The Platinum Guide Blog

All posts with Color "Turquoise"

Scottsdale, AZ Indian Fusion Wedding by Rachel Solomon Photography

May 21, 2020 Posted by: Shawna Comments

Good morning, Maharanis! I hope you are having a fantastic day. This week is almost over, and we don't want to end it without bringing you a new lovely event that, without a doubt, will fill you with many emotions and inspiring ideas to create your dreamed wedding. Today we are pleased to present to you the marvelous wedding celebration between Supriya & Steven, today's lovely duo. You will love how two different cultures mingled together and became one to celebrate the eternal love of their favorites. The McCormick Ranch Golf Club hosted the pre-wedding celebrations, and the Royal Palms Resort and Spa was chosen to host the fusion wedding ceremony and wedding reception. Let me tell you that our lovebirds made the right decision by choosing these venues as they not only met but exceeded all expectations! Everything was perfectly trimmed and planned by Laurie Stricklin, who took made this wedding unique and unforgettable. Just lovely! Supriya, our gorgeous Maharani, dazzled everyone with her innate beauty. And let's not forget about the fantastic Mehndi art designed by Henna by Purvi. It was the crown jewel to her royal presence. The reception party was epic, and this was thanks to the phenomenal beats played by DJ Adi and the live performance of Lucky Devils Band. You are invited to relive this moment by visiting today's gallery, thanks to the spectacular shots captured by Rachel Solomon Photography. I know that you will be amazed by every single detail of it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?

I met Stevie on January 4th, 2018, following an introduction on the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel. Our first date was on the day that the Bomb Cyclone blanketed New York City in snow. We met for drinks at Bobby Van's near Grand Central Station, because it was one of the few places that remained open. Time seemed to pause, along with the outside world, as we chatted for hours!

I was struck by Stevie’s quiet confidence, wit, and uncanny familiarity. I felt as though I already knew him -- on our first date alone, there was an easy and natural balance between us. To my friends, I referred to him as “Steady Stevie," and that last part has stuck. Within just a few weeks of dating, I told my mom (much to her alarm) that I knew I was going to marry him. We ultimately chose January 4th as our wedding day, as it is also the date we met!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

A year after we met, Stevie fittingly chose to propose in Grand Central Station on a beautiful evening in January! I met up with him at Grand Central Oyster Bar. We checked our coats and grabbed a glass of wine at the bar. Curiously, the Maître D' (who was in on it) said there would be a long wait even though the place was empty. So to kill time, we drifted over to the Whispering Gallery and eventually the Main Concourse. There, Stevie told me we were going on a journey; which train did I think we were taking? Perplexed, my concern was that we had left our coats (and wine!) at the restaurant. He said not to worry, and gestured at the balcony overlooking the concourse, where I suddenly saw my parents waving. When I turned back around, Stevie was on one knee, with heartfelt words and a big smile on his face.

The rest of the night is a blur of glee -- champagne and hors d'oeuvres with my family at Bobby Vans (where we had our first date), a casual pit stop to see Hamilton on Broadway, and a surprise afterparty at my favorite bar, Ted's, where my brother had gathered a group of our closest friends! The night ended at 4 am, with Dollar Pizza on 3rd Avenue. We will forever thank New York City for bringing us together, a boy from Arizona and a girl from India.

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 had a destination wedding in my groom's hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona. Since we live in New York, we found ourselves in the capable hands of my Arizona wedding planner, Laurie Stricklin! I had weekly calls with Laurie, who would find vendors to match my ideas. We also had 3-weekend trips to finalize decisions in person.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?

I had a vision for my white wedding dress being ultra-feminine with lots of lace detail. I went shopping with my mom at Kleinfeld Bridal and immediately fell in love with a gorgeous Pnina Tornai off-shoulder neckline and sheer lace bodice. The designer herself, Pnina, was there in person and helped me customize the rest of the dress: a soft A-line silhouette with a modest train. I have a video with her, as I said Yes to the Dress!

For my Sangeet lengha, I found myself drawn to modern Indian design, as opposed to the more traditional heavily-beaded florals. I've always loved vibrant colors and patterns, and so I chose a bright turquoise + pink lengha with gold accents! With my groom in gold, and our wedding party in teal and pink, we felt it all came together really well.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?

We know we come from very different backgrounds, cultures, and religious traditions. So throughout the planning process, our North Star was the idea of "One True Fusion Ceremony," which was a lot of fun to brainstorm!

We wanted the important elements of each of us represented. I wore a white dress as a nod to Stevie’s culture, and he wore an Indian suit for me. My bridesmaids represented my tradition in red lenghas, and the groomsmen represented his culture, in black tuxedos. Our ceremony featured both a western Officiant and a Hindu Pandit. We had Bible Readings and Hindu Mantras, recited our own Vows and even Broke the Glass. Our wedding had everything from the Henna to the Horah! Even our hashtag (#OneLesserMenon) combined both our last names and embraced the spirit of unity.

Before the wedding day we had a Mehendi, Rehearsal Dinner, and Sangeet -- this rounded out all the traditions of our families. It was a wonderful, colorful, and authentic wedding for the two of us.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

I think the thing that the guests appreciated the most was embracing a cultural element that they weren't accustomed to! Many of my Indian family members had never experienced toasts at a Rehearsal dinner, never seen a bride in a white dress, and never danced to a Horah! Stevie's side of the family loved picking out Indian outfits for the Sangeet, getting Henna done on their hands, and watching our "mystical" Hindu ceremony. Many of our friends loved practicing together for Sangeet performances, and donning bright kurtas, saris, and ornate jewelry. We hope every guest got to experience something unique, and authentic to our fusion wedding.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?

I absolutely LOVED watching my "gora" groom perform bhangra at our Sangeet, alongside two seasoned Indian friends! He has always been a great dancer, but it was absolutely incredible -- the whole crowd was cheering and I think his side of the family was stunned! It really warmed my heart that he wanted to embrace the Indian culture and do something that required stepping completely outside of his comfort zone.

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.

We tried to weave in authentic, important pieces of our story throughout the wedding. For our first dance we chose the song "Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, because this was actually the first song we danced to, a few weeks into dating! Signature drinks at our reception were based on our favorite cocktails. At the afterparty in our hotel suite, we had my groom's favorite: In-N-Out burgers, fries, and shakes. Too many details to recount here!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?

Being a very planning-oriented person, I made a conscious decision to just let go and be present the week of the wedding. You've done all the hard work, now soak up every moment, and ENJOY!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)

Our wedding gifts to each other were so special! We wanted to gift each other things that would become our family's heirlooms -- our story forever passed down along with them. Stevie is a big watch-enthusiast, so I surprised him with a classic and timeless Patek Philippe dress watch. I had the back of the case engraved with the words, "January 4, 2020. Until the end of time." He got me a stunning 3.5-carat Infinity ring, with 20 oval diamonds to represent the year we got married.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. And stick around, we have more prepared for you!

STYLE
GUIDE style
Traditional
Fusion
Romantic
season
Winter
color

Henna by Purvi, Lucky Devils Band and Knollswood are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Knollswood VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Styled Shoot by Jamie Howell Photography & Hakim Studio Photography

May 8, 2020 Posted by: Shawna Comments

Good morning, Maharanis! It's Friday again, and we want to end this week with a flourish. So, get ready to open your minds and your hearts to this marvelous Styled Shoot that we are sure is going to take your breath away! There are endless amounts of beauty and bridal inspiration overflowing from today's magical feature, that one photographer was not enough! Because of it, we are thrilled to let you know that you'll have the honor to delight yourself with visual masterpieces captured by Jamie Howell Photography & Hakims Studio - Photography and Cinematography. Hands down, there is amazingness and exquisiteness guaranteed! So, let's not wait any longer and enjoy this image after image of eye candy, together. Jamie Howell took the first set of shots at the Chateau Elan Winery and Resort, where the gorgeous model donned a glamorous lengha with delicate embroidery by Royal Indian closet. And every single shot is swoon-worthy! After a quick change of clothes into a monochromatic nude and gold number, Hakims Studio took the lead behind the lens and captured glamorous and fascinating shots that we can't stop seeing. The White Farrow Estate became the perfect backdrop for this second set of images, and we cannot stress how much we loved the different looks presented throughout the entire stylized shoot! Makeup Artistry by Sweta created both looks delivering delivered nothing but utter perfection, praising the models' natural beauty and making them look like royalty. Without any question, this was a dreamy shoot from which you can take tons of ideas to start planning your ultimate bridal look. And we want to give a big shoutout to Crimson Bleu Events, not only for orchestrating this fabulous photoshoot but also for sharing it with us! Don't miss today's jaw-dropping gallery for a full reveal of this Stylized Shoot. You will love it!

We hope you've enjoyed this stylized photo shoot as much as we did! Have a great weekend, stay safe, and join us on Monday for more inspiring ideas!

STYLE
GUIDE style
Traditional
Contemporary
Outdoor
season
color

Planning & Design: Crimson Bleu Events | Hair & Makeup: Makeup Artistry by Sweta | Photography: Hakim's Studio | Bridal Fashions: Royal Indian Closet | Venue for Jamie Howell Photography shots: Chateau Elan Winery and Resort | Venue for Hakim's Studio - Photography & Cinematography shots: The White Farrow Estate | Photography: Jamie Howell Photography

Plano, TX Indian Fusion Wedding by Texpertz Photography

March 24, 2020 Posted by: Shawna Comments

Happy Tuesday, Maharanis! Today is a special day, and we are pleased to be here with you sharing a true love story. I know you will love it as much as we did! Today we would like to unveil the marvelous wedding celebration between Anam & Aamir. So get ready to enjoy a double featuring that we have prepared for you. On this installment, we will take you to the exclusive 2616 Commerce Event Center for the pre-wedding ceremonies and celebrations. You will love every single part of them, especially how Anam glowed during the ceremonies. She chose the perfect allies to help her with her beauty needs. For her makeup and hairstyle, the talented Kashish By Hina praised her natural beauty with a marvelous design that made everyone sigh, while Kashish By Hina assisted her with a spectacular draping style that we loved so much. And we can't forget to mention the fantastic Mehndi art that KM Henistry created for her. What a winning combo! The beginning of these wedding festivities was a cornucopia of delicious food from Patriotic Pig, emotive speeches, fantastic choreographies, and of course, the great music beats from DJ Riz Entertainment, who turn the night into a real party. If you want to relive this moment, visit today's gallery, and if this is not enough, you can check the visual masterpiece here, both created by Texpertz Photography. You will be amazed!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Aamir and I met when I was in middle school and he was in high school! We started dating when I was 14 and he was 15. Little did we know that 13 years later we would be getting married. I think we knew that this was going to work for the long haul when we very quickly clicked. We went from being boyfriend/girlfriend to best friends and then to business partners. At that point, we knew that this relationship was going to be a love story for the books

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Every thanksgiving we vacation in Cancun with Aamir's family. This was the first thanksgiving that we were going to go along to Cancun. Naturally I knew something was up. We stayed at the Secrets the Vine in Cancun in the honeymoon suite. Aamir had been playing me since August and letting me book our trip when little did I know he knew which resort I would end up picking and from there he worked with the resort for a romantic beach proposal. It was the cutest and sweetest moment of my life! It was perfect! As we came around the corner to go down the steps to the beach you saw herds of people gathered around and I remember looking to Aamir and saying oh look someone is getting proposed too and then I remember doing a double take and being like OMG THATS MY NAME!

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.
Honestly this was SO FUN FOR ME! Being a corporate event planner i was so excited to plan a more creative like event. My favorite part was planning all the little surprise and delight experiences and my least favorite part was deciding on my outfits. I LITERALLY could not make a decision cause the pressure was so high.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew for my indian lengha I wanted a traditional red lengha. I have always dreamed of being a traditional bride in a bright red lengha. As I got older my dream started getting mixed in with an american style reception. With that being said we ended up doing a combo to make both dreams come true. A red lengha for the sangeet and a white lace wedding dress for the reception

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Honestly it was when we were able to get our families together to do DIY projects, dance practices and wedding planning! It was so fun to get everyone together and it will be one of my favorite memories from the wedding. I am blessed to have such AMAZING family and cousins who were by my side during this whole wedding process

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think our guests favorite part of the wedding was how uniquely different it was. It had a good pairing of traditional and non-traditional elements.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our special moment was spending the morning of the reception with our bridal party and close family. We truly were blown away seeing everyone come together and make our dream wedding come together. I remember walking out from my hair and make-up into the venue hall and having that ah-huh moment on how blessed we truly are!

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 4 day wedding started off with a traditional mendhi at both the bride and grooms homes. It was filled with lots of food, laughter and dancing. We decided to change up the normal tradition and do the grooms egg rasum on this day to help the ease of the pithi/sangeet on the next day. The pithi and sangeet was our FAVORITE day! Our families put on wonderful performances and skits that talked about our relationship. Aamir and I are middle school sweethearts. Yes, middle school! The pithi had delicious indo-chinese food, chaat station, falooda station, bangle bar, bindi bar and dupatta bar. Guests were then served gourmet popcorn for their late night snack. The nikkah was on Friday and took place at our ismaili center in Plano. WE drove in style to the pithi in a McLaren and did the traditional khoba kobi game. Aamir build a WONDERFUL donut wall that we used to provide the traditional sweets for everyone to celebrate the marriage. On Saturday, we had a more americanized traditional reception! Growing up in the american culture but still having solid traditional roots made picking a theme for the wedding tough. Our happy medium was a FULL traditional mendhi, pithi, sangeet and nikkah with a non-traditional reception. We started the day off in a party bus and had a full day in the bridal and grooms suite with our bridal party! The evening kicked off with entrances, cake cutting and lots of dances. Each guest got to takeaway gourmet organic cotton candy for the favor. We catered barbeque food and had cupcakes and a smores bar for the desserts. We ended the evening with a sparkler exit and fireworks! It was truly a magical time!!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Just enjoy every moment of it. All the stress during the weekend is not worth it! You have family to help with that. You want to be able to look back and be apart of your wedding

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
My mendhi had a few hidden elements that meant alot to me. For example an infinity sign with 2006 hidden in it. That is the year we started dating. Cake tasting was one of our favorite days! We wanted something different and seasonal so we went with mint chocolate chip, coffee flavored and cinnamon spice. The venue for each of our days were so different. Pithi/Sangeet had a more industrial and vibrant feel. The reception was rustic and modern at the same time. I truly think we paired a fusion of cultures into a very intimate and lovely little wedding.

Stay tuned for the marvelous wedding ceremony in our next post! You will love it.

STYLE
GUIDE style
Traditional
Fusion
Contemporary
season
Winter
color

DJ Riz Entertainment is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Atlanta, GA Indian Wedding by Wildcolors by abi

February 28, 2020 Posted by: Shawna 2 Comments

TGIF! Maharanis, you will love what we have for you today! The beautiful feature of Bindiya & Himesh's wedding ceremony. So let's go to the grand Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta, a magnificent venue that harbored the celebrations for our lovebirds! And there's no doubt that they made the right choice! If you were waiting to see the look of Maharani Bindiya, let me tell you that you will be astounded as she entered the marvelous hall dazzling everyone with a perfect look from head to toe. Her incredible style was thanks to the incredible team of Edge & Priss Luxury Bridal Glam, who glamorized our lovely lady on her special day! And how can we forget to mention the fantastic saree she wore? Shyamal & Bhumika did a great job creating the perfect bridal outfit for her. To conclude this phenomenal gala, a tremendous reception was held to celebrate the love of these two! While, our friends from Encore Entertainment put everyone on their feet, entertaining all guests and creating a memorable party! Amazing beats! If you want to relive this fantastic moment, visit today's gallery, brought to us thanks to Wildcolors by abi. You will be inspired.

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?

We actually met during my fourth year of college at a UGA vs UTK college football game in Knoxville, Tennessee. We had mutual friends, but had never crossed paths before. I remember the first day I was in Knoxville and my cousin had introduced us, and Himesh actually ignored me and showed zero interest in making an acquaintance. I remember thinking "wow people in Tennessee are rude."

The next day after the game, in a bar of course, I had a second encounter with Himesh. My friends and cousins had gone to the bathroom, and I was sitting by myself. Himesh came over to to talk to me (probably to console me after UGA's tragic loss) and we just had a casual conversation that neither of us really thought much of. I remember he asked me the same question twice in regards to my major.

After we parted ways, I remember being back in Athens and getting a friend request from him on Facebook. I messaged him first thanking him for giving me company in Knoxville and the rest was history! We instantly connected and talked about our childhood memories, life goals, family, interests and of course I had to make fun of him a few times. I eventually agreed to go on our first date. He was in medical school in East Tennessee at the time and showed up to my apartment late! Of course all the restaurants were closed at this time so I decided to just cook dinner for us. I made him falafel (which he loved -- and if you know Himesh you know he loves food), we talked for hours, and soon realized we were two pieces of the same soul. We dated for 3.5 years until we finally got married and moved to Jacksonville, Florida for his residency at Mayo Clinic!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

- The groom's perspective (Himesh Zaver):

Someone once told me "when you know, you know." From the beginning, with B, I knew I was in for a lifetime of laughter and smiles...on a full stomach. The hardest part of the proposal was not picking out the perfect ring or asking her father for her hand in marriage, instead it was planning something she would never forget. I've always tried my best to remind her she's worth a million bucks and more, and I went through hundreds of scenarios, locations, and ways I would ask. With B, it has never been the gift that put a smile on her face, but the handwritten card or letter that went with it. In the end, I decided on the things that matter most to her.

Our proposal was made possible with the support and help of many of our family and friends. Bindiya's day began with a letter, a painting, and her favorite breakfast. Her first letter highlighted how we met, our first date, and playful clues on what to expect throughout the day. When first getting to know B, she told me her favorite flower was the Black Dahlia. On our first date, I brought her Black Dahlia flower seeds because I was never able to find the actual flower. Fast forward two and a half years and I still have not been able to get my hands on those flowers so I had a painting made of the exact jar of seeds I brought her and the full bloomed Dahlia. As the day went on, Bindiya received more letters, had a manicure with her sister, and finally arrived at Piedmont Park where I nervously awaited for her arrival. I was under a gazebo, and although I forgot how I asked, and honestly even if she said yes or not, I do remember how perfect she looked, and how happy I was to now call her my fiancé!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?

I flew to India specifically for wedding shopping. I found all of my outfits for each day's events in Bombay. I definitely had an open mind when I began my wedding shopping. I saved pins on pinterest and had a few ideas in mind. I spent the first 3 days just browsing at various stores and designers so I could see all my options.

I remember walking into Shyamal & Bhumika and just falling in love with the hand embroidered work and contrasting colors. I never saw myself wearing "all" red, but I knew I wanted to incorporate the color in my wedding lengha as it's a traditional color in Hindu weddings. Ironically, I ended up selecting a bridal lengha from Shyamal & Bhumika that I had a screen-shot of on my phone. Before I even saw it in person, I loved this dress but never really thought it was suit me or be within my reach. I really loved the contrasting mint, peach, pinks, and coral red's within my outfit and my husband's outfit! I was truly blessed with this beautiful dress! I wouldn't have it any other way.

In addition, on the day of the wedding, I was able to also wear my mother's wedding sari (33 years old I might add) for the Baraat and groom welcoming. It was really important to me to be able to share a piece of my parents' wedding on my special day because we both share the same wedding anniversary. That's right, April 20th was also my parents' wedding date. This wasn't planned but it's funny how things turn out. I'll always have this memory with me and remember them as I celebrate the years to come with Himesh!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

A unique part of my wedding was that all five events of my wedding were at the same venue. All the guests, both bride and groom's side, stayed at the same hotel where the ballroom was also located. Everyone was able to hangout during downtimes and get together and talk. I remember everyone telling my parents and me that they had such a blast because of the convenience and timeliness of all of the wedding events. My dad and I planned my wedding on our own and made sure everything ran according to schedule.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?

A wedding comes once in a lifetime. It took me a long time (near the last month really) to get over the stress of wedding planning and actually start to enjoy the process. Now looking back on it, I truly loved spending time with my family planning the events, and I'll always cherish these memories. The amount of love and support you receive throughout this process and on the big day is truly indescribable. For all future brides-to-be, I really recommend remembering the true meaning of marriage and the point of having a wedding. At the end of the day, it's not about the little details like a fancy car, forgotten dessert, technical AV difficulties, but solely about you getting to marry the love of your life on a day you will never get back or forget.

We have more, visit us in a bit for more of this great love story.

STYLE
GUIDE style
Traditional
Ballroom
Luxury
season
Spring
color

Wildcolors by abi and Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta VIEW PORTFOLIO

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

Dallas, TX Indian Wedding by Two Pair Photography

December 23, 2019 Posted by: Shawna Comments

We know you loved this wedding as much as we did! What was not to love? It had everything that a real Maharani wedding experience must have! Style, glamour, sophistication, and of course, love. Today and thanks to Two Pair Photography we will be witnessing everything that went on for the lavish reception at Marie Gabrielle Restaurant, beautifully decorated by Pollen Events, of course. If you were loving Maharani Nupi's bridal gown then you will be stunned by her reception outfit. Such a classic gown with just the right amount of modern touchups! So stunning! And what about the person who swept our Maharani of her feet? The groom Raj was beaming with a royal blue tux that gave him that royal allure that every Raja should have. So neat! So ladies, join us once more in today's gallery thanks to Two Pair Photography and get those ideas going!