We can't get enough of sunny destination weddings these days, especially with frigid temps hitting various parts of the country! This ethereal gem of a film by Mike Cantarell Films features Crystal and Sachin's marriage celebrations in Riviera Maya. From the initial moments of the video, we were transported to a tropical paradise, with magnificent shots of crashing blue waves and sunsets, and Mike Cantarell Films' amazing aerial cinematography capturing all the excitement! The festivities took place at the gorgeous Hard Rock Riviera Maya and kicked off with welcome drinks at the venue's Solarium Terrace. Guests had such a fantastic time taking in the surroundings and mingling with the couple and the other guests! We are huge fans of pre-wedding mixers since guests can let loose and get to know other attendees, making the atmosphere at the ceremony and reception events so much more relaxed and enjoyable! The next morning began with the baraat ceremony, which was held beach side with dapper Sachin leading the crowd to the oceanfront mandap on a regal horse-drawn carriage. The ceremony couldn't have been more beautiful, with Maharani Crystal looking radiant in a green and red lehenga that contrasted beautifully against the ocean backdrop. The couple's euphoric reception was one for the books, featuring fire dancers, paint drummers, and acrobats. Check out all the incredible action in the video below!

We feel relaxed and rejuvenated after that wedding film! We'll see you tomorrow Maharanis!

Today’s cinematic journey hails all the way from Cancun, Mexico celebrating Maharani Avani and Siddharth. This big fat Indian bash was one that had to be relished in all of its true art forms and we are so excited to share this visual treat with you all. As we all know, destination weddings are a celebration and vacation all in one; tucked away in locations and venues as far as our mascara batting eyes can see. The pristine beaches overlooking the pristine waters only heightened the cultural experience of Avani’s wedding. Yanet Zavala helped plan and design the series of events and helped secure a local mehndi artist, Veronica de la Paz, who bestowed the bride in the most gorgeous henna designs. Glam squad Styling Trio ensured that the bride looked picture perfect for photographer Sarani Photography who took the most picturesque of memories that you can find here. The series of events included a family fun sangeet hosted at the Lake Terrace area of the Moon Palace and a gorgeous beach side wedding with a floral mandap created by Latin Asia. Of course, no great event would complete without the euphoric sounds of Bollywood beats and M4U Events brought the Indian spice by leading both the baraat and the series of party events, concluding with the reception. So, if you are feeling extra spicy today, hit play and relish in all the fine details a destination wedding can offer filmed by Sarani Photography! P.S. - make sure you check out our intimate conversation with the bride down below! 

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

Siddharth and I met online! We were in a long distance relationship and after about 6 months of dating, I knew he was the one when I started telling him "I love you" silently, to myself, before hanging up the phone during one of our long calls.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

Sid actually didn't propose until 2 weeks before our wedding, talk about waiting until the last minute possible!! We went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday, and came home like it was a regular night. He lived with his parents at the time, and had come over to our new apartment to spend the evening with me (I moved from Ohio to New Jersey, so we went house hunting together for our place post marriage, which I moved into a few months early). As it got later, he was acting strange and pacing from room to room. At one point he was talking about how I should keep the shades up so I could see the moon and stars. As I was listening to him, I started falling asleep and he tapped me on the shoulder to show me something. I was surprised to find him on one knee, holding a beautiful ring, asking if I would spend the rest of my life with him. I started crying and of course said 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 started toying with the idea of a destination wedding after we realized how long our parent's guest lists actually were! Both of us wanted a small, intimate wedding so that is what we convinced our families to support. I saw a posting on Facebook, a friend of a friend, who is a travel agent and thought why not explore the idea? One thing led to another, and we ended up selecting Moon Palace Resorts as the venue for our wedding. We actually wanted it at one of their sister properties, but they could not accommodate our group size for the weekend. However, they were gracious enough to host our wedding on the beach of our choice. All of the planners at Moon Palace were super helpful, along with all of the vendors that we worked with, ranging from the chefs at the resort to photo, décor, and hair and makeup. There was no question left unanswered, and ultimately we ended up with our dream wedding!

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

After hours and hours of shopping in Ahmedabad, I was so exhausted when I found THE lengha! As the saying goes, it's always in the last place you look. I wanted to keep with a traditional color story, and also wanted to maintain the balance between formal and informal. Granted we were getting married on a beach, but I still wanted to keep the essence of a traditional wedding .

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

We rented a boat to take all our guests out for an afternoon, it was a nice way for everyone to get off the resort and be able to spend time together in the middle of all the wedding events.

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

My father passed away, so it was important for him to still feel his presence. At the end of the wedding, Sid and I stood up to take blessings from our parents, and he kneeled with me in front of the picture of my father, to ask him for his blessing as we start out life together. Feeling his presence, despite his absence, is something that will always stay with me. Another moment I think about happened during our reception. A close friend from college ended her speech with "May you look back and remember today as the day you loved each other the least" - I think of her words often, and they have become my wish every day for us and our relationship.

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

They always say, don't sweat the small stuff. As a bride, it's not very practical advice because every detail seems crucial.. but honestly, when you are in the moment enjoying one of the biggest milestones of your life with your closest loved ones, no one will notice if the favors aren't set perfectly. Their only focus will be you and the happiness that radiates from you and your groom.

Click here to read all three features of this event! Stay tuned as we unveil our coveted E-Magazine that will be digitally publicized soon! See you tomorrow.

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Dearest Maharanis, in true blockbuster form, Pacific Pictures never ceases to amaze us! We are thrilled to share this showstopping wedding film set in London, England with you all. Words cannot do justice when describing this extraordinarily magical film, but we'll try our best! Every moment captured by Pacific Pictures was breathtakingly beautiful, and we cannot wait to see the stills from the talented photographers at Didar Virdi. From the most lavish wedding cake we've ever seen (featuring ten tiers!) designed by Sweet Hollywood, to some of the most exclusive wedding locales in the world, we seriously don't know what to rave about first! We must discuss gorgeous Maharani Sara's high fashion bridal look, including a decadent, embroidered white wedding gown, perfectly applied dewy makeup and a glamorous, Old Hollywood updo. She truly looked like a queen, and was breathtaking as she floated down the aisle at the classic, five-star Dorchester Hotel. The radiant newlyweds’ reception was held at the magnificent Natural History Museum, with mouth-watering catering by Rhubarb, and entertainment by Paul Pashley. For her reception look, Sara slipped into a beaded strapless gown, again featuring a regal train that moved beautifully throughout the magical night. The event, planned to utter perfection by Banana Split, was decorated unbelievably beautifully with enormous floral centerpieces and violet and red uplighting that highlighted the space’s beautiful architecture, along with the museum’s Diplodocus dinosaur skeleton. We wish Sara and Nikhil so much happiness -  Their wedding is definitely one that we will never forget!

Description of the weekend from the cinematographers at Pacific Pictures:

Sara & Nikhil’s luxury wedding in the heart of London was a glamorous celebration with all the magic and romance of a real life fairytale. This couple's love story begins with a beautiful journey into London from Birmingham, as they arrive at the venue in style in Nikhil’s Lamborghini Huracan. Joined by close friends and family, the two were wed in an intimate civil ceremony at The Dorchester Hotel, the famed five-star luxury Park Lane venue in London’s exclusive Hyde Park.

As night fell over London, the couple welcomed friends and family from around the world for a night under the stars at the iconic Natural History Museum in South Kensington. The stunning venue’s vaulted central hall, with the sprawling Diplodocus dinosaur “Dippy,” was transformed for an enchanted evening of speeches, dinner, and dancing, impeccably coordinated by the team at Banana Split. The cutting of their incredible Sweet Hollywood wedding cake was preceded by an opulent grand entrance and traditional Persian wedding knife dance in honor of Sara’s heritage.

That was INCREDIBLE, right Maharanis? So much inspiration and gorgeousness packed into in 7 minutes. We'll see you all tomorrow!

Welcome to a very special visual treat that incorporates culture, fun and the beautiful city of Nairobi. Maharani Parmeg definitely knew what she wanted when she planned her big old affair in the heart of Kenya with this short highlight that has been neatly edited by Majestic Films for our viewing pleasure. Next day edits never ceases to impress us  as we know how much heart and dedication it takes to deliver a timely masterpiece. Cinematographer Majestic Films most certainly had their work cut out for them but, we don’t feel too bad for the stellar team; they were side by side with the largest game in the country! Guests flying in had no shortage of tourist delight with a broadened itinerary that included safaris, international dining and of course prepping for Parmeg and Zeus’s big wedding bash. Parmeg got ready for her big day with her makeup artist CJ The MUA. Irvin Sidhu was on site to capture all the still images that we absolutely cannot wait to view! For her wedding and reception, the bride wore not one but two designer pieces: Sabyasachi and Well Groomed. We just can’t decide which outfit we loved more! The velvety red lengha with intricate gold designs that the bride wore for her wedding day or a minty, modern day lengha that paired wonderfully with a pair of nude Christian Louboutin pumps? You decide as you hit play to revel in the glory of this gorgeous Indian wedding affair!

As we reveled in each clip, a piece of our heart was left in Kenya. However, we have a lot more in store in the weeks to come including our highly coveted Maharani Weddings E-Mag! See you tomorrow!

It’s only Day 2 of 2017 and Trina and Anil’s wedding film makes us feel like it’s going to be one stellar year full of stellar weddings! We are so in awe of Mike Cantarell’s work, particularly his team’s expertise with drones and aerial cinematography. “This was one of the most extraordinary weddings that we have seen,” shared the Mike Cantarell team. Truer words have not been spoken, because if holidaying at Cancun is itself so gorgeous, imagine what it must be like to get married there! Trina and Anil’s Cancun carnival at JW Marriott Cancun began with one blockbuster of a Sangeet that was all about regal colors like purple, red, and black. It featured a ton of impressive dance performances, and was festive fusion at its finest. The next day, a gorgeous wedding ceremony was hosted outdoors, expertly crafted by Rose Events with floral and decor work done by Alquimia Events. Pastels reigned supreme at the ceremony which worked amazingly because it was a day affair. Delicate tulle mint drapes made for the frame of the mandap, with roses in coral, peach, and red hues adding the right amount of pop. Our Maharani Trina looked like a Disney princess with ethnic regalia in a blue sweetheart blouse paired with a blush pink lehenga. We loved how her beau complemented by donning a blush pink embroidered Safa with his cream sherwani. Crystal garlands and decor gave understated elegance to the whole decor. This modern couple said their Marhabas by opting for an au courant Moroccan-esque beach side soiree in place of a reception. We think that is a fantastic way of keeping your post-wedding celebrations relaxed and casual! The outdoor, waterfront set up with string lights, fireworks that lit up the sky, and belly dancers turned the vibrant Moroccan feel up a notch. Jet skis, kite surfing, walks on the beaches, and photo shoots with picturesque backgrounds were native to the Trina Anil bash. We cannot wait to see what the photos by Claudia Rodriguez look like! Hit play on the fab video to be transported to Cancun in a jiffy!

We hope your Monday and your New Year is off to a marvelous start with this exotic wedding bash! The year seems promising already, and we cannot wait to share the awesomeness with you. Return to the blog soon! 

JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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