The Platinum Guide Blog

Maharanis, Thursday has come to enlighten your day with a romantic love story, Palak & Naman's. After eleven years of sharing enchanting moments and magical adventures, these lovebirds decided to begin their journey as a married couple. They hosted a moving ceremony and a gorgeus reception at The Marigold. It is a great venue to celebrate a great love like this one! Events by Heena planned and designed all the details for this wedding to be one of a kind! Florista Decor put together the ambiance that made everyone sigh! Maharanis, one thing about this wedding we cannot leave behind is the impressive Baraat by M4U Events. Everyone, including me, adored it! This team also energized the reception with their incredible music playlist! My favorite part of every entry is the elegant fashions, the gorgeous looks, and the lovely starings between the bride and groom! So let me tell you all about these details of Palak & Naman's big day! The enchanting bride wore beautiful gowns designed by AsoPalav and Cinderella Bridez. The last team also did her hair and makeup, and oh boy! She looked adorable! Rita Shah Mehndi Artist did a delicate Mehndi design that stole everyone's attention. I love how dedicated she is! You know how significant it is to have a film to relive your wedding as a Bollywood movie. Lucky for our couple, Unique Visions Studio are professionals in their field! Maharanis, I have great news. Thanks to the amazingly great job Buscemi Photography did with the photographs, you can see how impressive this wedding was. We have put a gallery you cannot miss! So wait no more and get ready to enjoy it; I promise you will be amazed! 

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.
As a Covid Bride, postponing and replanning our wedding was definitely very stressful.   We were fortunate to have had the best vendors that were very accommodating throughout the entire process. A big shout out would go out to our Day of Coordinator - Henna Patel.  She took care of us from the beginning to the end of the journey in the most cool, calm, and collected way. Everyone was shocked at how organized and on schedule our wedding was, especially for an Indian wedding! Heena and her team allowed me to be stress-free and have fun throughout my entire wedding day.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I was set on a maroon colored bridal lengha but I didn't have a clear vision of the exact outfit that I wanted.  I was not able to go to India for wedding shopping but my parents were able to.  They would facetime me every night and show me every maroon outfit there was at the shop. Eventually, I picked out certain parts of different maroon outfits that I liked, to make my own.  I absolutely loved the way my lengha turned out and am thankful for my parents for making it happen.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Me and Naman have been together for 11 years!  One of our biggest blessings from this is that our families and friends have also known each other for a long time.  Our wedding was not a celebration of two sides coming together, it was a celebration as a whole unit.  I think this was something so special to have at our wedding and it brought a different type of energy to our wedding.  Many guests told us how much fun and love they felt at our wedding and I would credit that to the energy brought by our close family and friends.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our wedding day truly was one of the most fun days that I have ever had, there were so many special moments throughout the day.  A special moment that stands out to me was reading the letter that Naman wrote to me right before our first look.  With all the adrenaline and emotions that come with the morning of a wedding, it is easy to lose sight of what is important.  Reading the letter brought me back to the only thing that matters - my relationship with Naman. Naman's letter ended up being almost identical to the letter that I wrote him and at that moment, everything felt so right. I couldn't wait to go see Naman!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
The one thing that I kept in my mind throughout my wedding weekend was that this is the only time in my life where all of my favorite people will be under one roof at the same time.  This helped me live in the moment, instead of focusing on things that might have been going wrong.

Maharanis, please keep coming back to read more love stories!

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Good morning ladies! Thursday is here, and brought with it a sweet love story! Chandana & Anupam are our protagonists. Let me tell you why. As we all know, our world has changed in the last two years, and the new reality made weddings and love celebrations a bit different, but that is not completely bad. Our lovebirds knew that nothing could come between true love, so they decided to marry at Honda Center. It was an intimate yet moving ceremony. Nevertheless, the traditions were not left behind! The evening before their civil ceremony, Chandana's mother decorated their home with gorgeus marigolds, rangoli, and lots of beautiful flowers. She also drew a beautiful Mehendi on our Maharani's hands and feet. Anupam's parents showed up at their door and surprised the couple. Their moms put Haldi and coconut oil on them, so they were ready to become husband and wife. Maharanis, I know you love glamour, fashion details, and perfect planning as much as I do. And guess what? This wedding had all of that! So, let me tell you all about it! After becoming hubby and wifey, Chandana & Anupam celebrated their love through a great party hosted at Westdrift Manhattan Beach and decorated by Exotic Green Garden. I think every detail of the wedding went beyond perfect! Minted designed the most enchanting invitations, and I am sure every guest said "Yes" to this event! Tempo Entertainment was in charge of the music and dancing. You know how important it is to have your favorite songs played on your big day! Another must-have is excellent food! Manohar's Delhi Palace enchanted the guests with their delightful dishes. I think our couple will hear from this for a long time! Maharanis, let's talk about our gorgeous Chandana and the incredible hair and makeup Drea V Makeup did. Thanks to the infinite passion they have, the bride looked phenomenal! Kudos to this great team! Lucky for this couple, Inari Film recorded every moment of their big day. And thanks to Mae & Minh Photography, we have the most incredible shots from Chandana & Anupam's celebration! So wait no more, jump into this gallery, and fall in love with today's couple!

Maharanis, come back to read a new love story! 

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Happy Thursday, my beloved Maharanis! Today is a special day to read and be a part of a new love story, Prina & Varun's. This journey started in front of a beautiful sunset, a heart-shaped cake, champagne, and flowers. A proposal that lent to an elegant wedding festivity at Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. A venue where Prina & Varun's life as husband and wife begun. Thanks to the excellent planning done by Aimee Monihan from Tropical Occasions and Destination Desi, this fairy tale came true. They were a winning combo who delivered nothing but utter perfection! And what is a wedding without a floral touch? Peony & Plum know this, so they decorated the event with delicate flowery details and soft colors. The reception was an absolute heaven on earth, and our gorgeous couple could not be happier! Every Maharani deserves the best, and this time was no exception! Prina wore exclusive designs from Heeral Mehta, Sari Palace, Sam Edelman, and Henna Me Beautiful. The exquisite designs by Dolled up by Lulu added an extra touch of beauty to Prina's dreamy look! The makeup and hairstyle combined perfectly, and the way Varun looks at her says it all! They are meant to be together! We cannot leave our handsome groom behind; Varun wore an exclusive design by Men's Wearhouse. I think they both looked like a real King and Queen! Don't you agree? Every magnificent event needs to be treasured forever. On this occasion, our lovebirds went with a great choice, a photo booth by  Special Occasions DJ & Lighting! How wonderful was that? We can also say the music they played during the wedding festivity was fantastic! Everyone danced and had the time of their lives! And the photographs captured by Houseman Studios are the most magnificent witnesses of this celebration of love. Why don't you take a look and fall in love with Prina and Varun? Check out the exclusive gallery we've put together, especially for you. You'll love it!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
This is Varun (my husband's) version of the proposal story:

My plan was to propose at one of the highest restaurants in Santorini at sunset after a multi-course dinner.

I told Prina we had a nice dinner that night, so we decided to go to the beach during the day. I can't confirm this but Prina says I was drinking my beach drink pretty fast :)...In Santorini there are no Uber/Taxi, etc. You have to rely on the bus to get everywhere and it's way too far and steep to walk anywhere...On the way back from the beach to our hotel, the bus missed our stop and the next stop wasn't for a few miles and they would not let us off in the middle. When we get to the stop, we realize the bus back to the hotel isn't going to come for an hour and I knew that would mess up our dinner reservation! So we scrambled to run into a hotel and have them order us a car. We get back 1 hour later than we planned to and I told Prina to get ready in 20 minutes lol...She was having none of that so I ran outside and called the restaurant manager and told her to push it out by 30 minutes.

We get to the restaurant and we have the patio all to ourselves. It's VERY windy and Prina is wearing a dress but I can't give her my blazer because that is where the ring is. Luckily they brought her a blanket. Everything was timed for the sunset, so they start bringing out the courses in quick succession. As soon as we finish  one course the waiters are taking the plates right away. I'm hoping Prina doesn't notice how quick the dinner is moving.  I'm trying to enjoy the view and the moment, but I am definitely nervous. At one point a little bird comes and starts eating the food off of our plate. It really lightens the moment.

We finish up our food, I step away for the table for a minute and they ask me if I'm ready. I say yes and go sit back down. They bring out a heart shaped cake, champagne and flowers. I hand the flowers to Prina, say a few nice words, and I get down on one knee and propose. She says yes! I. Afterwards the photographers take us to do our engagement photo shoot. The photographer tells Prina to loosen up (she's still in shock haha) and that I'm doing a great job modeling :) (I'm relieved now that this multi-month surprise I've been hiding is done).

We finish up our pictures and are sitting down to eat the cake when I tell Prina that there is one more surprise.... At that point you start to see fireworks in the sky. Her mouth drops open at the fireworks and we enjoy that moment as newly engaged!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
My friend from college owns a bridal store in Artesia, CA called Sari Palace. Our family has been going to their other store location in Berkeley, CA for years. As soon as I got engaged, I knew exactly where I wanted to go for my bridal outfits. Heeral is AMAZING to say the least. From her dress collection to customer service, it was everything I wanted and more! For my wedding lengha, I knew I wanted to wear red and keep it traditional.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests particularly loved our venue as it was a destination wedding for us + our guests. They were able to enjoy the beautiful town of Santa Barbara with the beach across the street from our hotel and a 10 minute walk to downtown. All of our wedding events took place at the hotel, which included a picturesque plaza/rotunda with ocean views. The venue + perfect weather made this venue and our wedding unforgettable!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Few words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be:
1. Follow your heart!
2. Plan a wedding that represents you both, and don't sway away from what you really want.
3. Stay in the moment during the wedding weekend, and HAVE FUN!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Thank you for including us and showcasing our unforgettable wedding weekend!

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Maharanis, Tuesday is a day to read, imagine, and fall in love with a magical love story. And today is no exception!  Pooja & Milap's wedding festivities will inspire you with every detail and every moment. Our lovebirds decided to accept each other's path through life at a romantic and elegant ceremony hosted at the Westin Chicago Northwest, the ideal place for the perfect couple. J2R Events is a highly passionate and professional team that planned every detail of this wedding perfectly. I know this was an event to remember forever! Don't you think white details are always a magical touch to make your wedding look like heaven on Earth? Elegance Decor feels that, so they designed the most exquisite setting to make the bride and groom happier than ever! Our lovely Maharani and her gorgeous life partner looked so delighted. I adore them! Having music to dance to is essential in an elegant wedding like this. And thanks to  Escape Entertainment L.L.C., the experts on delivering high-quality sound and beautiful lighting, everyone jumped to the dance floor and danced the night away. Love in the air, guests dancing, and happiness all over the place. That's what a dream wedding looks like! And what is a wedding without a bit of sugar? I think we all can agree that sweet and delicious treats are always welcome, and that is why Lovin Oven Cakery baked the most mouth-melting desserts. I bet everyone loved them! And before we go, we want to give a big shoutout to Le Cape Weddings, who took the most dedicated pictures to relive these lovely memories, which I know you will enjoy when you check out the gallery we have put together for you!

That is it for today, my lovely Queens, please join us tomorrow for a new love story! 

Escape Entertainment L.L.C. and The Westin Chicago Northwest are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Happy Thursday, my sweet Maharanis! We are getting closer to the weekend, and we know you love to read captivating stories. Let's get you all inspired by Heather & Vats' Destination Wedding! Our lovebirds decided to join their lives forever at a Mexican heaven, El Dorado Spa Resorts. A paradisiac destination where your event becomes the celebration of a lifetime. Can you imagine how romantic was the exchange of the vows? We agree that the beach, the beautiful sunset, and the lovely guests are the most incredible combination to celebrate love. And to make sure every part of this magnificent event went off perfectly, Preeti Exclusive Events planned an elegant setting that turned out to be the ideal scenario for our couple. And we want to give a big shoutout to Shaadi Destinations, whose services as travel concierge were remarkable! They removed all the burden from Heather & Vats, helping them enjoy their wedding festivities to the fullest! Latin Asia One Stop put the beauty touch that everyone loved. Our gorgeous Maharani looked simply breathtaking, thanks to the sophisticated makeup and hairstyle done by Styling Trio. No wonder why Vats fell in love with Heather! You know every celebration deserves music, and this wedding was not the exception! Premier Entertainment, DJ Insomnia, DJ Gaurav Kumar, and Nihal Singh made everyone dance and connect their souls with love in the air. I know they had the time of their lives! And every single moment was captured by the talented crew from Pixan Photography. But don't take our word! Check it out for yourself by taking a look at the spectacular shots compiled in today's jaw-dropping gallery!

That is all for today, my dearest Maharanis. See you tomorrow for the last feature of the week!

Shaadi Destinations and Pixan Photography are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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