Welcome to Maharani Weddings

Good Morning, Maharanis! We hope you are ready to start this Wednesday with a bang because Rachna & Dylan's fusion wedding packs all the things that we love to see at an Indian wedding celebration. Beautiful decorations, mixed emotions, traditional flair, lots of love, you name it, this charming story has it all! Not to mention that you will get tons of inspiring ideas! So, let's not wait any longer and enjoy this fabulous celebration brought to you thanks to the talented team from Global Photography, who captured shots from every angle for you to feel just as of you were there. How amazing is that! All wedding events took place at the Coyote Hills Golf Course, whose accommodations were the perfect nest for the beginning of this everlasting love story. The outdoors of this striking venue were the ideal place to celebrate the beautiful wedding ceremony thoroughly orchestrated by the fantastic team from The Marigold Company, who planned everything down to the smallest detail. They found the best ally in Dream Decor, who crafted a minimalist but heavenly decor in soft colored hues that we loved so much. Hands down, the winning combination of these talented and highly experienced crews resulted in nothing but utter perfection! And talking about perfection, let's take a moment to admire the fabulous look of our gorgeous Rachna, who walked down the aisle dressed in a beautiful red lengha and rocking a glamorous look designed by Makeup By Kristina and Mark Thomas Hair. After the wedding ceremony ended, all the guests were ready to celebrate the newlyweds in a vibrant and fun-loving reception party enlivened by 3D Sounds. And you know that whenever this acclaimed team is present, it will be an epic party, and this time was no exception! All the guests had the time of their lives dancing and enjoying the delicious plates prepared by Natraj Catering and Restaurants and the sweet mouth-melting cake baked by Some Crust Bakery. And just by taking a glance and the fabulous gallery below, you can tell that this was a night to remember! Don't hesitate and get ready to dive into all the amazing details that we have for you on the shots below!

We hope you have enjoyed this fabulous wedding celebration as much as we did. Don't forget to join us tomorrow for more! We have many more stories that we would love to share with you!

Global Photography and The Marigold Company are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Global Photography VIEW PORTFOLIO

The Marigold Company VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Good morning, Maharanis! We are right in the middle of this fabulous week, and there is no better way to start this Wednesday than taking a look at all the amazingness surrounding Riddhi & Ankit's big wedding festivities. So, let's not wait any longer and jump right into it! Right from the start, we have to say that this whimsical wedding ceremony was a cornucopia of beauty, love, and traditional flair, so you are going to love every bit of it. Still, what we loved the most was the magical, and almost heavenly, wedding ceremony hosted inside the halls of the Lucien's Manor. The interiors of this luxurious and exclusive venue, completely transformed into a mesmerizing backdrop filled with floral arrangements in soft-pasteli-hues thanks to the marvelous decor put together by the good friends at Partyland Sajawat. They took our lovebirds' vision of a dream wedding and made it a reality. How amazing is that! Although the decor was something to die for, it was our Riddhi, who stole all the looks after being pampered by Heena Das Beauty. The nude makeup, the on-point eyeliner contour, and the classy hairstyle, all a perfect combination to create a ravishing look for this Maharani! On the fashion department, Falguni Shane Peacock designed a gorgeous red lengha with golden embroidery that we absolutely adored. And the final touch, to achieve the ultimate bridal look, was in charge of Mendhi by Anuja, who designed a beautiful Mehndi that we cannot stop seeing. Beauty and flair at its best! After the wedding ceremony, it was time to celebrate the newlyweds with a vibrant reception party animated by none other than MVP DJs, who owned the stage and played the best Bollywood hits that put everyone to dance! When dinner time arrived, all the guests enjoyed a full culinary experience prepared by the talented from Moghul Caterers, who served mouth-melting plates that left everyone speechless! If you want to take a closer look at this fabulous celebration of love, don't miss the jaw-dropping gallery captured by Impressions By Annuj. Every single shot is an absolute visual delight that you don't want to miss, so go check them all out!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Ankit and I met at Rutgers University where we both graduated in Finance. Being in the same classes and having mutual friends, we became friends ourselves. As our friendship grew into crushes and then into love I knew he was the one when I saw what he valued in life. Family above all.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Ankit proposed to me in Dubrovnik, Croatia! Everything was picture perfect. I was ready for a full day of sightseeing and as the planner I am wanted to bring a backpack, water bottles, snacks etc Ankit convinced me to bring nothing at all because he wanted to go see the location of GOT scene of Battle of Blackwater. Since this was the only place he planned I decided I would just go along with it. He led me through back alleys and narrow roads. We made our way to the water edge on beautiful rocks with the walled City in front of us. Ankit got down on one knee and proposed. I actually was so shocked I didn’t say anything at all just shook my head yes so he had to ask again! The photographer he hired had captured our magically moment. The most heartwarming part of the proposal was when we got back to our AirBnb. Ankit had asked all our friends and family to record a congrats message and he played the video for me. For the entire 15 minutes I was in tears seeing my parents, grandparents friend and family wishing us on the moment important day even know they couldn’t be there in person!

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.
Both Ankit and I are the eldest and one of the first to get married in NJ. We worked together like a team throughout the process. I would do the research and make initial contact. After narrowing the vendors down Ankit would swoop in and work with them on negotiating and the contacts. There was not even one aspect of the wedding where we didn’t overlook. We budgeted with spreadsheets and graphs, we created our own wedding programs, handpicked our menu for each event and choreographed our dances. It was such a magically day because we become very close to the vendors since we worked so hard together to find people that worked well with us. We wanted each moment to be as special to our friends and family as it was to us. They were the reason we were there and we wanted to make sure they knew we appreciated that!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Red!!! I always pictured walking down the aisle in a red lengha. I’m pretty decisive with my choices and when I saw my red lengha with floral pinks and blue and bottom of jade I knew it was the one for me. My reception lengha was even more special to me. I worked with Falguni Shane Peacock in person to customize and create the perfect look. We took parts of designs from her previous looks and added and took away details to make a customized and perfect look for me. Meeting her was such an honor as I was such a fan of hers!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Weeks leading up to the wedding my entire family camped out at my parents house all together and it was the most amazing part of the wedding process. Whether it was creating the welcome baskets or making signs, we would all sit in the living room chatting, singing, loudly arguing and laughing together. From my grandparents, parents, cousins and aunts and uncles we all would stay up late, practice dances and make jokes. Those were the days I will cherish for the rest of my life.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The personal touches were very important for us! We wanted to make sure our guests knew how valued they were in our lives. Anyone that entered our hotel on Friday had a special Welcome Committee that would greet them at the front door. They would have a garland presented to them, tikko in their forehead and would be handed the welcome basket which was an actual basket packed with essentials. For the wedding we had food packets on the chairs, each with special food we parceled from India and handmade sweets and snacks from my mom and grandmother for all 500 guests. Our wedding programs were designed by Ankit and I. During our Sangeet we had food stalls of paanwala, ice gola and even pani puri! We tried to keep all programs to a minimal so everyone had plenty of time to eat dance and enjoy! Our cake was even packed in to go boxes for anyone that missed out!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our entrance dance. Ankit and I had practiced our entrance dance for hours and days in our apartments. There were stressful days and days we were just exhausted from work but we practiced. Right before going out in the crowd, Ankit and I looked at each other. We were officially married, after 7 years of dating, 1 year of being engaged, months of planning, we were finally here. We knew everyone outside were the most special people that made our lives as blessed as it was. We knew we would be going outside as a unit and team officially for the first time even though we had felt it for long! We had so many nerves but we smiled and we were ready! 

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.
One epic part of our wedding were the dances. Ankit and I worked hard perfecting our entrance dance as well as our first dance! We choreographed both and practiced endlessly. We only had one performance and it was our bridal party. They did a epic 15 minute skit/ performances fully equipped with props, voiceovers and surprises  of our love story and bringing us back to present day.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Work as a team! The day of your wedding is all yours and seeing the details come together is so fulfilling and even more to cherish knowing you did it as partners.
Your vendors are also your partners. The day of you end up spending more of your time with your photographer, videographer and make up artist so please choose wisely. It’s your team, your the captain and only choose team members that you work well with because it will make the day of so much more stress free!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
One of the highlights for Ankit and I are were our engagement shoots. Annuj our photographer who is from Canada is absolutely brilliant. As Ankit and I love to travel, I found an old war plane museum in Canada and we were able to do our photoshoot there! Annuj made the experience unforgettable! The week of our wedding we did another photoshoot in NJ - whimsical and beautiful Gardens where ever picture looked right out of a fairytale. We wanted a large contrast from both shoots from edgy to romantic etc and Annuj captured everything perfectly. When Ankit proposed he booked photographed in Croatia and Greece and were able to do our pre wedding shoots in Dubrovnik and Santorini as well which was absolutely epic!

That is all for today, darlings. Remember that we have new and inspiring stories every day, so make sure to join us tomorrow. Same place, same time!

Heena Das Beauty is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Heena Das Beauty VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Happy Wednesday, Maharanis! If you were seeking inspiration to start planning your ultimate dream wedding, you've come to the right place! Today's romantic story features the lovely wedding festivities between Sonika & Yosh, and it packs so many beautiful and inspiring ideas that we cannot wait to share it with you. So, let's not wait any longer and get ready to dive into this magical celebration of love. The big day arrived, and these lovebirds were more than prepared to unite their lives in marriage. They both looked ravishing, but it was our gorgeous Maharani, who stole the show. She looked like a goddess throughout the entire wedding events thanks to Henna Dil Se, who took care of beauty needs, including her gorgeous Mehndi, and also to Bolly Couture, who became the best ally for all her fashion needs! And we cannot forget about the exquisite jewelry from Kirni Kaur and the bangles and handpieces from Sari Palace's collection! Hands down, Sonika achieved that dreamy bridal look, all Maharanis aspire for her big day. In case you were wondering who was in charge of planning and designing this cornucopia of beauty and traditional flair, it was none other than Nika Events! This fabulous team was the mastermind behind this wedding bash that had not one but two beautiful wedding ceremonies fully decored by the acclaimed team of Kismet Event Design. And you already know that whenever this experienced team is present, there is a unique and fabulous wedding affair waiting ahead, and this time was no exception! They crafted enchanting decors for all wedding events, creating the perfect backdrops for Sonika & Yosh to tie the knot in the company of their family and closest friends. After the wedding ceremonies, it was time to celebrate the newlyweds in a glamorous reception party enlivened to the fullest by Fusion Sounds. They owned the stage and took the reception party to the next level playing the latest Bollywood hits that put everyone to dance! If you want to relive every moment of this romantic wedding, make sure to check the remarkable photos captured by Global Photography. Every single shot is a visual masterpiece that you don't want to miss, so make sure to check them out in today's full gallery. It will blow your mind!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Yosh was a friend of our family for a very long time. He was at all of my family events and he spent a lot of time with my cousins and I. Eventually, we ended up together. We aren’t exactly sure how it happened, but we’re so thankful that it did.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Our proposal story is definitely not a typical, romantic one. It’s actually kind of funny. It was our anniversary. It was a Saturday and he told me to be ready at a certain time because he was taking me to Malibu, but I woke up not feeling well. I was thinking of cancelling our plans, but everyone including my mom wouldn’t let me. My mom also looked so stressed, she kept coming into my room checking to make sure my makeup looked good, and she made me change my jewelry 4 times. I still didn’t think anything of it. So I went on this anniversary date and I was so frustrated because my boyfriend was texting the entire time and he seemed so on edge. He took me to this random restaurant (I later found out he needed to stall) and the food was awful and I started throwing up. I asked him if we could go home because I didn’t feel well, but then I saw how disappointed he looked so I decided to tough it out. He pulled up at the beach and told me to take off my shoes because I was wearing heels. So we walked on the sand and it was really nice. I was kind of confused because we were aimlessly walking and I was wondering what the plan was, but he just kept walking. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw this guy take a picture of me with a camera and then he started hiding behind a rock and still kept taking pictures. I turned to my boyfriend and said “Babe, that guy is taking pictures of us!” And he just shrugged it off. I was so busy looking at the guy, I missed the whole set up. There was a blanket with roses, a basket, Champagne, and a ring!!
So he proposed and I was in shock for like 20 minutes. We drank some champagne. Some of my cousins were there and it was truly beautiful. After all of this, he told me that his family and mine were waiting for us at my house and there will be a little party. I was super excited and was ready to go home. We got in the car and his car broke down! Luckily, we were able to take one of my cousin’s car. We got to the party and it was such an amazing night! We felt so loved by everyone and it is a night I’ll never forget.

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.
Wedding planning was a lot for me. I typically love planning events! When it came to my own, I really struggled. I decided I did not want a wedding planner and I wanted to do it all myself. I’m kind of picky.
We had a 2 day wedding. Saturday was our Hindu wedding. And Sunday was our Buddhist ceremony and reception. We had 550 guests. Choosing my hair and makeup artist was hard for me. I am actually a makeup artist, so I was really particular. I found my makeup artist Nadia Ali and we did a trial. She let me choose exactly what I wanted, and fix things and I loved that she let me be so involved. On our wedding day, she came through and handled it all.
We did end up hiring a day of coordinator. Her name was Monika Patel and she was amazing.
My family really came through for me and took care of so many details. It truly was a group effort and I was so thankful so have such an amazing team on my side.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
So I had 3 outfits. I knew that I wanted my Hindu wedding outfit to be red and sparkly. I tried on so many outfits in LA. I even tried on what was in style at the time and it didn’t look right on me. We ended up going to New York. And my first appointment was with Sandy at Bolly Couture (I found her on Instagram.) I loved her outfits! There was one outfit on the mannequin and I was like “Whoa! That outfit is sparkly, but way too sparkly!” I actually didn’t like it. My cousins made me try it on as a joke since I didn’t like it. I put the outfit on and I looked up and my cousins were in tears. And I said “Oh no! Please don’t tell me this is the one.”
Sandy took me to the mirror and I saw it and fell in love. I was ready to buy it right then and there. To do myself justice, I continued with the rest of my appointments just to make sure that was it. No matter what I tried on, I kept thinking about that outfit. Nothing else would even excite me. So we bought that amazing outfit that weighed more than I did!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part for me was getting responses to our invitations. Once someone talked about attending the events, their outfits, flight, or if they’re staying at the hotel; that really excited me and it made it feel real for me.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Everyone talked a lot about the food! Manohar’s Delhi Palace is the best! We go to their restaurant all the time and love their food! For the wedding, they came through and delivered.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
There are too many to jot down! But we actually loved looking out and seeing our guests having a good time. We also had so many amazing moments with out bridal party and we loved having such an amazing team on our side!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
My advice would be to give yourself a lot of time to plan, talk to other brides, and bargain!
On the day of, don’t stress (I know, easier said than done.) The reason I say this is because you’ve done absolutely everything you can already, now everyone else (including family) will help to figure it out.

We have new stories every day, so make sure to join us tomorrow for more! I bet you will get tons of inspiring ideas.

Fusion Sounds, Kismet Event Design and Global Photography are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Fusion Sounds VIEW PORTFOLIO

Kismet Event Design VIEW PORTFOLIO

Global Photography VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

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 Wednesday, darlings! Today, we are delighted to share Sonam & Sujit's big wedding celebration with you. And believe us, there is so much beauty and flair packed into this spectacular event that it seemed taken out from the pages of an Indian fairytale. Everything surrounding this grand wedding celebration hosted at the Crest Hollow Country Club had perfection written all over the place. And once we find out who were the masterminds behind this dreamy celebration, it was quite obvious why everything turned out to be so perfect! Detailed Affairs Team took care of the coordination and execution based on the detailed planning done by the couple, and Stylish Events created the ideal environment, with fabulous decor that everyone loved! And the final result of this winning combo was nothing less than exceptional! In case you were wondering who glamorized and gave a royalty look to this Maharani, it was none other than Makeup By Khadija and Madame Exclusive, who took care of her beauty and fashion needs, respectively. And talking about royalty and beauty, let's take a moment to admire the dazzling jewelry Sonam got from New York Diamonds Inc and East West Jewelers Inc, simply amazing! Each accessory added an extra touch of elegance and allure to the overall look and complemented to perfection with the gorgeous Mehndi designed by Henna by Inder. After the ceremony, this wedding transition into an epic reception party enlivened by DJ USA, who played upbeat melodies that made everyone dance the night away. In between dances, emotive speeches, and the sweet treats prepared by The Paanwaala, this festive night got to an end. But if you are still craving for more of this lovely couple, don't miss today's awesome gallery. And if that is not enough, head over to our Video Blog to enjoy the marvelous film of this wedding. Both are creations of Regal Palette Studio, which means that there is nothing but perfection to be expected!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
How we met:
Sujit and I have a love story like no other couple. Our love goes all the way back to 7th grade. Yes, 7th grade! We are middle school sweethearts. It was right at the end of the school day in April 2005 when Sujit first saw me in the hallway as I was rushing to the debate team. Sujit later told me how taken back he was by my beauty and he was trying to think of an excuse to talk to me before he missed his chance. As I was about to open the door of the staircase, he said “Excuse me, do you have 50 cents I can borrow?” Immediately he thought to himself, “Seriously, that’s the best you can come up with?” I looked at him like he was crazy and said “No, and I don’t even know you!” and then ran off to my after school activity.

We didn’t see each other again till a month later. We bumped into each other in the cafeteria during lunch. I was looking down at my phone (a flip phone at that time by the way) and on my way to buy some cookies, and he was talking to one of his friends when we both collided. We looked at each other with a smile. I said, “Hey! You’re the guy that wanted to borrow money from me!” And he smiled and said, “Can I borrow a $1” in a joking manner. I said, “You’re crazy! What do you even need it for??” He laughed and replied, “I just want some cookies!” I laughed and walked away smiling.

The friendship:
Two weeks later, our fate brought us together yet again. This time it was outside after school. I was with my best friend waiting for an after school program to start, but I was really craving an M&M McFlurry. Since we couldn’t leave, my friend and I asked one of our other friends if he could bring us ice cream from McDonald’s which was a few blocks away. We gave him money and 10 minutes later, he comes back with the McFlurry in his hand. He was also walking back and conversing with another guy. It was Sujit! Our friend walks over to us and says “Here you go! Oh, and this is my friend, Sujit”. Sujit and I smiled at each other and I said, “We’ve met”.

From there, Sujit and I became friends and couldn’t help but want to spend all of our free time with each other. We hung out during lunch and after school almost every day. I loved how kind and genuine Sujit was and Sujit loved how open and honest I was.

When we started dating:
Fast forward another month. Sujit’s math class was in the same room as my homeroom. On June 17th, 2005, when the dismissal bell rang, I was walking into homeroom, and Sujit pulled me to the side of the classroom. He took his hat off and looked into my eyes. He smiled and said “Sonam, will you do me the honor and go out with me?” We got interrupted by the math/homeroom teacher. The teacher said “Mr. Suchdev don’t you have to get to your homeroom? Ms. Kapoor please take your seat”. I looked at Sujit and said “I’ll meet you outside after school”.

Both of our hearts were racing as we impatiently waited for dismissal. Sujit was so nervous, he was worried I would say no. I was hesitant because I knew we were both very young to be dating, yet my heart was so drawn to Sujit and I knew there was something special between us.

We met outside in the courtyard and Sujit looked at me and said, “Well?”. I smiled and said, “Yes!” We hugged each other and immediately were surrounded by our friends who were clapping, how cliché, but this is what happened!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Sujit proposed to me in the most romantic way ever! We had been dating for such a long time, so he wanted to make everything perfect. Sujit told me we had to attend a very important fundraiser his uncle was hosting the day after Thanksgiving. He also told me that he had an exclusive work holiday party that same night at 48 Lounge in NYC, so I should dress appropriately to attend both events. I was so confused how to dress since one event was a fundraiser and the other was at a lounge! I asked him if we could skip the holiday party since it would be a long day, and Sujit sent me a pic of the email invite from Steve Madden. He explained this was a very exclusive invite only event and showed me the flyer and how it wasn’t sent as a mass distribution email. I decided to go with a lace black dress, and paired it with my black Christian Loubitons. Sujit suggested I paint my nails red since it is attention grabbing for when we shake hands with people at the fundraiser.

November 23, 2018 finally came and I decided to pamper myself and got my hair blown out. I didn’t know it at the time, but Sujit called my hair dresser that morning and told her to make sure she did an extra nice job on my hair because he was going to propose. He told her “Please don’t make it obvious and don’t let her find out”.

3pm Sujit met me at my house to pick me up and I noticed he looked stressed and a little disoriented. I asked him if everything was okay, and he responded, “We have to help my uncle setup a few things at the venue and we are a little late”. I didn’t know at the time but Sujit was stressed because it was frigid cold and he was planning on proposing outside. He had actually come from the venue where him, his sister, my mom & my cousin were helping setup the proposal!
Sujit and I pulled into the parking lot at The Sterlings, in Bethpage and he immediately said, "There’s no cars here because no one is here yet". I was so confused because he mentioned we were late, but I didn’t bother asking. We step out of the car, and he said “We don’t have coat check so we should leave our jackets in the car”. I replied, “Well that’s ghetto”. He laughed and said, “Let’s go cutie”. I was shivering and quickly ran inside. (It was 20 degrees that day).

Sujit grabbed my hand and said, “It’s this way”. As we were walking to the hall in the back, he told me I looked so beautiful. We arrive at the hall, and he pushes the door open and the song “Differences” by Genuwine started playing (our song from 7th grade). I was so confused because there were photographers and a setup that looked like a proposal and I looked at Sujit & said, “Is this for me?” He smiled and said, “Yes”. I started crying immediately. I was waiting for this day for so long and my emotions got the best of me. Sujit walked me down a white carpet with purple rose petals, and purple balloons everywhere. (Purple is my favorite color.) He picked out the most romantic sonnet from Shakespeare and read it to me during the proposal. He popped the question with the most gorgeous cushion cut diamond ring and I was hysterical. I said, “Yes!” and we popped rose champagne (my favorite). Sujit planned out every little detail and I was so ecstatic. After finishing the glass of champagne, he turned to me & said, “I have another surprise for you”. I said, “What!?” Sujit said, “It’s outside”. He took my hand and led me outside, where there was an aerial banner flying around which read, “SONAM, I LOVE YOU. WILL YOU MARRY ME?” I was in shock because of how perfect this proposal was.

After taking our pictures with the photographer, I called my mom in excitement to tell her the good news. I told Sujit I wanted to go home to show her the ring but Sujit kept stalling. We made 3 stops before he finally took me home. I open the door and heard people scream "Congratulations!". It was my family and Sujit’s family all at the door. At this point, I understood why Sujit was stalling. He was stalling so my mom had enough time to get the family together to celebrate the big moment.
Fast forward a few hours, we say goodbye to everyone so we can drive into the city for the holiday work party. I was so sad I couldn’t hang out with my cousins longer, but knew this party was important to Sujit so I didn’t complain. We reached the city and parked a few blocks away from the lounge. As soon as we arrive, Sujit tells the hostess, “We’re here for the Steve Madden Party”, and she took both our coats and led us to the back. Out of nowhere a bunch of people scream “CONGRATULATIONS!” I was so caught off guard. Sujit gave me yet another surprise and invited all our friends out to celebrate with us. I said, “But what about the Steve Madden party!? There was a flyer, I’m so confused!” He said, “I had to do something to keep you surprised!” We partied all night with our friends and it was the best ending to the most perfect proposal!

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.
Don't let anyone tell you planning an Indian wedding in one year is enough time! Sujit and I got married exactly one year from the day he proposed, and boy did it feel like crunch time! It takes a village.

We looked at a few different venues, but ultimately fell in love with The Crest Hollow Country Club because of how well maintained it was and we loved their customer service and how attentive they were to our wedding needs.

I struggled with finding someone for hair and makeup because the MUA I originally wanted (I won't mention any names) was very rude and unaccommodating. After this bad experience, my wedding coordinator, Arun from the Detailed Affairs Team, suggested Makeup by Khadija. She was an absolute doll and I ended up becoming friends with her after the wedding. I loved every look and would definitely recommend her to all future brides!

My outfits were all from India and my mom found designers for us to work with to create the perfect sangeet, wedding and reception outfits for the wedding of my dreams! The sangeet and wedding lenghas were from Madame Exclusive and my reception dress was from LaPalette.

Our floral and decor, which was stunning for each and every event was from Stylish Events NY. Kashi, the owner, took the time to sit with Sujit and I and really understood our vision of how we wanted each event to look. My favorite decor was for the wedding ceremony. We went with the "Maharani Mandap" (how fitting) and had a platform catwalk for our walk down the isle.

For my henna, I knew I wanted Henna by Inder as soon as I saw her Instagram page. That was probably one of the easier decisions in the planning process. Inder did an amazing job and was very fun to chat with while she did my bridal henna.

We chose DJ USA to DJ all our events and they rocked the party! Sharad was amazing and very hands on during the planning process and everyone on the team was so professional. They DJ'd our engagement party as well, and we plan on using them for future events.

For our photos and videos we ended up going with Regal Palette Studio. I found them on Instagram and called and spoke to Hershey over the phone, and instantly knew they were the right fit. I appreciated his level of professionalism and patience when answering all our questions. Wedding planning is a very stressful process, but becomes easier when you have vendors who truly care about you. Sujit and I were very happy with RPS' work, and would book them again for future events.

Our catering was from Beneres and we are so happy we went with them. Our guests still tell us about how much they loved the food at each event. For the reception, we had specialty desserts from The Paanwala and oh my goodness... those paan shots were amazing! Worth every penny!

One week before our wedding, I came across @Inthedetailnyc Instagram page, and I am so happy I did. I worked with Manisha to create our wedding welcome sign and our signature drinks bar signs. She was very professional and was able to deliver my signs in just 3 days. The signs added a special touch to our wedding.

Shopping for our wedding bands was my favorite part. We worked with New York Diamonds, Inc. in the diamond district to customize beautiful matching wedding bands. My husband also bought my engagement ring from them. Anu and Neha are absolutely amazing and were very patient with us during the process.

Last, but not least, our wedding and reception went so smooth and without a hitch thanks to The Detailed Affairs team. Arun and his team were on top of everything! Without a doubt, I know if we didn't hire them, Sujit and I would've been so stressed. All our guests asked how we were so calm and looked stress free during the wedding, and it was all thanks to Arun and his team. I would recommend them to all future brides!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I was saving up my vacation time for the wedding and honeymoon, so my mom went to India and did all my wedding shopping for me. She has great taste so I trusted her with picking all my outfits and jewelry. I always knew I wanted to wear a red lengha, but my mom did one better and helped me design a custom lengha with a beautiful matching veil. It was stunning and the jewelry she picked was equally as beautiful. From the gorgeous pink veil, down to the custom heart shaped latkans, the lengha was absolute perfection.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
EVERYTHING! We still get calls and messages about how fun it was. Our guests told us how much they loved the food at each event, our farewell vidai (in a helicopter), and the performances at our Sangeet!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
1. Our first look was so special and the moment was very precious. It was an emotional high and both Sujit and I teared up in joy when we first saw each other. I will never forget the twinkle in his eye when he saw me, his bride to be, moments before our wedding.

2. Our vidai was a special moment for us because we had a farewell in a helicopter. It was the first time Sujit and I flew in a chopper and it was so fun after such a serious goodbye to my family and loved ones. It was special to be with my husband and start the next chapter in our lives together flying away in a helicopter. How cinematic!

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 Sangeet was so special because of all the performances. My cousins, Sujit's siblings and cousins, my mom and aunts, Sujit's groomsmen, and me and my bridesmaids all did performances. Sujit's family even did a cute skit with all of them dancing together. We really felt like we were in a Bollywood movie!

I especially loved our look for the Sangeet night. Sujit and I wore matching green and silver outfits and everyone told us we looked like a King and Queen that night. My lengha was sparkling and the glam makeup and hair was the stunning finishing touch.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Don't let the stress get to you! Easier said than done, but remember that this moment doesn't last forever. The wedding week especially, will fly by so fast and in the blink of an eye, it's all over. Try to enjoy every moment, and leave the stressing to everyone else. I am so grateful for my mom and maid of honor (my cousin Nikeeta), because they really worked hard to make sure I enjoyed every moment and that I didn't get wrapped up in any drama or wedding politics!

A new day, a new romantic story! And I don't know about you, but we can't get enough of these fabulous celebrations, they are so awesome! If you are like us, don't forget to join us tomorrow for more!

Stylish Events, Crest Hollow Country Club and Detailed Affairs Team are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Stylish Events VIEW PORTFOLIO

Crest Hollow Country Club VIEW PORTFOLIO

Detailed Affairs Team VIEW PORTFOLIO

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