Welcome back to the romantic saga of Nitika & Dominic's wedding at the illustrious Crystal Plaza, where early morning light kissed delicate blooms arranged by Tradition & Trends. Their love story blossomed amidst the intellectual rigors of Caltech, where shared passions for nature hikes, baking, and melodies by Taylor Swift wove them into inseparable companions. A touching moment during their Hindu ceremony as they exchanged personalized vows still echoes in their hearts. Nitika's beauty was exquisitely enhanced by the expert hands of Shades with Prithvi LLC. As the enchanting ceremony transitioned to a vibrant reception at The Merion, the air buzzed with excitement, heightened by the pulsating rhythms from DJ Sargam & Legacy DJs. Throughout this unforgettable day, every emotion and every tender exchange was captured in the evocative frames of Lightyear Studio. Their team captured stories, crafting compelling visual narratives that brought still images to life, allowing one to feel the laughter, joyful tears, and the warmth of embraces. Do not miss it!

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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?

My husband, Dominic, and I actually met while in graduate school at Caltech. He was working on his PhD in electrical engineering while I was working on my PhD in astrophysics. We had many shared interests that brought us closer -- we loved spending time on long hikes in the mountains together, experimenting with new baking recipes, and listening to Taylor Swift. It wasn't very long before we both just felt like each other's best friends, which we both think is the cornerstone to a wonderful marriage :)

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Dominic proposed at Cliffside Park in Santa Barbara, California. He had colluded with both of our families to plan and set everything up. On the day of, we were supposed to be heading out for a nice dinner and he suggested watching the sunset over the water before dinner. We walked to a pretty overlook point where there were fairy lights strung on the trees and flowers and a table set up with music playing in the background. After he got down on one knee (and of course, I said yes!), our parents and sisters jumped out from behind the trees where they were hiding to celebrate with us :)

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
For our wedding reception, I ended up choosing an Aisha Rao lehenga. We wanted me to wear something white for the wedding reception, and I knew I wanted to wear something unique. As a nature lover, when I saw this Aisha Rao lehenga, I was so in love with the embroidered trees and birds, and I loved the pops of color it brought to the outfit. It felt like an incredible fit to my personality, so I was thrilled with it.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our wedding ceremony was a traditional Hindu ceremony, but we decided to exchange some personal vows in the middle as well. It was really special to us to be able to express our commitment to each other in our own words and to share the depth of our love with our friends and family. And I know we both nailed it with our vows because both of us kept insisting the other person's vows were the best ones :)

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
In the midst of the stress of wedding planning, it's so easy to feel like lots of little details are SO important - what color palette we should pick, which h'orderves we should serve, how I should arrange the seating chart, etc. The truth is, those things are not what makes the wedding special at the end of the day. Sure, of course, people notice that your decor is pretty and the food is yummy and such, but the #1 thing folks who attended our wedding told us was how obvious it was to them that we were over the moon to be together and that the love was tangible in the air. As a couple, that's what you'll remember too, just the joy of sharing that day together and then sharing forever together. Don't let all the little things bog you down!

We invite you to enjoy the stories that are available on our blog. Prepare to be swept off your feet!

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Photography: Lightyear Studio | Cinematography: Lightyear Studio | Ceremony Venue: Crystal Plaza | Reception Venue: The Merion | Floral & Decor: Tradition & Trends | Hair & Makeup: Shades with Prithvi LLC | DJs: DJ Sargam | DJs: Legacy DJs | Mehndi Artists: Henna by Arunika