Welcome to Maharani Weddings

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

Mike and I met on the dating app, Hinge. Although it was during COVID in November, we both decided to meet for drinks outdoor at a bar called 'Harpers Garden.' On our first date, we talked about our families, hobbies, and jobs. It felt so natural.

By our third date, we sat at a wine bar and shared memories and inside jokes. That's when we both knew this was truly something special. What made me feel certain that Mike was the one was meeting all his friends and family - they were all wonderful people who only had the best things to say about Mike's caring and generous nature.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

I just returned from a work trip from Chicago, and we were planning to go to brunch near Rittenhouse Park in Philadelphia with his parents. He asked his parents to take a photo of us at the park, which was a way to capture video of when he knelt down and proposed!

He told me he booked reservations at the same wine bar we frequented. When we got there, my parents and brother were there as well. We spent the weekend celebrating with our families.

Tell us how you went about planning your wedding, and your overall experience with the Venues, Hair & Makeup, Outfits, Decor Theme, and all of the other important details.

We had wonderful vendors, which made the planning process much easier! We prioritized finding the best possible teams to work with us for the venue, decor, and band. These vendors were instrumental in making our wedding weekend a true success and memorable experience for our guests.

- The Loews Hotel in Philadelphia are true professionals and helped us plan an amazing Sangeet Friday night, wedding/reception Saturday, and brunch Sunday. They even worked with us on Indian fusion menu and co-created our signature mango-lassi cocktail!

In addition to Loews, our florist/decorator was phenomenal. He has done INdian weddings in the past and understood what was important, but also where we wanted to deviate from tradition. He created a floral and beautiful mandap, along with a reception room with breathtaking high centerpieces.

Finally, we worked with the Dreamtime band from EBE Entertainment. Our guests still rave about the band - they made sure everyone was having a blast on the dancefloor. They played catchy live music and also incorporated Indian music playlists.

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

I chose a pink bridal lengha for the ceremony and white lengha for the reception. I wanted to honor both our backgrounds through the outfits. I chose pink because it's my favorite color and I always imagined wearing something delicately and femininely pink. The white lengha was just as special, if not more! I chose this to honor the Hindu / Catholic fusion nature of our wedding.

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

Two things come to mind!

1. We wrote our own ceremony script, which was a Hindu ceremony. We wrote English explanations for each step of the Hindu ceremony and infused elements that were unique to us. For example, we replaced the mangal sutra with Mike's family pearl necklace, worn by his mom and grandma at their weddings. Our guests still comment on how unique the ceremony was and how much they enjoyed learning about the Hindu ceremony in English throughout the day.

2. We had the joy of working with Vito Russo from Xtraordinary Events, our florist and decorator. From the moment we met him, he instantly understood our unique vision. We didn't want a traditional Indian wedding or Caholic wedding, but something unique to our personalities - modern and elegent, and bringing forward the tradtiions from both our Indian and American upbringings. He was an absolute joy to brainstorm creatively with and he created so many amazing moments all weekend.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

During the ceremony, there were tears and love all around the room. Because we wrote the script oursleves, it was our chance to share this love with everyone. The tears in the room shocked me and reminded me how blessed we were.

Our guests told us "I've never felt so much love in one room." Giving our guests the chance to feel all the love that we felt that day is something Mike and I will never forget.

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

Mike and his mother putting the pearl necklace worn by his family for generations - this was a special moment that made me feel connected to both our pasts. I felt honored by that moment and knew how important it was that Mike and I carry forward this honor in the future.

Our dance floor was non-stop as well! It was overpacked the entire night, and continued through the afterparty. Mike and I love dancing and loved even more dancing with all our friends.

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.

Purple, white, and green were our color themes! The wedding was inside a renovated bank building, so it had a historical but modern look. The floor to ceiling windows had stunning views of downtown Philadelphia. This backdrop gave us the chance to create a modern and elegant experience. We chose purple, green, and white as our color theme.

During the reception, the lighting turned purple in the room, which created a stunning look in the ballroom.

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

Focus on what matters to you and your partner, not norms or traditions you feel obligated to include. A wedding can be about creating your own traditions

We hope this enchanting celebration leaves you inspired and filled with love until next time, loves!

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Welcome to the mesmerizing tale of Marissa & Aneesh's wedding in today's Platinum Guide Blog.  

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met my groom at our first jobs just after we graduated college. I cant say when I officially knew he was the one, I kind of always hoped pretty early on. If I had to pin point it, it probably was when we decided to move to a new city, just us, away from all of our family and friends.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
I had probably been slowly pestering him about our next step and whether or not he was going to propose for a full year or so before he did, even months before I had a conversation with him saying that he needed to "shit or get off the pot"; little did I know during that entire conversation he already had planned when and how he was going to propose. I had planned a trip with a group of our friends to Savannah, Georgia, for his 30th birthday. While I thought we were going to a rooftop dinner for his birthday, it was actually where he proposed in front of our parents and close friends.

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.
My husband and I both new that we wanted to get married outdoors and in the early summer. My husband grew up in an Indian household, and he wanted the full Indian wedding experience, so we decided that was the way to go, albeit with an American touch. We looked at a number of venues, however with choosing to get married in the North East of the US we had limited venues that would hold the capacity of an Indian Wedding, or even allow outside catering.  We hired the most amazing wedding planning team, Radz Events and Urvashi Mishra, to lead us through the entire planning process. She connected us with vendors that fit our ideas and would be able to deliver what we were looking for in our timeline and budget. Both my Husband and I aren't huge decision makers, so we really appreciated the help from family, Urvashi, and the Vendors - they led us step by step through the "typical" Indian wedding and allowed us to customize the way we wanted. It was a long, intense process, but it was so worth it, and it turned out better than we could have ever dreamed.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
As soon as we got engaged, I knew I wanted to include my American culture and upbringing in our Indian wedding. I decided that I would wear Indian attire for all events, except for our reception and that is where I would wear my White dress. Although Indians don't typically get married in white, it was important to me to wear white, even down the aisle. For my White wedding dress I purchased that in Massachusetts and it was a dream, when I bought it, I didn't think i could possible like any other wedding outfit more - until we went to India.  I got my wedding lehenga in Pune. It was hard to come across stores and designers that had all the beauty and detail I wanted but in white. We walked by Rollie Couture, I looked at the display windows, and I just knew. My mother-in-law and I went in, and as soon as I tried it on, I was in love. White dress, who? It was so different and unique from what I've seen other brides wear at Indian weddings, and that is exactly what I wanted.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
It is hard to say what was enjoyable during planning; it was a lot. A lot of decisions, a lot of disagreements, and a lot of pleasing many different people. It was nice reinforcement that my Husband and I were on the same page for the majority of decisions. Really, the best part was seeing it all come together and the true ability of all of our vendors.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
We did not want to toot our own horns, but we really felt like our guests loved everything about the wedding. A lot of our friends and my family have never been to an Indian wedding and were amazed by everything that goes into it.  Hopefully, the guests loved that we really tried to think through everything and provide options for all types of wedding guests.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My husband and I were both surprised by how much we truly loved the Haldi. We knew we'd love the sangeet, ceremony & reception (which we most definitely did) but we were caught off guard with how much fun we had at the Haldi. Seeing all of our friends and family embrace an event that can kind of be slower and less fun really excited us.

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 technically had 7 events over four days - talk about a Whirlwind.
We did a small Bridal Mehndi & Family BBQ to get everyone acquainted before the formal events. It really put both families and our closest friends at ease when they had familiar faces as the weekend went on.
Our Pooja/Mehndi was a small, more intimate event in my in-laws back yard, we wanted to include the event as it was important to my in laws but we chose to keep it small and intimate.
The Haldi was outside at the hotel where we had reserved our wedding block and Sangeet. We had gorgeous yellow and white flowers as a backdrop and ended the event with a flower shower, water balloons, and even buckets of water being dumped on both of our heads.
The Sangeet: we did a good mix of Indian and Non-Indian food - we wanted to really call out the culture of the sangeet while also including our food preferences. The excitement and interest in the performances really made the night; our closest friends / bridal party even performed, which was super meaningful to us as very few had ever been to a sangeet, let alone danced Indian.
The ceremony was stunning, outdoors in front of the lawn, and our Decorator blew our minds with the Mandaap and Aisle decor.
Last but not least, the ballroom was transformed into just what we wanted for the reception. We used dark themes, with candle light aesthetics to create a more romantic evening. We spent our entire night on the dance floor with all those that were most important to us.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
I don't have a ton of wisdom, but what I'll say is- it's okay if you don't love the wedding planning process. Keep your eye on the prize and just focus on being on the same page with your future spouse and the fun that is to come.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Venue: Castleton Banquet & Conference Center (reception & ceremony)
Sheraton Hotel, Nashua NH (Haldi & Sangeet)
Mehndi Artist: @poonam.hennaartistboston
Hair & Makeup: @Color_Me_Rouge
Catering: @chefnavjot
Decor + Florals: @lovedecor.us
Photo Video: @knottingbells
Wedding Planner: @RadzEvents , @urvashi.mishra
DJ: @djambition
Baraat Car: @monacoexperiences
Cake: Klemmsbakery

Maharanis, don't miss out on the exclusive content that showcases the best weddings. See you soon!

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Hello, lovely Maharanis! Today, we are thrilled to share the enchanting tale of Mallika & Keshav's wedding at the stunning Amarai Farms. Mallika, the bride, looked nothing short of royalty in her exquisite bridal fashions by Ranna Gill and Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna. Her attire seamlessly blended traditional aesthetics with contemporary flair. Ankit Malik's exceptional makeup artistry and Abdul Layek's flawless hairstyling created a timeless and stunning look for Mallika, accentuating her natural beauty with a radiant glow. Every detail was captured by the talented team at Lilac Weddings, ensuring that each precious moment would be remembered forever. From the heartfelt vows to the joyful celebrations, every part of Mallika and Keshav's wedding was a testament to their love and the meticulous planning that went into their special day. It's a love story you will want to experience!

Darlings, we invite you to immerse in the wedding bliss of our features. Do not miss them.

Welcome to today's Platinum Guide blog, we are thrilled to share Megha & Neegum's wedding.

Let this beautiful celebration inspire your days with love, joy, and a touch of magic in every moment.

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We're thrilled to share Mukti & Bhavik's story in today's feature on the Platinum Guide blog.

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

I met Bhavik in the midst of the COVID pandemic through Hinge. I never would’ve thought that messaging my very first Hinge match would change my life so quickly and in ways I never imagined. I was in St. Louis at the time, and met Bhavik in Chicago a few weeks later. Before our first real date, though, we had a FaceTime date and I knew then that he was someone special. When we finally met in Chicago, it felt like I was spending the evening with someone I already knew so well. I left that date knowing that he was my forever.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

In April 2022 we took our very first big trip together to the Amalfi coast! This was the first time we spent a whole week together, and we enjoyed our little escape from long distance with pasta, gelato, and limoncello spritz’s! Our second evening on the beautiful coast was when he planned a special boat “tour of the coast.” To my surprise, I walked onto a private boat and knew it was going to be a ride I’ll never forget! Bhavik got down on one knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him - an obvious and easy yes!

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 knew we were planning for a big fat Indian wedding in Detroit, my hometown. This narrowed down our venue options, and ultimately we decided on MGM Grand Detroit. My family has previously had good experience with MGM Grand, and we wanted our guests to be able to enjoy the casino and what Detroit has to offer in between events.

I booked Jahura Hobby well in advance for bridal makeup - one of the best decisions I made! She is so kind, organized, and talented. She created a natural glam look for each event.

Our decor themes were surprisingly easy to decide on. We knew we needed to incorporate an Amalfi coast theme into our wedding, because it’s such a special place for us. This was the theme of our Sangeet and Utsav planners executed our vision perfectly. Our wedding has a traditional red and gold theme, and our reception was a bold black and red.

Food was a universal priority for Bhavik, myself, and our parents. We decided on Rasoi catering from New Jersey and they exceeded our expectations! At the end of our wedding, so many people mentioned how much they loved the food at each and every event.

Our wedding planner, Rajul Pillai, made sure our wedding was everything we had imagined and more! She started working with me well over 14 months in advance, and kept us on track with each detail. She helped me find solutions to each hurdle, and made sure the weekend itself went on seamlessly.

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

I always envisioned myself to be a traditional bride in a red lehenga. That’s exactly what I found when I went shopping in Mumbai.

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

Looking back, sitting on the couch and thinking about what we wanted our weekend to look like was so memorable. We spent countless evenings after work together, making little decisions and talking through things that were important to us. These evenings gave us so much quality time together, and that will always be special.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

The food, performances, and energy. We are so grateful to our friends and family for creating such a fun atmosphere and bringing endless energy to the weekend!

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

There are so many moments from the wedding week that I’ll always hold close to me, but my favorite moment was reading the card Bhavik wrote for me while I was getting ready for our wedding. Those words and emotions made me even more excited to see him that morning, and for our forever to finally begin.

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

Have fun with the planning process and soak in all of the quality time with everyone you care about. It’s the only time all of your closest and most loved people will be under one roof.

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

All of my jewelry was specially created by my mom’s friend in Ahmedabad - she truly is an artist!

My mehndi was done by Ekta Kansara. She created the most intricate designs, while we chatted for hours. Her presence is so soothing.

Let this story guide you, leaving you enchanted and dreaming of your magical celebration.

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