There is so much inspiration you can find here today, Maharanis! From bright fabulous outfits to incredibly romantic sunset photos. Join me to find out all about Radha and Sukhi Sikh/Hindu nuptials! Coming from different backgrounds, this lovely pair paid homage to both religious identities with two lovely ceremonies at the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore! For her Sikh ceremony, the bride and groom decided to coordinate wedding colors, wearing a lively bright pink that definitely stand out in the breathtakingly beautiful first look images taken by Shayan Fotography! Maharani Radha was turned into a real princess bride with the help of Glow By Herneet, the bridal expert took care of all her beauty needs creating a perfectly adaptable hair and makeup look for both of her outfits. The wedding journey continued with a traditional Hindu ceremony where once again Shayan Fotography captured some special images all gathered in our full gallery!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met my husband through mutual friends towards the end of college. We didn't exchange numbers and I had forgotten about him. A few months later, our mutual friend had randomly texted me from Sukhi's phone and said his phone had died so to communicate with him through Sukhi's phone number. A year later, I learned this was all a part of Sukhi's plan to get my number. Sukhi used that opportunity to get to know me better throughout the next few months. He managed to also ask me to his fraternity formal. I was a bit hesitant but with reaffirmation through mutual friends, I decided to say yes. The more I learned about him, more I began to like him. We were such opposites but it made our conversations that much more interesting. Our relationship formed after college, in the "real world." When times got tough, we were sure to be by each other's sides. He was a caring, kind-hearted, selfless individual who always showed me the importance of bettering ourselves every day. I knew that he was the one and I couldn't imagine my life without him.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
I had just finished my first semester of graduate school and Sukhi wanted to take me to a nice dinner to celebrate. We walked into the Four Seasons in Baltimore and checked into the Wits and Wisdom restaurant inside. He mentioned our reservation to the hostess and she said it would still be about 10 minutes wait. Sukhi used that opportunity to show me the rooftop so we could look at the view. He opened the door and there were flower petals and candles all around. I knew then what was happening. He got down on one knee and proposed. Right after, all of our friends and families snuck out of the room nearby to congratulate us. It was a moment 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.
Baltimore was a city that was so close to mine and Sukhi's hearts and we knew we wanted to have it there. We looked at multiple venues but the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore was top on our list because of our proposal there. After we finalized on the venue, I knew I had to go to Bombay to pick out all of our outfits. I managed to get both mine and Sukhi's wedding week outfits in 6 days. My Mom and Mami came with me to make sure I absolutely loved the outfits and wasn't settling, even if that meant walking miles from store to store all week. For the decorations, Sukhi and I were open to any decorator who had experience with an Indian wedding at the Four Seasons. Our wedding coordinator, Nicole Platek, introduced us to Vanitha Kuppalli from Manus Wedding and Events. As soon as we met with her, we knew she would be the perfect decorator for us. Her love for decorating is so genuine and you can tell she truly loves weddings and helping couples. She made sure our decorations were exactly what we discussed during our meetings. For Hair & Makeup, I didn't have to ask around because I knew who would be the best person to doll me up- Glow by Herneet. She was Sukhi's best friend's wife so I had known her for some time and always admired her work. She made me feel so beautiful on my wedding day! As far as our photographer, Sukhi and I wanted to work with someone who expressed love for photography and also someone who was fun to work with. Sukhi and I can sometimes be as stiff as cardboard when we try to post. Shayan Fotography was the perfect photographer for us! They made sure to follow up with us after every step to make sure they can capture every detail. Fahim and Taz were amazing! We met them for two of our engagement photoshoots and we could tell they would be perfect on our wedding day.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Because we were going to have both Sikh and Hindu weddings, I knew I had to get two completely different styles and colors for the wedding. For the Sikh wedding, I wanted a bright colored gown and for the Hindu wedding, I wanted a dark red lengha. I had followed designers Chamee and Palak on Instagram so they were my first stop. I tried on my first wedding lengha there and I knew it was the one. I wasn't at all hesitant about saying yes to my FIRST lengha because I was so in love with it. They also customized my pink gown for the Sikh wedding and it was just the way I wanted it. They are the most helpful designers I've ever worked with and they make sure you LOVE what you're buying.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process is the initial stages of looking at venues. It's the phase before the chaos and stress. My husband and I seemed to be on the same pages with what we liked and disliked and we didn't feel pressure from the venues to make any decisions. Searching for venues gave us a chance to explore different parts of Baltimore. We looked at six different venues but after every visit, we knew our heart was set on the Four Seasons. Baltimore has always been an important part of mine and Sukhi's relationship and now after the Proposal, Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore help a special spot in our heart. We were in love with the views of the Inner Harbor and we couldn't even imagine how great the pictures would turn out. Additionally, Nicole Plattek has planned the entire proposal with Sukhi and we were ecstatic to be able to work with her for the wedding. She was so detailed orientated and enjoyed the process as much as we did.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I would have to assume that the guests loved the scenic views the most about our wedding. We made sure to space out the events for the guests to be able to mingle and take pictures around the venue and by the balconies. I've also heard from guests that they enjoyed the flower wall for pictures.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
A lot of the wedding day was a blur for me because of lack of sleep, stress, and making sure everything went according to plan. After both the Sikh and Hindu ceremonies were over, we had a 3-hour break until the reception. After the weddings were finished, I was completely stress- free. I broke my fast and had my first meal. The special moment at my wedding that constantly replays in mine and Sukhi's entrance into our reception. All of our guests were seated and applauding, the decoration looked beautiful, and I just remember being the happiest and relaxed at that time. That feeling took over me the rest of the night and I had the time of my life.
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 the reception, we wanted a cool blue tone to match our outfits and the blue views from the hotel. The reception decorations consisted of lots of flowers, chandeliers, and candles. Vanitha did an amazing job in bringing our vision to life. We wanted to do a classic decoration with blue's, white's, and a splash of gold. We had a white dancefloor to complement the lighting. For the dances, our bridesmaids and groomsmen threw together the most amazing dance performance. They even managed to convince Sukhi to jump in for a couple of dances- Dil Le Gayi Kudi Gujarat di & Rolex Remix. My bridesmaids made sure to hold weekly dance practices with the groomsmen for 1.5 months and everything came together so well. Sukhi and I also had a couple of reception entrance dances- 1 Bollywood and 1 Bhangra. My parents also managed to surprise me with a dance to the Punjabi Wedding song and it was the cutest.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
My words of wisdom for future brides would be to try and remember every part of the wedding. Take it all in because as stressful as this process will be, the wedding day will be worth it no matter what. Remember that your wedding day is about YOU and no one else. And if possible, try to get as much sleep as possible the night before the wedding. Make sure you have your T-1 duties assigned to bridesmaids or family. Also, try to allocate some time in between to spend time with your bridesmaids. Not only will you get great pictures out of it, but friends are perfect for lightening the mood! And finally, have as much fun as you can! The day goes by in a blink of an eye and you'll only remember the moments if you're excited and having fun!
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Mendhi by the incredibly talented, Bhavna Naik
Cake by Charm City Cakes
Videography by Raheel Khan
DJ/MC by Live Sound Entertainment
After the religious rites, there was still an important moment for Radha and Sukhi. See our next feature and find out!
Mehndi Artists: Bhavna’s Henna and Arts |
Photography: Shayan Fotography |
Ceremony & Reception: Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore |
Floral & Decor: Manu's Weddings and Events |
Hair & Makeup: Glow By Herneet |
DJ: Live Sound Entertainment |
Cinematography: RKZPhotography&Film |
Cake & Treats: Charm City Cakes
Bhavna’s Henna and Arts and
Shayan Fotography
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