The Platinum Guide Blog

Good Morning, Maharanis! It is so good to be back with more love stories. If you are in the persuit of inspiration, you came to the right place at the right moment as today we have something special just for you. We are presenting the beauty that surrounded the wedding of Zahra & Zohab and I'm pretty sure you will love it.  To begin this lovely journey,  we will be heading down to the phenomenal Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson, where a marvelous Sangeet festivity ignaurated the wedding spree! Everyone was amazed by the kaleidoscopic decoration our friends from All Event Decorators created. So vibrant, such cheerful and what a wonderful talent displayed! Maharani Zhara was dolled up by Style by Susmita who's magical touch gave her and impecable look to twirl on the dance floor. What a beauty! Family and friends gathered, enjoyed delicious food and amazing choreographies that created and unforgettable night for our lovebirds. We are glad to have the fabulous photos from our friends from Jason Rhee Photography to bring back to life this great night!

We have more for you. Come back for the final  moments of this magical celebration. 

The Grove NJ and Jason Rhee Photography are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

The Grove NJ VIEW PORTFOLIO

Jason Rhee Photography VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Welcome back, ladies! We are so excited to continue sharing all the details surrounding Radha & Vikram's wedding festivities! This time, we'll be taking a look at the fabulous wedding ceremony that took place at the beautiful facilities from the fantastic Bello Giorno Estate. The outdoors from this magical place with a Lakeview witnessed the promise of love between our lovebirds. Raja Vikram observed with admiration the spectacular entrance from his maharani, who thanks to the fantastic talent from Kanwal Batool, looked like taken out from a fairy tale. Not to mention the incredible Mehndi art from Mehndikalogie, who was in charge of matching the henna ink with the dazzling jewelry. It was just great! Our friends from Flowers by Bhanu created the decoration and demonstrated that sometimes simple is better, with details they contributed to create the wedding from our lovebird's dreams. The place was just amazing! Once the ceremony ended, Radha & Vikram celebrated their union in an unforgettable reception with their closest friends and family, who enjoyed every second of the festivity. If you want to relive this memorable event, make sure to visit our gallery created thanks to the amazing captures of Siobhan Stanton Photography.

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Nashville meets New Jersey !!
It all started when a computer algorithm matched 2 strangers, in 2 different states (places we actually had never seen before), who would have never crossed paths otherwise. Ironically, this was our final try for online dating as we both were quite fatigued by whole gamut of online world. But, as they say, never close a door on an opportunity to find love .. The moment we started talking over phone, we both knew we had to meet ASAP. The first few dates quickly turned into something neither of us saw coming. The feelings were intense and the rush of emotions every time we met was unreal. He proposed me after 6 months of dating which many would think was rushed but when you know, you know!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
My husband and I had talked about weddings and fancy proposals earlier and he knew I was intimidated by big public proposals. Vikram (my husband) was in Nashville at that time visiting me, and he had given me no hints on what was coming. On a Thursday (he intentionally chose a weekday), I came back exhausted after my 75 minutes hot yoga class only to stumble upon “Will You Marry Me" illuminated in real red and white, candles in my apartment, popped the question and of course I said yes! We called our parents in India after that, and they were elated.
I fell in love all over again !

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.
From the beginning we both didn’t want an extravagant wedding, however photographs were essential for us to keep the beautiful wedding memories. We were immensely lucky to find Siobhan, our photographer, who was exceptional. Ironically, this was Siobhan’s first Indian wedding shoot and she captured such intricate details that made everyone a fan of hers. We planned, planned, and  planned. We also made budget for the unexpected expenses for small things that may pop at the last second . The wedding took place in Bello Giorno estate a family owned resort, the venue itself is so pleasant with its location right by the river. They went above and beyond to adorn the venue with elegant Indian décor in a nice cozy environment. I am so happy I chose Kanwal to do my hair and makeup for my wedding!!! I was totally in love with the way I looked that day and everyone else did too.

My husband and I had our wedding in an intimate setting amongst our closest family and friends, and we are so happy we made that decision. Having a smaller group made the wedding extremely warm and private affair where we got to spend quality time with everyone that mattered the most!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
I am glad you asked this question. The wedding day passes by so quickly that one barely remembers it at all. Well, I will mention a couple of moments.

1) During the ring finding ritual, I was clearly losing the game but my loving husband just let me win by handing over the ring to me hidden in the tray.  From that moment on I knew I won’t be losing any game in future :)

2) Since my husband and I hardly ate at our wedding, we were literally starving in the evening and ordered food from outside in our hotel room. It was a special moment, while we ate, laughed and chatted about the entire day and the amazing experience we cherished together.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
There is no magical wand for the least stress bride on the planet and perhaps that's why they have the term 'Bridezilla', however my dearest ladies always understand this is going to be your day, and you need to have utmost fun not only during the wedding, but also during the planning process. Any time you feel stressed, go out for coffee or lunch with your BFFs and talk through the things. I had last minute vendor issues, but I stayed calm (actually my husband helped calm me down) and everything was sorted and worked for the best at the end. Lastly, relax, eat and enjoy every moment :)

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
I was the lucky bride with the best people making it a special day..
1)  On my wedding day, I wore a specially designed maharani Kundan set gifted by my sweetest  mother -in - law . The remaining jewellery was from Soni Sapphire in Delhi
2)  We chose Bhanu (floral designer in New York) for our wedding flowers. I had various ideas with no
clean vision, and Bhanu took the time to listen and prepared such beautiful flower garland and  veni (Gajra) for my hair.
3)  Loved my henna designed by Dhara (Mehndikälogie) as she accomodated all what I requested for  in my designs

Please continue visiting us for more love stories! 

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

Kanwal Batool VIEW PORTFOLIO

Mehndikalogie VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Good morning, Maharanis! It is time to take a look at all the bliss and style surrounding Radha & Vikram's wedding celebration! So, sit back and get ready to enjoy today's featured wedding! We are starting by taking a look at the "getting ready" photoshoot from our beautiful maharani before the ceremony. The charming imagery is brought to you thanks to the fantastic talent from Siobhan Stanton Photography that, according to our lovebirds, "captured such intricate details that it made everyone fan of hers." Our dazzling bride trusted in the unique style of Kanwal Batool, who made sure to prepare our maharani for her dreamed day. You will be delighted with her beauty and the great work they did! We have to highlight the breathtaking mehndi art that Mehndikalogie created for our bride. It was just fantastic! Radha wore a specially designed Kundan set that was a beautiful gift from her mother in law. This detailed set, along with the adorable outfit from Tanushree, gave her a royal look that left everyone speechless! If you want to relive this marvelous moments, make sure to visit today's gallery.

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Nashville meets New Jersey !!
It all started when a computer algorithm matched 2 strangers, in 2 different states (places we actually had never seen before), who would have never crossed paths otherwise. Ironically, this was our final try for online dating as we both were quite fatigued by whole gamut of online world. But, as they say, never close a door on an opportunity to find love .. The moment we started talking over phone, we both knew we had to meet ASAP. The first few dates quickly turned into something neither of us saw coming. The feelings were intense and the rush of emotions every time we met was unreal. He proposed me after 6 months of dating which many would think was rushed but when you know, you know!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
My husband and I had talked about weddings and fancy proposals earlier and he knew I was intimidated by big public proposals. Vikram (my husband) was in Nashville at that time visiting me, and he had given me no hints on what was coming. On a Thursday (he intentionally chose a weekday), I came back exhausted after my 75 minutes hot yoga class only to stumble upon “Will You Marry Me" illuminated in real red and white, candles in my apartment, popped the question and of course I said yes! We called our parents in India after that, and they were elated.
I fell in love all over again !

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.
From the beginning we both didn’t want an extravagant wedding, however photographs were essential for us to keep the beautiful wedding memories. We were immensely lucky to find Siobhan, our photographer, who was exceptional. Ironically, this was Siobhan’s first Indian wedding shoot and she captured such intricate details that made everyone a fan of hers. We planned, planned, and  planned. We also made budget for the unexpected expenses for small things that may pop at the last second . The wedding took place in Bello Giorno estate a family owned resort, the venue itself is so pleasant with its location right by the river. They went above and beyond to adorn the venue with elegant Indian décor in a nice cozy environment. I am so happy I chose Kanwal to do my hair and makeup for my wedding!!! I was totally in love with the way I looked that day and everyone else did too.

My husband and I had our wedding in an intimate setting amongst our closest family and friends, and we are so happy we made that decision. Having a smaller group made the wedding extremely warm and private affair where we got to spend quality time with everyone that mattered the most!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
I am glad you asked this question. The wedding day passes by so quickly that one barely remembers it at all. Well, I will mention a couple of moments.

1) During the ring finding ritual, I was clearly losing the game but my loving husband just let me win by handing over the ring to me hidden in the tray.  From that moment on I knew I won’t be losing any game in future :)

2) Since my husband and I hardly ate at our wedding, we were literally starving in the evening and ordered food from outside in our hotel room. It was a special moment, while we ate, laughed and chatted about the entire day and the amazing experience we cherished together.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
There is no magical wand for the least stress bride on the planet and perhaps that's why they have the term 'Bridezilla', however my dearest ladies always understand this is going to be your day, and you need to have utmost fun not only during the wedding, but also during the planning process. Any time you feel stressed, go out for coffee or lunch with your BFFs and talk through the things. I had last minute vendor issues, but I stayed calm (actually my husband helped calm me down) and everything was sorted and worked for the best at the end. Lastly, relax, eat and enjoy every moment :)

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
I was the lucky bride with the best people making it a special day..
1)  On my wedding day, I wore a specially designed maharani Kundan set gifted by my sweetest  mother -in - law . The remaining jewellery was from Soni Sapphire in Delhi
2)  We chose Bhanu (floral designer in New York) for our wedding flowers. I had various ideas with no
clean vision, and Bhanu took the time to listen and prepared such beautiful flower garland and  veni (Gajra) for my hair.
3)  Loved my henna designed by Dhara (Mehndikälogie) as she accomodated all what I requested for  in my designs

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

Kanwal Batool VIEW PORTFOLIO

Mehndikalogie VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Good morning, Ladies! It is time to bring you gals an extraordinary pre-wedding celebration, thanks to the fantastic captures from Novia Mia Photography, who perfectly snapped all the details and every special moment of this lovely festivity. Our lovebirds choose to celebrate their eternal union in one of the most exceptional venues in Cancun, Mexico. To kick start the events, our beautiful Maharani Bhrugini arrived at her Haldi ceremony looking marvelous thanks to the talent of the Styling Trio team, who gave her an elegant look. Preeti Vasudeva took care of every detail of the ceremony, and let me tell you that everything ran smoothly, they couldn't ask for more. Not to mention the dazzling decoration provided by Alquimia Events, who made sure to create a vibrant traditional environment in the heart of this fantastic Mexican venue. Each member of this beautiful family had a great time at the ceremony making sure to create protection for Bhrugini and Vishal, our lovebirds. Last but least, we need to remark the great Mehndi art that Sonia Sumaira created for our bride. Hats off for this excellent artist! You will be deeply inspired by this wedding, so take a closer look at the gallery that we prepared for you! It is an absolute visual delight you don't want to miss!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Vishal and I met through a dating app. On a very cold Wednesday night in March 2016, just like everyone else, I was watching the usual lifeless soaps when my phone beeped. The on-screen notification displayed “Congrats! Vishal is madly in love with you” (or something along those lines ;)). I clicked on Vishal's profile to find he was hollering at me all the way from MX. I was a bit skeptical but decided to msg him anyway and this is how it went...
Bhrugini: “hey how's it going? do you really live in MX?”
Vishal: “Hi there, it’s going well. Wait, is it on my profile because I don't recall adding my location? or Are you a stalker? Because that would be interesting in its own way."

Since day 1 our conversations had a natural flow, followed by an amazing 3-day date in NYC to our first trip to Cabo (which pretty much started off with us missing our flight and Vishal being extremely sick the entire trip); from this very eventful week in Mexico we knew we could get through anything together and I also found out that he is my kind of crazy :)

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
After dating for about a year, Vishal and I planned for our families to meet for the first time in New York. Since Vishal lived in Mexico at the time I had no idea a proposal would even be on the surface because when would he have time to go ring shopping ;). To add to my surprise, Vishal had already custom designed my beautiful engagement ring, asked my dad for permission to marry me and had our families in on the proposal. I’m still amazed at how everyone was able to keep it a secret.  On the proposal day our families met during the day and in the evening Vishal had planned a dinner with both of our siblings at his cousin’s brand new restaurant, Queens Bully.  Vishal being so detailed he even planned where I would sit at the dinner table so that I couldn’t see anyone else coming in. At dinner, Vishal thanked everyone for coming and then moved on to saying some of the sweetest things about me/us (and I was still so clueless about what was to come) until he got down on one knee and popped the question....I was completely shocked and couldn’t stop smiling and after a few seconds Vishal asked “so is it a yes?” And I said of course YES! I then turn around to find our families standing there and slowly an army of his friends joined in on the celebrations. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect proposal.

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.
Vishal mentioned the idea of a destination wedding to make the celebrations even more fun for us and our family and friends. I hadn’t really considered it until then because I wanted all the traditional events and my entire family/friends to be part of my big day. We talked to our parents and after doing some research learned that we could have both, so we decided to move forward with it. We had gone to scope out a venue in Cancun but weren't too happy with it.  Luckily, during the same trip I called the Paradisus wedding department to request an appointment and they were able to accommodate us the same day.  We went to see the venue and instantly fell in love.  Planning a wedding in another country is a challenge in itself, fortunately there have been many Indian weddings in Cancun, MX so it was a matter of finding the right Vendors and getting into the details with each to bring our vision to life.  Our siblings/cousins stepped in and saw everything through each event during the wedding week which was a great help. As far as the decor, Vishal and I are both of the opinion “less is more”. All of our events were held outdoors/in open areas so we could enjoy the deep blue ocean and the resorts Zen garden backdrops. 

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I had a simple red outfit in mind and was pretty sure of the style, etc. However when I actually went shopping in India, after about 3 hours there was no sight of a simple red outfit. I branched out to other colors and as soon as I tried on the wedding outfit, both my parents and I said this is it! Cream with neon green and pink, never would’ve thought of this combination but loved it!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Vishal and I making decisions together, even if we didn't agree on everything we learned to compromise.   I also appreciated the unconditional support from our families through the process. Lastly, the dessert tasting because we both have a sweet tooth!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
The fact that it was a destination wedding and it was a first Indian destination wedding in both of our families. Everyone loved the resort, the music at the wedding reception (we had lot of wedding crashers from the resort), DJ Juicy from DJUSA is the best DJ ever, a full Gujarati meal after the wedding ceremony (my sister-in-law taught the non-Guju caterers how to make most of the dishes over the phone/txt msgs) and most importantly relaxing which is unheard of at Indian weddings since there are so many events and a lot of sleepless nights and running around.  Finally, the way the days were planned out; with the events all ending on Friday night, most people stuck around for the weekend and we all got to hang out post wedding; instead of flying out the day after the wedding.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
It’s hard to choose one because there were so many moments that actually constantly replay as if it was yesterday... our first look on the day of the wedding (filled with so many emotions), our first dance, the heartfelt speeches, the amazing dance performances, super packed dance floor, the look on Vishal's face when he saw the surprise fireworks, my crazy husband, some of his groomsmen and my brothers jumping in the pool at the reception, and seeing everyone smiling and showering us with love there and from afar. Still feels so surreal...

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Don’t sweat the small stuff.  Relish every moment of the wedding planning including the stressful ones and when things go awry. The wedding WILL be beautiful! :)

Make sure to visit our upcoming post to review the ceremony and reception details.

Alquimia Events and Novia Mia Photography are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Alquimia Events VIEW PORTFOLIO

Novia Mia Photography VIEW PORTFOLIO

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