Happy Friday, Maharanis! What about a lovely summer wedding to end this week with a flourish? If you are up for it, get ready to enjoy this romantic journey through Payal & Pranay's big wedding ceremony held at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest! From the get-go, we have to say that today's featured wedding was a full representation of beauty and radiance at its best. Just take a look at the decor crafted by Marigold Wedding Planners, absolutely incredible! The entire event was a cornucopia of elegance and traditional style, as this is what happens when you put together elite wedding vendors for your big day. And talking about it, we want to make a big shoutout to Events by Nisar as they are experts in planning and executing unforgettable events, like the one we delightfully see today thanks to the shots captured by PhotoKitch. All the beauty and tradition surrounding this beautiful ceremony mirrored the elegant look of our gorgeous Maharani Payal. She looked like a princess thanks to Nicole Lynn Artistry, and JHobby Makeup Studio, who took care of her beauty needs right before she slipped into her lovely red lengha! And we cannot forget about the exquisite Mehndi she got from Henna by Hetal. Amazing! Check more of this breathtaking ceremony in today's gallery!
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Pranay and I met on our very first day of residency orientation after we had both moved to Cleveland. We actually ended up parking our cars right next to each other and walked in together! After that, we hung out a few times with friends and really connected. I think I knew he was "the one" from the beginning
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Pranay and I both love going to the movies (he loves the Rom-Coms, but I love the Sci-Fi and superhero movies). I had been bugging him to go see the new Star Wars movie, but we kept putting it off, until we finally made plans to go see it one weekend. When we got to the theater, he sent me to go get snacks while he got the tickets. We walked into the theater, and I noticed we were the only ones there, but I guess I didn't think too much of it because the movie had been out for some time. The previews played like usual, but instead of the movie, Pranay came up on the screen! He had put together an amazing trailer with all of my favorite movie scenes, as well as some action shots with him. As the trailer ended, he got down on one knee and popped the question! Of course I said "yes" through my tears, but the surprises weren't over. Our parents walked into the theater to celebrate with us (at this point, the waterworks were flowing). Pranay had called them into town to surprise me, and they had been waiting in the theater next door all along. He had come to the theater earlier in the day to drop them off and set up a camera to record the whole thing!
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 were initially intimidated by wedding planning. We decided to get a wedding planner to help with all the logistics. Nisar Naimi from Events by Nisar was recommended to us by a friend and he was the best decision we made regarding the wedding. He and his team were with us through the whole process and executed the weekend perfectly.
Venue - We had a few requirements for venue selection - it needed to be large enough to fit our 500 person guest list, we wanted an outdoor space, we wanted a venue the was experienced with Indian weddings. Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest fit the bill. The Marriott staff was very knowledgable, accommodating to all our needs, and worked hard to make our weekend perfect.
My hair was done by Nicole from Nicole Lynn Artistry and make-up was done by Jahura Hobby from JHobby Makeup Studio. Both were recommended to me by a friend and they were amazing.
Tina from Marigold Planners did our decor and everything was beautiful! She really listened to our thoughts, offered suggestions and made our vision a reality. For our Sangeet we wanted a Festival or Mela theme with bright colors and props, different seating areas and sections for guests to mingle. For the ceremony, I wanted a softer color palette with gold, ivory, and blush.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I got my bridal lengha (all all of my wedding outfits) from Aso Palav in Ahmedabad. I had taken 3 weeks off to go shopping in India but ended up picking my wedding dress on the very first day! This worked out nicely because I was available for alterations and fittings.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
My favorite part was shopping for clothes in India. I loved trying all the outfits as well as picking outfits for my family.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think our guests appreciated how smoothly the whole weekend ran. all of the events started and ended on time. This credit goes to Nisar on his team who kept everything going.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
It's hard to pick one moment because there were so many special ones. I always think back to coming down the aisle - my uncles carried me in on a doli that was made by one my friends (it was beautiful). It was so surreal to see all my friends and family gathered in one room for such a special moment in my life.
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.
Our family friends helped to decorate our house for the pre-wedding events, which was so fun. We had a big tent in our driveway for guests to hang out.
During our Sangeet, my sister and I did a surprise dance for my parents. We danced to Aisa Kyun Ma and Dilbaro. I wanted to do something special for them so we practiced in secret. They loved it!
We were especially proud and thankful for our work friends, many of whom are not Indian or had not been to an Indian wedding, who did a fabulous dance at the reception.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Wedding planning is stressful for everyone involved. There are a lot of opinions that you will have to deal with. The important thing to remember is that it's not your job to make everyone happy. Be true to yourself and the day will turn out beautifully.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
I wore my mom's original wedding lengha for my pre-wedding puja (vidhi). It fit perfectly, we didn't have to make any alterations! I also wore some of her wedding jewelry, including her anklets, for the ceremony. Incorporating these parts from her special day made my day even more special.
More coming in a bit!
