Welcome to Maharani Weddings

Happy Friday, Maharanis! Can you believe how quickly we've flown through this week? It seems that with a blink of an eye, we went from Monday to Friday! The good thing is that throughout the whole week, there were a lot of beautiful and inspiring stories that enriched our creativity and made our imagination fly. And today's fusion wedding is no exception! So, get ready to be amazed by the beautiful union between Hira & Shakil. This wedding bash comes to us from Irvine, CA, and it was so spectacular that this adorable duo had to have two different photographers to immortalize this marvelous celebration of love. In today's gallery, you'll find visual masterpieces by Lin & Jirsa Photography and also by Thanh Photography. They are equally beautiful and representative of the grandeur that surrounded this enchanting wedding celebration, and we are sure you are going to love them so much! Let's start this journey by taking a look at a Nikkah ceremony officiated at the Islamic Center of San Gabriel Valley, where Hira & Shakil tied the knot in the company of their family and closest friends and made a promise of eternal love to each other. And we cannot stress enough how much we love seeing them together, as you can tell that they are a match made in heaven! An elegant and luxurious reception party held at the Hotel Irvine followed the Nikkah ceremony, and oh boy, this reception was fabulous beyond words! But there is no surprise here as SoCal Event Planners took care of the planning and execution, and Chez Rose worked their magic to create a marvelous backdrop with gorgeous floral arrangements and luxurious chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Anywhere you looked, it had perfection written all over the place! Starting with the ravishing look of our gorgeous Maharani, whose fashion sense is as graceful as exquisite! She looked like a goddess throughout the entire wedding festivities thanks to PeaceLoveSakina and The World of HSY, who took care of her beauty and fashion needs. In between emotional speeches, tears of happiness, and the upbeat melodies played by Dhamaka Entertainment, this night got to an end. But we are more than sure that the end of this magical night was only the beginning for Hira & Shakil's happily ever after!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met at a mutual friend’s graduation party. He tapped me on my shoulder and introduced himself and the rest is history! For our first look on our wedding day, we recreated that moment and he tapped me on the shoulder (as opposed to the bride tapping the groom on the shoulder).

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Shakil took me on a helicopter ride in Los Angeles. We got to see an aerial view of our favorite and most memorable spots in LA. The cherry on top was the beautiful sunset we saw over Santa Monica beach. After the helicopter landed, he popped the question and I immediately 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.
I did extensive research using Instagram to create a vision. With the help of my coordinator, Shumaila of So Cal Event Planners, I was able to achieve the vision I had in mind for my wedding. I spent time with my decorator, Tanya, picking out the color theme that would complement our outfits. Each flower type and color was handpicked by me and I made sure we had different shades of dusty pink, red and orange for the wedding center pieces. We opted for a dark burgundy background so it could make us stand out. I love chandeliers and decided I wanted them to be part of the background. I wanted to go for a vintage theme and dark theme. Shumaila made sure the ballroom looked beautiful with the lighting, draping, and decor. As for the Mehndi (sangeet), I chose colors from my outfit to be used for the decor. I opted for baby’s breath for the stage decor and I absolutely loved how it turned out. I chose my long time and talented friend, Sakina, as my make up and hair artist for both days. I communicated what type of hair and make up I wanted before the events.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I went across the globe to Pakistan for wedding shopping. I was never a fan of wearing red and always knew I wanted to wear a champagne color outfit with gold embroidery from my favorite designer HSY. As for my mehndi (sangeet) outfit, I decided to wear a bold color like black because I wanted to stand out amongst colorful decoration. For my nikkah look, I wanted a super traditional look with the outfit and jewelry. My dupatta had a hint of yellow, baby pink, and baby blue, which was my favorite part of the outfit.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable process for me was choosing the decor! As I said before, each color was carefully handpicked by me based on the outfits I was wearing. That’s how I also chose my husband’s outfits (I shopped for each one of them in Pakistan). I wanted to make sure we wouldn’t washout with the backdrop, so I chose colors that would complement our outfits.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
They loved the backdrop, handels ice cream and of course the horse carriage at the end! We didn’t even tell our family members about it, but it was the perfect fairytale ending. 

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Before walking into the ballroom, Shumaila told us to take it in and walk slowly. I still remember the doors opening, as we took our first step, all we saw were flashing lights. As we took a few more steps, I got to see everyone clearly in the ballroom. It finally hit me - this is OUR wedding. Our favorite song was playing for the entrance (can’t take my eyes off of you by Frankie Valli & the 4 seasons) and I literally looked at my husband thinking “you’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you”. It also hit me that we had over 500 guests present in that ballroom to celebrate our love. I won’t ever forget that feeling.

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.
For our first dance, we chose “can’t help falling in love” by Elvis Presley, which was another favorite moment from our wedding. With the fog we felt like we were on cloud 9!
For the mehndi, my family and friends surprises the grooms side with a flash mob to “hips don’t lie” by Shakira because we wanted to incorporate a song with our hashtag.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
I’d be lying if I said planning a wedding is not stressful, but trust me, when you look back at the wedding planning process you’ll miss it and realize how fun it was because it’s your day and once you see everything come together, it’ll be the best feeling! It may not be 100% but that’s ok, because ultimately you’re finally marrying the man of your dreams and that’s all that matters!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Jewelry on the wedding and nikkah was also bought in Pakistan during my wedding shopping trip. I wanted to buy real gold so I can pass it on in the future. I wanted my nikkah jewelry to be super traditional and my wedding jewelry to look more vintage.

That is all for today, ladies! Have an awesome weekend, stay safe, and don't forget to join us on Monday for more!

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Happy Wednesday, Maharanis! If you were seeking inspiration to start planning your ultimate dream wedding, you've come to the right place! Today's romantic story features the lovely wedding festivities between Sonika & Yosh, and it packs so many beautiful and inspiring ideas that we cannot wait to share it with you. So, let's not wait any longer and get ready to dive into this magical celebration of love. The big day arrived, and these lovebirds were more than prepared to unite their lives in marriage. They both looked ravishing, but it was our gorgeous Maharani, who stole the show. She looked like a goddess throughout the entire wedding events thanks to Henna Dil Se, who took care of beauty needs, including her gorgeous Mehndi, and also to Bolly Couture, who became the best ally for all her fashion needs! And we cannot forget about the exquisite jewelry from Kirni Kaur and the bangles and handpieces from Sari Palace's collection! Hands down, Sonika achieved that dreamy bridal look, all Maharanis aspire for her big day. In case you were wondering who was in charge of planning and designing this cornucopia of beauty and traditional flair, it was none other than Nika Events! This fabulous team was the mastermind behind this wedding bash that had not one but two beautiful wedding ceremonies fully decored by the acclaimed team of Kismet Event Design. And you already know that whenever this experienced team is present, there is a unique and fabulous wedding affair waiting ahead, and this time was no exception! They crafted enchanting decors for all wedding events, creating the perfect backdrops for Sonika & Yosh to tie the knot in the company of their family and closest friends. After the wedding ceremonies, it was time to celebrate the newlyweds in a glamorous reception party enlivened to the fullest by Fusion Sounds. They owned the stage and took the reception party to the next level playing the latest Bollywood hits that put everyone to dance! If you want to relive every moment of this romantic wedding, make sure to check the remarkable photos captured by Global Photography. Every single shot is a visual masterpiece that you don't want to miss, so make sure to check them out in today's full gallery. It will blow your mind!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Yosh was a friend of our family for a very long time. He was at all of my family events and he spent a lot of time with my cousins and I. Eventually, we ended up together. We aren’t exactly sure how it happened, but we’re so thankful that it did.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Our proposal story is definitely not a typical, romantic one. It’s actually kind of funny. It was our anniversary. It was a Saturday and he told me to be ready at a certain time because he was taking me to Malibu, but I woke up not feeling well. I was thinking of cancelling our plans, but everyone including my mom wouldn’t let me. My mom also looked so stressed, she kept coming into my room checking to make sure my makeup looked good, and she made me change my jewelry 4 times. I still didn’t think anything of it. So I went on this anniversary date and I was so frustrated because my boyfriend was texting the entire time and he seemed so on edge. He took me to this random restaurant (I later found out he needed to stall) and the food was awful and I started throwing up. I asked him if we could go home because I didn’t feel well, but then I saw how disappointed he looked so I decided to tough it out. He pulled up at the beach and told me to take off my shoes because I was wearing heels. So we walked on the sand and it was really nice. I was kind of confused because we were aimlessly walking and I was wondering what the plan was, but he just kept walking. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw this guy take a picture of me with a camera and then he started hiding behind a rock and still kept taking pictures. I turned to my boyfriend and said “Babe, that guy is taking pictures of us!” And he just shrugged it off. I was so busy looking at the guy, I missed the whole set up. There was a blanket with roses, a basket, Champagne, and a ring!!
So he proposed and I was in shock for like 20 minutes. We drank some champagne. Some of my cousins were there and it was truly beautiful. After all of this, he told me that his family and mine were waiting for us at my house and there will be a little party. I was super excited and was ready to go home. We got in the car and his car broke down! Luckily, we were able to take one of my cousin’s car. We got to the party and it was such an amazing night! We felt so loved by everyone and it is a night I’ll never forget.

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.
Wedding planning was a lot for me. I typically love planning events! When it came to my own, I really struggled. I decided I did not want a wedding planner and I wanted to do it all myself. I’m kind of picky.
We had a 2 day wedding. Saturday was our Hindu wedding. And Sunday was our Buddhist ceremony and reception. We had 550 guests. Choosing my hair and makeup artist was hard for me. I am actually a makeup artist, so I was really particular. I found my makeup artist Nadia Ali and we did a trial. She let me choose exactly what I wanted, and fix things and I loved that she let me be so involved. On our wedding day, she came through and handled it all.
We did end up hiring a day of coordinator. Her name was Monika Patel and she was amazing.
My family really came through for me and took care of so many details. It truly was a group effort and I was so thankful so have such an amazing team on my side.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
So I had 3 outfits. I knew that I wanted my Hindu wedding outfit to be red and sparkly. I tried on so many outfits in LA. I even tried on what was in style at the time and it didn’t look right on me. We ended up going to New York. And my first appointment was with Sandy at Bolly Couture (I found her on Instagram.) I loved her outfits! There was one outfit on the mannequin and I was like “Whoa! That outfit is sparkly, but way too sparkly!” I actually didn’t like it. My cousins made me try it on as a joke since I didn’t like it. I put the outfit on and I looked up and my cousins were in tears. And I said “Oh no! Please don’t tell me this is the one.”
Sandy took me to the mirror and I saw it and fell in love. I was ready to buy it right then and there. To do myself justice, I continued with the rest of my appointments just to make sure that was it. No matter what I tried on, I kept thinking about that outfit. Nothing else would even excite me. So we bought that amazing outfit that weighed more than I did!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part for me was getting responses to our invitations. Once someone talked about attending the events, their outfits, flight, or if they’re staying at the hotel; that really excited me and it made it feel real for me.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Everyone talked a lot about the food! Manohar’s Delhi Palace is the best! We go to their restaurant all the time and love their food! For the wedding, they came through and delivered.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
There are too many to jot down! But we actually loved looking out and seeing our guests having a good time. We also had so many amazing moments with out bridal party and we loved having such an amazing team on our side!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
My advice would be to give yourself a lot of time to plan, talk to other brides, and bargain!
On the day of, don’t stress (I know, easier said than done.) The reason I say this is because you’ve done absolutely everything you can already, now everyone else (including family) will help to figure it out.

We have new stories every day, so make sure to join us tomorrow for more! I bet you will get tons of inspiring ideas.

Fusion Sounds, Kismet Event Design and Global Photography are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Happy Monday, darlings! We were dying to get back to you to take you on one of those visual journeys that we love so much. So, let's not wait any longer and get ready to enjoy all the beauty surrounding Aneesa & Vernon's wedding bash. You are going to love this multi-day fusion wedding as it packs tons of captivating moments and inspiring details, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to have your pen and notebook handy to write down your favorite ones! The first day of celebration started with a vibrant and colorful Sangeet celebrated inside the halls of Events at Haven. The interiors of this venue honored its name and transformed into a magical and heavenly setting thanks to the fabulous decor and floral arrangements crafted by HotHouse Design Studio. There was so much beauty overflowing from every corner of this venue, that we can't take our eyes away from the fabulous shots captured by YNOT iMages. For the second day of the wedding, it was time to carry on with the Christian ceremony hosted at the Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook. And oh boy, we were amazed by the chic but modern style of this ceremony featuring a black, white, and gold color palette. So big kudos to Valia Rose Events, as they were the mastermind behind the planning and execution of this dreamy event! After the ceremony, it was time to celebrate the newlyweds with an elegant and luxurious reception party enlivened by B Brian Inc, who owned the stage, putting everyone to dance! This closing gala followed the line of amazingness set in all previous events and had perfection written all over the place. So much beauty and so much flair! But nothing compared to our gorgeous Aneesa, who looked like a goddess throughout the different ceremonies thanks to the exquisite makeup designed by Jayson Glenn, the glamorous hairstyle by MiRich Hair and the impressive Mehndi designed by Sonia's Threading & Spa. In between all the dancing, the delicious food prepared by BayLeaf, and the mouth-melting cake baked by Cakes by Kim, this closing gala got to an end. If you want to check more about this fabulous celebration, don't miss today's gallery!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
While Aneesa was attending Tuskegee University, two of her sorority sisters decided to play match maker for their cousin, Vernon.  Vernon was a student at the University of Alabama- Birmingham at the time.  After weeks of talking on the phone, they decided to finally get together for dinner. The rest was history! 

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Vernon planned a proposal infront of Aneesa's mothers home.  After the proposal, we walk into the home to a surprise party with all of our friends and 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 first saw a beautiful marble invitation on Pinterest, and all of the other details were then built from that.  The style we went for was chic and modern with a Black, white & gold color palate.  From the cake to the dance floor—the theme was everywhere! We shared these ideas with our planners-- Valia Rose-- and they made it all possible!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I used Utsav Fashion for my lengha.  I wanted something that had pink and gold in it.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Vernon and I loved making our dreams ideas a reality. We saw so many ideas we loved on pinterest-- but having our planner help combine them all was amazing! They took all of our inspiration and made it one!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests loved all of the details that went into planning the event. The cookies at the Sangeet were so unique and such a fun gift for our guests.  Our invitations had a beautiful gold “A V” acrylic design on them.  This same design was used throughout the wedding, which tied everything together so nicely.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The whole weekend was just so magical! The guests were full of excitement and the weekend just felt like the best party in the world.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Have fun on your wedding day! The hard work is over, and now it is just time to enjoy everything.  Something is bound to go wrong (we had a groomsman rip his pants hours before the ceremony!)- so just laugh with the craziness.  It really is a once in a lifetime experience, so make the most out of the day.

We can't think of a better way to start the week off with the right foot! If you love this type of inspiring stories, don't forget to join us tomorrow for more!

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Happy Tuesday, Maharanis! If you were seeking for bridal inspiration, you've come to the right place! Today, we are double featuring Nikkee & Suraj's big wedding celebration, and believe us; you will love it. We have the marvelous shots below, captured by Asaad Images. And if that is not enough, you can also enjoy the cinematographic delight by Riant Films featured in today's Video Blog. We are starting our journey by taking a look at the process our gorgeous Maharani went through so she could have the ultimate bridal look she always wanted for her big day. And oh boy, we loved the exquisite makeup and the sleek hairstyle designed by Simply Makeup & Hair. It was unbelievable! Padma Patel complemented this dazzling look with an artistic Mehndi, adding an extra touch of traditional flair to the overall look. Once Nikkee was fully glamorized, it was time to carry on with the two wedding ceremonies hosted at the Savannah Center. The halls of this venue transformed into a magical setting reminiscent of the interiors of an Indian palace, thanks to the perfect planning and fabulous decor crafted by B3 Event Management. After the wedding ceremonies, a vibrant reception party took place. And we wish we would have been there as everyone had the time of their lives celebrating the newlyweds and dancing to the beats of DJ Samir Productions. For dinner time, all the guests enjoyed the mouth-melting plates prepared by Tandoor, right before having a bite at the delicious cake baked by Cakes by Reva. You can always be transported back into this magical celebration of love by taking a look at the jaw-dropping shots we have compiled in today's gallery!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Suraj during my first year of college. For him, it was love at first sight but I didn’t know at the time. He was always so quiet and mysterious. We slowly started texting and I would get butterflies when I saw his name. When I first heard his laugh, I knew he was special. His laugh is so infectious! Then, one random day, he wrote me a poem. And that was it.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
After 6 years of dating, we came back to our small college town for our medical school commencement ball. The day before, we were planning to get a nice dinner together. On the way, he decided to go to the park we used to always take walks in. He had our friend, Yoseph, set up 6 pictures of us throughout the park to represent our years together. At each picture, Suraj beautifully told me one (of the many) reasons he loves me. At the end, he got down on one knee and popped the question. It was perfect.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The best part of the process was going to India and shooting our pre-wedding video. We spent the day at the farm and Suraj got to drive a tractor around. We had so much fun with the whole day and felt like Bollywood actors!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Not sure about our guests but Suraj and I definitely enjoyed our reception the most. Suraj’s brother, Sagar, and my basically sister, Manisha organized such a wonderful night. They got all our families and friends to put together dances depicting how Suraj and I fell in love. They somehow also managed to teach Suraj a surprise dance for me. It was perfect.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The most special moment was when I was walking down the aisle with my uncles and brothers at my side. I saw my grandma dancing, my parents’ eyes filled with emotions and my husband-to-be anxiously waiting for me. After all the stresses of planning and making sure everything was perfect, it was happening! It was the most beautiful moment that I’ll never forget.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
You will spend countless of hours planning and making sure everything goes perfect. On the day of, take a breath and just enjoy the day (as impossible as it may seem). Only you will notice all the small things that aren’t going as planned.

That is all for today, darlings! Stay home, be safe, and don't forget to join us tomorrow for a new lovely story!

Happy Thursday, Maharanis! We are so excited to bring you an insight into Laura & Rajesh's wedding celebration as we know this fusion wedding will brighten up your day! There is something extraordinary about Indian fusion weddings that we love so much, so you can imagine how happy we were when this wedding came into our hands. And we were dying to share it with you, so let's enjoy it together! We are starting this love journey by taking a look at a Sangeet ceremony held at the striking Tarrytown House Estate. And right from the start, we have to say that we adored every moment of this bright and festive celebration. The vivid colors and the joyful environment surrounding this opening ceremony was just the perfect preamble for what was coming down the road. And before we go any further, we want to give a big shoutout to Erganic Design for the excellent planning and execution of this wedding. We know that making a dream wedding come to life is not easy, but they nailed it to perfection! So big kudos to them! The big day arrived, and Laura & Rajesh were ready to unite their lives in marriage with two magical ceremonies, fully decored by Designs By Ahn! Our gorgeous Maharani attended all wedding events looking like a goddess thanks to Beautini by B.Lo, who took care of her beauty needs. And we cannot forget about that marvelous Mehndi designed by Henna by Tanvi. It was one to die for! The wedding celebration concluded with a reception party hosted at the Tappan Hill Mansion, and we are sure that everyone had the time of their lives dancing to the beats of Premier DJ Usa PSAV and celebrating the newlyweds. Check more of this celebration in today's full gallery thanks to the shots captured by Dave Robbins Photography!

What a lovely celebration, isn't it darlings? If you want to delight yourself with more lovely stories like this one, make sure to join us tomorrow!

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