Welcome to Maharani Weddings

Hello, beauties! Don't miss the lovely story of Divya & Michael in today's Platinum Guide Blog.

Darlings, keep an eye out for our upcoming posts. Until then, happy wedding planning, my friends!

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Happy Friday, my lovely Maharanis! I am delighted to share a new filmy day with you. Ladies, get ready to be swept off your feet as we dive into the magical wedding of Bharti & Shiv. Everything started with a colorful Sangeet and delicious plates from Punjab Sweets. Sky Films and Productions, the cinematography team behind this lovely wedding, is known for its unique and creative approach to capturing special moments. Their team of skilled professionals, with over ten years of experience in the industry, dedicates itself to providing exceptional service and quality work to their clients. They use state-of-the-art equipment and editing techniques to create stunning cinematic films that generations will cherish. Marigold Wedding Planners flawlessly executed the design and planning. Their experts worked tirelessly to ensure the day went smoothly, allowing the couple and their families to enjoy every moment of their special day. Their commitment to excellence and exceptional service made this wedding a dream come true. Shiv arrived at The Dearborn Inn in a joyful baraat accompanied by Sky Films and Productions, while Lama's Florist created stunning floral arrangements that were nothing short of perfection. From the moment we saw Bharti, we knew her wedding day would be spectacular. Cecilia Kashat did a phenomenal job with hair and makeup, and Dreaming in Henna added the perfect touch to Bharti's Mehndi. Seema Gujral's reception bridal fashion was the talk of the night, and South Delhi Jewelers added the perfect touch with their stunning jewelry. Sky Films and Productions and their DJ lit the night with incredible lighting and music. And, of course, the food provided by Saffron was nothing short of divine. We invite you to watch the breathtaking video and relive the romance and beauty of this unforgettable day. Enjoy!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met in Chicago through one of the most common modern ways - over a dating app. Specifically, Coffee meets Bagel. In the first couple of months of getting to know each other, we created a strong bond of friendship that helped set the foundation for our relationship. Very early on, our relationship turned into nine months of long distance, with lots of FaceTime dates and traveling to visit each other as I completed my medical rotations all over the country. This truly put our relationship to the test. But once I was back in Chicago, I made the decision to apply for jobs locally and be close to Shiv (my husband) as he completed medical school rather than start a fresh journey in a new city. I just knew he was the one because while we were going through our long-distance phase early on, he patiently waited for me to finish my rotations while also making an effort to keep our foundation strong.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
One of my greatest desires was a boating experience on the Chicago River. With the help of friends, Shiv (my husband) tricked me into thinking that they got a boat trip set up as a get-together. The next part of the plan was convincing me that this was a fancier occasion rather than a casual boat party. So with the help of my younger sister, I was guided to wear an outfit that I had had my eye on for a while.
Then it was finally the big day. My husband wanted all our close friends and family to be there at the proposal, so he invited his brother, his brother's girlfriend, and some of my best friends for brunch before getting on the boat. Next came the yacht. We all met at the Chicago River docking station, and finally, the yacht set off on the sunny shores of Lake Michigan. Shiv got down on one knee and popped the question with the Chicago skyline gleaming behind us. Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost! Shiv had another surprise awaiting. He took me to his family's home, where my parents, my husband's family, and more friends gathered to continue the celebration.

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.
The planning process for the wedding started about ten months before the wedding date. We first started with finding a venue in my hometown of Detroit, MI. We wanted to keep our mehendi and haldi more intimate, so those events were planned on our own at our home. The larger events, such as the sangeet, wedding ceremony, and reception, were held at the main venue. As the bride, I was looking for something with glamour and charm. We decided on Dearborn Inn by Marriott because it has an old rustic feel with elegance. The hotel interior also made the entrance of the ballroom and lobby a spectacle to behold.

Planning our wedding was a family affair alongside our wedding planner, Tina Singh. We had a great experience using both of our families' insights and visions. We wanted to use themes for each of our wedding events and design the decor for each event accordingly. For example, the sangeet’s theme was the royal bazaar. So we went with decor that displayed a large gold swinging bench decorated with flowers, with two large life-like trees in the background. The food was set up as stations all around the entrance of the ballroom that mimicked a bazaar with bright, vibrant ethnic tents. We had a program of dances by family and friends, so we set up multicolored cots along the dance floor area for people to sit and enjoy the program. We also incorporated Punjabi and Gujarati traditions in the sangeet, so we ended the night off with traditional garba. Since this was a royal bazaar-themed event, the outfit I went with was a lehenga, which was wine purple in color with gold frame embellishments as well as peacocks and birds on the skirt. My makeup artist Cecilia (Blush Salon in Commerce Township), did an amazing job by adding extensions to my hair and putting pearls into a braid to give it a unique look. She used multiple colors on my eyeshadow makeup to match sangeet vibes. She also did the makeup and hair for my sister, my mom, and my MIL’s. Everyone loved their unique touch. Shiv matched me with an Indo-western, burgundy, velvet Sherwani.

For the wedding ceremony, we wanted to use the beautiful outdoor lawn of the hotel, which was decorated with greenery and fresh flowers. We set up the mandap there with fresh red, pink, and ivory flowers, and we matched our wedding outfits accordingly. Our wedding was during Labor Day weekend, and we were blessed with beautiful weather. We had so much natural scenery around us that we felt the mandap did not have to be overdone. We went with a mandap that was rustic in nature to match the outdoor scene. Our bridesmaids and groomsmen entered with matching custom sage green outfits to start the wedding ceremony, and from there, it transitioned into the traditional Hindu ceremony. Each bridesmaid carried a fresh-flower bouquet down the aisle. For the bridal entrance, my uncles and cousins walked me on a red carpet under the Phoolon ki Chadar, custom decorated by our Florists by Lama in Dearborn. My hair was put in a loose bun, while my makeup had tones of gold with a bright red lip to match my wedding lehenga. Altogether it looked stunning with the jewelry hand-picked from South Delhi Jewelers, with green and light pink beads to match the veil and gold embroiderings. Our wedding was recorded by our video team, who used multiple drones to capture the beautiful footage.

Our reception theme was all about sparkle and glamour. The color themes I chose were ivory and shades of lavender. My outfit was an all-silver, sparkly lehenga by Seema Gujural. Shiv wore a custom-designed tuxedo. For the decor, we went with gold frames on our stage, with chandeliers dangling on the sides and an ivory bench in the center. All our guest tables had fresh flowers, bouquets, and candle arrangements following the theme of ivory and lavender. We had a LED light stage in the center of the ballroom where all the performances and speeches took place. I also came up with a Photo Booth area near the entrance of the ballroom with a LED sign that said “It Was Always You,” placed on a green wall and surrounded by cherry blossom trees. Our dessert table consisted of assorted bite-size pastries decorated with a life-size white peacock with a tail made of lavender flowers. Last but not least, our DJ and photography team, Sky Films and Productions, and DJ Vic did a spectacular job at all our events to capture each moment. They kept our wedding reception open dance floor flowing with energetic music so that we danced until we dropped. Even today, we keep replaying our same-day edit video and reliving our wedding each time.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I originally wanted to go with pastel colors on my lehenga. But after trying on several pieces, I decided the traditional red color looked best on me. After shopping around in New York and India, I decided on a crimson red Sabyasachi-style lehenga with gold embellishment that I found in a unique boutique in Delhi. I custom-designed a light peach veil with a wave border to match the lehenga.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part was having substantial input on how each wedding event would run and planning the decorations. My wedding planner was instrumental in helping me decide which of my ideas was realistic and reasonable to bring the themes of each wedding event to life. I took pride in knowing that each event had an original touch of my personality. I also had a significant role in choreographing all the dances  I performed in. I have been dancing and choreographing for my other friends' weddings in the past, and now it was finally my turn to showcase at my own wedding.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
We received numerous compliments about the high energy in the room during each of the events, how in tune and invested our guests were with the program going on, and how much detail our events were decorated. Last but not least, we received so many compliments about how AMAZING the food tasted. Our guests kept telling us how they kept going back for more.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The most special moment for me was walking down the aisle to the mandap with all the guests' eyes on me, and seeing the joyful yet somber faces of my parents, knowing that I was entering a new phase of life. That is a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
To each bride-to-be:
Planning your wedding is one of the most stressful times that you and your family can go through.  At times it may seem that things are about to fall apart, and last-minute details are still not finalized. But at the end of the day, you will get to your wedding day and realize it all worked out. Trust the process and do the best you can, but don’t be too hard on yourself. Stress only causes tension in your loved ones and yourself. Enjoy each moment of planning because it always turns out beautiful, no matter what.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Venue: The Dearborn Inn by Marriott - Event Planners @ Venue: Paulette OConnell and Christie Dixon
Wedding Planner: Tina Singh (Marigold Wedding Planners)
Photography/Videography/DJ: Sky Films and Productions and DJ Vic
Reception Gown Designer: Seema Gujral (Delhi, India)
Groom's Clothing Designer: Diwan Saheb (Delhi, India)
Bridal Jewelry: South Delhi Jewelers
Hair and Makeup Artist: Cecilia Kashat (Blush Salon in Commerce Township)
Mehndi Artist: @DreaminginHenna by Sandy (Michigan)
Reception Florist/Wedding bouquets: Lama's Florist (Dearborn, MI)
Sangeet Catering: Punjab sweets and Indian Cuisine (Michigan)
Wedding Breakfast Catering: Krishna Catering and Restaurant (Michigan)
Wedding Lunch Catering: Krishna Catering and Restaurant (Michigan)
Reception Dinner Catering: Saffron (Michigan)
Remember that we have inspiring stories every day, so make sure to join us tomorrow for more!

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Hello, darlings! We are thrilled to share the beautiful wedding of Pireya & Yousuf with you! If the name of this lovely couple sounds familiar, that's because their wedding was already featured in our Real Weddings Blog. But we loved this celebration so much that we couldn't wait to share the fabulous video by the incredible Arazo Studios with you. They captured every moment beautifully, from the couple's emotional vows to their energetic reception party. This couple's love story is nothing short of a fairytale, and their wedding day was just as magical. From the stunning venue at The Renaissance to the incredible floral and decor by Daisy Malik Decor, every detail was perfectly executed thanks to the expert planning and design by Richmond Bridal Consulting. Pireya looked breathtaking in her traditional bridal fashion from Maharani Fashions, which perfectly complemented her glowing hair and makeup by Afshan Makeup Artistry. As she walked down the aisle, her eyes locked with Yousuf's, and you could feel the love and joy radiating from the couple. Hercules Entertainment kept the dance floor packed all night for the reception, while Al-Medinah Restaurant provided delicious catering that had everyone raving. And let's remember the fantastic Cake Man's Boss cake and treats that were almost too beautiful to eat but too delicious not to! Pireya & Yousuf's wedding was a true celebration of love, family, and culture, and we're honored to have shared it with you. We invite you to watch their wedding video and experience its magic. Enjoy it!

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 are a union of two countries coming together. Since this was a fusion wedding, we wanted to highlight each culture through our wedding events. Each event was in a different city (between the bride's and groom's town) with a different atmosphere and color palette, making them unique and unlike each other so our guests could experience the best of both worlds. The venue, food, attire, and all other details were aligned with the respective culture that was highlighted for that event. We decided to highlight the Pakistani culture at our Nikkah/Engagement event in 2021. Our families entered with our country flags, which were then displayed on the stage and served as the backdrop to symbolize the union. I chose a very special song for my entrance, and our favorite comedian performed a halal comedy show. The theme colors were white, gold, and black. For the Gaye Holud in May 2022, we highlighted the Bangladeshi culture. The event was at an outdoor garden space filled with bright colors of green, yellow, and orange. We had a bangle bar and table designated for "Bangali Street and Sweet Treats." We all know street food back home is incomparable, and it's not a Gaye Holud without the overwhelming amount of sugar. My mom and bridal party spend months helping me DIY the decor for that event. Our grand finale was the Shaadi in June 2022. We wanted the traditional bold red and gold and decided to go with hints of coral/peach and beige for the secondary colors. The theme was red royalty, and the venue was an absolutely perfect gem. The grandiose building was filled with a vintage appearance, rich history, and heavy red/gold hues throughout its interior. We knew it was the one because it's called the Renaissance. We're obsessed with Italy and actually had our honeymoon there too. My hair and makeup looks were carefully selected for each event. I incorporated various styles for the occasions, and they were all done by the same incredible artist for all the events (Makeup by Afshan). Since we had our wedding events in different cities, we had to stay super organized when working with multiple vendors in multiple cities. Some vendors remained constant from our first events, such as our phenomenal photographers/videographers (Arazo Media) and decorator (Daisy Malik). Others, like our caterers, cake bakers, DJs, day-of coordinators, etc., were based on location. Every vendor was unconditionally helpful and contributed perfectly to our events. All gratitude and praise are due to them for being a part of our celebrations!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I always knew I wanted the traditional color red. That was a definite choice for me since I was a little girl. Plus, it is my favorite color, so it made sense. Our Nikkah ceremony took place in May 2021, and I wore traditional Pakistani attire to honor my husband's culture. For the ceremony, I wore a beautiful white and gold floral gharara to the mosque and then changed into a handcrafted white and gold embroidered Anarkali for the engagement reception at another venue. Both attires, including jewelry, were custom-made in Pakistan and gifted by my in-laws. For my Gaye Holud in May 2022, I wanted to honor my roots and Bangladeshi culture. So, of course, I wore a traditional sari with bright floral jewelry. My saree matched the colors of the event, which were green, yellow, and orange. The jewelry I selected paired perfectly with my attire, and I looked like your typical Bangladeshi Gaye Holud "bou." For the grand finale, our Shaadi in June 2022, I wanted to wear a lehenga since it was the common attire for both of our cultures. I chose a bold red that struck the eye with heavy gold details. I went shopping with my mom, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and Yousuf one weekend in New York/New Jersey, and it's a core memory I will never forget. Yousuf did not see my final selection, as it remained a surprise for him. After saying yes to the dress, I selected all my jewelry and other pieces for the big day. I knew exactly what I wanted as my vision remained constant since I was a little girl dreaming of her fairytale wedding. I'm a Bengali bride, so I have to fit in my red benarasi sari somewhere. Since I did not get to wear one, my plan is to wear one on our one-year anniversary at an intimate event with loved ones.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
How detailed it was! From the cakes to the attires, to the stage set-ups, and everything in between. We also catered food according to the specific event. For example, we had traditional Pakistani food at the engagement reception and Bengali food at the Gaye Holud. However, our cultures are very similar. They are strikingly different as well. I always say it was a second war between Bangladesh and Pakistan for our love to win. Guests felt that at our events and commented on how beautifully we told our story through our celebrations. We stayed true to our cultures, incorporating deep-rooted wedding customs and traditions straight from our motherlands. Guests learned about our backgrounds and the significance of each activity at our wedding events. Although we faced a battle, love always wins, and our marriage was the beginning of two becoming one.
Maharanis, I hope this wedding will inspire you to jump aboard the wedding train. Have a great day! 

Hello, Maharanis! Come and check the lovely story of Pari & Rishi in today's Platinum Guide Blog!

And that is a wrap, dear ladies! Do not forget to return soon to enjoy more love stories and tips. 

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Hello, lovely ladies! Check out Adithi & Kurt's lovely charming tale in today's Platinum Guide Blog.

See you tomorrow, loves! We have more wedding stories for you to enjoy. Thank you for reading!

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