Happy Monday, my beloved Maharanis. A brand new week starts today, and you know what? The love Shabina & Ryan has for each other is here to brighten your day! Let me ask you, how impressive would it be to get a proposal after slow dancing in the middle of Times Square? Yes, you've guessed it right, that is precisely how our lovely couple decided to say "I do" to a new beginning as one heart and soul. To make every guest feel special, they decided to host a beautiful reception at Neha Palace. Thanks to the magnificent wedding planning by AMP Royal Rental and the magical décor put together by  Mays Events; the reception turned out to be a real fairytale. The newlyweds wanted to share a special treat with their guests, and an enjoyable way to go was a photo booth, and F&M Photobooth is the best team to call. I know everyone loved this surprise! Our couple met through music, and it has always been an integral part of their relationship, so to celebrate their love, DJ Dynamik made everyone dance on the floor all night long. My dear Maharanis, the fashion part of this entry has come! Our gorgeous Shabina looked phenomenal, thanks to the exclusive designs by Rehana's Exclusive Design IncLotus Bazaar, and RetroCraze Salon & Spa. Every dress made her look like the perfect Maharani she is. In addition to her natural beauty, the elegant jewelry by Kirni Designs and R-Chie Creations made Shabina glow. I adore her! An exceptional detail that caught everyone's attention was the mesmerizing Mehndi art Henna by Inder did. My dears, I have one last question for you. What is better than one photographer? Two photographers. J'adore Love Photography teamed up with NiL Photography to make this celebration of love a memory worth reliving through the most dedicated captures. Please don't wait any longer, and check out the gallery we have put together to get you inspired with emotional and incredible moments. You will love it!

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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Ryan and I were apart of a music group that sang at religious functions. I had just joined the group and throughout the entire summer they all joked that I had to meet Ryan because we would be perfect for one another. We were at the pooja and he happened to be free that weekend and decided to come join us. He walked in and we made eye contact and he smiled at me. From the moment I saw him I loved his smile. There was such warmth around him when he was smiling and being with him was a place of comfort. He asked for another group member's number and then he asked for mine. I was new to the group so I gave him my number without thinking twice about it so that we have can have it for future events. According to him, that was his trick to get my number. At the time we were both in college and we were on different paths trying to accomplish our goals. We decided to just stay friends and we went about our lives focusing on our goals. About two years later one of the group members got married and we saw one another again at the wedding. I was a bridesmaid and he was the DJ. As I was walking out of the limo he said he saw me and was speechless and couldn’t catch his breath. At that moment he decided that this was the time and he wasn’t going to let go of me again. That connection was instantaneous again and the timing was finally right for both of us! There were multiple moments throughout our relationship that I knew he was the one for me. How he interacted with my family and treated them like his own was a key factor. It was early on in our relationship when I got into nursing school and had to move to another state. He supported me from the beginning and throughout the many nights of tears and stress from school. I knew this was someone that I would grow with and will have his support. 

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
In April of 2020 I came home for spring break from nursing school and that was when the world changed not only for Ryan and I but everyone around us. Ryan planned to propose to me for spring break but due to COVID everything changed. We were on a lockdown in NY and his original plans for the proposal got cancelled. He didn't want to give up on proposing and came up with an impromptu proposal. He told me to get dressed and along with my brother we went to Times Square. It was where we had our first date. The city was at a standstill and there was almost no one on the street that we're used to seeing busy with activity. We met through music, and it has always been an integral part of our relationship. He played our favorite song from Arijit Singh through his car speakers, and we slow danced in the middle of Times Square. After the song finished, he got on one knee and proposed to me. After I said yes, the few cars that were on the street stated honking and cheering for us. It was a surreal moment for the both of us. It was a happy moment because we were moving on in our lives but there was also some hesitance because we didn't know how much the world was going to change around us. For the next year the world was in chaos to say the least and being in the medical field we both saw the carnage of COVID and how fleeting life was. We decided that we wanted to get married in June 2021.

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.
As many couples have experienced planning a wedding is stressful but planning during COVID was a whole different ballgame. There was so much uncertainty with navigating dates, vendors, COVID restrictions, international travel lockdowns etc. I started a new job and was working 12-hour night shifts while Ryan worked 14-hour day shifts! It was a lucky day if we were able to have 20 minutes to discuss wedding planning. He took the responsibility of planning the reception and I took care of the hindu wedding and all of the pre-ceremonies. When we were finally able to talk, we would lay out the options and select the things we both wanted. With the help of our amazing vendors and family members we were able to successfully plan our wedding. They accommodated both of our crazy schedules and the random hours of the day/night I would message them. Our vendors never hesitated to respond to our questions and gave us ideas on how to better organize ourselves.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guest loved the photobooth that was at our wedding. They loved that they could have their own souvenir from that day. After a year of being locked away and not being able to see one another in person, they loved that we were able to bring everyone together and to celebrate our wedding. Everyone savored the moment even more because we all knew what it left like not being able to spend time with family and the fun we had when we were together.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Ryan coordinated the music and made the program for our wedding. He knew which song and what particular point our bridal party, family etc were coming in. After what seemed liked forever, the song played for my entrance and he said "finally" my wife is coming. His smile was what I first noticed about him and as I was walking down the aisle he was beaming from ear to ear with that smile. Sitting down in the mandap and holding each others hand, we both could not stop smiling at one another because we both knew this was where we were meant to be.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Our advise would be to just enjoy and be present in the moment as it's happening. You spend so much time planning and going over every detail to make the day perfect but sometimes it doesn't go as planned. There is going unexpected situations that pop up and there are going to be things that may not have been done the exact way you envisioned. But that doesn't mean that you should get caught up making it perfect and miss out on what's going on right in front of you. Your family and friends are there to celebrate with you and they want to enjoy the moments together. It takes so long to plan but before you know it your ceremony just flies by like a blur. Soak up as much of it as possible because before you know it'll just be a memory. 

My beloved Maharanis, come back tomorrow for a new adorable love story.

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Sangeet Venue: Bride's Home | Ceremony Venue: Fairfield Pavilion | Reception Venue: Neha Palace | Planning & Design: AMP Royal Rental | Floral & Decor (Hindu Ceremony): AMP Royal Rental | Floral & Decor (Reception): Mays Events | Hair & Makeup (Hindu Ceremony): RetroCraze Salon & Spa | Hair & Makeup (Reception): Beauty by Sherin | Catering: Family Members | DJ: DJ Dynamik | Bridal Fashions: Rehana's Exclusive Design Inc | Bridal Fashions: Lotus Bazaar | Bridal Jewelry: Kirni Designs | Bridal Jewelry: R-Chie Creations | Cake & Treats: Everything Lulu | Cinematography: J’adore Love Photography | Bridal Draping/Sari Tying & Styling: RetroCraze Salon & Spa | Invitations & Wedding Stationery: AMP Royal Rental | Invitations & Wedding Stationery: Simply Personalized | Live Music: Royal Entertainment | Mehndi Artist: Henna by Inder | Photo Booth: F&M Photobooth | Photography (Hindu Ceremony): J’adore Love Photography | Photography (Reception): NiL Photography