The Platinum Guide Blog

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.

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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.

BridalGal and Mehndikalogie are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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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!

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Good morning, Maharanis! I hope you are ready to dive into a real-life fairytale because Karla & Umesh's fusion wedding celebration will brighten your day and will melt your heart with tenderness and joy. So, get ready to have a blast! We love seeing Indian fusion weddings as they are a cornucopia of beauty, elegance, colorful decors, and above all, because we get to see how two different backgrounds become one through love. So, you can imagine how happy we were when we laid our eyes on the marvelous shots captured by MnM Photography, as every single shot was a perfect ode to extravaganza and traditional flair! But such a level of perfection and beauty is no casualty. Karla & Umesh had a fantastic lineup of wedding vendors working tirelessly to design their dream wedding. SB Events Co worked their magic orchestrating this event to perfection and found the best ally in Events by Faiza. Together, they crafted spectacular backdrops for the different ceremonies and wedding events hosted at the Omni Hotel Downtown Dallas. Although we've talked about all the beauty, amazingness, and elegance surrounding the two wedding ceremonies, we haven't forgotten about the star of the day: our gorgeous Karla! She nailed the ultimate bridal look thanks to MS Painted Lady and Sheetal's Henna Designs, who made her look like a goddess throughout the entire festivities. After the two wedding ceremonies, it was time to celebrate the newlyweds with an elegant reception party enlivened by DJ Riz Entertainment. Hands down, this was a night to remember, and we are so glad to have this spectacular gallery to enjoy all the amazingness surrounding this grand event. So, go check it out and get ready to have a great time!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Umesh had just moved to Phoenix after completing his residency and was starting his Geriatric Fellowship. I was working in Urogynecology at the time, and he so happened to have one of his rotations in the clinic I was working. Our paths crossed in the operating room during a patient case, and I am so grateful for that. I never thought I would recognize when someone was 'the one.' People always told me I would 'know' when someone was the right one for me, but I could never quite conceptualize that until I met Umesh. I knew he was the one for multiple reasons. Our values aligned; family has always been very important to both of us. We have always had healthy conflicts; he is always receptive to feedback and also respects boundaries. He has always been so open and honest; he lets me vent. He encourages me to make time for the aspects of my life outside of our relationship that also make me happy. He has helped my relationships with family and friends flourish and become even better and more stable. He has always felt like home; he sparked a light in a time of darkness for me. He has helped me see what it means to feel secure emotionally, physically, and mentally.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Umesh proposed on his birthday weekend. We had a group of friends join us at an Airbnb in Flagstaff as we had plans to go skiing/snowboarding. The morning of, a spontaneous hike was scheduled with the entire group. Everyone knew I was not keen on hiking but was agreeable as this is something Umesh wanted to do on his birthday weekend. The weather outside was perfect, and the scenery was beautiful. As we got 15 minutes into the hike, I started seeing rose petals on the ground and increasing by number. I automatically thought we would ruin someone else's surprise, so I turned around to try and push everyone in the opposite direction, but they kept moving me forward. Next thing you know, I turn around, and Umesh is down on one knee asking me to marry him.

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 knew we needed a wedding planner since we were getting married in Dallas, TX, and we live in Phoenix, AZ. We found Samiya with SB Events Co. and could not be more grateful to her and her team. She made the planning process very stress-free. She understood our vision and guided and directed us towards vendors that would make our dream wedding come to life. We got married at Omni Dallas Hotel. We had multiple ceremonies throughout the weekend, and Samiya worked side by side with their events coordinator to ensure things ran smoothly. Ms. Painted Lady (Alex) did my hair and make-up for the Hindu ceremony, western ceremony, and reception. The remainder of her team made sure the bridesmaids looked flawless. My Sangeet lehenga was from Chamee and Palak, Bombay, India. Their customer service was amazing! And the quality of the lehenga was stunning! It fit me perfectly. My Reception lehenga was from Studio D Dallas, Divya. My wedding planner had provided me with this vendor's information. She was so amazing throughout the process. And she was very accommodating, considering I could only fly to Dallas for fittings twice due to the pandemic. The lehenga was an absolute show stopper! My western ceremony dress was from Mariee Bridal in Scottsdale, AZ. The staff was accommodating and organized. We used DJ Riz for entertainment/DJ. He brought the excitement, especially during the Baraat, to hype up the crowd. He played a good blend of Bollywood and Latin hits along with top 40, which made the Sangeet and Reception fun-filled events. Our wedding theme was very modern with a touch of Indo-Mexican traditions. We used Events by Faiza, and she was terrific. We were only able to meet with her in person once due to COVID at that time. However, she was able to replicate our vision, and she made it all come to life. Our decor for Sangeet was much more colorful and lively. We incorporated both Indian and Mexican traditions. We had a bindi/bangle bar and henna station. We also had sombreros, maracas, and fans (abanicos) for our guests. The Hindu ceremony was grand - a lot of florals mixed with golds and a mirrored aisle. The western ceremony was simple yet elegant with acrylic accents and white floral arrangements. We had this ceremony outside with the views of Downtown Dallas. The reception was captivating. We had LED walls along with our DJ. We had a breathtaking floral ceiling treatment above the dance floor with our monogram in gold. We had Folklorico dancers and mariachi performances. DJ Riz made sure the dance floor was never empty. We had the pleasure of working with MNM Photography. I could not be happier with their work. Murtuza's style and attention to detail drew us to him and his team. We are forever grateful for the fantastic and beautiful memories he was able to capture for us.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
As we look back on our wedding, our guests loved how effortlessly our cultures blended. A lot of our traditions (although different in their ways) symbolize the same values. It was a very emotional experience, and we are so glad that our guests could be a part of it with us. I loved seeing my grandfather (who speaks very little English) walking over to Umesh's aunts and uncles from India and introducing himself. We were able to see our families mesh so well together after only having just met is something that we will always hold on to.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The seamless connection among Indian and Mexican cultures and how receptive and welcoming both families were to each other throughout each event.

Make sure to join us tomorrow for a new romantic love story!

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Happy Tuesday, lovely Maharanis! We are delighted to be back as we were dying to share today's love story with all of you. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to have a great time! Trushti & Nikhil are a loving couple who hosted a grand wedding celebration at the Sheraton Eatontown Hotel. The couple chose an outdoor wedding celebration, as there is no better decoration than the sun, the colorful flowers, and a beautiful mandap designed by Wedding Design Decor. It was a whole lot of beauty planned by Detailed Affairs Team! And we cannot talk about beauty without mentioning Trushti 's head-turning looks. The classy makeup and hairstyle designed Makeup by Marrisa & Hair Guru perfectly combined with the exclusive outfit KYNAH designed for the Haldi Ceremony. And we adored this winning combo as the colorful scene was breathtaking! My dears, if you want to have an elegant Mehndi specially designed for you, Mehndikalogie is the one to call. You will not regret it! For the wedding ceremony, Marwar Couture took care of this Maharani's fashion needs and made her look like a goddess, while Riana Jewellery enhanced this bridal look with their exclusive jewelry designs! After the wedding ceremony, it was time to celebrate the newlyweds with a fantastic reception party marked by the captivating look of our gorgeous Maharani, who donned a fashionable attire by Payal Keyal and sparkling pieces of jewelry from Aetee Designs. Hands down, this was the perfect ending for this real-life fairytale. And as you know, all sweet and charming stories deserve a sweet ending, and that's where Chocolate Carousel comes in handy! They baked a mouth-melting cake that looked so delicious that we can almost taste it. For more details of this wedding, don't miss this spectacular gallery by House of Talent Studio. It will make you fall in love over and over again!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
He is a pilot and i work in an IT firm, i was flying to california to see my sister for holidays that's when my mom sent me his bio data. We met after that and the rest is history.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Best proposal ever, he was going to take me around new york city in those small planes and he was going to fly. That morning he made some excuse and he told me to go, i didn't want to go without him but he was adamant. His friend was going to take me around now, we were doing the pre-checks on the runway, and suddenly I saw him . I got happy thinking that he is coming with me now.All of a sudden I heard bollywood music and he was bending on one knee, i came out and I saw all my friends, my sister and everyone standing in the back with the will you marry me sign. It started raining when i said yes.

Tell us how you went about planning your wedding, and your overall experience with the Venues, Hair & Makeup, Outfits, Decor Theme, and all of the other important details.
I always wanted all the events at one place, so I was looking for a venue that had multiple locations  for different ceremonies and also we had a hotel upstairs so it was convenient for all guests to stay in. When I saw Sheraton for the first time, I was in love with the beautiful chandelier all over and all the modern vibes. They had a beautiful outdoor location where we did our wedding ceremony under the sun.
For me the decor was the most important thing because it can definitely add an extra wow factor to the place. Weddingdesign & Decor team were perfect. We chose beautiful fresh flowers décor for our wedding ceremony and for reception we did a completely different look. Royal blue theme with hint of gold. Our guests loved both the decor because it was so different from each other.
For my Hair & Makeup I hired  Dawn & Marisa, They did my makeup & hair at my SIL's wedding. I didn't even think twice before booking them. Marissa did an amazing job with all my looks, the makeup was so fresh and clean. I showed Dawn exactly what i wanted with my hair, different hairstyle for each events. Everyone loved it. They are the best.
As our wedding planner we hired Detailed Affairs team , literally best decision ever. They were on point starting from vendor meetings, walkthrough. They literally took care of everything.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I always want to wear red on my wedding day but i was looking for something unique. Because of the pandemic i was not able to go to India for my wedding shopping, so i shopped all the outfits online including jewelry for all events. When i saw the video out of my wedding outfit for the first, i was in love with the outfit. It was exactly what i wanted  , gorgeous and unique.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Planning a wedding during pandemic is STRESSFUL !!! I planned everything from here as India was under strict lockdown, got all my pre-events, wedding & reception outfits online. I also got all my Jewelry for all events online. I used to be on calls & video calls with all the vendors until 2-3 am everyday. Instagram was a savior, I used to look for different designers, outfits, and all trending styles 24*7. Funny part , now I get a message that my screen time has reduced  by 60% post wedding LOL. The best part after all the stress is looking at everything coming together, trust me best feeling ever.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
All the guests loved the Wedding & reception decor. They also loved the idea of outdoor wedding, we lucked out on the weather, it was freezing outside for all our pre-events and I really wanted outdoor wedding , it was 75  degrees. They also loved the flash mob dances, for my sister, Sil & bridal party walk, I asked them to do a small dance, instead of just walking in. Still obsessed over that

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
At our wedding when nikhil was putting the sindoor on my forehead, it fell on my nose. Everyone kept saying that means he loves you alot. I had the biggest smile on my face.

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.
People always say  the wedding is always about the bride, i wanted it to be about nikhil as well. I got customized kalree with small airplanes hanging, he absolutely loved it. I did small gestures with airplanes, we had airplanes on our cake. The  Reception seating chart was something different related to aviation.
For the wedding we had a lively baraat procession consisting of Bollywood bangers, colorful smoke bombs and choreographed performance by the groom's sisters & brothers on our family's favorite song "chotte chotte bhaiyo ke" . Following his energetic entry, I made my way to the mandap with my sister. It was a perfect sunny day  & our gorgeous fresh flower mandap looked perfect . And, ending it all on a high note, we drove off as newlyweds in our Slingshot Car.
A grand party that celebrated our love along with our loved ones,  the reception was packed with glitz and glamour. Nikhil and I made a smashing choreographed entry on the ‘Aeroplane’ song. Furthermore, touching speeches by our friends, siblings, and parents added an emotional touch to the event.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
For all the other Bride-To- Be i would say The big day will be over before you  even realise it, don't stress over the details. Just Enjoy. Always go with what you & your partner want, remember it's your day not anyone else's.  Pick everything that you both like, don't think twice if you love it, don't forget you will remember this day for the rest of your life , so no regrets. A wedding should be an expression of your unique style & story together.

What an inspiring wedding celebration! Make sure to join us tomorrow for more lovely and inspiring ideas.

House of Talent Studio, Mehndikalogie and Detailed Affairs Team are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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