The Platinum Guide Blog

Happy Thursday, darlings! Indian fusion weddings have something special that always makes our hearts melt with tenderness and joy, and Seema & Alex's wedding is no exception. Get ready to have a blast because today's fusion wedding packs all the things you love and so much more! We're starting this journey by joining this couple at The One & Only Westmount Country Club, where the ceremony and reception took place. L&B Events conceptualized this event to perfection, while All event Decorators by Jyoti enhanced the experience with heavenly decor. This winning combo created a soothing environment for Seema & Alex to tie the knot. Our lovely couple looked ravishing together, but it was our beautiful Maharani who stole the show! She said, "I do," looking like a princess after being glamorized by 217 Beauty. We love every bit of her traditional and glamorous look! For more amazing shots of this event, head over to our full gallery. We've compiled the best photos captured by PTaufiq Photography for your enjoyment, and sure you are going to love them!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Even though we found out later we were from the same hometown and had actually attended high school together for 2 years, we met when I was in medical school and he was working for the university I was attending.
I think I knew he was the one when I had to take my medical board exam and a few days before, we had just gotten into a huge fight. Despite not speaking for that time, the day before my exam, he showed up at my place with a packed lunch for me to take to my exam and a plan to take me out so I could relax the evening before. When I realized that no matter what was going on, he could be there for me with exactly what I needed when I needed it most, I had no question he was the one for me.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
We had a plan to go to Napa Valley, California to celebrate his 30th birthday. We were meeting a few of our friends out there and had a plan to meet at a winery. While we were there for what I thought was his 30th birthday celebration, he pulled me aside saying he needed to "talk" to me about something serious. He took me to this terrace that overlooked the vineyard and instead of having that serious talk, I found myself on the receiving end of a beautiful proposal! After he popped the question, all of our friends, (including my brother and sister-in-law who had surprised me) came running out and celebrated with us!
I had always said I wanted a romantic private proposal but I also wanted our close family and friends to be there so he made the two work flawlessly together!
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 now husband and I are of two different religions so I knew we were going to have two ceremonies as that was important to both of us as well as our families. We wanted to do all the main wedding events within a day and even though we knew it was going to be tight, I did not want to extend it past that. Luckily, we are both from the same hometown so the location was pretty easy and after looking at venues in the area, we settled on Westmount Country Club.
Regarding decor, outfits, and hair and makeup, I am not a girly girl and I am relatively simple so what I kept saying to all the vendors, is "simple but elegant!" That was the case with hair and makeup as well as outfits. I love the way royal blue looks on our Indian skin so the color was chosen quickly and we just worked around that.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
So I had a wedding sari, a wedding dress, as well as my reception lehnga. Honestly speaking, my mom picked out my wedding sari and reception lehnga in India because I was unable to go due to COVID, but I was involved via Facetime and made the ultimate decisions. I did not have any restrictions about color, I was open to anything! My mom has always had great taste and she narrowed it down to awesome choices and I could not have been happier with the outfits. My wedding dress I picked out at a local bridal boutique with the help of a few friends! It was great to have the experience of getting both Indian as well as American outfits! It was the best of both worlds.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Though the planning process was mostly stressful, I think I enjoyed working with our coordinators at L&B Events! Lisa, Betsy, and the team were amazing in taking our ideas (no matter how ridiculous they were!) and making them possible! It was great to see that come to life! Oh, and the cake tasting! That was very yummmm. Haha
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
We were told multiple times and by multiple people that it was evident that our wedding was planned not only for what was convenient to us but also for our guests. Even though our day was long, people enjoyed it because it was planned with them in mind. Also, we got MANY compliments on the food and DJ!
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
I think when we did our first look at our reception hall before the guests entered. For me, that was when it all hit me that this was our wedding reception and that all those guests in the neighboring room at cocktail hour were here for us, to celebrate our love. It truly made me feel special in a way I never thought possible. It was a moment I will never forget.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
The biggest piece of advice I have given to brides planning their weddings since I went through the process is yes it is a big day and yes you want it to be perfect, but just remember why you are doing it. Remember to take moments through the planning process to be with your person and enjoy your relationship outside of talking about wedding planning. I think it was so easy to get lost in all the details and specifics but the important thing is what comes after the wedding day, the marriage.

And that's a wrap for today, my lovely dears. I'll hope to see you again for the next grand romance!

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Happy Tuesday, beautiful Maharanis!  We will sweeten up your day with Ashley & Ron's wedding celebration! This romantic fusion wedding is one for the books, and we are sure you will love it! So let's check it out! We are starting this journey with a beautiful outdoor ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa. We love the vibe of the amazing floral work made by Mandap Creations. Our blushing Maharani showed up in a hot red Lengha embellished with golden patterns. That gorgeous look could not have been possible without the help of Brides of Sabyasachi; as they took care of it, the delightful golden jewelry was the perfect complement. This winning combination resulted in a charming look that made Ashley look like a luxury princess!  But don't let the reception behind! The green and golden lengha she wore doted her with such elegance and traditional style. We love how this lovely couple's smile and sweetness filled the scene at the reception; the guests enjoyed the lively party, with music thanks to DBI - Dhol Beat International, which put an incredible atmosphere over there. Without a doubt, it was an unforgettable day. If you can't get enough of this lovely event, don't hesitate to visit our gallery for more incredible details.  You are going to love it!  

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
The couple first met in the summer of 2015 on a downtown rooftop bar in Cleveland, Ohio, where they enjoyed time with mutual friends. After exchanging numbers, Ashley and Ronak went on a taco and ice cream date that turned into an 8-hour long affair. When you have that much in common and can talk for hours that is how you know they are “the one”
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Ronak popped the question during a holiday in Italy, in the coastline town of Manarola, Italy, surrounded by picturesque and bright buildings. We walked down by the coastline and as you looked up you could see the color building I turned around and he got on one knee.
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 had a lot of setbacks. Took us three years to plan the wedding due to moving and the COVID pandemic. This isn’t our first setback in having a wedding. We were first set on having it at a venue in Asheville, NC in the mountains but with how our lives went, it didn’t pan out. But when we moved back to Texas we knew we wanted it to be close to where we live now-- Austin, Texas. So on New Year's Eve of 2019, we signed a contract to our venue and started to plan with Hyatt lost pines. We started planning by getting a wedding planner Glizty events- Cheryl until the pandemic hit. Two days before the lockdown in Texas, my wedding planner and I were tasting all kinds of different wedding cakes. We were joking about how we hoped there would be enough toilet paper left by May 9. At that point, I first started to think we might have to postpone. When the lockdown happened. We put a lot of the planning to a halt and luckily had most of it already planned anyways. Through March and April, it was hard to think about a wedding at a time when the world was in an unknown state of lockdown due to COVID-19. The feeling then turned into not having an idea of what we would feel in an hour, tomorrow, next month, or the day the wedding was supposed to happen. We were taking it just one day at a time.
We wanted to wait until a later date when we can celebrate with those that we love safely. The decision was very difficult to make and had many components to factor in. We have been trying to hold off as long as we could to tell everyone. We wanted to make sure our decision wasn’t made out of fear. It had to be an informed and rational decision before telling everyone.
Another issue we faced was most of our guest list was outside the state of Texas. Some of our guests were even coming from outside the United States. With guests who are flying in from all over and the unpredictable times, it is hard to manage what places had restrictions or not. The wedding date in August just didn’t seem feasible and there is too much worry about making sure everyone could get here safely. Our suppliers though had been nothing but amazing. Every single one has done everything they can to help us. Most suppliers have gone above and beyond with their support, some waiving late cancellation fees or delivery charges and some going even further. We are not finished talking to everyone, and we’re hoping to keep all the ventures the same and support a bunch of small business owners in the process.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
When picking out my wedding outfit I wanted it to reflect my love, warmth, passion and bold personality. Tried on many dresses and bridal lenghas and kept coming back to the traditional Sabysachi Red. The bridal lengha was custom designed by Sabyasachi Mukherjee. The decision to pick red with fine golden-work touches is because it breathes in timeless traditional appeal and is an epitome of elegance. I don’t think I’ll ever look back at my bridal lengha and regret it.
My reception outfit was based on my favorite color of emerald green and pink. Green is the color of life, energy, and renewal. Also a customized design by Sabyasachi Mukherjee
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
I think one of the most enjoyable parts of the wedding process is touring venues. You can be envisioning yourself actually walking down the aisle and making your first twirl around the dance floor as a newlywed.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think guests really loved all the details we placed into the wedding. It took a lot of design meetings to create the look. A lot of people loved our personal touches and how we included our dogs. We are huge in the dog rescuing community and couldn’t envision our day without them. We even place dog cake toppers on our cake. A lot of people mentioned what they loved about the wedding was the food. They also loved the lively spirit and everyone dancing at the baraat and dance floor.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
I think a really special moment at my wedding is when we were up on the mandap the flowers on the mandap were attracting butterflies and there were butterflies flying around our heads. It was a magical moment to look up during the ceremony at all the flowers and butterflies
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 married on September 18, 2021, surrounded by loved ones, including our two fur babies, who wore matching custom-made Lehengas and Sherwanis. Guests enjoyed the delicious Mango Lassi drinks prepared for the Baraat. Ronak’s grand entrance was accompanied by a dhol player and Bollywood music. We chose to have a traditional Hindu ceremony, wearing red, gold, and cream under a Mandap, a traditional Hindu wedding altar supported by four pillars signifying Truth, Mercy, Meditation, and Purity. The Mandap was covered with blossoms in white, pink, burgundy, and peach, and trailing greenery. The Indian fusion ceremony was performed in three languages; Sanskrit, English, and Gujarati.
The celebration switched gears to a modern reception in green, silver, and gold. I changed into a deep green Lehenga while Ronak switched to a sleek black suit. The Hyatt Lost Pines ballroom included white and gold furniture with a backdrop of geometric mirrors. The tables were covered in green and cream velvet tablecloths, gold chargers, and stunning floral centerpieces. Guests dined on delicious North Indian food. The couple cut into their four-tiered white cake, decorated with delicate pink roses. Clay look-a-likes of the couple’s two dogs served as cake toppers.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Weddings are one of the only moments you can get all your loved ones in one room so enjoy it and do not regret any decision you make. Take in every moment of the wedding day because it goes by so fast.

That is all for today, sweet ladies! Do not forget to come back for more love stories and tips.

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Welcome back, beauty queens! We are here now to enjoy Nikita & Darshan's big wedding festivities with a fantastic ceremony held at the Brooklake Country Club. So get ready to have some fun! As you already know, a significant event calls for a big celebration. This charming couple's reception party was off the charts, as they found the perfect ally in Events By Srishti, who planned and designed this gala to perfection! To take this event to the next level, Nikita & Darshan brought Tradition and Trends to take care of the decor, and what a great decision it was because the entire decoration is one to remember! There are so many details to admire! And, in case you were wondering who the mastermind behind the stunning makeup and hairstyle was, it was no other than Makeup By Anu Sarin, who showed off all their talent and expertise in creating unforgettable looks! Delight bracelets and necklaces that included some golden and dark tones complemented the style beautifully. We know it, you know it, and so did the talented team from WSS Weddings, who immortalized every moment of this luxury event so much that we were left speechless! If you want to relive this fairy tale event, don't miss the gallery we have prepared for today! You will love it and enjoy it for sure!

And that is a wrap, dear ladies! Do not forget to come back soon to enjoy more love stories and tips. 

Brooklake Country Club, Makeup By Anu Sarin, WSS Weddings and Events By Srishti are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Tuesday is here, and with it, a remarkable story comes to enlighten your day! Kushani & Mahavir had a wedding full of vibrant colors, delicate flowers, and the most significant detail, love. This event was hosted at an elegant venue, The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village. Maharanis, you know how important it's to choose a venue that makes your soul fall in love even more! Thanks to Mint To Be Events, all the wishes our couple had, came true. Every part of this wedding was beyond perfect! The Wedding Design team offers inspiring ideas and elegant designs, and this reception wasn't the exception. They decorated the salon with flowers, lights, and a palette that every guest will remember forever. The music played by Platinum Roadshow during this big day was exceptional; everyone danced and felt good. Happiness was all over the place! It's time to mention how gorgeous Kushani looked! Glam by Hitesha pampered our Maharani with delicate makeup! Lady Cakes Bakery prepared the most exquisite treats, and our couple couldn't leave them behind. Memories Studio captured the most incredible emotions and transferred them into a wonderful gallery we've put together for you. 

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met him through mutual friends in 2010. We became really good friends through high school and then started dating in college. I knew he was "the one" immediately once we started dating.
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 originally planned our wedding in Boston since this is where our love story began however covid had other plans for us. Although looking back now I am glad things turned out the way they did because it ended up being a smaller destination wedding with all of our closest friends and families present. However, given the pandemic, our planning process was quite stressful. After postponing the initial 2020 wedding to 2021 we had to wait 3-4 months before the wedding date to finalize the location due to the ongoing fluctuation gathering restrictions. Luckily all our vendors, other than the venue remained the same and we had an excellent team.  Picking the venue was harder. We cut down our guests by more than half and made a list of people who we knew had to be there. We then started to reach out to all the venues on the east coast, starting from Maine all the way down to Florida that were available during our already decided new wedding date July 25 2021, and could accommodate our guest count. We also constantly checked the gathering restrictions for each state and regularly used this as a major factor in helping us decide our venue. Ultimately, this is how we came to a decision on keeping our wedding in Florida given it was the least restrictive. Then we wanted to select a venue that could feel more like a destination wedding and steered away from Orlando because my husband's sister also went through a similar process as us and got married a few months prior to us in Orlando. Then ultimately we narrowed down 2 venues we loved on paper in Cape Coral and made a day trip with both our parents to Cape Coral to see both venues and loved the overall package of Westin Cape Coral more.
Selecting our other vendors was the easiest part. We loved our entire team and would recommend them to anyone. In particular, I loved my photo/video team due to their constant communication with me, even a year after the wedding. In terms of decor, we did have an overall royal theme vision for the wedding day and wanted to use all red flowers knowing I will not be wearing the traditional red color to bring that color out. For the other events, we based the decor and changed them after picking our wedding outfits.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew I did not want to wear red on my wedding day and wanted to wear all gold/champagne, which was something I had never seen before. Similarly, I wanted to incorporate the traditional red color of an Indian bride somehow and decided it would be the perfect bold and classy look for a reception. I did not have any color restrictions for my Garba/sangeet and just knew I wanted to wear a different color to each wedding event. This made it easy when wedding shopping. I picked all 3 of my main wedding outfits on the second day of shopping.  Once I selected this, it did make picking my Haldi, Mehndi, and Grah Shanti a little harder since I had already picked many of the more traditional colors. However, all my outfits were from designers based in Delhi India.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was definitely doing our wedding photo shoot with our photo/video team in Iceland. Wedding shopping in India was also fun since we were able to go for 1 month and we had enough time to explore and enjoy good food.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The guests loved the overall hospitality throughout the entire wedding weekend. For example, we received multiple comments about the myriad of delicious food options available throughout the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The overall weekend was very special, but one moment I still can remember is the Haldi event. The Haldi was the first combined wedding event (we each had our own mehndi and grah shanties locally in Boston). During this, when we first came together and our family was applying the paste on us it finally hit me that this was finally all happening. Also, It had a vision of wanting to play Holi at Haldi and did not know if everyone will actually play but it was really fun to see everyone get into it and have a great time.
Another special moment I constantly replay is the mangalsutra and sindoor moment. Being a huge Bollywood fan, this was something I had always thought about, and having my own moment with the man I loved was very special.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
It is important to go over the logistics of the overall wedding vision with before you start planning with your partner and any other family members involved. Also, keep the people involved in planning small and the only people you trust so you are not getting confused. Most importantly it is important to know you will never please everyone, somebody may not like something about the way you did something or who you invite so ultimately you need to remember who it is that is important to you and just worry about those individuals. For example, for me, my husband and I knew we just wanted to make sure, our parent's wishes were respected.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
We had custom hotel key cards with our photos on them, which was something I had never seen done before and was a new idea we wanted to incorporate. We did a Holi-themed Haldi which was unique and a lot of fun. We had a live firework show at the end of our raas&garba night as a finale before the wedding day. We also had a live painter present during our wedding ceremony and now have the physical painting with us in our bedroom.

Maharanis, that is all for today! Come back tomorrow for more romantic stories and incredible tips!

The Westin Cape Coral Resort At Marina Village is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Happy Thursday, darlings! Get ready to be charmed and inspired by Harita & Parth's wedding held at the Royal Albert Palace. Right from the start, we have to say that we adored Harita's look for her wedding! The outfit incorporating golden hues combined with the fantastic hair and makeup designed by BEAUT by FAR made her look flawless. And we cannot forget the artistic Mehndi design she got from Deepti Patel, which added an extra touch of traditional flair to an already jaw-dropping look. Wedding Design and Decor conceptualized this enchanting wedding following the line of beauty and elegance set by our lovely Maharani. The final result: an on-point decor that set the mood for this life-changing moment. And we wish we would have been there as everything looks fantastic. After the wedding ceremony, this event transitioned into a fantastic reception lightened animated by M4U Events. The upbeat melodies, the delicious food prepared by Cakesomenj and Chowpatty Foods, and of course, the dancing were the perfect ending for this lovely celebration. Thankfully, Ami Video captured all the beauty surrounding the entire wedding festivities. And we cannot wait for you to take a glimpse at the complete gallery we have prepared for today! Believe us; every single shot is more enchanting and captivating than the previous one. You'll definitely love it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met on the dating app “dil mil”. He flew out to see me in Ohio after a few months and he asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes. After a couple more months of being in a long-distance relationship, we went to Thailand and spent more time with each other which is when I knew he was the one
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
My parents flew out to jersey and told me they were going to some other state. They all tried to keep it all a secret but I knew something was up. Parth took me to Central Park where the proposal was set up to be. He blind folded me and walked me to the spot and went down on his knees to pop the question and I 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 planned the whole wedding by ourselves without a wedding planner. Parth being a DJ and part of the wedding industry in jersey was a huge help. He knew a lot of the vendors already so it was easy to find good vendors to work with and they were all very excited about this wedding and treated it like their family’s wedding
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I was looking at lehengas online. I had a color in mind for sure which was a maroon color. I wanted something royal but not too traditional. Then I went to Bombay and shopped around a few stores and tried on a lot of lehengas. And when I put the one on I instantly fell in love with it at Kalki. All the other ones I tried on after didn’t match the one. So I decided to get that one and it was made to my size in 3 months' time and shipped to New Jersey when it arrived it fit like a glove and I was in love with it all over again
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Planning the decor was definitely the most enjoyable because I love artsy stuff. I love designing and making this event look grand and out of the world was my goal which is what Ravi from wedding design and decor did
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
They loved the decorations, the music, the lighting, and the food. They enjoyed every part of the wedding even tho the weather was not the best. It was cold and rainy but everyone still had a blast
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The moment I walked down the aisle to meet parth
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.
The reception was the start of the whole wedding. When we walked into the room the decor and lighting blew everyone’s minds away. It was so grand and beautiful. Also, the DJ stage which we set to be 6 feet tall seemed like it was a concert instead of a wedding reception. There was so much dancing the dance floor stayed packed for the whole 5 hours that it was open.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Don’t stress about the minor details it will all fall into place. Just remember to take it every moment and enjoy and cherish every memory.

And that is a wrap, dear ladies! Do not forget to come back soon to enjoy more love stories and tips. 

M4U Events and BEAUT by FAR are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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