The Platinum Guide Blog

Good morning, Maharanis! We are in the middle of the week, and we are here to give you a re-fill of inspiration. Today we have something special prepared just for you. We are double featuring Niti & Sudhir's wedding festivities. Today you will be able to enjoy the phenomenal visual masterpieces captured by the extraordinary talent from Biyani Photography, who presented us with a fantastic film that you can relive here. On this installment, we are showing their detailed photo captures, which will fill you with so many emotions. To begin this journey, let me take you to the exclusive Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria for our lovely duo's wedding ceremony. Right from the top, we must say that the hall was entirely decorated by Mandap Creations, who went above everyone's expectations decorating a beautiful scene with mixed flower arrangements, lights, and veils giving a luxurious and traditional environment to this ceremony. Such talent! Niti, our gorgeous Maharani, walked down the aisle with such a royalty look, wearing a marvelous lehenga from Priti Sahni. This sleek attire praised her natural beauty leaving everyone speechless. Hands down, she made the right choice by choosing Hilda & Co for her beauty needs. You are welcome to relive this ceremony in today's gallery!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met my Sudhir on Dil Mil. At the time, he was finishing up his last couple of months of residency in Lubbock, TX while I was working and living in CT. We both knew early on this was it. We texted and FaceTimed almost everyday for 4.5 months before we met for the first time. He came to see me in NYC and even though it was a short weekend trip, we had the best time. Every time we met after that was even better than the last. Sudhir told me early on he knew I was the one for him. I knew it early on too but only admitted it after I saw him with my parents and sisters. Our relationship was always long distance and although it was difficult at times, it forced us to really get to know each other and really helped us build a strong foundation.

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.
Planning a wedding can be extremely stressful and daunting but every single vendor we worked with was absolutely amazing and made the process and experience so easy and enjoyable for us.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I worked with a designer I found on Instagram (PritiSahni). I always knew I wanted to wear an off white/cream color lehenga with gold embroidery and work. I had a design in mind and Priti made it come to life within my budget.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was learning more about Sudhir and wanting to hear his opinions and making decisions together. If you ask him, he would say food and cake tasting!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests to this day talk about the food! Our caterer Bhojan: Mumbai Grill & Catering went above and beyond for us and our guests really loved every single dish they made.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The one moment that I will never be able to forget was mine and Sudhir’s first look. He looked SO handsome! The next most memorable moment was seeing my parents on the mandap as I walked down the aisle. I still remember all the emotions.

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.
I wanted to keep decor as simple, clean and elegant as possible. Our decorator, Mandap Creations, was so great in providing us with options that fit our style and budget.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Enjoy the process! And remember to be in the moment the day of. It goes by so fast!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Wedding Lehenga- Priti Sahni
Reception Lehenga- VVani by Vani Vats
Food/Caterer: Bhojan: Mumbai Grill and Catering
Cake- Supreme Kakes
Hair/Makeup- Hilda &Co Airbrush

Please stay tuned for the beautiful outcome of this magical story.

Biyani Photo & Cinema and Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Biyani Photo & Cinema VIEW PORTFOLIO

Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Welcome back, Maharanis! We are glad you could join us today at Evie & Neel's wedding reception. As promised in our previous episode, we have all of the details from this magical event. So let's go back to the grand The Ebell of Los Angeles, and let's enjoy the phenomenal shots captured by the talented crew from M. Hart Photography, who immortalized every intimate and emotive moment of this gala. Speaking of talent, you will love how the room was decorated. The Poppy Studio's team was the mastermind behind the well-crafted centerpieces and mixed flower arrangements that filled every corner of the hall. Just fabulous! Now, take a peek at Evie's look! She burst into the room, wearing a trendy and glamorous lengha after being dolled up by Blushington. And she mesmerized and bewitched everyone with so much beauty reflected on her fantastic look! Everyone enjoyed the delicious food, the chatting, and of course, the phenomenal beats from Riamu Entertainment, who made sure to light up the party with well-selected music, turning this gala into an epic celebration. No wonder why everyone had a blast! You're welcome to relive this closing event in today's gallery!

Inspiration is something that is needed on every dreamed wedding. We asure you that we will increase yours. So visit us tomorrow for more!

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

Riamu Entertainment VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Good morning, Maharanis! Are you ready to experience a love journey that seems like taken out from a fairytale? We know you are! So let's not wait any longer, and prepare to enjoy all the beauty surrounding Evie & Neel's fusion wedding festivities! For this installment, we are taking you to the exclusive The Ebell of Los Angeles, chosen by our lovebirds to host their wedding ceremony. Right from the top, we should remark the organization from The Marigold Company, who embraced our lovely duo's vision and made it a reality. What talent! Now, imagine combining the ideal planning with the vast expertise from The Poppy Studio, who crafted the perfect decoration that wrapped around the room! Amazing, isn't it, ladies? We loved every single detail from this wedding, especially how both cultures and families became one through love. And we can't forget to mention the elegance that Raja Neel showed during the Baraat, riding a marvelous white horse from Enchanted Carriages. You will also love the dazzling presence from Evie, our gorgeous Maharani, and how well she looked during the ceremony. She trusted her beauty needs to Blushington, and what a great decision it was because this team did a great job! To relive this memorable event, visit today's gallery brought to you thanks to the talented team from M. Hart Photography. You will be fully-inspired!

Don't miss the beautiful outcome from this love story. So stay tune! 

Riamu Entertainment, The Marigold Company and Enchanted Carriages are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Riamu Entertainment VIEW PORTFOLIO

The Marigold Company VIEW PORTFOLIO

Enchanted Carriages VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Welcome back, Maharanis! We've reached the end of another fabulous week, and as promised, we have the fabulous outcome from Avani & Matthew's wedding festivities. In our previous installment, we featured the traditional Hindu ceremony from our lovely duo. In this episode, we will show you a second ceremony. This time we are laying our eyes in the marvelous Christian ceremony hosted in the beautiful gardens of The Merion. You will love how these phenomenal gardens were perfectly decorated by Anderson Wedding Flowers, who took the beauty of this backdrop and leveled it up. If you are wondering who was the mastermind behind the fabulous look of our beautiful Avani, we have the answer for you! It was no other than Makeup By Karishma who assisted our Maharani with her different beauty needs throughout the entire festivities, highlighting her natural beauty and making her look like a princess. Such an outstanding job! As you scroll down, you will admire the fantastic talent from the good friends at PhotosMadeEz, who captured all emotions and memorable moments of this event and transformed them into a magnificent gallery. So make sure to check it out!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We both are CPAs and we met at work six years ago. Our initial conversations were mostly on the topics of tax and accounting . Over the years, we became very good friends over coffee breaks, lunch breaks, and our special "non-sense" time! Our conversations during "non-sense" time went from opening up a restaurant named Pesto Fry Fusion... to buying a Helicopter. 

One day Matt asked me out on a date, and I neither accepted nor declined. This got repeated many times. Matt was persistent and I finally said YES to go out on a date.

Our first date was at one of our favorite restaurants IndieBlue, followed by an episode of Game of Thrones! We started enjoying each other's company. One of our favorite weekend activities is to cook a meal together (I am the head-chef and Matt is a sues-chef). Matt got me more into watching sports and playing in fantasy football league. I got him into exploring new restaurants Philly has to offer.

Despite cultural differences, we found similarities in values they were raised with. We connected well with each other's family, which was very important for both of us to move to the next stage in our relationship.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
It was a Saturday in February. We were working that day (tax season ). Matt went home early to prepare for dinner for both of us. When I reached his home, to my surprise, I saw it was decorated with candles and rose petals. I followed the signs and markings on the floor, leading up to where Matt stood wearing a traditional Indian outfit. By this point I was completely overwhelmed with excitement and emotions. He got down on his knee and asked, "Avie, will you marry me?"  I said, "Yes!!!" with the biggest smile on my face. 

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.
Matt and I both wanted a fall wedding. We wanted to have two ceremonies, Hindu and Christian, to honor both of our cultures. Soon after we got engaged, we toured four local venues. We fell in love with the Merion in Cinnaminson and booked it three weeks after our engagement. It offered everything we were looking for (outdoor wedding space, beautiful ballrooms, delicious menu, and impressive service!). Both ceremonies were held at the Merion and they catered for both ceremonies. Yes, the Merion chef catered an Indian wedding and they prepared vast varieties on Indian appetizers, entrees and dessert!!! I did not need a wedding planner because my event manager Jolene Cross and other staff were so good that I didn't feel the need to hire one.

We booked all other vendors a month after we booked the venue. My hair & make up team, Makeup by Karishma, was a recommendation from my friend. I had seen Karishma Mehta's excellent work at a friend's wedding and I knew I did not need to search further. She made me look stunning as a bride at both weddings!!!

I found my Photo and Videographer team, PhotosMadeEZ, from vendor search on Maharani.com. Mou Mukherjee is very passionate about her work and just from the phone conversations, I realized that I can trust her to capture the most important day of my life!

I also found my DJ team, Doom Events, from vendor search on Maharani.com. I was looking for a DJ who can throw an exciting party at a mixed wedding. They had a large portfolio and testimonies of the mixed fusion weddings. I booked them because the owner Milin Jani & team were very professional and easy to work with. They had everyone dancing at the baraat and at the reception!

I met my florist and decorator, Anderson Flowers and Weddings, at a Dulhan Expo. The owner Howard Kramer has an amazing personality and has an in-depth knowledge about Indian culture and wedding rituals. He even explained Indian wedding rituals to Matt! Hiring him was an easy decision!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I purchased Hindu Wedding lehenga through a video call to Asopalav, Ahmedabad, India. They have an excellent bridal lehenga selection. Their service was great and fitting was perfect! My lehenga had green and red color with gold design. I fell in love with it when they showed it to me!

I purchased my Christian Wedding gown from Bridal Garden in Marlton, NJ. I was looking for a gown that's body hugging and comfortable enough to dance. My gown was champaign color with lace design. When I tried it, I knew that was it!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
I enjoyed the wedding planning process from start to finish. I did not have a specific vision, but it started coming together during the planning process and seeing it come alive was an amazing feeling. I could not have done it without the help from our family and hard work by all vendors!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The guests loved Merion's food, open bar and excellent dessert hour. The DJ team kept the dance floor full the entire evening. We had several guests mentioned that ours was the most fun wedding they've ever been to.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Matt and my first dance on "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by Frankie Valli just keeps replaying in my mind!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Don't go crazy during planning stage. Focus on the big picture and stop stressing about details. Trust your vendors. It's your big day that goes fast. Have fun and enjoy it!

Please visit us tomorrow. You will love what we have prepared just for you!

PhotosMadeEz and Makeup By Karishma are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

PhotosMadeEz VIEW PORTFOLIO

Makeup By Karishma VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

It is Friday, Ladies! We don't want to end this fabulous week without giving you a shoot of inspiration. So get ready to be amazed! Today we will enjoy the beauty surrounding Avani & Matthew's wedding festivities. We'll start by taking a look at a marvelous ceremony hosted at The Merion, where two cultures became one to celebrate the everlasting union from our lovely duo. The ceremony was performed in a fantastic hall, underneath a minimalist yet beautiful mandap, decorated by Anderson Wedding Flowers with mixed flowers, providing the best setting for our lovebirds' promise of eternal love to each other. This was a perfect ceremony, and everyone had tons of mixed emotions. Speaking about perfection, Avani, our marvelous Maharani, walked down the aisle with a unique look that everyone loved. Raja Matthew looked at how she approached him, dazzling everyone and especially him, and he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Hands down, she made the right choice trusting Makeup By Karishma for her beauty needs. We are lucky to have all of these moments captured by the talented team from PhotosMadeEz, who transformed them into a phenomenal gallery. So don't hesitate to take a look at it. We are sure you are going to love it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We both are CPAs and we met at work six years ago. Our initial conversations were mostly on the topics of tax and accounting . Over the years, we became very good friends over coffee breaks, lunch breaks, and our special "non-sense" time! Our conversations during "non-sense" time went from opening up a restaurant named Pesto Fry Fusion... to buying a Helicopter. 

One day Matt asked me out on a date, and I neither accepted nor declined. This got repeated many times. Matt was persistent and I finally said YES to go out on a date.

Our first date was at one of our favorite restaurants IndieBlue, followed by an episode of Game of Thrones! We started enjoying each other's company. One of our favorite weekend activities is to cook a meal together (I am the head-chef and Matt is a sues-chef). Matt got me more into watching sports and playing in fantasy football league. I got him into exploring new restaurants Philly has to offer.

Despite cultural differences, we found similarities in values they were raised with. We connected well with each other's family, which was very important for both of us to move to the next stage in our relationship.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
It was a Saturday in February. We were working that day (tax season ). Matt went home early to prepare for dinner for both of us. When I reached his home, to my surprise, I saw it was decorated with candles and rose petals. I followed the signs and markings on the floor, leading up to where Matt stood wearing a traditional Indian outfit. By this point I was completely overwhelmed with excitement and emotions. He got down on his knee and asked, "Avie, will you marry me?"  I said, "Yes!!!" with the biggest smile on my face. 

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.
Matt and I both wanted a fall wedding. We wanted to have two ceremonies, Hindu and Christian, to honor both of our cultures. Soon after we got engaged, we toured four local venues. We fell in love with the Merion in Cinnaminson and booked it three weeks after our engagement. It offered everything we were looking for (outdoor wedding space, beautiful ballrooms, delicious menu, and impressive service!). Both ceremonies were held at the Merion and they catered for both ceremonies. Yes, the Merion chef catered an Indian wedding and they prepared vast varieties on Indian appetizers, entrees and dessert!!! I did not need a wedding planner because my event manager Jolene Cross and other staff were so good that I didn't feel the need to hire one.

We booked all other vendors a month after we booked the venue. My hair & make up team, Makeup by Karishma, was a recommendation from my friend. I had seen Karishma Mehta's excellent work at a friend's wedding and I knew I did not need to search further. She made me look stunning as a bride at both weddings!!!

I found my Photo and Videographer team, PhotosMadeEZ, from vendor search on Maharani.com. Mou Mukherjee is very passionate about her work and just from the phone conversations, I realized that I can trust her to capture the most important day of my life!

I also found my DJ team, Doom Events, from vendor search on Maharani.com. I was looking for a DJ who can throw an exciting party at a mixed wedding. They had a large portfolio and testimonies of the mixed fusion weddings. I booked them because the owner Milin Jani & team were very professional and easy to work with. They had everyone dancing at the baraat and at the reception!

I met my florist and decorator, Anderson Flowers and Weddings, at a Dulhan Expo. The owner Howard Kramer has an amazing personality and has an in-depth knowledge about Indian culture and wedding rituals. He even explained Indian wedding rituals to Matt! Hiring him was an easy decision!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I purchased Hindu Wedding lehenga through a video call to Asopalav, Ahmedabad, India. They have an excellent bridal lehenga selection. Their service was great and fitting was perfect! My lehenga had green and red color with gold design. I fell in love with it when they showed it to me!

I purchased my Christian Wedding gown from Bridal Garden in Marlton, NJ. I was looking for a gown that's body hugging and comfortable enough to dance. My gown was champaign color with lace design. When I tried it, I knew that was it!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
I enjoyed the wedding planning process from start to finish. I did not have a specific vision, but it started coming together during the planning process and seeing it come alive was an amazing feeling. I could not have done it without the help from our family and hard work by all vendors!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The guests loved Merion's food, open bar and excellent dessert hour. The DJ team kept the dance floor full the entire evening. We had several guests mentioned that ours was the most fun wedding they've ever been to.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Matt and my first dance on "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by Frankie Valli just keeps replaying in my mind!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Don't go crazy during planning stage. Focus on the big picture and stop stressing about details. Trust your vendors. It's your big day that goes fast. Have fun and enjoy it!

There's more prepared for you, so don't miss the beautifull outcome from this marvelous event. 

PhotosMadeEz and Makeup By Karishma are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

PhotosMadeEz VIEW PORTFOLIO

Makeup By Karishma VIEW PORTFOLIO

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