Maharanis, get swept off your feet into a world of pure love, timeless tradition, and magical enchantment. Join us as we delve into Isha and Jay's stunning wedding, where dreams come true. This captivating love story unfolded at the gorgeous Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa At Gainey Ranch, with the expert guidance of Weddings by Shy to bring their dreams to life. With every detail meticulously planned, from the exquisite hair and makeup by Makiaj Beauty to the mouthwatering delights served by Om Bistro, this celebration was nothing short of magical. Isha's beauty was accentuated by the intricate mehndi artistry of Henna by Purvi, which adorned her with intricate patterns. When Desi Junction DJs took the stage, they turned the night into a non-stop dance party. Unleash your senses and immerse yourself in the breathtaking moments captured by Santiago Almada Photography. Our gallery is a testament to his unparalleled skill and artistic vision. Come and experience the magic for yourself. These pictures captured every emotion and detail flawlessly! We hope their love story inspires your own journey of love and happiness. Darlings, we hope you enjoy it!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
The first time I met Jay was at garba in 2010. I had always noticed Jay being one of the most energetic, fun, and enthusiastic dancers in the crowd, not to mention I had always thought he was cute too, but I never had the courage to approach him. I was with a group of friends when all of a sudden, someone tapped me on my shoulder and I turned around to see no one other than Jay Patel himself. Before I even had a moment to think of what I was going to say, Jay apologized for bumping into the “wrong person” (clearly me ;P) and walked away.
Fast forward two months, I built up the courage to add Jay on facebook and after a handful of fun and exciting conversations, we went on our first date and the rest is history!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Jay and a few friends planned a night at a cocktail bar downtown I had been wanting to go to for months a few weeks after my birthday. Hours before the proposal, I found it strange that my mom and friends were helping me pick out an outfit and get ready just to go to a cocktail bar, but I didn’t think much of it. As my friend was driving us to the bar, she deceptively mentioned she had to make a last minute stop at a wedding welcome dinner and very, very strongly urged (aka forced) me to check out the venue. I walked into a beautiful garden with pathways adorned with candles and the song Tera Hone Laga Hoon playing in the background, one of the first songs Jay and I had danced together to. As I walked further along the candle-lit pathway, I saw Jay standing on top of a bed of rose petals shaped into a heart. He grabbed my hand, kelt down on one knee and beautifully articulated how meaningful the past 11 years of our relationship had been and ended with a final four-worded question. A flood of memories and joy filled my heart, so much to the point that I almost forgot to say “YES”! We then rejoiced with our families and friends with lots of laughs, photos, followed by dinner and an unforgettable evening with a party bus celebrating us!
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
I am an absolute sucker for weddings and enjoyed mostly the entire wedding planning process. However, a few special things do stand out in particular. The first was our venture to India for wedding shopping. I went to India in May (7 months prior to the wedding) for 2 weeks with my parents and in-laws and we traveled to various cities including Baroda, Mumbai, and Surat, where we got essentially everything for the wedding: clothes, weddings invitations, welcome bags, custom made bridesmaids/groomsmen outfits, jewelry, wedding favors, and much much more! It was definitely a very hectic and jam-packed 2 weeks, but what made it so special was that we were all together and it served as a beautiful way for both of our families to bond before Jay and I officially tied the knot. Not to mention all the yummy food we ate, which made the trip even more enjoyable!
Another enjoyable part of the planning process was selecting the music and choreographing dances. Jay and I love dancing/music and by default our families and friends really made a huge effort to put on their best performances. All of the dances were choreographed by ourselves or the performers which made it even more special! Our friends and cousins put together an epic performance at our reception highlighting the story of how we met, and it was truly something straight out of a Bollywood/Bhangra competition!
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
One moment during the wedding weekend I will never forget was when we entered the sangeet. This was the first of the three wedding events that took place at our main venue and included both mine and Jay’s families and friends. Since Jay and I are huge garba dancers, our entrance ended up being an energetic, impromptu dandiya performance to a garba mashup that was custom made by a very close friend (shout out to DJ Amin). After we took our seats, Jay and I just took a few minutes to soak in everything around us. We were able to see our decor vision come into reality, we could hear our DJ playing the most hype music after months of discussing our music preference, and most importantly, we could feel the love around us as we were surrounded in a room full of our favorite people, which put the biggest smiles on our faces. Truly a surreal moment I will never forget!
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Enjoy the wedding planning process and do what resonates well with you and your partner - this is ultimately what creates a wedding experience unique to you as a couple! With so many different ideas on social media, it can get very overwhelming to decide what you want and may pressure you to get/do things that may not represent you and your partner. Not to mention, this also leads to overspending! It took me a while to come to terms with this, but at the end of the day, I focused on what would be most memorable for my husband and I as we look back on the wedding weekend!
The most important advice I can share is to have fun and live in the moment!! You may spend months and months planning for the perfect wedding, and when the day is finally there, it goes by with the blink of an eye! So enjoy every moment - make your rounds to greet all your guests, take some time to enjoy the meal that you carefully selected, and don’t dwell on things that are not in your control!
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