I have a confession to make.  Every time I am feeling like I need a little inspiration at work, I close my door and turn on one of Pacific Picture’s masterpieces.  They always warm my heart, give me chills, and make me remember what I absolutely love about Indian weddings – without fail,  every. single. time.  I still can’t stop watching Pacific Picture’s Same Day Edit from Pelican Hill or the blockbuster Flawless.  But, my very favorite of Kevin Shahinian’s films is his destination Indian wedding video from Aruba.  Every time I watch it, I am mesmerized by the beauty of the imagery and story that is told through music.

So, enjoy my lovely Maharanis, this one makes me giddy every time I see it!

I mean, the magical team at Pacific Pictures can even get it to rain on cue!

From the rockstar, Kevin Shahinian, of Pacific Pictures :

We learn something new and beautiful about the Indian culture with every South Asian wedding film we produce. Sapna and Vijay’s gorgeous destination wedding in Aruba was no exception. The week of festivities would be a memorable departure from the norm, with the island serving as a picturesque backdrop for the Atlanta natives’ lavish two-day South Asian wedding. The celebration joined friends and family from all over the world to partake in the couples’ Vidhi and Pithi, outdoor Sangeet and Hindu wedding ceremony overlooking Palm beach. In this piece, the challenge was blending the rich visual symbols of a modern Hindu wedding with an homage to the distinct sights and sounds of the Caribbean islands. Central to our approach was a focus on water as a theme, for its recurrence in the rituals of a Hindu wedding ceremony, to its ever-presence as a symbolic motif in Bollywood cinema. From the blue/green hues in the color palette to the literal moments of washing and rainfall itself, water as a symbol of renewal and purity was a link common to both Hinduism and the couples’ chosen destination of the island.

But the idea to attempt a pseudo concept engagement session in the rain was inspired at the last minute by weather reports showing scattered showers the week of the trip. We are always looking for inventive ways to try new things. So to pull off the shoot, Sapna and Vijay were “on call” the day before festivities were set to begin, and none of us knew if or when we would see rain. But it managed to fall at the perfect moment and we hurried to produce the impromptu shoot on the very same beach as their ceremony. The same-day-edit premiered at their reception just prior to their grand entrance on the last night of the trip. We couldn’t be more pleased with the results and were honored to document this memorable event for such a fun couple

What a fabulous way to end the year!

I just wanted to say thank all of you for your support of Maharani Weddings. This blog wouldn’t be possible without the readers, contributors, and sponsors. So, THANK YOU! I hope that you enjoy reading Maharani Weddings as much as I love working on it, and look forward to 2012 being even better, bigger, and with a little more Maharani bling!

See you in 2012!

Before we showcase our Editor’s Choice for Film-y Friday, I am delighted to share this destination Indian wedding by Robles Video.  I first fell in love with this wedding when we featured the ah-MAZ-zing wedding photographs by Katha Images. This is going to be hard to believe but this seven day shoot, yep, that’s right SEVEN, showcases the couple first meeting in high school, the bride’s passion for Bollywood, and general shenanigans about town.  Top that off with four days of ceremonies like the haldi, bride’s mehndi, Nikkah & Walima, and it’s no surprise we think this concept reel is totally adorable.  So, take a break from your New Year’s Eve prep, and enjoy!

Stay tuned to find out what our editor’s voted the ultimate wedding video of 2011!

Be right back!

I can’t believe that we are at the final Indian wedding feature of 2011!  It’s been a fantastic year of inspiration and ideas, but today’s New York Indian wedding by Susan Stripling Photography really captured our hearts. I just feel so lucky that the creative eyes of Susan Stripling and ultimate wedding designer David Tutura submitted this beauty to us, so we can marvel at each and every image.  Oh, and brides wondering whether or not they should wear a veil on the big day, I think that this first picture proves the point.

See you tomorrow Maharanis for our last post of 2011!

The Maharanis at HQ and I easily came up with a zillion reasons why this wedding was our favorite.  While I love the color of her blue lengha, Shivani loved her colorful, Bollywood-ed out bridesmaids, and Neha, of course, fell head over “heels” for those Rene Caovilla shoes. With all of these details captured through the expert eye of Susan Stripling Photography this Indian fusion wedding is guaranteed to make your heart go pitter patter. Blending contemporary elements with traditional style, non other than the AH-maz-ing David Tutera planned the entire event fabulously. So, get ready and feast your eyes on this!

More coming up!

The Maharanis and I sat around HQ and when it came time to vote for our favorite Indian wedding of 2011 as Team MW, we agreed unanimously.  This Indian fusion wedding is filled with glitz and glam by David Tutera, romantic moment caught by Susan Stripling, and an engagement ring that will make every Maharani squeal with delight.  So, be prepared to be blown away once again, because an Indian fusion wedding like this one is even prettier the second time around!

It’s a good thing this ring isn’t mine, I would faint every time I laid eyes on it! Be right back!