Welcome to Maharani Weddings

At Maharani Weddings, we believe that every bride deserves the fairytale wedding of her dreams! Here at MaharaniWeddings.com you will find glittering seeds of inspiration for every aspect of your upcoming wedding. In addition to profiling some of the most spectacular Indian weddings from around the globe through interviews, pictures, and videos, we also hand-pick and share a list of the best Indian wedding vendors in our Maharani Weddings Platinum Guide. From event planners to photographers, dj's, florists, cinematographers, makeup artists, mehndi artists, you name it... you’ll find connections to every resource you could ever need for all your wedding ceremonies and celebrations.

All posts with Color "Ivory"

Ojai, CA Indian Fusion Wedding by Matt and Jess

February 27, 2020 Posted by: Shawna 2 Comments

Good morning, ladies! It feels great to be back with a new real-life fairytale! Today, we are heading over to California to enjoy Julia & Anuj's big wedding celebration; and believe us, this is one you are going to love to the fullest and from which you will get tons of inspiring ideas! For this first installment, we'll be taking a look at the incredible shots captured by Matt and Jess featuring the most tender and intimate moments of our blushing Maharani getting ready for her big day! And right off the bat, we have to say Julia's bridal look was beautiful beyond words! She embraced her new culture and slipped into an exquisite champagne lengha with golden embroidery from The Grand Trunk right after being pampered by My Fair Bride, who designed a captivating makeup very well complemented with an elegant bun. To add an extra touch of sparkle to her look, she got dazzling pieces of jewelry from Sari Palace's collection, and we cannot stress how much we love every piece of jewelry she wore. And this head-turning look would not have been complete without the incredible Mehndi design outlined by Henna by Ridz! It added an extra touch of traditional flair to her overall look, and the final result: A dreamy look for this long-awaited wedding day, utter perfection! If you want to see more of this lovely Maharani during her wedding festivities, don't miss today's gallery!

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

We met online on a website called Meet Mindful. Both of us had never signed up for websites like this, but decided to take the plunge. Anuj has just moved to San Francisco a week before we met. He asked me to meet him at pier 39, which is an incredibly crowded tourist spot. I thought it would be hard to spot him, but then from the corner of my eye I saw an awkward and timid tall guy gazing at me. But from the moment we said hi, we couldn’t stop taking all night, which was new for both of us.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

I never expected the proposal when it happened. We had been dating for over 2 years, and it had been hard to navigate the idea of marriage because of the cultural differences and his family obligations. Anuj’s family was not on board until he decided to tell them he was planning to propose to me. He even secretly asked my parents at the dinner table in front of me without my knowing, texting them under the table. They became tearful and made up an excuse to leave because they were so happy. I had no idea. Later, Anuj took me to my favorite spa in Calistoga, for facials. We lounged in the Buddha pond garden when he began talking to me about wine country weddings. I still didn’t get the hint. I looked up at the sky and then back at him, when he was on his knee with a ring asking me to marry him. All that we had fought for and worked for together felt like a magical dream when he made this decision to marry 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.

The first thing we had to figure out was the date, which in Hindi weddings was quite a task. My mother in law had to speak with an Indian priest to settle dates according to astrology. When we finally figured that out, I moved on to pick a venue, which was also a little stressful to find the right place. Somehow it just landed in our laps. From there I picked my dress, which I had limited options for Indian boutique wedding shops, but found a great one where I found my glorious golden lehenga. Everything else just happened with ease.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?

I wanted a nice quality lehenga, so I had to search for Indian boutique wedding shops in California. I found one in Pleasanton, which had various designer dresses. It was magnificent to look through all of the colorful and extravagant gowns. I thought it would be hard to pick one, and it was hard to choose ones I really loved. But when I tried them on it just suddenly clicked when the perfect one came along.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?

Well picking out the dress and the bridesmaid saris was so much fun! But also visiting the venue in Ojai was a blast. Visualizing the space and the decorations got me so excited. Cake and menu testing was also the yummiest part.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

I think that everyone really enjoyed the dancing. It was present when Anuj made his baraat entrance, and again after the ceremony. It’s hard to not have fun when Bollywood beats and high energies are blasting through the night.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?

When I was hiding in the tea house at the wedding venue, I could hear the baraat music and drums happening outside. I realized in that moment that I was about to embark upon marrying my lovebird, my janu. My heart pounded faster, and I couldn’t stop smiling, with subtle tears behind my eyes. My music came on (Latina’s theme from the movie slumdog millionaire). My eyes watered and my face smiled as I looked at Anuj watching me walk toward him. Everything felt perfect and right and I couldn’t think of a more magical and special moment.

There was a moment during our wedding planning where both our mothers were trying to figure out logistics pertaining to both cultures. It wasn’t an ugly situation but it stressed both Anuj and I put. Then I had a moment when I realized, I really don’t care when the family photos are taken, I just wanted to marry my man. That moment was subtle but so special.

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 decor was mostly just the gardens of the Ojai Ramch House. But we embellished it with some Indian touches and masterful flower arrangements from the florist. We wanted the decor to embody the fusion between India and California, and it was just perfect. The ceremony was still in daylight, but the reception led into the night, celebrating the twinkling lights and warmth of the cozy venue.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?

Enjoy the process. The wedding is a magical moment, and the planning can be so much fun. It passes in no time. Savor it.

We are just getting started over here, so make sure to stick around for all the upcoming beauty!

STYLE
GUIDE style
Fusion
Romantic
Contemporary
season
Autumn
color

My Fair Bride is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

My Fair Bride VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Oak Brook, IL Indian Wedding by Banga Studios

February 20, 2020 Posted by: Shawna Comments

Welcome back, darlings! We hope you are ready to have some fun because Sireesha & Nittin's big reception party held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago - Oak Brook is going to make you jump off of your couch! To make this reception party an unforgettable event, Engaging Events by Ali showed off all their talent and expertise in planning and designing dreamy events, finding the best ally in Erin McDonald Co, who took care of the enchanting decor for this gala! And the result was pure perfection! One of the most anticipated moments of the evening was Sireesha & Nittin's first dance as husband and wife, and thanks to the previous practice lessons they had with DeMaira Dance Studios Inc., this moment was perfect! So much beauty surrounding the scene that it is almost impossible to put it into words, thankfully Banga Studios snapped shots from every angle so we can feel just as if we were there! To turn this gala into a party, Dream House Productions set the dancefloor on fire with upbeat melodies and the Best Bollywood Hits! For the culinary department, Gaylord Indian Cuisine prepared delicious plates that everyone loved! Hands down, this reception -just as all other events- was a huge success! So there is no surprise that we get to see this wedding in our Best of 2019 Magazine! If you want to relive this celebration, don't miss today's full gallery!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

Nittin told me we were going to meet his mom at the Planetarium in Chicago, right on Lake Michigan. We got there and waited in the lobby because it was 15 degrees outside (gotta love January in Chicago!). 30 minutes later, he said his mom was running late because she was trying to find parking; I didn't think anything of it because the parking lot was really packed that day! Finally he said, "She's here!" We quickly run outside where holds my hand and walks me over to the lake to propose to me - I couldn't believe it! People around us were cheering and applauding! He hired a photographer to capture the proposal with the Chicago skyline in the background. It was absolutely perfect.

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 wanted to get married that summer and feel like we were guests at our own wedding. Ali Phillips at Engaging Events by Ali made it all possible, she planned our entire wedding in 3 months! We went with her recommendations for DJ, Decor, Photography, Video, Hair and Make-up.

Ali very patiently helped me vet about 30 different photographers before we landed on Banga Studios from Toronto. I was looking for a photographer who could handle editing all the beautiful color you see in Indian wedding photos. Gurminder Banga flew down to Chicago for our engagement shoot and he captured photos that looked like they were straight out of a magazine. His team shot our wedding day and there are so many lovely photos that it was so tough to decide which ones would make it into the album!

Mark Wynimko from Wynn Films was our videographer. His creative filming technique and music choice was exceptional - you can tell he loves what he does and is an expert at it!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?

Nittin and I both looked forward to dance practice for our first dance with DeMaira Dance Studios. Joe and Kathy DeMaira were excellent instructors and made our classes so much fun. Our first dance went incredibly well and our guests loved it!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

There's so many aspects of our wedding that our guests really enjoyed! Sri Krishna Jois officiated our wedding ceremony and he was a hit! He did an amazing job explaining the different customs as part of the Hindu marriage ceremony and made everyone laugh! He seamlessly performed the ceremony switching between four different languages: Sanskrit, Telugu, Hindi and English. I feel so fortunate that he was a part of our wedding day.

Food overall was definitely a highlight. After the ceremony, we had lunch catered by Seven Spices Indian Cuisine and they served all my favorite Andhra specialties which our guests loved! For dinner, Gaylord Fine Indian Cuisine served innovative North Indian dishes family-style.

The decor stood out because of the seating arrangement in the ballroom and the neutral palette with a pop of color (coral to be exact!). Erin McDonald from Erin McDonald Design made the place look incredible and we were even able to re-purpose our mandap which he transformed into a fairy tale, garden-like setting for the reception.

More recently, Nittin and I (ok, maybe it was really just me) have become to love pie and we wanted to share this with our guests on our special day. As a wedding favor, we had individual pie slices with the note "A Sweet Ending to a New Beginning." Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits catered these sweet treats.

The one complaint one of my closest friends had was that the entire day was on schedule (thank you, Ali Phillips!).

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?

During the wedding ceremony our priest, Sri Krishna Jois, asked all our guests to raise both hands and bless us. It was such a wonderful thing to see the entire ballroom filled with the people who want the best for you and they showed it with this very meaningful gesture all at the same time. I will never forget this moment.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)

My engagement band and wedding ring were custom designed by Jose Torres of EcoKarat Jewelry. I wanted a non-traditional engagement ring and what he created was absolutely stunning! To this day, I still can't stop staring at it!

During the wedding ceremony, I wore a gold choker that has been in our family for a few generations; it was an honor to wear the family heirloom on this special day.

Rosie Scianna of Makeup By Rosie was fantastic! It was so hard to find a makeup artist whose makeup philosophy matched mine. She believes in you looking like yourself and enhancing your natural features and not only does she believe it, but she's able to create a look that aligns with it as well!

In lieu of a traditional guest book, I found a watercolor painting of the Chicago skyline for our guests to sign. I knew a guest book would sit in some shelf that we would rarely look at so a painting was the perfect option! During cocktail hour, the painting was available for guests to leave a note and I had this sign placed next to it:

Please sign our guest book.

Chicago is very special to us. It's where we met, fell in love, and tried olive oil ice cream on our first date.

We wanted to capture the memories of our special day with messages from our favorite people on this painting.

Love, Sireesha & Nittin

That is all for today, Maharanis! See you tomorrow for more!

STYLE
GUIDE style
Traditional
Ballroom
Romantic
season
Summer
color

Engaging Events by Ali and Erickson Design are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Engaging Events by Ali VIEW PORTFOLIO

Erickson Design VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Oak Brook, IL Indian Wedding by Banga Studios

February 20, 2020 Posted by: Shawna 1 Comments

Hello there, darlings! Sireesha & Nittin's love story continues, and we have all the details, so you don't miss anything about this fantastic celebration! For this installment, we'll be taking a look at a romantic outdoor photoshoot that will take your breath away! Right after the Wedding Ceremony, our two lovebirds took advantage of the greenery surrounding the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago - Oak Brook to immortalize their happiness for having married the love of their lives! And we cannot stretch how much we loved this photoshoot! So much beauty and elegance, and so many colors and of emotions popping out from every single shot! Simply amazing! And in case you were wondering, the mastermind behind such mesmerizing scenes is none other than Banga Studios! Their talent and expertise are off the charts, and this photoshoot is just a sneak peek to all they have to offer! We also wanted to take a moment to appreciate the looks of our lovely Maharani, who looked dazzling for this photoshoot thanks to Makeup by Rosie Inc and Hala Beauty, who took care of her hairstyle and makeup needs! For more amazing shots of this lovely couple, make sure to take a look at our Best of 2019 Magazine, and if you can't wait any longer, jump right into this amazing gallery! You'll love it!