Welcome to Maharani Weddings

Hello, beautiful Maharanis! Do you know what day today is? Today is Friday, the perfect day to say I do and fall in love with an Indian Fusion love story! Stephanie & Paul are a gorgeous couple who decided to join their lives together at the St. James Catholic Church, followed by a grand reception party at The Grand Marquis, a place where your dreams come to life. The reception overflowed with the most delightful decoration; the bride and groom were amazed to see the fairy tail Florista Decor put together exclusively for them. Every detail went off flawlessly thanks to the magnificent planning of Jessy J. Events. I adore this celebration of love! Now, let me tell you about the beautiful attires our lovely Maharani wore. Kleinfeld Bridal and Hayley Paige dressed up Stephanie with exclusive designs that made her look like a real queen! But that is not all! Rebecca Lee Artistry and Pashka Gjinaj created spectacular hair and makeup designs that praised this Maharani's innate beauty. And I think we can all agree that she looked breathtaking! No wonder why Paul chose our Maharani to be his companion for the rest of his life! The romance was all over the place, and to put a musical touch to this event; our lovebirds decided to call D&S Event Solutions. They know how to animate a wedding festivity glamorously! And in case you were wondering who is the mastermind behind the breathtaking shots that we are sharing with you today, it is no other than the highly talented team from Studio KSD who went above and beyond on every photograph they captured during this love story! So wait no more, and get ready to enjoy today's full gallery. We're sure it will get you inspired! 

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I knew he was "the one" when his flight got cancelled and he drove 10 hours from NYC to Detroit to surprise me for my birthday!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
https://howtheyasked.com/paul-and-stephanie/

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.
Our wedding was originally scheduled for May 23-May 24, 2020, but we decided to postpone about a month before due to the pandemic. We luckily were able to get our venue deposit back which gave us more flexibility in choosing a new date for 2021. We didn't finalize our new date & venue until February 2021, but somehow we managed to realign every single one of our original vendors for our new dates on June 12-June13, 2021 with a new venue we loved even more. It was the wait worth it.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Wedding dress: I always knew I wanted a dress with a full skirt/ballgown because when else in life would I get a chance to wear something like that and feel like a princess?! had the opportunity to meet one of my favorite designers, Hayley Paige, during my appointment at Kleinfeld. I worked with Hayley to mix & match two of her gowns and said was lucky to have four of my best friends and my sister by my side while I said "Yes!" to my own custom wedding dress.
Top: HP "Tulua" gown (low scoop back, crystal bodice, scalloped jewel halter neckline)
Bottom: HP "Dare" gown (Ivory draped organza cascading skirt)

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Not going to lie, all the uncertainty of COVID made the planning process very stressful. Postponing meant we had 2 & 1/2 year engagement period. But the best part of being a bride-to-be was all my friends and family were extra nice to me ;)

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our venues & the food! Our cocktail hour at the Grand Marquis, NJ had amazing stations. Our DJ was great and everyone danced away two nights in a row

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The first thing Paul said to me when I walked down the aisle was "I love your dress" with a big smile on his face. All my nerves for the day went away.

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.
For our pre-wedding night we had a combined Mylanchi & Chantham Charth event at the Neel Kamal hall Royal Alberts palace. The hall's pre-set decor around the walls made it really feel like an Indian palace. I worked with FloristaDecor and designed the stage to feel like we were sitting in a palace garden. My family's color theme was lime green & Paul's family color theme was lavender. I designed my two lenghas at Milan Design-Kochi. Both of our families had their own grand entrance with song and dance. Paul and I came out on a floral decorated bicycle rikshaw (by FloristaDecor) while he pedaled to "Mere Sapno Ki Rani".

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Take professional dance lessons for your first dance! My husband was a little reluctant at first, but we both had so much fun at Fred Astaire Dance Studios-Midtown. We only took 5 lessons but each session was a much-needed break from all the wedding stress and left us feeling happier and closer to each other.

Our First Dance Song: Speechless - Dan & Shay

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
My engagement ring is rose gold (LaurenB Jeweler) and I really wanted to have a rose gold thali (minnu) to match also. I've never seen one in rose gold before, so we went shopping in India hoping to find it, but jewelers only had yellow gold and white gold ones available. So we had a rose gold "Knanaya minnu" custom made in India by Josco Jewelers. They said it was the first one ever to be made in the country! (now they have the mold for future brides looking for rose gold)

My Mehndi on one hand included the Philly "Love" sign - from where my husband and I had our first date & first picture together.

That is all for today, my beloved Maharanis! See you next week with more love stories!

Florista Decor and Studio KSD are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Florista Decor VIEW PORTFOLIO

Studio KSD VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Hello, Maharanis! Get ready to enjoy Hope & Farhan's wedding bash in today's Platinum Guide Blog.

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met in college in Seattle, WA at the University of Washington. We still reminisce on how much we would talk at Gas Works Park overlooking the skyline about everything from life to our studies. We come from very different cultural backgrounds but we have more in common than people think. For one, I’d like to think we both chose to pursue healthcare because we both have a huge heart and are passionate about solving health disparities. I always knew Farhan was the one, I gravitated toward him the moment we met and just knew he was my person; he’s always felt like home. When he proposed to me in my hometown with my family present, that was just further confirmation we were made for each other.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Everything. Planning a wedding can be the most stressful or the most exciting experience, it just depends on your approach. It’s so important to keep in mind that your wedding is a memory that lasts a lifetime. So have fun picking a beautiful dress instead of the perfect one. I will always remember watching my dresses come to life and my dad walking me down the aisle in front of family. It was just a pleasure to watch the family we love and people we adore enjoy our love story.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
We’d like to think our guest appreciated an insight into our love story. Himmati Wedding week was filled with grand venues, colorful and elaborate décor and plenty of singing, bollywood performances and emotional speeches. Our guest got to take part in a romantic nikah, dancing fun at our mehndi and an elegant reception followed by an epic yacht afterparty.

We had the pleasure of making memories with family, and the friends who became family over the years. Our wedding was a fairytale made possible by our amazing wedding planner that I am lucky enough to call my mother-in-law. She was able to pull off a wedding only dreams are made of during a pandemic just for us to remember nothing short of an amazing time.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
We will never forget who was able to take part in our wedding. We had the wedding of a lifetime, unfortunately during a pandemic but fortunately surrounded by loved ones. We were blessed to have our parents by our side and his grandparents present, and that alone made our wedding perfect. As high strung as living in the moment is; planning before, reacting during and after your wedding is, it was important for us to keep in sight that our life will never be the same again so to enjoy this special time with family. You will never be just a daughter and sister or son and brother, you’re now also a wife and husband busy with life happening all around you so faster than you’d like.

JSK Photography and Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

JSK Photography VIEW PORTFOLIO

Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Happy Monday, Maharanis! Tradition, elegance, romance, and an everlasting love story that is just beginning; that's what we have for you today. When Jennifer & Shaan decided they wanted to join their lives in marriage, they wanted everything to start with a bang! That's why they chose Hakim's Studio to immortalize their engagement's sweetest and most romantic moments. And oh boy, what a great decision it was! The imposing cliff surrounded by greenery, the magical sunset, and the love of this young couple created such magnificent scenes that they seem like a real-life fairytale. After sunset, our adorable couple switched into new outfits and had a second round of shots equally beautiful to the first one! Whether the shots are captured on top of a cliff at sunset or a vintage bridge at night,  Jennifer & Shaan's love always steals the show. Without any question, this will be a great memory that Jennifer & Shaan will, later on, share with their children and grandchildren when telling them their unique love story! For more fantastic shots, make sure to visit today's full gallery. We have plenty more beauty for you to admire, so go check it out! We're sure you'll love it so much!

Enjoy your week ahead, and make sure to stay tuned for more romantic and inspiring stories!

Hakim's Studio is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Hakim's Studio VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Happy Friday, Maharanis! We are so glad you could join us today for the last feature of the week. Today's love tale centers on the adorable duo of Sheena & Arun. The couple brought on Joy 'n Bliss Events to help spearhead wedding planning, and the result was an Indian fusion wedding brimming with culture and sophisticated beauty. When Sheena walked down the aisle of the Haddonfield Methodist Church, guests couldn't help but gasp in delight at her radiance. And we have to take a moment to commend the gorgeous bride on her various bridal looks. Either on her wedding gown from Sposabella Bridal or her reception lengha by Nazranaa, she was always the most beautiful girl in the room! To tied it all together, she brought on the beauty mavens from Nicki Glam - Beauty and All to dazzle her up, and she was a glimmering goddess in her wedding finery. The reception at the Crowne Plaza Cherry Hill was a luxurious affair thanks to the spectacular decor put together by Exclusive Events NY. The dim lights, the beautiful placement of all the ornaments, and the upbeat melodies played by M4U Events created the perfect atmosphere to celebrate this life milestone. Hands down, this was a magical ending to an incredible day full of love and laughter. For more incredible details of this wedding, make sure to stop by today's full gallery by J’adore Love Photo & Cinema. It has all the inspiration you need to start planning the wedding of your dreams. So make sure to check it out!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We went to a Sixers playoff game and we talked the entire time, barely watching the game. We realized how much we had in common, how goofy we are, and how our personalities really compliment each other. I knew right then Arun was different, and this was something I wanted forever. Arun has always been my better half and my answered prayer.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
The proposal was 100% a surprise and he got me really good. We got engaged Oct 2020 so leading up to that moment I kept asking when he was going to propose and he told me it would be a while because the ring I wanted was hard to find due to Covid. However, we were taking our engagement shoot while I had no ring and lets just say I wasn't exactly excited for these pictures. Our shoot was all over Center City Philadelphia,  (side note: Arun and I grew up in the same area, went to the same high school, college, and even loved eating at the same places...we just never met or knew we  existed until the time was right), and we got to the Philadelphia Art Museum and right when we got to the top of the steps the photographer had me look away and took a couple shots of myself. Once I turned back around Arun was on one knee. He had my family come and meet us in the city and planned the sweetest and most thoughtful after party planned with our closest friends and family. 

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 a great experience working with all of our vendors and would highly recommend them in the future. I think we did a lot of social media research and when we saw things we liked we ran with it. We had a very classic and clean style and knew exactly what we were looking for!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
All I knew was I really wanted it from Nazranaa. I absolutely loved the pieces I was seeing on their IG page and knew mine would be from there. I was able to find my Manthrokodi and Lengha at Nazranaa and once I tried them on knew it was meant to be.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our wedding was the first wedding once the Pandemic rules started to ease and our guests told us they had SO much fun. They complimented us on our DJ playing the best songs and

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Walking down the aisle with my parents, the first time we saw each other is always a moment we look back at. That moment was everything we built up and it was more than I could've imagined.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Everything will work itself out!! I stressed about so much and being a pandemic bride there's really only so much I could actually control and it really taught me a lot. At the end of it all I only cared about being with Arun and if anything didn't go as planned only Arun and I noticed. I want to add please remember to enjoy yourself and take in every moment-it really goes by in the blink of an eye.

Enjoy your weekend, and don't forget to join us on Monday for more!

Exclusive Events NY and M4U Events are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Exclusive Events NY VIEW PORTFOLIO

M4U Events VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Ladies! Get ready to enjoy Sahar & Shaban's engagement photoshoot in today's Platinum Guide Blog!

Hakim's Studio is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Hakim's Studio VIEW PORTFOLIO

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