The Platinum Guide Blog

Good morning, Maharanis! If you were seeking inspiration, you've come to the right place. To begin this journey, let me take you to the exclusive The Henry Autograph Collection, the perfect venue chosen by Nayaab & Nouman, our lovebirds, to tie the knot. Just lovely! And we want to take a moment to thank Utsav Planners, Inc for the perfect planning of this magical wedding. They did an outstanding job bringing our beautiful duo's vision into a reality. We can't forget to mention the splendid decoration that Christopher & Co crafted as they took this life-changing event to the next level with well-mixed flower arrangements and veils. You will love how everything looks like taken out from a fairy tale. Speaking about fairy tales, Nayaab, our Maharani, dazzled everyone with a beautiful look that left everyone speechless thanks to Hair by Aysha, who praised her natural beauty, making her look like royalty. And we forgot to mention it, but we have a small surprise for you: Today we are double featuring this love story! You can relive this event by visiting our Video Blog, and also by taking a look at the marvelous gallery below. The best of all is that both are creations of the talented team from Nathan English Photography, so you already know it is going to be amazing! Don't think twice, and make sure to check it out! You will love every single detail of this wedding!

Utsav Planners,Inc., DJ Ice & Fresh Productions and Hair by Aysha are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Utsav Planners,Inc. VIEW PORTFOLIO

DJ Ice & Fresh Productions VIEW PORTFOLIO

Hair by Aysha VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Welcome back, Ladies! As mentioned in our previous episode, we are double featuring the marvelous wedding celebration between Payal & Maulik. On this installment, we will enjoy the wedding ceremony hosted at the Hyatt Regency Long Island, the perfect venue chosen by our lovebirds to tie the knot! Wedding Design was behind the marvelous decoration that highlighted the hall, with well-mixed flower arrangements and ornaments that created a magical environment. Everyone loved every single detail of the ceremony, but it was our gorgeous Maharani who stole the show as she walked through the aisle, looking like a princess from a fairytale story. There's no doubt that she made the right decision trusting her beauty needs to Fiza Mansoor, who created a unique hairstyle and Simple Beauty by Preeti, who took care of her makeup. To turn the enliven this event, M4U Events played the sweetest tunes, creating the most pleasant and soothing environment for this wedding ceremony. And we are so lucky because we have all the details o this ceremony thanks to the talented crew from Vivid Capture Studio, who created the marvelous gallery below, and the blockbuster film featured in today's Video Blog! So, go check them out. You are going to be amazed!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I’ve always known of Maulik for most of my life but never really thought of him as anything besides my brother’s friend. It was only during high school that I started to really notice him. He’s always had a reputation of being the “smart guy” so I decided to take advantage of that and asked him to help me with college applications. I never thought that would be the start of one of the greatest friendships. We instantly connected and what started of as a conversation about college turned into something that meant so much more. I knew from day one that this was the man I would marry no matter what happened in life. And eight years later Maulik got on one knee and asked me to marry him. There was no doubt in my mind this day would come, it was just a matter of when.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
From the moment that I decided that I wanted to propose to Payal I knew it had to be something small but personal. Family means everything to her so when I got the ring, I went to her grandmother who was in the hospital at the time and asked for her blessing. Then came the "big plan" of how to do it. To make it personal, I decided to do the proposal in her backyard but needed the help of all her family to make it happen. So on a snowy March night, we placed 300 candles and lanterns around the entire backyard and set up a twinkle light backdrop. Payal was with her cousin at the hospital visiting her grandmother and thought nothing would possibly happen on that night since it was already too late at night. To her surprise, she pulled up to her house, saw a beautifully lit backyard with John Legend's song All of Me playing in the background. As she walked towards me, I was more nervous than I had ever been. This was not the girl I was asking to only marry me but she was the one I was asking to take care of for the rest of her 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.
It was pretty easy to plan the logistics part of the wedding since my brother got married the year before. I used his Caterer (Rasoi III) and Decorator (Wedding Design and Decor) but of course went with our own ideas. Hair & Makeup was also simple since I've seen Preeti Riley's and Fiza Mansoor's work during other family member's weddings and I instantly knew they were the ones I needed to get. The same goes for the mehndi artist Monita Bijoriya who is phenomenal. 

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I chose my bridal lengha from India and before arriving there I already decided I wanted to wear a neutral cream or champagne color. Luckily for me, the first shop I stepped into I found the outfit I was looking for. I had a vision in my mind and it was exactly what I wanted.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Maulik and I loved planning our mehndi because it was low-key and in my backyard but gave us the opportunity to plan it according to what we wanted. We let our parents have their way for the wedding so mehndi was something that was completely ours. From live South Indian food stations to an actual ice cream truck, what more could we have hoped for!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The food hands down! If you know my mother, she is a great cook and it was really important to her that all the guests enjoy the food. If there was one thing she did not sacrifice on, it was definitely the food.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The moment I sat down on the mandap and saw Maulik, I instantly forgot about the other 450 guests and realized that this is the man I will be spending my life with. I tend to micromanage everything but at that moment, I didn't care about what went wrong or what I could've done differently, all I cared about was enjoying the ceremony and making sure I remember every bit of 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.
Shout to the greatest family for planning a program for our garba that consisted of dances and skits to relay our love story to all the guests.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Planning is the greatest part about getting married. Sometimes things don't always go your way but try to keep a relaxed attitude and remember to stay calm. Most importantly, when it finally comes to the wedding day, remember this is your day and it will be a great one so enjoy it and cherish every moment.

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

Simple Beauty by Preeti, Vivid Capture Studio and M4U Events are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Simple Beauty by Preeti VIEW PORTFOLIO

Vivid Capture Studio VIEW PORTFOLIO

M4U Events VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Good morning, Maharanis! We are beginning a brand new week, and what better way to start it than with a marvelous love story. Are you ready to be inspired? I bet you do. So let's begin this journey at the striking Hyatt Regency Long Island and take a look at the magical wedding celebration between Payal & Maulik. But before we start, we have a small surprise for you! Today, we are double featuring this memorable festivity so that you can enjoy the enormous talent by Vivid Capture Studio, both in a phenomenal film featured in today's Video Blog and also in the visual masterpieces below! And believe us, you will love every single detail of this life-changing event.  For the opening photoshoot, our gorgeous Maharani made her first appearance looking like a vision of beauty after having trusted all of her beauty needs to Simple Beauty by Preeti, who created a fabulous makeup, and Fiza Mansoor, who designed an ultra-sleek hairstyle. Hands down, this magical outdoor photoshoot exceeded Payal & Maulik's expectations, and will always have a special place in their hearts. If you don't want to miss any detail of this intimate and romantic moment, make sure to visit today's full gallery. We are sure you're going to be amazed and you'll get tons of inspiring ideas from it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I’ve always known of Maulik for most of my life but never really thought of him as anything besides my brother’s friend. It was only during high school that I started to really notice him. He’s always had a reputation of being the “smart guy” so I decided to take advantage of that and asked him to help me with college applications. I never thought that would be the start of one of the greatest friendships. We instantly connected and what started of as a conversation about college turned into something that meant so much more. I knew from day one that this was the man I would marry no matter what happened in life. And eight years later Maulik got on one knee and asked me to marry him. There was no doubt in my mind this day would come, it was just a matter of when.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
From the moment that I decided that I wanted to propose to Payal I knew it had to be something small but personal. Family means everything to her so when I got the ring, I went to her grandmother who was in the hospital at the time and asked for her blessing. Then came the "big plan" of how to do it. To make it personal, I decided to do the proposal in her backyard but needed the help of all her family to make it happen. So on a snowy March night, we placed 300 candles and lanterns around the entire backyard and set up a twinkle light backdrop. Payal was with her cousin at the hospital visiting her grandmother and thought nothing would possibly happen on that night since it was already too late at night. To her surprise, she pulled up to her house, saw a beautifully lit backyard with John Legend's song All of Me playing in the background. As she walked towards me, I was more nervous than I had ever been. This was not the girl I was asking to only marry me but she was the one I was asking to take care of for the rest of her 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.
It was pretty easy to plan the logistics part of the wedding since my brother got married the year before. I used his Caterer (Rasoi III) and Decorator (Wedding Design and Decor) but of course went with our own ideas. Hair & Makeup was also simple since I've seen Preeti Riley's and Fiza Mansoor's work during other family member's weddings and I instantly knew they were the ones I needed to get. The same goes for the mehndi artist Monita Bijoriya who is phenomenal. 

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I chose my bridal lengha from India and before arriving there I already decided I wanted to wear a neutral cream or champagne color. Luckily for me, the first shop I stepped into I found the outfit I was looking for. I had a vision in my mind and it was exactly what I wanted.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Maulik and I loved planning our mehndi because it was low-key and in my backyard but gave us the opportunity to plan it according to what we wanted. We let our parents have their way for the wedding so mehndi was something that was completely ours. From live South Indian food stations to an actual ice cream truck, what more could we have hoped for!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The food hands down! If you know my mother, she is a great cook and it was really important to her that all the guests enjoy the food. If there was one thing she did not sacrifice on, it was definitely the food.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The moment I sat down on the mandap and saw Maulik, I instantly forgot about the other 450 guests and realized that this is the man I will be spending my life with. I tend to micromanage everything but at that moment, I didn't care about what went wrong or what I could've done differently, all I cared about was enjoying the ceremony and making sure I remember every bit of 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.
Shout to the greatest family for planning a program for our garba that consisted of dances and skits to relay our love story to all the guests.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Planning is the greatest part about getting married. Sometimes things don't always go your way but try to keep a relaxed attitude and remember to stay calm. Most importantly, when it finally comes to the wedding day, remember this is your day and it will be a great one so enjoy it and cherish every moment.

Don't miss the magical wedding ceremony, so stay tuned!

Simple Beauty by Preeti, Vivid Capture Studio and M4U Events are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Simple Beauty by Preeti VIEW PORTFOLIO

Vivid Capture Studio VIEW PORTFOLIO

M4U Events VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Welcome back, Maharanis! As promised, we are here with the magical outcome from Ishan & Sunny's wedding festivities. On this installment, we will be delighted by the beauty surrounding these lovebirds' big wedding ceremony. So let me take you back at the exclusive Antun's by Minar, the ideal venue chosen by the lovely duo to tie the knot. Right from the start, we must say that you will love every single detail crafted by our expert team from Florista Decor, who once again jumped high and created a magical environment for this special occasion. What talent! Ishan, our gorgeous Maharani, walked down the aisle wearing a marvelous and elegant lehenga from Bombay Bridal, that made everyone sigh. To take her bridal look to the next level, Beauty by Tamanna designed a glamorous makeup and hairstyle making her look like a princess. After the ceremony, this lovely duo threw a fantastic wedding reception hosted at the Crest Hollow Country Club, where Events by Khadejah took care of planning the whole event, transforming our lovebird's vision into reality. Everyone had a blast enjoying the delicious food, the great music, and chatting, creating memories that will last forever. Today you are invited to be part of every single moment of this day visiting this gallery. Trust me; you will love the great talent from Never There Yet Photography. If that is not enough, you'll be thrilled to know that byDesign Films also created a visual masterpiece with the highlights of this grand event!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Sunny and I had known each other for over a decade by the time we actually met. We were friends on social media for years but never met. We would send each other messages on Facebook and subtly flirt, but it never went anywhere. The number of mutual friends between us grew yet timing was never quite there yet. After a string of many failed relationships on both our parts, the stars aligned. I Direct Messaged Sunny on Instagram after he posted a song by Zayn Malik on his story (so original right?) and he replied back instantly. We eventually made plans to grab drinks. The first moment I laid eyes on this elusive man, I felt a surge of emotions I've never experienced ever before. We both gravitated towards one another and played a game of pool (he lost!) that night. The rest of the night was spent laughing uncontrollably and jamming out to 90's R&B while stealing glances secretly. We both went home that night knowing this was special, and from that night onward we were inseparable!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
The way Sunny proposed to me was nothing short of a Nicholas Sparks novel. Valentine’s Day  was approaching and Sunny had asked me to take the day off from work. I obliged with excitement and started shopping for a nice dress. The morning came and Sunny was at my doorstep by noon with a bouquet of roses. He asked me to fix his collar and looked dapper than usual. We got in his car and he pulls out a scarf and put it over my eyes as a blindfold. As the anticipation built up, I asked him several times where we are going and if the blindfold was necessary. He stayed quiet and held my hand. As we exited the car, my blindfold was still on but he led my down a busy street full of bustling cars and fast walking pedestrians. We made our way up a flight of stairs and walked further and further than I’ve ever walked it seemed. He opened the blindfold and got on his knees. We were in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge, surrounded by ecstatic strangers and a photographer. In front of what felt like the entire world, Sunny asked me to marry him and of course 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.
We dove right into planning. He proposed in February and we got married in October, we had about 8 months and we utilized it to the max. My overall experience with vendors were good! Wedding planning is always filled with a few hiccups but that goes without saying, ultimately we had the time of our lives on our big night.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I always knew I wanted to wear the traditional red bridal outfit. Being a Bengali marrying a Punjabi, I wanted to make sure I incorporated hints on my heritage in my outfit. The Bangladeshi flag has red and green, and I decided to do an all red/gold lehenga with my green jewelry to represent my culture.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process would have to be just going to check out venues, cake/food tasting, and generally being treated like royalty. My husband loved every second of it, until it came time to pay!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I would say our guests loved the love between Sunny and I. I think it was evident how in love and happy we are. We were smiling ear to ear and just dancing and laughing. A big shout out to our siblings, cousins and close friends for making us both feel so special and loved throughout it all.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our most special and favorite moment was when we made our entrance as Mr. & Mrs. at the reception. We came out to French Montana's "Unforgettable" and we were thinking of just walking out and waiving. However, when the time came - we just came through those doors dancing nonstop with our dhol guy. We totally didn't stick to the plan but it work out even better!

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 Sangeet was an "Evergreen" theme, both Sunny and I wore green and our decor was festive and colorful. This was one of our favorite night and we both performed a medley of songs for one another while our family members and friends put on an entire show.

The Reception was themed after a Gatsby style black tie affair. I was dressed in gold from head to do and Sunny was in a dapper white/black tuxedo. We wanted that night to be all about dancing/drinks/food and celebrating love!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
My words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be would be: Keep your vision clear, and stay headstrong. There will be moments you feel overwhelmed and surrounded by family members and their expectations. Make sure you and your partner are ONE and on the same team at all times. Also, take one day out of the week to not discuss anything wedding related, and go on date night and reconnect with one another!

Visit us tomorrow, we have a great event prepared for you. Trut me, you will love it!

Crest Hollow Country Club, Florista Decor and byDesign Films are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Crest Hollow Country Club VIEW PORTFOLIO

Florista Decor VIEW PORTFOLIO

byDesign Films VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Good morning, Ladies! We are here to give you the daily shoot of inspiration by taking you on a visual journey through Ishan & Sunny's big wedding festivities. For this first installment, we will unveil the beauty surrounding these lovebirds' sangeet celebration. This time we will take you to the grand Antun's by Minar, the ideal venue chosen by our lovebirds to celebrate before the big day. This place was perfectly decored by the talented crew from Florista Decor, who took the beauty of this venue to a higher level, designing an Evergreen theme celebration that everyone enjoyed. Our lovely duo entered the hall dancing nonstop, wearing an elegant and traditional attire designed by Pashmina, and let me tell you that everyone loved them, especially how Ishan stole the night with her royalty presence. Oh boy! The hairstyle and makeup design that Beauty by Tamanna created for her gave her a ravishing look that left everyone speechless. Something to remark is the excellent environment that everyone felt during the Sangeet. DJ USA turned the party on with their phenomenal beats making everyone dance during the whole night. If you want to relive this magical moment, make sure to visit today's gallery presented thanks to Never There Yet Photography, who captured fabulous shots to immortalize this Sangeet! And we are sure it will take your breath away!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Sunny and I had known each other for over a decade by the time we actually met. We were friends on social media for years but never met. We would send each other messages on Facebook and subtly flirt, but it never went anywhere. The number of mutual friends between us grew yet timing was never quite there yet. After a string of many failed relationships on both our parts, the stars aligned. I Direct Messaged Sunny on Instagram after he posted a song by Zayn Malik on his story (so original right?) and he replied back instantly. We eventually made plans to grab drinks. The first moment I laid eyes on this elusive man, I felt a surge of emotions I've never experienced ever before. We both gravitated towards one another and played a game of pool (he lost!) that night. The rest of the night was spent laughing uncontrollably and jamming out to 90's R&B while stealing glances secretly. We both went home that night knowing this was special, and from that night onward we were inseparable!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
The way Sunny proposed to me was nothing short of a Nicholas Sparks novel. Valentine’s Day  was approaching and Sunny had asked me to take the day off from work. I obliged with excitement and started shopping for a nice dress. The morning came and Sunny was at my doorstep by noon with a bouquet of roses. He asked me to fix his collar and looked dapper than usual. We got in his car and he pulls out a scarf and put it over my eyes as a blindfold. As the anticipation built up, I asked him several times where we are going and if the blindfold was necessary. He stayed quiet and held my hand. As we exited the car, my blindfold was still on but he led my down a busy street full of bustling cars and fast walking pedestrians. We made our way up a flight of stairs and walked further and further than I’ve ever walked it seemed. He opened the blindfold and got on his knees. We were in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge, surrounded by ecstatic strangers and a photographer. In front of what felt like the entire world, Sunny asked me to marry him and of course 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.
We dove right into planning. He proposed in February and we got married in October, we had about 8 months and we utilized it to the max. My overall experience with vendors were good! Wedding planning is always filled with a few hiccups but that goes without saying, ultimately we had the time of our lives on our big night.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I always knew I wanted to wear the traditional red bridal outfit. Being a Bengali marrying a Punjabi, I wanted to make sure I incorporated hints on my heritage in my outfit. The Bangladeshi flag has red and green, and I decided to do an all red/gold lehenga with my green jewelry to represent my culture.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process would have to be just going to check out venues, cake/food tasting, and generally being treated like royalty. My husband loved every second of it, until it came time to pay!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I would say our guests loved the love between Sunny and I. I think it was evident how in love and happy we are. We were smiling ear to ear and just dancing and laughing. A big shout out to our siblings, cousins and close friends for making us both feel so special and loved throughout it all.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our most special and favorite moment was when we made our entrance as Mr. & Mrs. at the reception. We came out to French Montana's "Unforgettable" and we were thinking of just walking out and waiving. However, when the time came - we just came through those doors dancing nonstop with our dhol guy. We totally didn't stick to the plan but it work out even better!

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 Sangeet was an "Evergreen" theme, both Sunny and I wore green and our decor was festive and colorful. This was one of our favorite night and we both performed a medley of songs for one another while our family members and friends put on an entire show.

The Reception was themed after a Gatsby style black tie affair. I was dressed in gold from head to do and Sunny was in a dapper white/black tuxedo. We wanted that night to be all about dancing/drinks/food and celebrating love!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
My words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be would be: Keep your vision clear, and stay headstrong. There will be moments you feel overwhelmed and surrounded by family members and their expectations. Make sure you and your partner are ONE and on the same team at all times. Also, take one day out of the week to not discuss anything wedding related, and go on date night and reconnect with one another!

Stay tune for the marvelous outcome of this love story!

Crest Hollow Country Club, Florista Decor and byDesign Films are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Crest Hollow Country Club VIEW PORTFOLIO

Florista Decor VIEW PORTFOLIO

byDesign Films VIEW PORTFOLIO

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