Welcome back, Maharanis! Today we are taking you to one of the most beautiful places to hold a dream wedding. We are talking about Cancun, Mexico! Thanks to the fantastic film created by Wildcolors by abi, today we can transport you to this lovely destination and relive the wedding of Serina & Neill. The majestic Hard Rock Hotel Cancun was chosen by our beautiful duo to host their eternal promise of love. Family and friends were invited to share this unmemorable moment, and The Royal Collection was selected to take the joy of this union with such beautiful invitations. Every single detail was perfect, thanks to Urvashi Mishra, who did an outstanding job along with the celebrated wedding destination experts Shaadi Destinations, making sure that everything was in the right place at the right moment. Maharani Serina was the queen of her festivities thanks to the flawless bridal looks Erica Bogart Beauty created just fo her. The celebrations culminated with an unforgettable night of dance, music, and food, where our friends from Encore Events DJ had the honor of playing the best beats all night long for the lovebirds. Not to mention the well-decorated hall by Alquimia Events, that gave a terrific tropical look but, at the same time, highlighting the traditions from the lovely duo. Great night, great memories and of course a dreamed wedding! Join us and get some serious inspiration just by hitting play!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I don't think there was ever really an "aha moment" of when I knew he was the one. Neill and I first met 14 years ago during a local Garba event. It was not exactly love at first site. Our relationship evolved constantly and we had even tried dating in the past, but it didn't exactly pan out the way we expected and we both realized maybe we would be better off as friends. In 2016, Neill couldn't hide his feelings anymore and explained how he had been feeling about me. It took a little while of dating again to see just how perfect we were together. He was my best friend, and we both knew everything about each other - the good, bad, and ugly - and not despite that, but because of it, taking the next steps in our relationship felt so natural. I feel like such a cheeseball when I say it, but it was always Neill.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
I will be completely honest, Neill tried to plan everything as a surprise, but I saw it coming from a mile away. I am quite possibly the most annoying person to surprise. He ended up taking me on a trip to Utah and after all the incessant questioning, I pretty much figured out what was up. It was however some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever experienced. It was truly a winter wonderland.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
When I was younger, I always envisioned myself as a modern, non-traditional bride. Color schemes of pastel or white were always in the back of my mind. As I got older, I saw the beauty in more traditional designs and patterns and was drawn to those as well. I think my bridal lengha embodied my personality perfectly. I ended up going with a subtle off-white base, with rich, gold and pearl handwork. Each border was an ode to each one of my parents and Jigya (the designer) beautifully fulfilled my wish of fitting in the names of my grandparents who have passed and could not be with us to celebrate. I decided to add a pop of my favorite color, a bold, emerald green with a traditional bandhni design with pearls and small mirror-work, to round out my dream of a modern, yet traditional bridal outfit.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
My favorite parts of the planning process would be seeing it all come to fruition and all the feedback and reactions from your family and friends. All the sleepless nights trying to communicate with my designers in India, and countless hours researching and organizing every little detail is all worth it when you get to experience all your hard work with all of your loved ones.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Something that was a truly unforgettable moment for me was walking down the aisle. I think it is something that every little girl thinks about growing up and to be actually in the moment, it is kind of surreal. For me personally, I did not know how my wedding would be. Being a child of divorced parents is not anything new for most brides in the US. But, in our culture and "society", it is rarely seen that both sides come together for times like this. Growing up, I never knew how exactly my wedding would pan out. Would everyone really be able to work through their differences? How would I get everyone in the same room without it being awkward? However, during our engagement and wedding planning, all four of my parents (both being remarried), worked seamlessly together and were honestly one of the biggest support systems as a whole for me. As I walked down the aisle, I saw not only my future husband, but all four of my parents and siblings, standing there waiting for me. It was honestly one of the most emotional moments of my life.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
The worst thing I did was over-analyze things I had no control over. Plan the heck out of your wedding ahead of time, and as you get closer --- LET. GO. (Sidenote: use Google docs which auto-saves so you don't lose your ENTIRE mailing list that took a week to complete because your laptop decided to restart before saving.)
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Planner: Urvashi Mishra
Venue: Hard Rock Hotel Cancun
Travel Agent: Shaadi Destinations
Makeup: Erica Bogart Beauty
Photo/Video: Wildcolors by Abi
Decor/Floral: Alquimia
Caterer: Patravali
Cake: Hiram Guerrero
Dj/Dhol: Encore Entertainment/ Sumeet Virk
Entertainment: Anis Chandani
Hair and Makeup for wedding party: Styling Trio
Bridal Mendhi: Monika Patel
Guest Mendhi: Loto Mendhi
Photobooth: La Cabina Mexico
Jewelry: Gucci, Silver Plaza, Sitare by Aasha
Bridal Dresses: Kalki, Gauri, RF Couture, Jigya M, Magic Mirror, Saks Fifth Avenue
Keep updated with all the latest Maharani trends! See you in a bit!
