The Platinum Guide Blog

Happy Thursday, my beloved Maharanis! Today is a special day to read and be a part of a new love story, Prina & Varun's. This journey started in front of a beautiful sunset, a heart-shaped cake, champagne, and flowers. A proposal that lent to an elegant wedding festivity at Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. A venue where Prina & Varun's life as husband and wife begun. Thanks to the excellent planning done by Aimee Monihan from Tropical Occasions and Destination Desi, this fairy tale came true. They were a winning combo who delivered nothing but utter perfection! And what is a wedding without a floral touch? Peony & Plum know this, so they decorated the event with delicate flowery details and soft colors. The reception was an absolute heaven on earth, and our gorgeous couple could not be happier! Every Maharani deserves the best, and this time was no exception! Prina wore exclusive designs from Heeral Mehta, Sari Palace, Sam Edelman, and Henna Me Beautiful. The exquisite designs by Dolled up by Lulu added an extra touch of beauty to Prina's dreamy look! The makeup and hairstyle combined perfectly, and the way Varun looks at her says it all! They are meant to be together! We cannot leave our handsome groom behind; Varun wore an exclusive design by Men's Wearhouse. I think they both looked like a real King and Queen! Don't you agree? Every magnificent event needs to be treasured forever. On this occasion, our lovebirds went with a great choice, a photo booth by  Special Occasions DJ & Lighting! How wonderful was that? We can also say the music they played during the wedding festivity was fantastic! Everyone danced and had the time of their lives! And the photographs captured by Houseman Studios are the most magnificent witnesses of this celebration of love. Why don't you take a look and fall in love with Prina and Varun? Check out the exclusive gallery we've put together, especially for you. You'll love it!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
This is Varun (my husband's) version of the proposal story:

My plan was to propose at one of the highest restaurants in Santorini at sunset after a multi-course dinner.

I told Prina we had a nice dinner that night, so we decided to go to the beach during the day. I can't confirm this but Prina says I was drinking my beach drink pretty fast :)...In Santorini there are no Uber/Taxi, etc. You have to rely on the bus to get everywhere and it's way too far and steep to walk anywhere...On the way back from the beach to our hotel, the bus missed our stop and the next stop wasn't for a few miles and they would not let us off in the middle. When we get to the stop, we realize the bus back to the hotel isn't going to come for an hour and I knew that would mess up our dinner reservation! So we scrambled to run into a hotel and have them order us a car. We get back 1 hour later than we planned to and I told Prina to get ready in 20 minutes lol...She was having none of that so I ran outside and called the restaurant manager and told her to push it out by 30 minutes.

We get to the restaurant and we have the patio all to ourselves. It's VERY windy and Prina is wearing a dress but I can't give her my blazer because that is where the ring is. Luckily they brought her a blanket. Everything was timed for the sunset, so they start bringing out the courses in quick succession. As soon as we finish  one course the waiters are taking the plates right away. I'm hoping Prina doesn't notice how quick the dinner is moving.  I'm trying to enjoy the view and the moment, but I am definitely nervous. At one point a little bird comes and starts eating the food off of our plate. It really lightens the moment.

We finish up our food, I step away for the table for a minute and they ask me if I'm ready. I say yes and go sit back down. They bring out a heart shaped cake, champagne and flowers. I hand the flowers to Prina, say a few nice words, and I get down on one knee and propose. She says yes! I. Afterwards the photographers take us to do our engagement photo shoot. The photographer tells Prina to loosen up (she's still in shock haha) and that I'm doing a great job modeling :) (I'm relieved now that this multi-month surprise I've been hiding is done).

We finish up our pictures and are sitting down to eat the cake when I tell Prina that there is one more surprise.... At that point you start to see fireworks in the sky. Her mouth drops open at the fireworks and we enjoy that moment as newly engaged!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
My friend from college owns a bridal store in Artesia, CA called Sari Palace. Our family has been going to their other store location in Berkeley, CA for years. As soon as I got engaged, I knew exactly where I wanted to go for my bridal outfits. Heeral is AMAZING to say the least. From her dress collection to customer service, it was everything I wanted and more! For my wedding lengha, I knew I wanted to wear red and keep it traditional.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests particularly loved our venue as it was a destination wedding for us + our guests. They were able to enjoy the beautiful town of Santa Barbara with the beach across the street from our hotel and a 10 minute walk to downtown. All of our wedding events took place at the hotel, which included a picturesque plaza/rotunda with ocean views. The venue + perfect weather made this venue and our wedding unforgettable!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Few words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be:
1. Follow your heart!
2. Plan a wedding that represents you both, and don't sway away from what you really want.
3. Stay in the moment during the wedding weekend, and HAVE FUN!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Thank you for including us and showcasing our unforgettable wedding weekend!

Destination Desi is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Maharanis, Tuesday is a day to read, imagine, and fall in love with a magical love story. And today is no exception!  Pooja & Milap's wedding festivities will inspire you with every detail and every moment. Our lovebirds decided to accept each other's path through life at a romantic and elegant ceremony hosted at the Westin Chicago Northwest, the ideal place for the perfect couple. J2R Events is a highly passionate and professional team that planned every detail of this wedding perfectly. I know this was an event to remember forever! Don't you think white details are always a magical touch to make your wedding look like heaven on Earth? Elegance Decor feels that, so they designed the most exquisite setting to make the bride and groom happier than ever! Our lovely Maharani and her gorgeous life partner looked so delighted. I adore them! Having music to dance to is essential in an elegant wedding like this. And thanks to  Escape Entertainment L.L.C., the experts on delivering high-quality sound and beautiful lighting, everyone jumped to the dance floor and danced the night away. Love in the air, guests dancing, and happiness all over the place. That's what a dream wedding looks like! And what is a wedding without a bit of sugar? I think we all can agree that sweet and delicious treats are always welcome, and that is why Lovin Oven Cakery baked the most mouth-melting desserts. I bet everyone loved them! And before we go, we want to give a big shoutout to Le Cape Weddings, who took the most dedicated pictures to relive these lovely memories, which I know you will enjoy when you check out the gallery we have put together for you!

That is it for today, my lovely Queens, please join us tomorrow for a new love story! 

Escape Entertainment L.L.C. and The Westin Chicago Northwest are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Happy Thursday, my sweet Maharanis! We are getting closer to the weekend, and we know you love to read captivating stories. Let's get you all inspired by Heather & Vats' Destination Wedding! Our lovebirds decided to join their lives forever at a Mexican heaven, El Dorado Spa Resorts. A paradisiac destination where your event becomes the celebration of a lifetime. Can you imagine how romantic was the exchange of the vows? We agree that the beach, the beautiful sunset, and the lovely guests are the most incredible combination to celebrate love. And to make sure every part of this magnificent event went off perfectly, Preeti Exclusive Events planned an elegant setting that turned out to be the ideal scenario for our couple. And we want to give a big shoutout to Shaadi Destinations, whose services as travel concierge were remarkable! They removed all the burden from Heather & Vats, helping them enjoy their wedding festivities to the fullest! Latin Asia One Stop put the beauty touch that everyone loved. Our gorgeous Maharani looked simply breathtaking, thanks to the sophisticated makeup and hairstyle done by Styling Trio. No wonder why Vats fell in love with Heather! You know every celebration deserves music, and this wedding was not the exception! Premier Entertainment, DJ Insomnia, DJ Gaurav Kumar, and Nihal Singh made everyone dance and connect their souls with love in the air. I know they had the time of their lives! And every single moment was captured by the talented crew from Pixan Photography. But don't take our word! Check it out for yourself by taking a look at the spectacular shots compiled in today's jaw-dropping gallery!

That is all for today, my dearest Maharanis. See you tomorrow for the last feature of the week!

Shaadi Destinations and Pixan Photography are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Good morning, ladies! We are so excited to bring you an insight into the enchanting wedding celebration of Pooja & Parth, thanks to the swoon-worthy shots captured by Peter Nguyen Studio. This beautiful wedding incorporates tons of inspiring ideas for you to start planning your wedding, so let's check it out! Right from the bat, we have to say that we adored the soft-colored decor selected for the wedding ceremony held at The Westin Anaheim Resort as it added an extra touch of glamour and elegance to this long-awaited event. So big kudos to Three Petals for their spectacular work! No wonder why they are well-known for transforming venues into magical places and making every couples' dreams come true. And talking about dreams, there is no denying that every bride dreams of looking like a princess on her big day. Still, this time, Pooja exceeded all expectations and ended up looking like a goddess after being glamorized by Dolled up by Lulu. The exquisite makeup and the sleek hairstyle, perfectly combined with the fashionable lengha from Anushree Reddy, created a vision of beauty that still has us sighing. But that is not all! We want to take a moment to admire the fabulous Mehndi designed by Henna by Tulsi. Hands down, this henna artist created a unique design, adding an extra touch of traditional flair to an already head-turning ensemble! One of the moments that we loved the most was the first look photo session, as we love when couples decide to take an intimate moment to themselves before exchanging vows! After the solemn and emotional ceremony, the event transitioned into a reception party that had a great atmosphere. All the guests enjoyed the evening and danced the night away to the rhythm of the talented DJ from 3D Sounds, who put everyone on their feet. It was the perfect way to bring the wedding celebration to an end! If you don't want to miss any detail of this marvelous wedding thoroughly orchestrated by A Panache Affair, make sure to visit today's gallery. We've compiled the best of the best for your enjoyment, and you'll love it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We actually met as kids at a Sweet Sixteen party, I was 15 and he was 16 at the time. We clicked at the time but were too young for anything to actually come of it. On top of that, he was from California and I was from New York. We kept in touch throughout the years as friends and something clicked in 2017 and he asked me to be his girlfriend. I think we knew we were meant to be for a long time but timing was just never on our side until then, but hey better late than never!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
It was like a fairytale proposal. I'm actually really hard to surprise so he gave up that idea of surprising me with the proposal a long time ago, we knew we were going to get married the moment he asked me to be his girlfriend. But the way he planned every aspect of it was perfect. He had four hand written cards that he gave to my roommates/friends from my dental school. My roommates all pretended to leave for the weekend or had plans but I had a feeling he was going to propose that weekend so I didn't make any plans. My roommate pretended to take me downstairs to help her bring up some packages to our apartment and when I looked outside the doors my other two roommates were waiting by the river balcony and they gave me my first card. We sat and enjoyed the beautiful view, popped a bottle of champagne because it was happening, the guy I had been crushing on was finally going to be my fiance. It was one of the most exciting feelings and I was just genuinely very happy. The second note was given to me by one of my best friends, she surprised me and showed up. In it, he had scheduled an appointment for me to get my nails done but since I already knew it was happening I had gotten them done two days before...oops kinda ruining his plans. The third note, came with some Taco Bell [my favorite, before they got rid of the Mexican Pizza] and I was informed to do my makeup and get into my outfit but my hair would be done at Dry Bar. Lastly, after the outfit, hair and makeup were all done - it led me to the venue where he would be proposing. At the entrance, my brother was waiting to escort me to him, not without some blind folds though. He knew I wanted my family present, it was one of the most important things to me to be able to share that moment with them. I walked up the stairs and stood there blindfolded until I heard the piano, when I removed the blindfold I saw him sitting by the piano playing the song, Perfect by Ed Sheeran. It was the most romantic gesture, he learned the song just to make that moment so special for me. After he proposed, he led me up the stairs to the rooftop where all my family and friends were present. It was truly the most perfect proposal, I wouldn't change a thing.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
My heart has always leaned more toward pastel lehengas. Originally, the plan was to go to India back in May 2020 after I graduated from NYU College of Dentistry to shop for our wedding in August 2020, but covid happened and plans were completely changed. Fortunately, we came across a shop in NYC called Ave India Fashion Design Collective where Priyam and Meera Aunty helped me find my dream wedding outfit. As soon as I saw the blush lehenga by Anushree Reddy on the rack it caught my eye instantly. After putting it on and seeing my family's reaction I knew it was the one.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
After the night of the Sangeet, one of our close friends, Viraj actually had everyone say their favorite part about the wedding. It was one of the best feelings hearing that everyone has been enjoying the wedding festivities to that moment. All the events took place in Anaheim, CA and it is odd for it to rain during August, however the day of the mehendi - the only outdoor event we had it began to drizzle. My mom considers it a good omen, that god is blessing us with the start of the wedding festivities. Everyone actually loved dancing in the rain, it was a beautiful start to the wedding festivities. Our favorite part was seeing the smiles on everyones faces and hearing/seeing how much they enjoyed themselves throughout the festivities. That was the most rewarding part.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Ahh this is a tough one because there are so many. My favorites have to be my first look with Chuck [real name is Parth but everyone calls him Chuck], my first look with my dad, kaka [uncle], brother and little brother and lastly with my bridesmaids. Everyones reactions made my heart melt. Another favorite moment was when he put sindoor and my mangalsutra on; we had been court married for a year on our original wedding date but finally having this happen made it official official and it meant the world to me.

Enjoy the rest of your day, and don' forget to join us tomorrow for more!

Peter Nguyen Studio and The Westin Anaheim Resort are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Happy Thursday, Maharanis! If you were seeking bridal inspiration, you've come to the right place! Today, we are featuring Kinjal & Mihir's lovely wedding celebration, and believe us, you are going to love every bit of it! If the name of this couple rings a bell, it is because we previously featured their wedding in our Video Blog, thanks to the visual masterpiece by Halaja Productions, Inc. However, there was so much more to admire that we decided to share with you the fantastic shots below, captured by our good friends from Studio Nine Photography + Cinema. So let's not wait any longer and get ready to dive into this cornucopia of beauty and traditional flair! The big day arrived, and these lovebirds were more than prepared to unite their lives in marriage. The day started with a romantic outdoor photoshoot at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, leading to a solemn wedding ceremony hosted at the Crowne Plaza Annapolis. Both Kinjal & Mihir attended this long-awaited event looking elegantly and fashionable in their traditional attires. Still, it was our gorgeous Maharani who captivated everyone as she walked down the aisle, looking like a princess from a fairytale. After the wedding ceremony, a fascinating and luxurious reception party took place. And we wish we would have been there as everyone had the time of their lives celebrating the newlyweds. Hands down, this was Kinjal & Mihir's dream wedding, so a big shoutout to Elegant Events, who was the mastermind that made this lovely event come to life. If you can't get enough of this sweet couple, make sure to take a look at the fabulous shots we have compiled in this gallery. It's a visual delight you don't want to miss. Not to mention that it packs tons of inspiring ideas to plan your wedding.

That is all for today, darlings! See you tomorrow for the last feature of the week.

Studio Nine Photography + Cinema and Halaja Productions are members 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.