The Platinum Guide Blog

Tuesday, a romantic day to say "I do" to a new love story. My gorgeous Maharanis, today the protagonists are Bhavna & Siddarth. A lovely couple who decided to celebrate their love with Punjabi and Sikh Wedding Events. One of the most memorable celebrations this beautiful couple hosted was at the luxurious Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles. They know the secret to a flawless wedding is uncompromising attention to detail. So, to make the venue even more perfect, Maryam Shah - Embellish LLC put together a magical décor that made everyone feel like they were in a dream. The lovebirds wanted to make every guest feel the music to celebrate their love; that is why they called DJ Shiv - Shivish Entertainment. This team certainly played the best music selection and provided the energy to keep everyone on the dance floor! Bhavna & Siddarth couldn't be happier! The music really brought everyone together to have a well-deserved good time. As we all can agree, every grand celebration deserves the best catering. Diya Bistro prepared exclusive dishes for the big day, and let me tell you; they fascinated our lovebirds and guests. Along with a delicious dish comes the sweetest three-tier wedding cake. Sultana Sweet Delights - Tahirah Khan baked a delightful treat that I am sure our lovebirds still hear good comments from their guests. It was a cake to remember! Maharanis, let's admire the undoubtedly couple's beauty. The bride was astonishing, thanks to Bridal Elegance by Suman Khosla. They did an exceptional hair and makeup job that caught everyone's attention. They also dressed our Maharani in the perfect gown. Henna By Shazia also did an incredible Mehndi art that made our Bhavna even more charming. Ted Baker London pampered the groom with a classy tuxedo. He looked handsome! Beauty, fashion, and elegance are words that represent these newlyweds. Monika Chadda enchanted everyone with the coordination of a fantastic dance with some of the couple's friends and cousins, along with a solo performance of our Maharani's favorite Punjabi folk song, Lathe de Chadar. To relive the most significant moments of this event, Maria Fasih Studios captured a beautiful set of photographs. And we've put them all together in this charming gallery for your enjoyment. So make sure to check it out! I promise you will love it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I’d lived in New York for several years when Sid and I matched on a popular dating app - Coffee Meets Bagel. I remember our first date vividly. We met at a quaint sushi restaurant in the Upper West Side for lunch, and instead of going off to run errands afterwards as planned, we ended up spending over six hours together! We made our way through various Upper West Side bars, talking about everything under the sun. It was like we had been friends forever and I was super excited to see him again.

Given Sid had just moved to the New Jersey to start his Endodontics residency, meeting was difficult. But we met whenever we could, and we both always left our dates feeling so comfortable and at ease...usually after sharing an amazing meal together. It was clear we had built a foundation of friendship which is so important in a relationship. But a few months later, I found out some amazing news - I was moving to California for a dream job at Google! Sid was so supportive of this, but we decided it may not be the best time do pursue a relationship, especially long distance. We did, however, decide to remain friends.  Our friendship continued with many phone calls and FaceTime calls, until  on a whim, I invited him on a work trip to Barcelona - and he said yes! It only took about one romantic meal and a glass of wine the first night for us to realize we couldn’t fight destiny any longer. That weekend was the most special weekend of my life, because I realized I was in love with my best friend. The rest we say, is history!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Sid was wrapping up his residency and I was taking a work trip to Singapore. The timing fell right around our one year dating anniversary, so we decided to make a big celebratory trip out of it! The plan was to spend a few days in Singapore after my work event and then fly out to Langkawi, Malaysia for some beach time. We arrived late on a Saturday night so we could spend some time exploring on Sunday before work kicked off for me on Monday. I woke up Sunday extremely jet lagged and cranky, but Sid suggested we go watch the sunrise at the Singapore Orchid Gardens - a UNESCO site right outside the city. The morning was a mess. I accidentally flooded my hotel bathroom when showering (long  story), Sid blew out his lower back, and I ended up realizing I needed to finish one thing for work before my event on Monday. By the time we made it out to the gardens, not only had we missed the sunrise, but it was over 90 degrees, humid, and extremely crowded. We walked around  and made the best out of it, but we both surely weren't in the best of moods. It was only as we were leaving the gardens, Sid noticed a beautiful fairway full of lush green grass and suggested we sit and take everything in after a whirlwind morning. As we finally were able to relax and chat about being together for a year and how happy we were, I was staring out at the beautiful landscape. I didn't even realize Sid was getting the engagement ring out of his pocket! It was then he popped the question, and of course I said yes. Given the time difference, we were able to just enjoy the moment and celebrate 1:1 for several hours before we made our calls to our family and friends back home, which made the moment all the more special.

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 were supposed to be married in May 2020, but the universe had a different plan for us and the many other would-be 2020 brides and grooms! I am extremely detail oriented and admittedly picky, so while I did get stressed at times, I really enjoyed the process of planning out every last detail of the wedding. Thus, when we had to cancel our wedding in 2020, we really just had to think about "lifting and shifting" the majority of our plans to a rescheduled date.

Coming from Punjabi families, we knew we wanted to have all of the traditional Punjabi and Sikh wedding events, while mixing traditional and western traditions. We held two events at my parents' house: a Chunni (engagement) ceremony for the families, and a Mehendi for all of the female guests.  I always knew I wanted to do some of my wedding events at my parents home and it really exceeded my expectations! It was extra special as my sisters and I did the design and decor on our own for the home events.

Our sangeet and wedding venue, the Westfields Marriott, was a dream. The #1 reason I wanted to have our wedding there was because of their beautiful terrace surrounded by lush greenery -  I always wanted to have an outdoor Anand Karaj (Sikh Wedding Ceremony) and the terrace was just perfect for it. I had a really clear vision for our ceremony - a simple, clean rustic theme - and ur decorator, Maryam, absolutely nailed my vision. I loved the reception hall we chose for the. massive chandelier and the huge windows. We kept the decorations simple with a same green and white motif as the ceremony.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
When I went to India (New Delhi) for my wedding shopping, I never expected to fall in love with such a traditional dress. I was laser focused on something modern and non traditional, probably in a light pink! But the second I tried my dress on, ONLY due to the insistence of my mom and Masi (aunt), I knew this was "the one."

My wedding lehenga featured a burgundy satin velvet blouse embellished with zadozi embroidery, done with dabka, nakshi, sequence and zarkan work, in intricate goodly floral jaal and dense merging grids, paired with tonal satin velvet lehenga embroidery inspired with tradionational architectureal, floral and grid patterns, coupled with tonal embroidered net dupatta with scalloped heavy border and floral jaal all over. From @frontierraas "Regalia" collection, I felt like a real life Punjabi Queen from the Mughal Empire! My outfit featured a second dupatta in a light peach net to compliment my husband's sherwani, which featured peach dabka embroidery, and our bridal party's peach and gold outfits. It was pulled together with a matching crystal tassel belt.

My beautiful kundan chooda, from @sangini_accessories in Delhi,were paired with ruby and gold kalire.

I kept my wedding jewelry fairly simple, with an antique champagne stone and ivory pearl choker, matching earrings and tikka, and a pearl embellished naath (nose ring).

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the wedding planning process was definitely pulling all of our looks together and doing wedding shopping in India. Given work constraints, we only had 8 days to shop for clothes and accessories for myself, Sid, Sid's brother, my mom, my two sisters, two nieces, two nephews, AND our bridal party of 15 (!), for 4 events total. Though stressful, it ended up being really fun to find the perfect pieces and we literally would be out from dawn to dusk each night. When we returned home each evening, we would do a show and tell for our family of the days finds. We got really lucky that we were able to stay with our family that lives in a great area for new and upcoming designers, Shahpur Jat, so I was able to find some really unique pieces.

Once we finalized our outfits, I really loved the process of figuring out "the look" for each event. Shout out to Suman Auntyji for helping me bring my vision for each event to life!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
After a year and half of being stuck in the house during a pandemic, I know our guests really loved the intimacy of a small Indian wedding (which is pretty rare) and the energy on the dance floor the sangeet and reception night. We would be remiss if we didn't give DJ Shiv a HUGE shout out for absolutely killing the music selection and providing the energy to keep everyone on the dance floor until the very last minute. He took it all in stride for some our guests favorite dance floor moments, including letting me steal the mic for impromptu raps and speeches, an impromptu limbo session during the reception, and many "naagin" (snake move) dance circles. The vibe was just perfect each night and really brought everyone together to let loose and have a well deserved good time.

We also are still hearing from our guests about our wedding cake, which was a three tier "Rasmalai Inspired Cake" from a local baker, Tahirah Khan, of Sultana Sweet Delights, as well as the Chole Bhature at the wedding lunch, which was made by our wedding caterer, Diya Bistro.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The wedding ceremony itself. I didn't expect to feel so emotional, but I was just so overwhelmed with love for Sid and our family and friends, most of whom traveled from all over the country to be there, freshly vaccinated in the midst of a pandemic. During our "lavaan" (marriage rounds) three of my best friends turned brothers - Rob, Satwant, and Gurpreet- stood at each corner, as well as my cousin brothers Vikas, Amit, and Deepak. I felt so blessed and loved having them by my side during such a milestone moment. My sister, Reena, who is a beautiful singer, sang a Shabad (Sikh Hymn), accompanied by her husband, Eran, on the keyboard. After the Anand Karaj, Sid and I exchanged our own vows, which were from the heart and brought both of us to tears. It was truly a wedding representing a union of two souls, as well as two groups of friends and families.

I should note that during our ceremony, there were tons of cicadas flying around. The 17-year cicadas  hide underground and only make their appearance every 17 years, like clockwork, in the northeastern quarter of the United States in order to mate and lay their eggs before going back underground. Remaining underground for so long gives the next generation a survival advantage when they eventually emerge again in 17 years. While they weirded out some of our guests for sure, in looking back, I find the symbolism of the cicadas being present at our wedding to be really beautiful. It's almost how we all had to quarantine for a year before the wedding and then emerged for a beautiful union and beginning :)

Also during my Sangeet, my parents surprised us with a “Punjabi tappe,” which was called “Kothe te aa Mayya.”

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.
It was awesome to have the chunni ceremony the day before formal events, as it served as a sort of "welcome dinner/meet and greet" for our extended families. For the Mehendi, my friends, who live all over the country, flew in and came straight to my house and kept me company while I was getting my mehendi done. For the official function, we sang traditional Punjabi wedding songs and also some American hits like Backstreet Boys, accompanied by the dholki!

On Saturday morning we had the choora ceremony while Sid (the groom) had his haldi ceremony with his family. It was so fun to see my kalire fall on the heads of ALL my single friends, which means they are all next to the wedding altar. That evening we had the Sangeet, hosted at the hotel, where our friends and family surprised us with a slew of singing performances and dances! Sid and I are both very much into music and I am a HUGE dance/Bollywood fan so I always dreamt of a performance-filled Sangeet. We had songs sung by cousins, friends, uncles, our siblings, and my parents, as well as speeches from Sid's best friend Prashant and my best friend, Courtney. For the dances, my best friend Monika, who is an TOP NOTCH choreographer, coordinated a huge dance with our friends and cousins, along with a solo performance of my favorite Punjabi folk song, "Lathe de Chadar." My sisters Reena and Navita, and best friends Gurpreet and Namita, also did amazing Bhangra dances. To top it off, my little niece, Iyla, and nephew, Evin, did their very first Bollywood dance, and we all melted!  Sid and I also surprised the crowd with a couple's dance to "Morni Banke." This was probably one of the most special moments, as Sid is not a dancer, and had never performed before! Just for me, he learned this choreography so we could fulfill my dream of having a true Punjabi Sangeet -- and he killed it!!!

Sunday was the big day. We kicked off with Sid's Baraat, where he chose to ride in a white Jeep Wrangler Renegade decorated with marigolds instead of the traditional white horse. Before entering the building, we had the Milni ceremony and my bridesmaids and bridesman made sure no one would enter until the groom paid up :).

The reception was the grand finale of the weekend. Sid's brother, Sunny, and his uncle and mom made very heartfelt speeches. My sister, Navita, also made a beautiful speech. I surprised Sid with a singing performance of Etta James' "At Last," to express how much he means to me. Much to our surprise, our family, friends, and nieces and nephews had more dance performances planned, the highlight being an epic performance to "Jalebi Baby," a classical performance by my sisters to "Ghar More Pardesiya," and dances by my brother in laws, Vani and Eran. The rest of the night was followed by many drinks and non-stop dancing in true Punjabi style.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Choose vendors you connect with and trust. You end up spending a year or more with these people planning, and if you have the wrong people by your side, you should trust your gut to go with someone else. There should be nothing stressful about your wedding weekend . If you feel that will be the case during your planning process, you should act accordingly.

I'd also say make sure you get your timeline for the weekend right and go over it several times with ALL of your vendors. For example, your photographer should confirm you have enough time for photos etc., your caterer should have input on when the food should be set up, etc. That synergy is key to ensuring everything runs smoothly! I'd also say have a point of contact for both families to assist with moving things along, even if you have a planner.

Maharanis, that is all for today, come back tomorrow for more!

Bridal Elegance by Suman Khosla, Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles and Maria Fasih Studios are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Bridal Elegance by Suman Khosla VIEW PORTFOLIO

Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles VIEW PORTFOLIO

Maria Fasih Studios VIEW PORTFOLIO

For more information on how Platinum Guide members are chosen, click here.

Happy Thursday, my beloved Maharanis! I hope you are ready to read today's incredible story featuring Aanchal & Jay's wedding celebration. This adventurous journey began online! How awesome is that? By the third date, our lovely Maharani knew Jay was the one for her, and Jay knew she was the one for him. He proposed to Aanchal by organizing a flash mob. She is a real Dancing Queen! After three different plans, the couple decided to host a beautiful event at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, a National Historic Landmark. Elegance, luxury, and history, all at the same place. Can you imagine how perfect this wedding was? Thanks to B3 Event Management, the planning went beyond fantastic, and the romantic décor they put together was what the Bride and Groom expected to celebrate their love along with their guests! Every part of this event was magical. Emotional moments, blessings, and lots of love were present during Aanchal & Jay's wedding festivities! Dancing is an essential detail of a celebration of love. Our gorgeous Maharani and handsome Raja decided to make everyone dance to the beats DJ Mavi Productions played. You can see every guest enjoyed it! My dears, I think we have to mention Aanchal's delicate beauty. During her big day, she was pampered by Flawless Beauty Salon. Our Maharani's fashion style and the delightful makeup done by this team made the perfect beauty combo! Thanks to the jaw-dropping photographs captured by Making the Moment Photography, we've put together this fantastic gallery for your enjoyment! I promise you will fall in love with this couple and their big celebration of online love!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met my husband online! I honestly didn't know what to expect going on our first date, but our first date turned into a date everyday! I knew he was the one by our third date, from his kind heart to his infectious energy I knew I wanted a partner just like him.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Jay proposed to me by organizing a flash mob, and dancing to my favorite songs! I have been dancing since I was three, and he knew how important dancing was in my life.

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 our wedding three times due to covid (ugh), but all our vendors were amazing from B3E to Flawless Makeup and beauty to our favorite photographers Making the Moment. Everyone was so understanding when we moved our wedding, the vendors went out of there way to add special touches such as smoke bombs at the baraat to special candle lit tables honoring all our loved ones that passed away.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew i always wanted Anita Dogre, her designs match my style so well. I wasn't sure if i wanted traditional or unique, but as soon as I tried a red lengha with shades of blue I fell in love. The intricate details of a forest on my lengha was hard to match!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Shopping and pre-wedding photos! Both shopping and photos are Jay and I's favorite thing to do so naturally we had so much fun doing it!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our venue! Hilton netherland plaza never fails to WOW and combined with B3E bringing my unique designs it was a huge hit!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My husband crying as soon as he saw me, I knew he was going to be emotional but it's a different feeling when you actually see it.

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.
My sangeet was one of our best events. From the morcooan designs to my bright green lengha everything fit together so perfectly. I had my entire family do an ongoing dance with different entrances, solos just like a bollywood movie.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Relax!! I can't tell you the amount of times I cried due to moving my wedding and having a lot of my family not being able to come, but at the end of the day it's about you and your husband the rest will take care of itself. If you don't relax it will show to your guests and in your pictures!

Making the Moment Photography and DJ Mavi 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.

Happy Thursday, darlings! It feels great to have you back because today, we elevate the romance with Anmol & Indrajit's wedding celebrated at The Tides Estate. So get ready because we are about to witness something truly special! Before her much anticipated walk down the aisle, Anmol spent some time with Tamanna Malik Artistry, who took care of her makeup and hairstyle needs with royal treatment. This natural beauty became the ultimate bombshell knockout thanks to the sleek hairstyle and the exquisite makeup that focused on her beautiful eyes and the artistic Mehndi by Henna by Tanvi. No wonder why Indrajit couldn't take his eyes off of her during the romantic photoshoot carried out by the talented team from Ray Antoni. After the initial photoshoot, it was time to celebrate the wedding ceremony that united these two lovebirds in marriage. The couple brought The Little Things by Arpita on board to help spearhead wedding planning, and the result was a wedding ceremony brimming with tradition, elegance, and beauty. Partyland Sajawat outdid themselves with the decor creating a gorgeous backdrop that revolved around a captivating Mandap in soft pink and green hues that set the mood for this life-changing event. This fantastic planning and decor added an extra touch of Indian flair and romance to an already perfect setting! After the wedding ceremony, all the guests were ready to celebrate the newlyweds in a vibrant reception party enlivened by MVPDJs. Our charming duo showed up to this event elegantly and fashionably, and we loved the look on them! Hands down, this reception was the best way to end the wedding celebration with a bang. Ladies, for more amazing shots of this wedding celebration, head over to this jaw-dropping gallery. You will love it and will get tons of inspiring ideas to plan your wedding!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met on Tinder in 2015! We swiped right and we met on the corner of 42nd and Broadway. I had just finished having dinner with a friend and Indy had come from a happy hour. He tried to find a bar so we could grab a drink, but his phone ended up not catching data (he was using pay-per-MB data)!  Our first date ended up being drinks at the Olive Garden bar in Times Square. From that first date, it was like fate. We talked as if we were old best friends that had just been out of touch for a couple years. It was strange how easy the conversation was. From that day, through numerous traveling adventures and the ups and downs of life, we've have been inseparable ever since.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Our proposal story started with a trip planned for our 4 year anniversary at a beautiful resort on the island of St. Lucia called Ladera. Indy had been planning this trip during my 2nd year of medical school in between 2 of my semesters during a break.  Although I usually have most of the itinerary planned on most trips we go to, Indy had been planning the details of the actual anniversary day as a "surprise". He had the ring picked out and a photographer at St. Lucia who was supposed to take us to a remote dock by the beach where he would propose and capture the moment on a drone. The photographer captured the moment seamlessly while including the natural beauty of the island.

Indy’s cover story for us wearing matching outfits was that since this resort was a romantic couples getaway, it came with a package deal of a photoshoot that we would use on our anniversary. Then right between a few shots where the photographer had us facing away from one another, I turned around and Indy was on one knee! I was so shocked! I still can’t remember what he said and I froze! The photographer then took us to a few more locations including an abandoned coffee plantation and isolated beaches. Then we returned to the resort and were surprised with champagne, roses, chocolate cake and our entire suite and pool decorated with candles!

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.
Our main strategy when it came to planning was mostly divide and conquer. We started with choosing a venue and both narrowed down options in NJ. Indy took charge of negotiations and budgeting.  As for the other vendors, Indy took charge of researching and finalizing our video/photo and DJ and I took charge of décor, cake, and color schemes for outfits. Buying wedding outfits was an obstacle for us since our flight to India was canceled due to COVID and we decided to get custom designed outfits locally from Nazraana at Oak Tree.

The hardest part for us was asking for an RSVP for our guest count since we were asking guests to respond right in the middle of COVID. To make sure we had an accurate count, we subdivided our list into 3 lists and were sending out invitations for approximately 3 months. We even added a COVID tab on our wedding website to describe our health precautions and ensure that all guests felt safe attending our wedding. Aside from that, we used numerous excel sheets and even created our own wedding programs, welcome bags, weekend itinerary, designed our own dance floor and even our photobooth backdrop. Indy and I (both super type A planners) took the smaller details into our own hands to make sure everything was perfect.

We also want to take a second to thank The Little Things by Arpita for helping us coordinate the wedding day and ensuring every second of our event was magical and exactly what we dreamed it would be! Arpita and her team were nothing but the best and would highly recommend her to anyone who hasn't decided on a day-of coordinator. She was one of our best decisions!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I personally did not have too much time to spend on picking out a wedding lengha since I was in the middle of interviews for residency but luckily I am extremely decisive. I was probably the 1% of brides out there that bought the first lengha I tried on! It was a very versatile and delicate piece that I knew I could creatively change with the dupattas I wore with it. I also hated the idea of wearing a heavy uncomfortable lengha all day long. I am definitely more of the “comfort” bride. My bridal lengha checked off all my boxes – simple, elegant, versatile and delicate.  To my surprise, after seeing lenghas in person, I knew I wanted to do something different and out of the ordinary than the typical “red Indian bride”. Since our theme was Enchanted forest, I knew I wanted to choose more neutral colors to contrast the greens in the décor.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Food tasting and cake tasting (of course)!! So many favorite parts of this process, including picking decor, shopping for a venue, and doing our pre wedding photoshoot in California. I think every aspect of planning that helped make our dream wedding vision become a reality was enjoyable. However, our favorite part of the process was all of our family and friends meeting one another on the days leading up to the wedding!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests loved the heartfelt speeches given by my dad, Indy’s mom, the best man and the MOH/sister of the bride as well as the decor and dances at the reception. They were blown away by how accurately we followed our theme and how much effort everyone put in all the performances not only in the reception but also the Sangeet. The dance floor was full all night!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Every moment of the entire wedding week was so special to the both of us. From graduating medical school, to Indy’s 30th birthday and each and every event that same week there was not one event more special than the next. We both put in so much energy and effort in making sure everything went perfectly. Ultimately, even with all the weather mishaps and changing our outdoor wedding to be indoors, we were blown away by the love, happiness and support we felt that entire week from family and vendors.

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 wanted to make our wedding theme an experience for the guests, so we including low lying fog as guests were entering the grand ballroom, dancing LED ballerinas and hanging greens that the guests would have to  walk through to enter into the room. We made sure to stick to the theme even when hiring our live musician and we chose a Harpist to greet the guests during cocktail hour. From the save the dates to the dance floor, we even incorporated our wedding logo in every aspect of the wedding (on the save the dates, invites, dance floor wrap, photobooth printouts and more). We coordinated with our Décor team to incorporate our favorite greens like Eucalyptus on every table, hanging greens and a touch of gold in every event. For the ceremony we decided to incorporate a golden gate that would be the entrance of the aisle to give a magical feel to the mandap design.
Although we were upset that so many of our guests could not make it from India due to COVID, our family asked family in India to record a congrats message that we would play at the reception to surprise us! Instead of giving our guests wedding favors we chose to donate to the COVID fund for India in memory of our late grandparents.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Everything will work out in the end, don't get dragged down by the small details! Be decisive, move forward and always lean on each other for support during the wedding planning process. If you as a couple can survive wedding planning, especially during COVID, that’s a testament to your marriage!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Mehndi- I graduated medical school the same morning as my mehendi. Luckily, I was able to attend my ceremony, hop into an Uber the second after the graduation ceremony ended and head straight to my mehendi event without missing a thing! Also to commemorate my graduation, I was able to get a small medical logo on my designs along with my graduation year "2021".

Wedding cake- We had our cake stand custom made by our decor vendor Partyland Sajawat to give it an enchanted forest vibe. It helped not only elevate the cake but because it was decorated in greens it looked like an edible part of the cake itself!

Wedding lehenga - Because of COVID, I was unfortunately unable to visit India for all my shopping but instead I was able to get a little more creative in making my lehenga unique. I chose an outfit that fit more of a reception look and created a double dupatta bridal look. I had 2 custom dupattas custom made in India that helped contrast the neutrals/rose gold tones in my lehenga with a peach and bold red, contributing to the whole whimsical, yet Indian bride vibe.

Thanks for joining us today, darlings. See you tomorrow for the last feature of the week!

The Tides Estate, Henna by Tanvi and Equishare Baraat Horses, Rickshaws and Carriages are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

The Tides Estate VIEW PORTFOLIO

Henna by Tanvi VIEW PORTFOLIO

Equishare Baraat Horses, Rickshaws and Carriages VIEW PORTFOLIO

For more information on how Platinum Guide members are chosen, click here.

Happy Thursday, Maharanis, and welcome back to yet another stellar feature! Today Recall Pictures will take us on a visual journey through the sleek and modern wedding of Niharika & Naman, and believe us when we say this shindig is one for the books! Featuring dazzling decor and fashions, we know these photos will provide plenty of pretty bridal inspo. We are obsessed over gorgeous Niharika's traditional yet fashionable outfits that made her look like a Queen throughout the different wedding festivities! The exquisite makeup by BridalGal, the oversized Kundan jewelry, and the artistic Mehndi by Mehndikalogie were true game-changers in Niharika's sensational ensembles. Wedding Design transformed The Marigold's halls into a magical setting thanks to the beautiful decor created for this event! The soft-colored floral arrangements, the beautiful Mandap, and the fancy chandeliers provided the perfect setting for Niharika & Naman to tie the knot in the presence of their family and friends! Anywhere you looked, there was somehting to behold, and there is no surprise here as Urvashi Mishra - Radz Events was the mastermind behind all the planning of this grand event. The final result: Beauty and elegance at their best! After the wedding ceremony, it was time to celebrate with a luxurious reception party animated by Premier Entertainment. They put everyone on their feet, and the only time the dancing stopped was to take a bite at the delicious food prepared by Moghul Caterers and the mouth-melting cake baked by Palermo Bakery. Without any question, a sweet ending for a sweet and charming story. If you can't get enough of this wedding, don't miss today's full gallery. Every single shot is breathtaking, and we are sure you'll love them!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Naman at college orientation at The Ohio State University. Go Bucks! We happened to be sitting next to each other at one of the orientation lectures and got to talking about how he is from New Jersey. As we kept talking, Naman asked me what my major was and it ended up being the same as his. Then he asked if I was living on campus and I said yes. We then found out that we were living in the same dorm, on the same floor! Our suites ended up being near each other, and we had classes together as well so we quickly became close. It was fate!

I knew he was the one a few years into our relationship. We got along so well and had so many of the same interests. We had fun together and were happy just sitting and talking or watching movies.Our time together never had to be anything crazy, but we loved being together. Whenever we weren't together, we missed each other. I knew I couldn't imagine my life without him.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Naman and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas in March of 2019. We had dinner reservations that night so after I got ready, Naman asked me to take some pictures outside on the balcony outside our room. When we went out there, he got down on one knee and proposed during sunset! It was especially meaningful because he worked with a jeweler to design my ring. It made me feel that much more loved because he took the time to do that. 

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 worked closely with our wedding planner and families to get through all the details of the events. Our wedding planner, Urvashi, did a great job of keeping us organized and on track to make sure everything got done on time. The service at the Marigold was unmatched. They were very helpful to the bride and groom but they were also great to all the guests.

Lilly Rivera of Bridal Gal was amazing. She made me look and feel like a bride. She was very responsive throughout the planning process and listened and took notes during our trial.

Wedding design did a great job of understanding our vision and style for the events. They worked with us to make sure the color scheme would be just right for each event and that it would mesh well with our outfits.

Premier entertainment provided great service as well. They were very helpful and responsive during the planning process and thought of so many details. We didn’t want a DJ who would hype up the crowd too much; we wanted the music to speak for itself. Premier entertainment understood that and set us up with a DJ who fit our style.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew I wanted to go for a dress with a pink tone. I also wanted the details on the dress to be easy to see and not overdone. I tried on a few outfits that were lighter in tone, but I realized a darker tone may look better in the daytime. I tried on a dress that was a red wine color and it had some gold and blue details on it as well. I knew it was the one, the minute I put it on. I loved everything about it!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was seeing the final products come together, the food menus, decor ideas, favors, etc. It was amazing to see all our hard work and the countless hours of planning make everyone happy. It was astonishing to see how the vendors brought our visions to life.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests were raving about the variety of food in all our events. Moghul Catering went above and beyond in helping us create the perfect menus for our events. My husband and I love different kinds of cuisines and we wanted to incorporate that into our wedding while also staying true to our Indian roots. Over the course of all the events, we had Indian, Thai, Mediterranean, Japanese and Italian options for our guests. Many of the items were Indian inspired like the paneer tikka sushi made fresh by a Japanese chef. The food was definitely a highlight of the weekend!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My husband and I aren’t big on the usual entrances that are done in weddings where the bride and groom are introduced and come dancing in. Instead, our wedding planner, Urvashi, helped us come up with a reveal. While our same day edit was playing for the guests at the reception, we snuck onto the stage and as the same day edit ended, the spotlight flashed on us, music played and sparklers went off. It was a magical moment!

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 weekend kicked off with a combined Haldi and Pooja at my husband’s family house. We had a beautiful backdrop of orange flowers and colorful umbrellas. Friends and family were able to color us full of Haldi.

That evening we gathered for an outdoor welcome dinner at a family friends home. The night was filled with friends, family, delicious food and lots of dancing.

The following night was our Sangeet at Martinsville Gardens. We used the outdoor courtyard space for our cocktail hour. The fountain was a focal point and we also had various food stations around the courtyard covered by large, decorated, maroon umbrellas. The decor in the ballroom was Moroccan themed. Floral pieces and Moroccan lamps filled the stage. To go along with the theme, we also had herbal, flavored hookah available for our guests to enjoy during the cocktail hour. Family members and friends did dance performances and we had a few singing performances as well. We also played the wedding shoe game in which we’re asked questions and have to hold up the shoe of the bride or groom depending on who fits the answer best. It was an entertaining evening! Once the performances were done, the dance floor opened for the night. Towards the end of the night, our guests were able to enjoy the paan cart by Mr. Paanwala. Chocolate paan and mint mojito paan were among a few of the flavors they could choose from.

Our reception cocktail hour was a good time for our guests to mingle and enjoy appetizer while listening to the electric violinist play modern and classical songs. The reception itself started with the playing of our same day edit and the bride and groom’s reveal. Then we went straight into our first dance in the clouds created by dry ice. We danced to crowded room by Conor Maynard. Following this, our parents gave speeches and then my father and I had our father daughter dance. We danced to Daughters by John Mayer. We chose to have a cupcake tower instead of a traditional wedding cake, so that our guests would be able to easily grab and enjoy different flavors. The night moved on with dinner and plenty of dancing. We then had an incredible Viennese dessert display.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
The planning process can be overwhelming and frustrating at times, especially now during covid, but I would say that your wedding day will be exactly what you want it to be. In the end the details don’t matter as much as just being able to celebrate your relationship with your family and friends. Everyone is there to celebrate you as a couple and that’s what you should focus on.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Mehndikalogie did my bridal henna and it was breathtaking. The intricate details were so precise and beautiful.

We chose to do a cupcake tower and Palermo Bakery did a great job of replicating the designs I showed them. We had vanilla, chocolate and red velvet cupcakes with buttercream frosting. The frosting colors were just what we asked for and the cake was delicious.

Thank you for joining us, ladies! See you tomorrow for the last feature of the week.

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Good morning, ladies! We hope you are ready for a new love story because today's featured wedding is one that we cannot wait to share with you. Encompassing elements of glam, fashion flair, and luxurious venues - you won't want to miss a single minute of Rikita & Ankit's grand wedding celebration. Ankit popped the big question, Rikita said, "I do," and now it was the time to make these lovebirds' dream wedding come to life. The festivities kicked off with a joyful Sangeet celebrated at the Rasoi III. And we have to say is that this event was a cornucopia of all the Indian traditions that we love so much. For the wedding ceremony, we need to go to the imposing Hyatt Regency Princeton, where the celebration was complete with unique floral and decor, mirroring the captivating look of our gorgeous Maharani after being pampered by Beauty By Payal. Hands down, this celebration rivaled many weddings we have seen here at Maharani Weddings, and we were utterly blown away by the extensive attention to detail. For the reception, all the guests danced the night away to the beats of Dj Sunny Entertainment, who turned this celebration into a party! For more details of this fabulous wedding, head into this spectacular gallery where you can relive the special day over and over again, thanks to the visual masterpieces by Lightyear Studio. You are going to have a blast!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Ankit and I met in April 2017 at an engagement party. We hit it off instantly, however, our story didn't begin until January of 2019. We reconnected at a friends event in January 2019 and it was like we never skipped a beat. Ankit and I officially became my boyfriend and girlfriend on February 15, 2019.

A few weeks after we had we officially became a couple I had gotten sick and was mostly spending my days with him. He took care of me while I was sick. He made sure I ate, took meds on time, he even put vicks on me to make sure I would be able to breathe properly. I knew he was the one during that time. Nobody has ever taken care of me that way (except my mom) it was so nice to have him there to take care of me. In those few days of him taking care of me I knew he was the one. The only people that take care of you that much when you're not feeling well are either your parents or spouse and I knew one day I'd marry him.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Ankit and I knew we were made for each other fairly quickly into us dating. We had already planned our coconut ceremony otherwise known as the indian engagement (August 17th 2020). So I knew the proposal was going to happen but not as quickly as it did. He asked me to go to dinner one night in the city to my favorite restaurant and told me he wanted to check out a few spots where we could do potentially do our engagement shoot.

As we were heading to the city, he told me his best friend and his girlfriend were going to be joining us since they were in the city so I naturally didn't think anything of it. We went to Race Street Pier to check it out and see if it would be a good spot for our engagement shoot and his best friend and girlfriend were with us. (Race Street Pier is fairly close to where we first met in 2017). He took me closer to the water and started reflecting on our relationship and how far we had come as a couple in the few short months we had been together. I still didn't think he was going to propose to me because Ankit would always reflect on our relationship and tell me things about how far we've come and where he sees our future heading. Before I knew it he was on one knee asking me to marry him. All I remember from everything he said to me was that he can't imagine spending the rest of his life with anyone else and that he loves me and would I marry him. I was mostly in tears (happy tears) that the man of my dreams - better than my dreams finally asked me to marry him and I was going to be able to spend the rest of my life with him. Ankit planned it so perfectly!

He then told me we were really going to go to dinner and that his best friend would join us. We were taking an uber (anyone that knows me knows I need a GPS to get anywhere in the city even though I've lived in the city). We got out of the uber a few blocks away from the restaurant. As we were walking he said lets stop by and see Bobby really quickly. Bobby is the owner of Karma and we had already decided long ago that if and when we get married Bobby would be our caterer for the wedding. As we are walking in we are walking upstairs and it seems kind of loud so naturally I think Bobby must be super busy and I tell Ankit maybe we shouldn't bother Bobby right now. Ankit reassures me that it's totally fine and Bobby wouldn't mind us dropping in. As we walk into the room upstairs the first person I see is my brother, Ankit's brother and our friends and some family. I automatically start crying again because he once again surprised me with an after party with all of our favorite people. The entire day / night was anything but ordinary, Ankit thought of everything and all of the little details that I would notice to make this a dream proposal. I will never forget August 24, 2019. I can't believe we are coming up on 2 years of being engaged and now we are finally married! By far the best decision I ever made (outside of school and career) is dating Ankit.

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.
When Ankit and I decided this was it for us and we told our families about each other we knew we didn't want a super long engagement. We knew were having our indian engagement in August 2019 I knew the proposal would also happen at some point in 2019 as well. We decided to start looking for venues (even though we weren't engaged at this point) because getting a venue would be one of the biggest decisions we make we didn't want to waste time. We started looking July 2019. By the time we were already engaged, indian engagement and proposal we narrowed it down to the Hyatt Regency in Princeton and signed out contract with them.

Most women know what they want - at least I did when it came to our wedding. Ankit had a few requests of his own. He wanted to be the one to hand pick the DJ and catering the rest he said we could do want I want and figure it out together. So I left figuring out the music and catering to him (catering we knew would be Bobby from Karma) so that really just left the DJ. My makeup artist I knew I wanted to be Payal Patel because she makes brides look like royalty. I did reach out to a few other makeup artist to do a price comparison but when it came down to choosing I didn't want to cheap out and knew that a makeup artist was extremely important to me so it worked out since Payal was available. Payal did my makeup/hair/drapping and my mom's - we looked flawless to say the least and I felt like royalty throughout all of my events.

I also, hired Beauty by Barkha to do family/bridesmaids hair and makeup. I have been following Barkha for quite some time on social media and loved her work so this was another easy decision. My bridal party/family also deserve nothing but the best. I reached out to Barkha and she was super excited. When I finally met Barkha that Thursday before the wedding she was so sweet and kind hearted. She even put makeup on my niece who is all of 4 years old and made her feel like the princess she is. She was so kind and warm to my family and bridesmaids. She is a gem of a person!

Another makeup artist I hired for family/bridesmaids is JC. I've known JC since I was in college and she has super powers. JC is not big in the indian community but she is fantastic to work with! She has been doing my makeup/hair for years now and I of course wouldn't want anything but the best for my people. I hired JC so that my family and bridesmaids wouldn't have to get up super early the day of the wedding and this way everyone looks phenomenal and can get in some much needed beauty sleep.

Decor wise I knew Nirali Decor was best in the business I absolutely love her work so we setup a meeting with her. I wasn't necessarily too picky about what I wanted decor wise. The only concept I knew about was the mandap - I wanted a dome structure with greenery and white wisterias hanging from the structure. Nirali was able to do that the rest of the decor was easy to pick out with Nirali's help. I also, wanted my entrance during the wedding to be grand in a way with a touch of old school. I wanted to come out in a Doli other wise known as a Palki. I have dreamed of this since I was a child ever since seeing my masi (aunt) come out in one for her wedding (I was 5 when she got married) but that image is still in my head and that was in India. Nirali had a range of selection for Doli's and I picked the one that made the most sense to me and the look I was going for. Nirali was extremely responsive and made sure throughout the entire process I was happy and everything I asked for would take place. One of the easiest decisions I have ever made!

DJ Sunny Entertainment was Ankit's pick. Ankit knows music a lot better than I do and he assured me everyone would have a blast from kids to adults. They were so great to work with and super flexible!

Light Year Studios - Our Video/Photographer - I knew Nathan and Thanh were the one for us! Nathan and Tanah have done weddings for friends of mine from college and their work speaks for itself! They are fantastic at what they do! Nathan and Thanh are extremely reliable and work so well with all kinds of people. He made sure we got in all of the shots we wanted and then some. He made our events flow with ease. Easily one of the best vendors we have worked with! We didn't have to tell him to do anything really he knew exactly what needed to be done and when and he kept us on schedule!!

Rasoi III was our venue for the Vidhi and Garba - another fantastic choice! I've been to quite a few events at Rasoi III and they are always on point with everything! From communication, execution to food! One of the most important things during any event is food for an indian wedding! The people won't really remember the decor or anything else but they will remember the food and the music! Rasoi III has phenomenal food and you couldn't find anything better.

Karma Philadelphia - was our caterer for the wedding day and reception! The food tastes exactly like how it tastes during the tasting and there is really nobody better in the business! If you are allowed outside caterer I highly recommend reaching out to Bobby to get a tasting done and HIRE him and his team! They made sure everything was exactly how we wanted. Our guests are still raving about the food and what more could you want as a bride and groom!

Weddings by Nihar Makwana - Nihar is one of my best friends who also does video and photography. He did the photography for my Mendhi and Mendhi Party. Not only did he do that but he also was my event planner. He did such a great job executing everything from making sure everyone was where they needed to be to making sure we were on time for everything and so much more. He even made sure I woke up on time to get my hair and makeup done the day of the wedding.

Ice Gola (Garba) - Ankit and I are huge on dessert and no event is a event without some good dessert. if you've ever had a snow cone is this next level to that! I have always held ice gola to close to my heart because when I was younger my nana would buy me ice gola every day I spent with him in India when I went to visit him. This made me feel like my nana was with me and to top it off the guests LOVED it!

Mr. Softee (wedding) - No wedding is a wedding without some ice cream! We had the Mr. Softee truck come to our wedding for out guests to be able to cool down after the vidai and it was a HIT! Who doesn't love some soft severed ice cream on a hot summer day!!

Duck Donuts (reception) - We hired duck donuts to do a donut wall and it was a HIT with all of our guests! They even provided to go boxes for you to be able to take donuts back home / back to your room. These donuts are not like any other donuts, you could eat a dozen donuts and still not feel like you did. They are extremely savory, light weight and so, so, so good!

Sweet Eats Bakery(reception) - We got an additional 3 cakes by Sweet Eats Bakery. All of our favorite flavors. Strawberry shortcake. Chocolate chocolate fudge and chocolate chip vanilla. They were all a hit with our guests!

Cramers Bakery (reception) - They made our wedding cake and provided pastries. Another hit with the guests as well! Cramers made sure that my vision of our wedding cake came to life and it looked absolutely stunning!

321 Chillz (reception) - Like I said we are huge on dessert for of course we needed some more ice cream for the reception! Radhika and her team did a great job with the execution of the ice cream! Not only does it look great but also tastes great! Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the desserts to say the least!

Outfits - Ankit, my father in law, my brother, and my dad all had their outfits custom made by Teenagers in Anand, Gujarat. Ajay is the owner of Teenagers in Anand. We went to India to do our wedding shopping in 2020 before the pandemic and Ajay was able to bring Ankit's vision to life with all of his outfits for each of the events. We even had Ankit's groomsmen outfits custom made by them. Along with my Mendhi outfit also custom made. All of my outfits for by Teenagers along with my moms and mother in laws as well. It was a one stop shop! Such great quality and such good people to work it!

Aakya U.S. custom made my Pithi outfit, bridesmaids outfits, and flower girls and ring bearer outfits for me here in the U.S. Aashumi is the owner of Aayka and I was her first customer. She is such a great person to work with. She made my visions of all of the outfits come to life!

Damari Savile - Ankit had his reception 3 piece suit custom made by Damari Savile in downtown Philadelphia. This suit was so well put together it even incorporate Ankits name, my name and our furbaby's name Chutney in the inside of his jacket. This suit fit like a glove, Ankit looked so dashing in it - he took my breath away!

Maharaja turban - Ankit had a sword made by them with our names engraved and wedding date. Along with a hand crafted elephant and a spotted lion representing Africa (where he was born) the mask was made from steal. The entire sword was fully customized and made how he envisioned it. Maharaja Turban is located in Vancouver and the sword was made by a blacksmith in Punjab. Ankit wanted something of his own for the both of us. As many indian families have heirlooms passed down to their daughters (gold/ other jewelry etc.) but very rarely have anything to pass down to their sons. The hope we have is one day if we have a son we can pass the sword down to him to use for his wedding. If we have a son our son will be able to have his name and his spouse's name engraved with their wedding date and he can then pass on to his son and so forth.

Our wedding was originally set for July 18, 2020 however, due to the pandemic we decided it was best to postpone the wedding keeping in mind our family and friends safety. We decided to have our wedding on July 17, 2021 and we could not be happier with the decision we made. We were able to celebrate with all of our loved ones and our vendors were extremely accommodating with rescheduling all of our events.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
When I went to India in 2020 I went to India thinking I wanted a pastel color for my wedding lengha but I also kept an open mind and nothing was set in stone. I tried on a few lengha's as I was picking out outfits for my mom just to get a feel for things. The wedding lengha I wore the day of the wedding I tried it on (velvet, maroon) and I just sat around in it, twirled around in it for what felt like hours. But in reality I sat in it for 45 minutes exactly just looking at it and envisioning myself wearing it the day of our wedding and I knew it was the one. It gave me all the bridal feels a bride to be is supposed to feel. It was perfectly stitched and not too loud just enough for me to feel comfortable and like a bride. It had floral designs in it and I absolutely LOVE floral, it was the most perfect lengha I could have ever dreamed of.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process through all the stress and having to postpone the wedding was having Ankit by my side every step of the way. I am definitely the more emotional one between Ankit and I and he kept me level headed. Though we postponed our wedding and during that time it felt like our wedding was ages away we decided to go the untraditional route and live together. I was always against a live in relationship at least before marriage (call me old school). But postponing our wedding a full year changed my mindset a bit. Moving in with Ankit made our relationship so much stronger, we were able to learn so much more about each other. The transition as most would say is difficult however, for us it was seamless and it brought us so much closer to each other. I moved in with Ankit right when COVID began so we were in complete lockdown and weren't able to go anywhere. If you are able to live with your spouse without needing a break from them during a lockdown I'd say you have a very strong relationship and you can overcome any hurdle together.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests loved the dessert bar we had. Who doesn't love an array of different options of sweets from indian to american. It was a hit with everyone including the food for all of the events! The music was another things the guests really enjoyed - I even had guests come up to me and ask what did we tell the DJ we wanted our playlist to be. Honestly speaking, we didn't give them much we just told them what we liked and what we didn't like. They were able to curate such an amazing playlist for us and lots of Drake since my husband is the biggest Drake fan I know! We loved our DJ / the team!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
There are 4 moments in my head during the wedding weekend that constantly replay in my mind.

1. When I first saw Ankit during our first look. He looked so handsome, like a King that he is. I couldn't believe it the day was finally here where I get to marry my best friend!

2. When I saw my parents for the first time that morning when I was getting ready for the wedding. My parents were so at peace, I don't think I have ever seen either one of them so calm, so at peace, they were simply just happy for me and for Ankit and for us to finally get married. We took a few pictures together and they were just so happy to be the first ones to see me and spend some quality time with each other before all the chaos began.

3. When my brother walked me down for first Vermala as the baraat approached. He told me I looked beautiful and asked me if I was ready. Then when he was front and center to pick up the Doli to bring me inside the ballroom. I felt so at peace knowing my brother was by my side throughout it.

4. When Ankit and I officially became husband and wife in the mandap. It felt surreal - finally the day we had been waiting for since 2019 was finally here and we were finally husband and wife. No better feeling than knowing I get to spend the rest of my life with him and our furbaby Chutney!

5. During the vidai I fully expected my mom to cry because she had been crying throughout the week and was so full of emotions but when my dad cried, that hit a different nerve. There were so many emotions going through me during that time. I have never seen my dad cry and for him to cry during my vidai it was so emotional for me. I still cannot find the words to express what I felt during those moments. I consoled my dad telling him "don't worry dad, I am still your daughter, I only live 7 minutes away from you. I still come over all the time and bother you" and he chuckled a little bit.

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.
Vidhi - Ankit and I had two separate ceremonies. Though, our family and friends both painted us yellow head to toe for the pithi. It was lots of fun and we wouldn't have wanted it any other way!

Garba - My cousins did such a great job with their dance performance! I am still in awe they were all in different states and still managed to pull of a great performance!

We danced the night away from garba, raas to just breaking it down on the dance floor.

Shoutout to all of my family and friends for never leaving the dance floor and making the pre party to the party a hit!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Brides to be - my biggest advice to you is though things may not go exactly how you planned (and trust me that will happen because that's just life) take it with a grain of salt, stay calm and be at peace because the most important part of your events the week/weekend is your marrying the love of your life nothing else matters in those moments. I don't know how I managed to stay so calm, at peace and zen throughout everything and even with things not going as planned but it turned out to be the best week/weekend of my life and I owe a lot of the peace and calmness I had to my friends and mostly to Ankit. Knowing I was marrying him kept me calm.

Another big advice to you although it maybe a bit difficult HYDRATE and EAT! Have a friend that is not in the bridal party help you to make sure you eat something to make sure you drink water!!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
I had my jewelry custom made in Boroada, Gujarat by a shop named Vivaah Bridal Jewellery. They made my vision come to life. I got all of my jewelry hand made by them for all of my events! They were so great to work with!

I had my mendhi done by Tanvi who literally was able to incorporate everything I wanted in my mendhi. From the bride and groom figures to the radha krishna to Ankit and my furbaby Chutney. My mendhi was one of a kind!!

I went through our decorator to get the bouquet for my bridesmaids and Nirali did not fail to amaze me - she delivered!

Don't forget to join us tomorrow for the last feature of the week!

Hyatt Regency Princeton, Lightyear Studio and Nirali Decor are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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