Welcome to Maharani Weddings

After a magical meeting on OK Cupid their first date was the day after the bride’s birthday. Guys take note, what truly won this bride over was the batata vada Rohit made for her. Walks around Central Park, stops at Laduree, all led to a magical dinner on night where when the bride thought she was getting dim sum she received a beautiful ring instead.

With a date in July of 2020 the pandemic threw a wrench in their final months of wedding planning. Not knowing what was on the horizon they decided to put the wedding on hold. As any stylish couple, they had decided early on that we were not going to cut back on anything whether ultimately the celebration was 50 people or the original 350 people!

The extravaganza ensued with the Mehndi party. Adoring the backyard was full of a Rikhsha and giant Bollywood style posters of Rohit and Aleena reenacting classics like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and DDLJ. The bride had her mehndi done earlier in the day by Henna for All. Monita, the artist, was able to incorporate intimate details from sketching the bride’s dog, to incorporating Paris, the couple’s favorite vacation spot. A much needed distraction from the pandemic intimate details the Mehdni was a delightful evening enjoyed by all.

Blessed to be in the hands of Stylish Events, amazing ideas continued to unfold for the wedding. A floral mandap floating on the water was a complete surprise for the bride. Can you believe Aleena didn’t see it until she was walking down the aisle? Overwhelmed with amazement, the bride reported she had “to catch my breath.” After the ceremony, guests entered a modern, sleek reception hall. A jux of position, the ceremony and reception had completely different looks that were equally stunning and seamlessly worked together at the same time.

Music was essential to Rohit & Aleena. A violinist played the exact songs the couple requested and the bride walked down the aisle with a live violinist playing, “Tujhe Dekha Toh.” For the dinner we had Sunny and Kajol Gill sing and they were the absolute life of the party.

“Our wedding was unique for a few reasons. One of them was that we had 2 baraats. I used to dance from when I was 3 years old up until college. For me, the idea of being in a bridal suite while everyone was out dancing never sat well. So, I decided I would have my own baraat. Our dhol player Mast Madi Singh met us at my parent's house along with my family and friends. We had my own bridal baraat where I danced and partied with my family in my sneakers before getting in my cousin's slingshot as we headed to Chateau La Mer. There, I spent some time with my bridal party while the rest of the guests celebrated and engaged with Rohit's baraat. They danced and sang while he enjoyed himself in a car her rented- Mercedes SLS convertible. They drove down by the pier and up to the hall. They then had some fun during the milni.”

More than once the couple expressed their gratitude for the many amazing vendors who truly took it upon themselves to ensure perfection. Congratulations to the beautiful couple and we hope bridal baraats are here to stay!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We actually met on OK Cupid. After a couple of weeks of texting, we finally found a date to meet up. It happened to be the day after my birthday. It also happened to be the same day my dog ran away. I spent a few hours walking around the neighborhood looking for him and messaging Rohit I might need to cancel. Finally, we found him; it turns out he learned how to open doors and locked himself in the downstairs bathroom. I ended up meeting Rohit at the restaurant for our first date. I can never forget his smile when he first entered the restaurant and looked at me. We spent the evening discovering things we had in common from our drink preferences to our sense of humor. I remember walking away refreshed that I spent the evening with someone else who could equally engage in my sarcastic banter. A few days later we met again and then a few days later we met for our third date. That was the day I knew he was the one. I met him at his house where he brought out a batata vada he made for me. It was absolutely delicious and a guy who can cook was definitely earning some bonus points. We went to the movies to see  A Star Is Born (not the best movie to see when you first start dating someone), then to a local Chocolate store. We then went into the city for a quick walk around Central Park, stop at Laduree for some macaroons, and then off to dinner. It was such a perfect day. After that first week of dating I knew this was it. Everything with him was so easy, fun, and I could just be myself. Turns out the 3rd date was when he knew too. After that we saw each other practically everyday.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
We had a traditional Rokha in May where a bunch of our family and friends came over to celebrate. We had a beautiful set up and backdrop in the backyard thanks to Stylish Events. We ended up partying with our friends and family until 6 in the morning! Fast forward to October and Rohit and I were off to Chicago to see some of his friends. We were there to celebrate his friend's birthday- so I thought. We get to the restaurant, Shanghai Terrace, where we were supposed to be out on the terrace, but of course the weather was terrible so we were seated inside. We sit down and the waiter brings out our first appetizer- dim sum. Only instead of food the container held the most beautiful ring. I was completely shocked as Rohit was on one knee proposing. I looked over and see strangers taking pictures of us. Turns out Rohit had planned for a friend to be seated next to us to catch the whole think. I was impressed at how well he had kept the secret and was able to surprise me.

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 fell in July, so when we really should have been in the finalization part of wedding planning the pandemic had hit. We didn't know what was happening so we decided to put wedding planning on hold. June came around and things were still shut down in New York, but they were looking a bit more positive. In the beginning of July things began to open up so that is when we really went into finalizing the details of our wedding. We had decided early on that we were not going to cut back on anything whether it was 50 people or the original 350 people.

We were extremely lucky with our vendors. Stylish Events came through with some amazing decoration ideas for our Mendhi and Wedding. The floral mandap on the water was even more than what I could have ever imaged. I did not see it until I was walking down the aisle. I was so overwhelemd with amazement and beauty I actually had to catch my breath. Then after the ceremony, I entered into the hall and was astonished by the modern, sleek look they created inside. Two completely different looks that were equally stunning and worked together. Everything they did was executed in complete perfection from the mandap to the centerpieces to the mirrored aisle to my cascading bouquet down to the he floral decor on our cake. The Bollywood theme for the Mendhi was so creative and unique. Sunny had suggested we pick a few of our favorite movies and recreate the covers of each. We set to it and Stylish Events photo shopped them perfectly. My backyard was full of a Rikhsha, Indian bike, and giant movie posters of Rohit and me reenacting classics like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and DDLJ. It was such a fun thing to do that was a needed Sunday distraction of the pandemic and wedding planning. They went into such intimate details that Sunny was able to incorporate our love for traveling by adding places we had traveled together into the theme. Heena Das not only was able to get my hair and makeup trial done that month, but did a second hair trial to ensure perfection the day of. She was so patient and honest. She made getting ready fun for me (which is not always an easy task) and flawlessly executed, with her assistant, my hair and makeup along with my mom's and sister in laws. Priyanca Rao was the photographer I didn't even know I needed. We had scheduled our engagement shoot twice before, but it got pushed back for covid and non-covid reasons. Originally we had planned a winter shoot full of snow day activities. She ended up doing the engagement shoot just a few weeks before the wedding. The pictures are absolutely stunning. She made us feel so comfortable that we could just be ourselves and forget we were at a photo shoot.  Jadorelove was great to work with and their cinematography team was great. They were there for every step from our first look to our baraats to when the dessert came out.

Music was absolutely perfect for our wedding day. The violinist played the exact songs we requested and hanlded the sound and mic. I was able to walk down the aisle with a live violinist playing Tujhe Dekha Toh. For the dinner we had Sunny and Kajol Gill sing and they were the absolute life of the party.

Our wedding was unique for a few reasons. One of them was that we had 2 baraats. I used to dance from when I was 3 years old up until college. For me, the idea of being in a bridal suite while everyone was out dancing never sat well. So, I decided I would have my own baraat. Our dhol player Mast Madi Singh met us at my parent's house along with my family and friends. We had my own bridal  baraat where I danced and partied with my family in my sneakers before getting in my cousin's slingshot as we headed to Chateau La Mer. There, i spent some time with my bridal party while the rest of the guests celebrated and engaged with Rohit's baraat. They danced and sang while he enjoyed himself in a car her rented- Mercedes SLS convertible. They drove down by the pier and up to the hall. They then had some fun during the milni.

Another reason our wedding was unique was the venue. Chateau La Mer in Lindenhurst was the perfect spot for our wedding. Our mandap sat on the edge of the water. The floral decorations and aisle stood out with backdrop of the ocean behind us. By the time we were ready to begin the ceremony, the Sun was getting ready to set. Our natural backdrop became the blue, crisp ocean on a perfect, cool July day with the cotton candy sunset behind us. I remember looked at pictures of the full view after the wedding and being in awe of hour absolutely beautiful it was. Chataeu La Mer happens to also be in my home town. Right next to the venue is a pier where I would go since I was young to read, relax or just catch up with friends. Being able to have that same view while I was getting married was very personal for me. Chateau La Mer was absolutely wonderful and accommodating. The food was absolutely excellent and they executed a variety of appetizers for our guests during cocktail hour. We did a sit down dinner in which they designed the most perfect menu. Everyone came up to me and told me how much they enjoyed the food. They executed our signature drinks which I was very late in communicating to them. They  not only followed every COVID regulation, but surpassed it making sure everything was being handled in the safest, cleanest manner.

Finally, at the end of the night I received my painting by Elle. Who was there since the morning doing a live painting of our ceremony. She came early to start her painting, set up and coordinate with  the other vendors so she would not be in the way. She has been so easy to communicate with and is so detailed in her pictures. I have referred her to a few friends who also praise her paintings.
We were extremely lucky to have so many moving parts and so many amazing vendors who truly took it upon themselves to ensure perfection.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Rohit and I had gone to India in August 2019 to meet eachother's extended family and do some pre-wedding shopping. We had gone with my mom who had helped us every step of the way. We had tried on some outfits, but no lengha that I fell in love with. We had also decided we wanted to do something different so started looking at pink lenghas. I wanted the traditional red dupata and so my colors were finalized, but we still needed a dress I loved. Rohit had also gone around trying to find an outfit he really liked, but neither one of us were successful. I finally found SS Homme in India and we looked at their groom outfits. We were finally on the right track to finding his outfit. We met with a salesperson there and picked out his fabric and design. We were leaving in a few days and did not have time to finalize everything. It turned out that SS Homme was doing a pop up show in New York. Conveniently enough, we met with designers back home and finalized his outfit. My outfit was left and I knew exactly who to go to. Four years ago my brother got married and we went to New Dehli to go shopping. We were in Sharput Jat and stumbled upon a store Ziyana. We met with Farah and Atul the lovely couple and owners who were absolutely amazing. Farah had designed mine and my mother's outfits then and I wanted her to design mine again. Through video calls and whatsapp messages Farah and I were constantly discussing options for what my Mendhi outfit and Wedding lengha should be. I gave her styles, colors, and designs I liked and she would send me sketches and fabric options. I knew for my Mendhi outfit I wanted something Rajistani style that would be bright, colorful and fun. Ziyana definitely executed with the mirror work corsete, tassels, birds, and royal blue color. I wanted my mendhi to show so I had requested her to make my dhoti end just at my knees. For my wedding outfit, I knew I wanted the pink and red. She designed this beautiful, handmade lengha. By adding the green beadwork she created the color theme for our wedding. She added a personal touch on the tassels that had mine and Rohit's names on them. Over the time differences and our phones she was able to design my outfits. I then flew to India for 6 days in February and did a trial of the outfits as we finalized the details. Then in the pandemic they somehow not only made my outfits and got them here on time, but also designed my mother's, my sister in law's, and my 7 month old neice's outfits!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
I think the most enjoyable part of the wedding process was coming up with different ideas for the wedding. We have an amazing family and our parents, siblings and close friends were there every step of the way. We would think of something or just mention it and a few days later someone had thought of a way to work it into the wedding. We are really lucky in that "too many cooks in the kitchen" was not a downfall for us, but what made our wedding beyond what we could ever imagine.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
After the wedding, there were a few things that stood out to our guests. I think they were the things that were unexpected. The first by far was the decorations. The colors, style and the natural backdrop of the sunset on the water just played so well together that it looked absolutely stunning.

One of the biggest things was the two baraats. No one had ever experienced a bridal baraat. It was a great way for the bride's side to have some fun. I wanted to do it because I just like to have a good time. After the fact, I realized how amazing it was to be able to dance and celebrate with my family and friends at my house before I got married and moved out. That was the house I grew up and lived in- leaving it was a big deal. I am so grateful, my last time before being married and moving into a new home wasn't me walking up and running out to go get ready. It was so much more meaningful.

Another part was the sit down dinner. Normally, most of the weddings we attend are buffet style. Most of our guests were appreciative of the sit down dinner experience. The food was excellent and no one felt overwhelemd or that they were eating too late.

Finally, everyone appreciated the little things. No one had done a live violinist before or a live painter. Everyone enjoyed watching the painting progress throughout the evening. The violinist played really well into the set up and elegance of the wedding.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
There are two main parts I always go back to. The first, walking down the aisle and seeing my husband. The second being the speeches. I never thought i would have such a small wedding, but because it was intimate the speeches seemed more meaningful. I remember every word of what people had to say and just remember looking at Rohit and feeling utterly grateful were able to get married and celebrate with most of our loved ones.

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.
We had the mendhi at my house on the Wednesday before the wedding day. We did a Bollywood themed wedding where Stylish Events did a terrific job. My backyard looked like it could be a set of a movie or award show. My mendhi was done earlier in the day by Henna for All. Monita, the artist, is so detailed and was able to incorporate intimate details from sketching my dog, incorporating Paris (our favorite vacation spot) and NYC, to other things my husband and I love.

Thursday we had my haldi, which was followed by Rohit's. I could hear the chaos from inside, but we had decided not to see each other that day. Rohit loves drinking coke a cola and at point someone came running in saying they opened and poured a bunch of cans on him. After he took a dip in the pool and washed up, I had an intimate evening with my parents for my Churadan.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Be as creative as you want. It is a celebration between you and your significant other- so it should represent who you are. It shouldn't matter how many people are there or who is there. Nothing ever comes out perfect so when the curve balls come at you (which they will), just make the best of it. We had the most amazing wedding, but we also went into it accepting everything we couldn't have or control and appreciating what we could. It isn't something you can redo so make the most of it and be sure to enjoy every second.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
The cascading bouquet was a surprise and a breathtaking one. It was so elegant and the best touch for my entrance.

Our wedding was layered with a different flavor in each tier by Francesco's bakery. Stylish Events took the beautifully white decorated cake and added the floral touch it needed.

Ziyana had made Rohit's pink shawl to perfectly match my outfit. It is made from the same beadwork that my outfit was.

Stylish Events, Priyanca Rao Photography and Heena Das Beauty are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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After meeting on a set up by a mutual friend, these two love birds hit it off immediately. A series of dates followed and after their first trip together a proposal alongside their friends and family made them officially an item.

Sejal from The One Events led the couple on their planning journey. After meeting in 2019, the bride and groom wanted windows to allow natural light for their ceremony and Sejal found just the venue. It was all settled until the the pandemic caused everything to change on a dime. Just two weeks before the scheduled wedding, the couple’s original venue shut down, so luckily Sejal and the team from The One Events were able to secure another last minute venue that fit the vision of the couple and allowed for social distancing guidelines. The vendor team for Dimpa & Amar’s wedding are the definition of flexibility. Unable to meet for a trial, Artee from Blush and Glow even did a meeting over Zoom to go over the bride’s wedding looks. And, Divine Decor of Dallas made countless spacial accommodations to the regal decor. After countless hours of brainstorming and planning, the vendor team brought the couple’s dream wedding to life.

“The most special moment I keep replaying in my head is walking down the aisle with my mom and grandmother down the aisle. I also had a bouquet charm with a picture of my dad. I also saw all of my bridesmaids and guests that made the effort to show how much they care about Amar and me by attending the ceremony.”

Congratulations Dimpa and Amar!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Amar at restaurant after being set up by a mutual contact. Within a few seconds of meeting Amar, I knew he was someone special. I knew Amar was the one when we went on our first trip together. We complemented each other so well and always knew how to have a good time!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
My best friend, Amolee had set up a 'high tea' girls date at the Arboretum in Dallas. Little did I know, Amar had flown in from Albuquerque, NM the night before after battling a snowstorm! I was shocked to see him at the Arboretum and even more surprised to see my entire family at lunch afterwards.

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 started wedding planning in spring 2019 and we instantly knew we wanted a wedding planner. After chatting with Sejal from The One Event, we felt very comfortable with her and her team planning our wedding. The one thing I truly wanted was a venue that had windows and natural light for our wedding ceremony. However, due to our initial guest count and need for numerous hotel rooms, my husband wanted a the venue to be at a hotel or very close to one. Our initial venue was picked out in 2019; however, with the pandemic, we had several issues with communication, deposits and postponing our wedding. In fact, just 2 weeks before our wedding, our initial venue shut down! Thanks to Sejal and Renaissance Dallas, we were able to secure that venue. Because of the spacious ballrooms and ample spacing in the foyers, it was the perfect venue that complied with the social distancing guidelines.

Artee from Blush and Glow did a phenomenal job with my hair and make up, even though we were unable to meet for a trial. She was very flexible with coordinating with us, as our wedding date got postponed, She even set up a Zoom meeting to discuss my different looks. During the events, she was very timely and executed the looks flawlessly!

Ketan from Divine Decor of Dallas did a great job in setting up the decor for all of our events. For the Garba, we wanted a typical Vrindavan type look with colorful decor and Radha/Krishna Theme. The wedding ceremony was beautiful with the floral canopy and natural sunlight that hit the gold decor. the reception was regal and complemented our outfits perfectly with the floral arrangements. He also made multiple adjustments due to the pandemic to allow for guests to enjoy and comply with the social distancing guidelines.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew I wanted to have a red, white (mostly), and some green in my outfit, going with the traditional look. Of course, that is not what is trending right now, so it was definitely challenging to find that particular look while shopping in India. After days of looking at the different outfits, I was finally able to find my wedding outfit that had beautiful embroidery along with red and a touch of green.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was picking different looks and themes. I enjoyed this process the most because I was able to showcase my personality with each event and look.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
My guests loved the way all of the events ran seamlessly due to The One Event team and Renaissance Dallas. Both parties did a great job to make sure guidelines were enforced, yet people were able to have fun during this trying time.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The special moment is walking down the aisle with my mom and grandmother down the aisle. I also had a bouquet charm with a picture of my dad. I also saw all of my bridesmaids and guests that made the effort to show how much they care about Amar and me by attending the ceremony.

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.
My favorite part of the events is all of the dancing! Being trained in Bharat Natayam, dancing has always been a hobby of mine so both the garba and reception had to have choreographed dances. This also included the guys! I am so impressed and thankful to my bridesmaids, cousins, and groomsmen that practiced by themselves by studying the videos we sent them, given most of the wedding party was non-Indian!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
The most important part of the wedding is focusing on people that show up and are there to share the most important moments of your life! Do not worry about everything going perfect.

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“We met on November 10, 2017 after chatting for a few weeks on Bumble (a dating app.) We originally connected over our taste in music but the conversation easily blossomed into much more, so the first meet up felt seamless. I was running late so I texted Anuj to let him know that I'd be there soon and he'd recognize me as soon as I came in - I love how he remembers this moment because he says when the doors opened and he saw me wearing disco boots and a big smile, he knew something special was about to happen.”

If you are anything like Maharani Erica, you haven’t given your wedding a sliver of thought until the day you end up with a ring on your finger. In the expert hands of Denise Lillie, Erica formed her own vision for the event by delicately blending her laid back California style with Indian customs and a dash of color. Together they crafted a creatively gorgeous seaside wedding in Half Moon Bay.

Originally set for three magnificent days of events with 300 guests from around the world, Erica & Anuj had to change all their plans. What they ended up putting together was a wonderfully intimate wedding that felt dreamy, authentic to themselves, and we might add drop dead gorgeous!

The venue was changed from Carmel Valley to her father’s best friend’s private estate in Half Moon Bay. A spot very special to the bride, she grew up swimming at the beach, playing cards with my sisters on the deck, and drinking milkshakes made using his vintage malt blender. The perfect setting for her to start her next chapter. With so many changes to their original wedding the biggest piece was the family who couldn’t make the journey, like the bride’s sister and the groom’s grandparents. While photography and cinematography have always played an important role in weddings, we are so grateful to have the talented team of Emily Jean Images and Wedding Documentary on hand to capture the day.

In true covid fashion, the dance floor became a no no, so the room was adoringly filled with eloquent, hilarious and tear-inducing toasts for the bride & groom that flooded the evening with warmth and humor. Having your loved ones pour so much effort into showering a couple with love is one 2020 tradition we hope is here to stay!

Since the couple paired down three days of celebrations to just one, at the last minute,the bride really wanted to have a mehndi party. By keeping it small she quickly planned an intimate gathering in her home for friends - both men and women - so the ladies could get henna designs on their hands and they could all come together for a pre-wedding event to kick off the celebrations. While everyone was socializing, something really beautiful happened - all of the women decided to wear saris instead of cocktail dresses to the wedding the next day! With their friends glowing back at them in saris and salwars, Erica & Anuj began their happily ever after.

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met on November 10, 2017 after chatting for a few weeks on Bumble (a dating app.) We originally connected over our taste in music but the conversation easily blossomed into much more, so the first meet up felt seamless. I was running late so I texted Anuj to let him know that I'd be there soon and he'd recognize me as soon as I came in - I love how he remembers this moment because he says when the doors opened and he saw me wearing disco boots and a big smile, he knew something special was about to happen.

The next few months had their ups and downs, as all new relationships do, but he took a trip to visit family in India and during that time, we spoke on the phone for about an hour each day - and I don't normally like talking on the phone! That's when I knew I really wanted to get serious. When he came back, I had made him his favorite lasagna and left little notes all around his apartment and from that point on, we fell into a beautiful, healthy and adventurous relationship.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
We had just gotten back from an amazing vacation in Costa Rica and Anuj was adamant about taking me out for a "belated birthday lunch." We went to the Cliff House - a historic landmark at the beach in San Francisco - on September 29, 2019 (a full month after my birthday.) After a lovely lunch and some champagne, we walked down to the old Sutro Baths ruins. It was warm and sunny, which is quite rare for Ocean Beach, and we found the perfect spot to stand and watch the waves. At that moment, Anuj got down on one knee, told me that he loved me and wanted us to be together forever, and proposed with the most gorgeous diamond ring I have ever seen! I was thrilled to say yes. Luckily, this entire experience was captured beautifully by a covert photographer Anuj had hired in advance so we will always remember the details of that day. Afterward, we went to my parents house, where Anuj's family was also waiting to surprise us with an engagement pooja and 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.
I was never the type of girl who imagined her wedding from a young age - in fact, I rarely thought about getting married and didn't have a clear vision for my ideal event. I found an amazing wedding planner (Denise Lillie) and we clicked right away - she understood that we wanted a fusion blend to make sure my California style was equally represented along with the Indian customs, traditions and look. She was understanding, creative, knowledgeable, funny and had an impressive portfolio of magnificent weddings.

We worked together to plan a beautiful wedding in Carmel Valley - three days of events with around 300 guests from all over the world - but then the pandemic hit and everything had to be canceled. Although we had to take some time to grieve that loss, we ended up starting from scratch and putting together a wonderfully intimate wedding that felt dreamy, authentic and lovely.

Denise helped us assemble a cohesive vendor team, most of whom would have been helping with our original wedding, although we made a few small changes along with the venue. We had our wedding at my dad's best friend Jeff's house in Half Moon Bay - a place very special to me as I watched him build it from the ground up and I grew up swimming at the beach out front, playing cards with my sisters on the deck and drinking milkshakes Jeff made for us in his vintage malt blender.

The vendor team Denise built out for us was wonderful - they all took time to understand our style. They were adaptable, followed all covid safety precautions and worked together to help execute our dream. AAB Creations (along with InnoFarm Retreats) built the most fantastic mandaap imaginable and decorated the venue in a manner that far exceeded my expectations. Morsal Z created two wedding looks for hair & makeup that made me feel like a movie star and my best friend Meghan planned and prepared cocktail hour food that was better than any professional catering company I've tried. The photos and videos are incredible and I'm so proud of and thankful for Emily and Vijay capturing the details so beautifully. The only thing that wasn't perfect on our big day was the fact that we were missing so many of our loved ones, including my sister Cait and Anuj's grandparents.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
In February, I went with Anuj and his parents to India to meet his extended family and do all of our wedding shopping. It was my first time in India and I had an incredible experience - the colors, flavors and hospitality of the country and its people greatly impressed me and spending quality time with Anuj’s grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins was an invaluable pleasure.

Now, I can’t really take credit for finding my bridal lengha - my mother-in-law spearheaded a week of shopping in Delhi. I wanted to go with a fully traditional style with red and gold, but I’d never even worn so much as a sari before, so I didn’t know anything more than that. She shepherded us around to all the various shopping districts, consulted the staff, negotiated prices and, in the end, I fell in love with an intricately detailed (but not too heavy) tomato red outfit with gold beadwork and a custom-made gold dupatta with a celestial look.

I changed into a wedding dress from BHLDN after our ceremony - long white lace, plunging neckline and sheer back with a long line of pearl buttons. I also got a custom denim jacket from Etsy with “Mrs. Kucheria” printed on the back as a surprise for Anuj and it’s a good thing I did because it got a bit cold and windy in the evening :)

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
In the beginning, we loved touring venues and testing caterers - it was so much fun to imagine the possibilities and refine our desires! Looking back, I also really loved writing my vows and working with my team to think through the aesthetics of the event. I really wanted it to look and feel organic, bohemian, romantic and culturally blended. I’m so happy with the outcome and what we achieved.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Everyone raved about the cocktail hour food! Meghan put together a vegetarian menu of individually portioned and delightfully plated snacks like baby heirloom crudites, vegan spring rolls, wild mushroom empanadas, rainbow beet stacks with pistachio-crusted goat cheese, and roasted garlic polenta and olive tapenade bites. Our guests also loved the decor - very bohemian, ethereal, warm and charming.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
There are a few moments that play on repeat but the main thing that comes to mind is the first look. When Anuj saw me all dolled up in my traditional Indian bridal outfit, dripping in gold jewelry and with glam hair and makeup, the look on his face will forever be etched in my mind. The videographer captured it perfectly and in our highlight reel you can actually see the amazement in his eyes as he says “oh my god”. To me, he looked like a prince and I was equally blown away.

Another moment that was very special was the speech portion of the night. Because of covid (as well as venue restrictions) we didn’t have a dance floor, so people got really into the toasts. Our friends and family prepared eloquent, hilarious, and tear-inducing speeches that flooded the evening with warmth, humor, fond memories and well wishes. It meant so much to use to have our loved ones pour so much effort into showering us with love.

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.
After canceling our original wedding, sangeet, mehndi and farewell brunch, we were only planning on having a one-evening event for our wedding. At the last minute, however, I wanted to have a mehndi party. We kept it super small and did an intimate gathering in my home for our friends - both men and women - so the ladies could get henna designs on their hands and we could all come together for a pre-wedding event to kick off the celebrations. While everyone was here socializing, something really beautiful happened - all of the women decided to wear saris instead of cocktail dresses to the wedding the next day! My friend Beth had enough saris to outfit everyone and then she made the rounds around Half Moon Bay on the morning of our wedding to dress my friends. Everyone looked beautiful and it really provided an extra jazziness to the day.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Don't put too much pressure on yourself or your wedding - your attitude will dictate everything so be present, be flexible and be loving. The process can be stressful if you let it so keep things fun and light and don’t make your entire life about one day.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
The baraat! Anuj came down the block in a vintage Porsche, led by a dhol player and surrounded by our friends and family dancing in colorful clothing. It was one of the most beautiful, unique events I have ever witnessed. I got to watch the whole thing from above.

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After meeting On Coffee Meets Bagel these two travel junkies couldn’t stop talking. Enjoying the planning process throughout 2019, they originally set to get married on March 28, 2020. They planned on having a large 450 person wedding at a beautiful Huntington Beach hotel. In typical 2020 style, approximately two weeks before the wedding, the COVID lockdown hit and sadly, they were forced to postpone. Not knowing which way to turn, the next few months were confusing, exhausting and emotionally draining for the couple, trying to figure out their next steps. A new date was set to December 6, 2020 and planning was once again underway to have the original bollywood affair planned for March. The majority of vendors showed grace and flexibility and to the couple’s delight were able to stay on board. Again dreams of wedding bells went sideways and the wedding was drastically downsized to just immediate family in our parent's backyard.

“In the month leading up to the wedding. I truly witnessed the good in people. Our décor team went above and beyond to make sure we didn't feel like we missed out on our wedding day, getting on phone calls with us daily to make sure our vision came to life. My make up artist was an absolute gem, completely understanding when I had to downgrade my services to just me and a couple of bridesmaids and then making me feel like the most beautiful princess on our wedding day. Our photography team helped us set up a live stream for all our guests who couldn't be there physically and worked with us to capture some truly amazing photos of the day. We knew this year was tough on all the vendors in the wedding industry, but we were so thankful for how compassionate our team was!”

A modern couple, they decided they didn't want to wear the traditional red, knowing it wasn't authentic to their personal style. As a Maharashtrian bride, traditionally, the bride would be wearing yellow and they wanted to incorporate some conventional details with their more modern coastal bohemian wedding. With gold being a homage to the Maharashtrian yellow they moved forward with white, gold, and touches of blue and green to tie together the decor.

In 2019, the bride and her mom took a mother-daughter trip to San Jose to do some bridal shopping. After stumbling upon Swati Couture, the bride’s vision of a modern lengha with tons of sparkle was brought to life. Virtually, the bride was able to custom design her perfect bridal gown and matching jewelry.

Without a sliver of doubt, the most memorable moment of the wedding was the surprise after party the couple’s siblings were able to pull off. Due to COVID the wedding guest list was drastically reduced, and caused much heartache for the couple. However, the wedding celebration was over, masked up, socially distanced, the couple was greeted with a surprise backyard get together with a handful of friends that weren't able to come to the ceremony. With charming detail like a cookie table, a pizza vendor, and lawn games, it was a sweet ending to this extra special day.

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Sahaj On Coffee Meets Bagel. To be honest I was skeptical about trying dating apps but my senior year of college at Carnegie Mellon’s and after not really dating much in college I started to consider the possibility. I had just gotten a job offer to move to Los Angeles and knew I wasn’t going to know anybody. My brother, recently had moved to Houston and told me he had joined CMB (also a skeptic) and has met this AMAZING girl ( who is now his wife) and said that I should give it a try. So I graduated and moved to LA and created a profile. Two years and countless dead end dates later I was fed up and decided to give up. Now for those of you who have used CMB, you know they don’t let you forget about them and constantly notify you to check your bagels. So after about a month of the reminders I decided to check my profile and deactivate. I kid you not, I opened the app and the first profile waiting for me was HIS. It had notified me that he like my profile which intrigued me so I kept scrolling. As I was looking I noticed our mutual friend was the Carnegie Mellon Alumni Network, which is crazy because it’s such a small school. As I was scrolling and swiping through his pics ( noticing he had the cutest smile I’d ever seen, I got a message notification and it was HIM! Normally I ignored messages that were just like “ hey what’s up” but he asked me about my interest in travel And we started talking. I was intrigued and somewhat interested but thought he was sweet and he was prompt to ask me out which I appreciated (I was always one to like to make meeting plans early as to not waste time and I would find out later he was the same) but due to both of our travel schedules it took us almost a month to final meet. So Thursday, July 26, 2017 comes around and we finally had a date planned. He decided to take me out to dinner close to where I live and the minute I met him he told me this crazy story about how he saw a peacock on his way to the restaurant ( I live in Pasadena) and I thought “wow what a pick up line but hey he is hilarious”. We ended up staying out till 2 am that night, went on 3 more dates that week, each of them just as long. After that first week I knew something was different with this guy and promptly canceled my account. 1 month later he asked me to be his girlfriend and from that day on I haven’t spent a day without talking to him. 1 and half year later, Saturday, January 26, 2019 he asked me to be his wife and I couldn’t be happier! He was the guy that made me break all my dating app rules because he was worth and later I would find out I was that girl for him, “ the girl that broke all the rules”

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.
I would be lying if I didn't say the wedding process was very interesting and unique for us. We originally planned to get married on March 28th 2020. We planned a large 450 person wedding at a beautiful Huntington Beach hotel. Everything was ready to go. The planning process had been a blast for the two of us and we were ready to get married! Then, two weeks before the wedding, the COVID lockdown hit and we were forced to postpone. Because it was so early in the pandemic, nobody, including all our vendors knew what to expect. The next few months was confusing, exhausting and emotionally draining, trying to figure out our next steps. We  decided to postpone to December 6th 2020 and planned to have the same wedding we had planned for in March. The majority of vendors were able to stay on board and we were excited once again! Throughout the year, our vendors emailed us to check in and see how we were doing. December rolled around and COVID cases started climbing, so we decided to downsize our wedding to just immediate family in our parent's backyard. In the month leading up to the wedding. I truly witnessed the good in people. Our décor team went ABOVE AND BEYOND to make sure we didn't feel like we missed out on our wedding day, getting on phone calls with us daily to make sure our vision came to life.  My make up artist  was an absolute GEM, completely understanding when I had to downgrade my services to just me and a couple of bridesmaids and then making me feel like the most beautiful princess on our wedding day. Our photography team helped us set up a live stream for all our guests who couldn't be there physically and worked with us to capture some truly amazing photos of the day. We knew this year was tough on all the vendors in the wedding industry, but we were so thankful for how compassionate our team was!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Sahaj and I both decided that we didn't want to wear the traditional red, knowing it wasn't really either of our style. As a Maharashtrian bride, traditionally, I would be wearing yellow. We wanted to incorporate some tradition with our more modern coastal bohemian wedding. We decided on a white and gold (the gold being a homage to the Maharashtrian yellow) for our color scheme with touches of blue and green to match our decor. Finding my wedding outfit was by pure chance! I went on a mother-daughter trip to San Jose a few months after getting engaged. We had some spare time once afternoon and decided to look up any clothing stores in the area. We stumbled upon Swati Couture, a home run boutique and decided to take a look. Swati Khanna Kapoor was an absolute gem! she had a beautiful selection of lehnghas of all types! I knew I wanted something more modern and with a lot of sparkle and BOY did Swati deliver. I tried on a bunch outfits and got an idea of what I liked and returned home to LA. A few days later I called Swati up and she helped me custom design my perfect bridal gown with matching jewelry all virtually! She had written up notes of all the things she noticed I liked and didn't like and sent me photo samples of all her work that fit my taste so I could pick and choose pieces to create my one of a kind masterpiece. The process was a complete joy and totally stress free. Two months later, I flew back to San Jose, did a final fitting and pick up my wedding outfit!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
I think for us, the most memorable moment of the day was the SUPRISE after party that our siblings set up for us! Because of COVID and us having to downsize our wedding 2 times, our siblings knew how bummed we were not to be able to have some of our closest friends attend the wedding. After all our family left, our siblings suprised us with a fun, masked up, socially distanced backyard get together with some our friends that weren't able to come to the ceremony. They incorporated the COOKIE TABLE idea be originally planned for our wedding (a tradition celebrated in Pittsburgh, were we both went to school), as well as all the lawn games we planned to have at our original cocktail hour. They brought a brick oven pizza vendor that dished out, individual COVID friendly pizzas to all our friends and it was just such a fun way to end our special day!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
My biggest advice to both Bride and Groom would be to take a breathe and trust each other. Sahaj was the real MVP through our whole wedding process. Planning a wedding, especially a COVID wedding is stressful and emotionally exhausting. It's something you both dream of for so long and unknowingly, you put a lot of pressure on yourself to make this day ABSOLUTLY perfect. I know I was guilty of micromanaging every little detail, but Sahaj was always there to lean on and it really helped relieve the stress and make the process more bearable. Everything thing turns our great in the end and while it's totally understandable for you to want your day to be perfect, at the end of the day the wedding is ONE DAY... you're there for the marriage and all the greatness that comes after the wedding day! 

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Not your typical Bollywood beginning...there was no music, no impending parental disagreement, and no love-at-first-sight, but this story is truly a fairy tale. They had known each other for four years, but oddly enough, never had a one-on-one conversation until they were on a medical mission trip in December 2018.

“In December, Bivin and I ventured to Kenya to volunteer at the local Christian Hospital in a small village, called Maseno. There, in Kenya, we finally got to see into each other’s hearts. It's ironic that it took traveling halfway across the world to get to know one another in a few short days. We carried forward our relationship after coming back to America, and we soon realized how much he was the one I prayed for.”

A Bollywood-obsessed girl from New Jersey and a sports-loving boy from the suburbs of New York planned a 600 person wedding with a bridal party of 44. Yes 44 people! Fast forward through Covid restrictions and those plans got very humbly tailored to an intimate 42 person wedding. Wedding planning became quite a whirlwind with rescheduled plans, however, the wedding perfectly reflected a delicate balance of two unique cultures, the bride’s family is from Punjab, while the groom’s is from Kerala.

With globe-trotting shopping completely out of the question, in true Maharani fashion, the bride’s mother was able to work her magic with the wonderful staff at Gaurav Gupta boutique in New Delhi to retrieve a customized wedding lengha to the bride’s fabric and style specifications.

“Two moments from our wedding constantly play in the mind. First, the words of the priest when he told us we were now one and joined together in Holy Matrimony is a memory I never will forget. I felt like I truly belonged right there at that moment. Second, my husband wrote a hilarious song called “I wanna be your Shah Rukh Khan” and sang it to me at our reception. I grew up watching Bollywood movies and so the lyrics of his song were so intimate to my favorite movies and I felt like a queen that night in so many ways!"

"I was given a unique opportunity because of the Covid pandemic to really focus on the most important thing on our wedding day- being joined together with my soon to be husband. Yes, everyone should feel like a princess but it is more important to focus and meditate on the beauty within and the married life that will bloom through the seeds of sacrifice and selfless love.”

Congratulations to the gorgeous inside and out couple!

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

It certainly was not your typical Bollywood beginning.

There was no music, no impending parental disagreement, and no love-at-first-sight, but our story is truly a fairy tale.

We have known each other for four years, but oddly enough, we never had a one-on-one conversation until we were on a medical mission trip in December 2018. In those years, we'd been to the same weddings, attended the same Church events, and even worked together to plan our mutual friends’ proposals. And yet we had never had a single conversation alone. Thank God that soon changed.

In December, Bivin and I ventured to Kenya to volunteer at the local Christian Hospital in a small village, called Maseno. There, in Kenya, we finally got to see into each other’s hearts. It's ironic that it took traveling halfway across the world to get to know one another in a few short days. We carried forward our relationship after coming back to America, and we soon realized how much he was the one I prayed for.

So basically, a Bollywood-obsessed girl from NJ and a sports-loving boy from the suburbs of NY learned that they needed each other more than Shah Rukh Khan needed Kajol, more than Michael needed Scottie. The thing that brought us together initially and continues to help bind us together is our faith and our commitment to service. It is no coincidence we “really met” while serving abroad, and it is no surprise that it will continue to be a pillar in our relationship. This is just the beginning of our fairy tale though, and we can’t wait to see what life has in store for us!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
It’s my dream Bollywood story that came to life! The proposal was so intimate and detailed where Bivin subtly recreated the first day we hung out without me realizing it. It started off at a church in NYC and by the end of the night I was on a rooftop jasmine garden with my loved ones around and the most perfect ring on my finger

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 went from a 600 person wedding with a bridal party of 44 (yes 44 people!) to an intimate 42 person wedding due to Covid restrictions. The whole experience was both humbling and beautiful. Because of the ongoing pandemic and since my husband and I are both healthcare professionals we had to reschedule our wedding date which was very humbling for me and my husband. But when we decided we could not wait any longer, we decided to get married with the present restrictions in place. This wedding would not have been possible without our photographer John Martin, hair and make up artist, Maliha Khan and Anu Sarin, my mendhi artist Jinal Parmar, the Gaurav Gupta team, Henry Couture Paris, our decor provided by Legacy Events and our venue The Brownstone, which accepted us a month before the wedding when our other venue cancelled on us. Finally nothing would have happened without our priests and my Church, St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church, allowing the ceremony to happen in a safe and professional manner.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
When every country was in lockdown, my mom, who never fails to disappoint, was able to work with the wonderful staff at Gaurav Gupta boutique in New Delhi to retrieve my customized wedding lengha.

Because I am accustomed to getting allergic skin reactions to certain fabrics, I was very selective of my wedding outfit. I wanted something with embroidery and details that looks so elegant close up and shines even from afar. I wanted something comfortable that I was able to do Bhangra all night!
And specifically, I wanted something off the shoulder and I fell in love with the unique bowing design of the blouse.

I really felt like the most beautiful woman in the world that day, especially when I saw my husband's smile when he first saw me.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
I’ll be honest: The pictures/video footage we received after was my favorite part of the planning process because that’s the only time my husband and I could relax and see the unveiling of our vision. The wedding planning is very stressful because not only did plans change and we had to reschedule the wedding because of Covid, but this is a wedding of two families conjoining. We had to keep a delicate balance of proudly showing our own two unique cultures (I’m Punjabi and my husband is from Kerala) while we wanted to still express our love story

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think our guests loved the intimacy of the wedding. The ceremony and reception were all in English and so everyone understood the beauty of the Sacrament and because it was only 42 of our loved ones there were no awkward moments but only laughter and joy. My father in law even remarked how surprised he was that not only did everything come together in the midst of Covid, but that everything came together so smoothly and with so much love.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Two moments from our wedding constantly play in the mind. First, the words of the priest when he told us we were now one and joined together in Holy Matrimony is a memory I never will forget. I felt like I truly belonged right there at that moment. Secondly my husband wrote a hilarious song called “I wanna be your Shah Rukh Khan” and sang it to me on our reception. I grew up watching Bollywood movies and so the lyrics of his song were so intimate to my favorite movies and I felt like a princess that night in so many ways

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.
Again because of the pandemic we weren’t allowed any formal dancing which was really tough for me since I have been dancing for as long as I can remember.

When it comes to decor, our faith is very important to us so we tried to incorporate that as much as we could through our decor and style.

Our families did such a great job in making us feel special amidst the pandemic. We had slideshow presentations from family and friends wishing us a happy married life as well as skits from family joking about my husband and my funny quirks.

As mentioned before, my husband did sing for me which is something I will always remember.

Finally we had both the ceremony and the reception live streamed so we felt the love and prayers of all our family and friends here and abroad.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
I was given a unique opportunity because of the covid pandemic to really focus on the most important thing on our wedding day- being joined together with my soon to be husband. Yes, everyone should feel like a princess but it is more important to focus on the beauty within and the beauty of marriage. Meditate on the beauty within and the married life that will bloom through the seeds of sacrifice and selfless love.

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