envisioned proposal, including weather, availability of the helicopter operator, cameraman and cinematographer, all whilst keeping Harustat completely unaware. Three days of torrential rain forced Rustam to make multiple conference calls to the vendors to reschedule this grand event. After countless reschedules, the special day arrived where all vendors worked in perfect harmony to create a magical surprise proposal.

Harustat was blindfolded and told she would see some wonderful native wildlife on a secret mountain. She was told the helicopter was being shared with the cameraman and cinematographer as this was the only flight available due to the nonstop rain. Being an avid wildlife lover, she believed every bit of it and was more than ready to pat some baby animals.

Upon landing, Rustam placed her down in amongst a heart of rose petals on the lush green grass on the mountainous terrain in Queenstown, New Zealand. When she opened her eyes, to her surprise, was her man down on one knee asking for her hand in marriage. In complete awe and excitement, a ‘YES’ was proclaimed from Harustat and a sigh of relief was achieved after many days of tormenting confusion as to why her partner was constantly on the phone when they were supposed to be on their holiday together.

This auspicious occasion was topped off with a champagne celebration and drive home from Glenorchy to Queenstown. Following this, the wedding was officially on and the couple commenced the tedious and stress-inducing wedding preparation procedure.

Ring: Affinity Diamonds Sydney
Photos by: Fallon Photography
Cinematography by: Eureka Films
Helicopter: Heli Glenorchy

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 planned every detail considering the wants and desires from both sides. Our overall experience was very good however also quite stressful. As we are both very meticulous people, getting everything perfectly right took a lot of effort. The whole process was a rollercoaster ride however we were more than happy with the end result.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I visited many large bridal showrooms all over Delhi and Punjab to find my perfect lengha but opted for Rimple and Harpreet. I had a royal vintage Punjabi heritage theme in mind, inspired by my grandparents wedding outfits and the Maharaja era.

Growing up in western countries and having mostly caucasian friends, I always wanted a white wedding dress but due to differences in both cultures I had grown up with, I decided to incorporate something that would reflect both my Punjabi Sikh heritage and western culture brought up. Therefore I knew my base colour of the lengha had to be ivory/white with intricate colourful details and designs that connected me back to my roots.

I felt that only Rimple and Harpreet were the perfect designers to help deliver my vision into reality after seeing their clothing on instagram reflected Punjabi culture exactly how I envisioned it. After several discussions with Rimple and her design team we created a lengha that was unique and executed who I was and my vision perfectly highlighting all aspects I had in mind. I went in with a colour palette of royal blue, rustic orange and maroons with some sort of green tone.

My lengha describes who I am and has many heritage elements to it. It also incorporates my love for animals and flowers through the multiple peacocks, deers and native birds of Punjab embroidered amongst florals and abstract patterns. It took many months for the design to take shape but the end result was 100% better than imagined!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part would definitely be 'agreeing on things'. We shared different opinions on many things and were both adamant on ensuring perfection in every aspect of the wedding. These differing opinions did make decision making challenging, so when we did agree on something straight away, it made that aspect MUCH easier!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
From what we heard, our guests absolutely loved the traditional aspect of the wedding. In fact, we had many guests from India shocked to see so much tradition come back in front of their eyes, aspects which they had not seen in Sikh Punjabi weddings in India too! They also loved our wedding outfits and the attention to detail we had for all the decorations.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Walking down the aisle, the first look we shared and completing the final 'Laav' were definitely memories that will forever be cherished.

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.
The Engagement Ceremony - The theme of the engagement was floral/garden fairy tale based on the venue

Venue: Garden Ball Room at Oatlands House, Navara Venues
Custom Sahi Chitti - YourEventSignage
Florals: Anna Wang
Cake/Cookies: Copper Fork Cakes
Photography/Cinematography: Rolling Canvas Presentations

The Sangeet Ceremony - The theme of the sangeet was Punjabi folk

Venue: The Lemnos Club by Clarence House
Florals: Anna Wang
Indian Décor: Shagun Events
Photography/Cinematography: Rolling Canvas Presentations

The Wedding Ceremony - The theme of the wedding was Sikh Royal Heritage

Venue: Gurudwara Sahib Glenwood, Sydney and Curzon Hall – Navara Venues for the photoshoot
Photography/Cinematography: Rolling Canvas Presentations

Post Wedding Photoshoot - The couple’s post wedding photoshoot was inspired by the 2008 superhit film, Jodhaa Akbar. To make that vision come to life, they travelled to various destinations in Jaipur, including the Nahargarh Fort, Jal Mahal, Jantar Mantar and Churu Desert.

Photography/Cinematography: Paran Singh Photography Amritsar

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Take everything one step at a time and enjoy every moment you have (whether stressful or not) as this time will never come back again! There will be many emotions running all around the place so try not to get too caught up in them and remember it will work out in the end!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
All other details have been provided in the wedding blog we sent but feel free to ask us anything specific you want after looking at the photos! Thank you once again for selecting us to be featured, it honestly means the world!

What a great way to end this week with a flourish, isn't it ladies? Make sure to join us on Monday for more. We have new stories every day!

Good morning, Maharanis! We hope you are staying safe and taking advantage of this lockdown to spend time with your family! Today, we have prepared something special for you. We are taking you on a trip to India, for you to join Radha & Ankit at their big wedding celebration. And there is so much to admire on this grand event that we couldn't help but make a double feature! So get yourself comfortable, grab a cup of your preferred hot beverage, and enjoy the marvelous gallery below. And if that is not enough, you'll find more of this wedding in today's Video Blog. They are both brought to you thanks to Ami Video. And you know that there is only amazingness to expect when this highly experienced team is around! The entire wedding festivities were a cornucopia of colors, emotions, and traditional flair that we can't stop seeing. From the vibrant and joyful Sangeet held at the Swaraj Nandan Baug, to the enchanting wedding ceremony officiated at the Madhubhan Resort and Spa, everything was beyond perfect. But there is no surprise here as Velvet Events was the mastermind that took care of planning and decoring every inch of this event. And after seeing their marvelous work, there is no wonder why they are the go-to-guys when trying to make your dream wedding come to life in the most seamlessly possible way. The wedding celebration concluded with a fabulous reception overflowing with exquisiteness and glamour, where all guests enjoyed delicious plates prepared by Jay Excellency and danced the night away to the upbeat melodies played by Deejay Vishal. Hands down, this was the dream wedding celebration Radha & Ankit always wanted, and we are happy beyond words to see these two soulmates become one through love. It is amazing!

What a fantastic wedding celebration, isn't it ladies? And we still have more incredible stories waiting for you. So make sure to join us tomorrow for more!

Happy Wednesday, beauty queens! We hope you are ready for a new adventure because today we are taking you on a trip to the paradisiacal lands of the Riviera Maya, Mexico, for you to take a peek at all the beauty surrounding Reeti & Shaan's wedding. So, get your luggage and your passport, and enjoy this love journey! We are starting this celebration by taking a look at a magical first look photo session carried out by Amrit Photography, who delivered nothing but perfection in every single shot! After the photo session, it was time to carry on with the wedding ceremony hosted at the Generations Riviera Maya by Karisma. And we have to say that we loved every moment of this heavenly ceremony thoroughly designed by Electric Karma International, who has tons of expertise in making Maharanis' dreams come true for quite a while now. And Reeti & Shaan's wedding is a perfect example! So much beauty all over the place, but nothing compared to our gorgeous Maharani, who walked down the aisle showcasing an exquisite nude makeup and a classy bun designed by Meenu Gill. Hands down, a dreamy look very well complemented with the artistic Mehndi outlined by Loto Mehndi. After the ceremony, it was time to head over to El Dorado Royale Spa Resort by Karisma, to take part in the glamorous wedding reception that marked the end of the wedding festivities. And oh boy, everything was mesmerizing! To turn this closing gala into a party, Decibel Entertainment fired up the dancefloor playing the best Bollywood hits that put everyone on their feet! If you can't get enough of this lovely couple, you might want to spend some extra time admiring today's jaw-dropping gallery. We know you are going to love it, and you will get tons of inspiring ideas from it!

Another day, another fantastic story, full of inspiring ideas! And we still have many more for you to enjoy. So make sure to join us tomorrow for your daily dose of inspiration!

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