Welcome to Maharani Weddings

When Ani Sandhu of Ace Of Events plans a South Asian wedding, you know it's fabulous from start to finish, and today's incredible celebration photographed by Nat Wongsaroj Photography is no exception. The Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles is decked out in vibrant pre-wedding decor for Indian bride and Pakistani groom, Nicole and Maarij's, sangeet slash mehndi, and we're unveiling the best and brightest highlights from the evening to you! IndAroma was on hand to cater a mouthwatering feast, setting a delicious tone to the festivities which closes with fare from Bollywood Bistro at the reception — Nicole and Maarij literally have great taste! Mehndi artist, Henna Harmony, delivered a Desi-rrific henna design that the blushing bride is more than eager to show off to the camera, and every detail is breathtaking! Dressed in a bright pink suit with green pant full of all the most darling details from designer Nomi Ansari, Maharani Nicole was the picture of pre-wedding perfection! In just a bit, we'll begin unveiling her and Maarij's wedding day highlights, but before we do, make sure to fill up on more of their beautifully blended sangeet and mehndi night in the complete gallery!

Join me later today for delightful wedding day details from Nicole and Maarij's ceremony and reception!

Ace of Events, IndAroma, Bollywood Bistro, Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles, Henna Harmony and Platinum Wedding and Decor are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Ace of Events VIEW PORTFOLIO

IndAroma VIEW PORTFOLIO

Bollywood Bistro VIEW PORTFOLIO

Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles VIEW PORTFOLIO

Henna Harmony VIEW PORTFOLIO

Platinum Wedding and Decor VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

We're closing today's fantastic Pakistani wedding feature with the spectacular shaadi at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix! After a fabulous baraat featuring an incredible dhol player from Jhakaas Entertainment, our Pakistani groom was eager to meet with his Maharani! Our Pakistani bride arrived and was dazzled by the wonderful decor by Elegant Events! The couple said their vows and it was time to celebrate, with delicious food from caterer Copper Kettle and fantastic songs by DJ Ryan Sharier that kept everyone dancing all night! Visit the full gallery to see more of the amazing photos Sameer Soorma Studios captured from this sensational event!

Maharani Neekta on their first dance:

"We didn't end up having a traditional first dance because we danced throughout the event! Adeel made a charming entrance to Daler Mehndi's 'Tunak Tunak' that we still joke about everyday. I entered to a modern rendition of 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha' because it is a song that Adeel loves to sing to me in the car. And after we exchanged our rings, the music didn't stop for the rest of the night. We also featured live tabla and sitar players at the shaadi, to represent my love of traditional qawalli music."

On how her friends and family helped:

"I was so overwhelmed with the dedication of friends and family throughout the months leading up to our special day. I had a friend spend two weeks with me just making sure I was getting enough sleep and on top of my wedding to-do list! The decoration and theme of the events was completely envisioned by my brilliant mother, who must have been an event planner in another life. Every entrance, performance and speech was embellished with personal stories and jokes that made our wedding feel intimate and made us feel surrounded by loved ones throughout the event."

Enjoy the rest of your day, Maharanis!

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

We're back to see all the amazing first look portraits Sameer Soorma Studios took of our charming Pakistani bride and groom! Our Maharani was ready to meet her handsome Raja with dazzling hair and makeup by Ahseia Aadina! We especially loved her marvelous curled updo! Our Pakistani groom also looked his best, wearing a gold sherwani and a red pagri to perfectly match with his bride! We hope that Sameer Soorma Studios' video of this magnificent Pakistani wedding shows the exact moment the lovebirds first see each other, because after looking at these portraits we can't imagine anything sweeter! While we wait to see that and Jhakaas Entertainment at the baraat, we'll be checking out all the fabulous photos in the full gallery!

Maharani Neekta on her favorite part of wedding planning:

"I loved getting in touch with my culture and sharing it with my husband. He had never experienced a weeklong Desi wedding before and had no idea what to expect, but ended up loving every minute of it! At the end of it all, after almost a dozen events, we still didn't feel like we had enough. Rather than planning just one event, we were able to plan a memorable week for our loved ones. They were welcomed with customized bags filled with a packed schedule for the upcoming week and personal goodies that had special meaning to us. We shared every meal, every morning and night and every special moment with the beautiful collection of friends and families who were there with us. We really enjoyed planning special surprises for our guests -- brunches, a musical evening at my parents' home, a dance performance by me, traditional tabla and sitar players, an outdoor mehndi event -- and seeing all of the surprises executed so beautifully."

On the most magical moments of the wedding:

"We could not believe that so many of our dear friends and family members flew in from every part of the world. Many guests later told me they had never attended a wedding that incorporated so many friends into the events. From dances, to speeches, to pictures, every moment felt so incredibly natural to Adeel and I because we were surrounded by our favorite people. The bouquet toss, the rukhsati, the meals, were all incredibly special just because of the good company we were blessed to have."

We're sharing the spectacular nikah, up next!

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

We're back and ready to take a look at how our stunning Pakistani bride got all dolled up for her nikah! The Maharani's gorgeous hair and makeup were by Ahseia Aadina, who used glittering gold eyeshadow and red lipstick to complement the bride's open-shirt lengha and add to her natural beauty. Of course, our lovely bride also had the most glamorous accessories, with sparkling gold jewelry, elegant heels and a magnificently embroidered dupatta! Check out more of the bridal details Sameer Soorma Studios expertly captured in the full gallery! We'll take another look at this Maharani's fabulous style when we get the video! We can't wait to see Jhakaas Entertainment at the baraat there!

Maharani Neekta on her wedding look:

"I loved the natural, glowy style that my artist put together so elegantly. It gave me an effortless look compared to the traditional Desi brides of my parents' generation (though it still took hours!) that still allowed me to look like myself. Even with the updo and jewelry and makeup, my smile was my best accessory. My husband and I shared cheesy smiles that were apparent in every wedding photo. The jewelry was very traditional, made of flowers on the mehndi day and inspired by traditional Mughal jewelry on the shaadi day, as I wanted it to represent my family's rich Pakistani history. It was complemented by a Taj Mahal themed stage on the mehndi day and traditional tabla and sitar players at the shaadi."

On choosing her wedding outfits:

"I spent countless hours on the Internet as many brides do, but actually shopped and finalized my designs within a week. I found a great designer in Toronto and my aunt was the superwoman behind the final product. She saw the dresses throughout the process and made sure everything looked fabulous. It truly takes a village to put together a successful wedding and I couldn't have done it without so many supportive family members."

See the adorable first look portraits next!

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Happy Monday, Maharanis! We're kicking off another week of shaadi wonder with a dazzling Pakistani wedding! Sameer Soorma Studios captured magnificent photos of every thrilling moment, and we're starting with the mehndi party! The outdoor celebration was held at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix and was filled with amazing decor by Elegant Events -- we thought the projection of the Taj Mahal was especially impressive! Throughout the night, the gorgeous Pakistani bride and her Raja danced to the stellar songs played by DJ Ryan Sharier! We hope to show you more in the incredible video Sameer Soorma Studios filmed soon! We can't wait to share all excitement Jhakaas Entertainment brought to the baraat in the film! Until then, check out the full gallery to see more from this shaadi!

Maharani Neekta on meeting her Raja and how she knew he was "the one":

"We were very lucky to meet through some of our closest and dearest friends. They all strategized the perfect introduction for us, and once we met, it only took us a few months to realize we would get married. Adeel thought I talked too much on our first date and he thought I was awkward, but we still couldn't help but keep in touch and plan our next date! At our wedding, our friends who introduced us read the first email between us out loud to all of our guests; it was such a fun and unexpected twist to the speeches!"

On the proposal:

"Adeel and I had a beautiful baat pakki with our families, where we shared so much joy and excitement for the upcoming year. This was planned in just 3 days but somehow was executed beautifully; our families had so much fun getting to know each other, taking pictures, sharing desserts. Soon after, Adeel planned a surprise engagement in his favorite city, Boston, where our brothers and our friends flew in from all over the country. It brought me to tears to see how many people loved and cared for us, and was the first of many events that I will cherish forever."

On her mehndi party:

"We wanted a very intimate feel for the mehndi; Adeel had once mentioned his vision of looking around on the wedding day and seeing only his closest friends and families -- so that is what we made happen! There was no formality in the event, no awkwardness when dancing or sharing embarrassing stories in speeches. Guests all already knew each other and just got to ENJOY! It was so simple yet so crucial to making our wedding special. The event was held outdoors in winter, something our East Coast attendees could not have imagined."

We'll focus on the Maharani's wedding day look next!

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown VIEW PORTFOLIO

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