Happy Monday, ladies! A new week starts today, so let's get ready to enjoy a unique love story. Today's feature concerns a lovely couple, Richa & Pratik. Planning a wedding event might be complicated; however, our couple always believed their love could surpass any situation! Thanks to the dedication and professionalism of the Weddings By Shy team, every wedding detail was perfectly executed. The elegant JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa was the venue of choice, and I can tell you our couple seemed happier than you can imagine! With the picture-perfect landscape and lovely decor crafted by Inner Space, this was the perfect backdrop for them to say "I do" in front of their family and friends. Richa impressed everyone with a traditional and fashionable look that can serve as inspiration for future brides! This gorgeous look would have been possible without the beautiful lengha from Silk Threads by Ruby Bhandari, draped and tied by Ninad Dadabhoy with Beauty by Lishma. An early wake-up was pretty good for this Maharani, knowing Ninad from Beauty by Lishma would work her magic. They had good conversations, and she made her feel comfortable and confident. Each look was unique and beautiful! To tie it all together, she got an excellent, original, and creative Henna artwork outlined by Henna by Purvi, adding an extra touch of traditional flair to an already captivating look. Her experience and original designs are the cherries on top for a great look! Dancing and celebrating with the bride and groom during their big day is a must, and DJ Aumir from Escape Entertainment L.L.C. played the best songs to achieve this. Another must of a wedding is a cute set of pictures to relive your most magical day. Santiago Almada Photography did a fantastic gallery that will make you feel inspired. Due to their commitment to providing quality work that their clients love, they deliver clear, beautiful, hand-crisp photos that bring that special day to life. Wait no more and enjoy!
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.
I put a lot of trust into Weddings by Shy (and Prameet) - they look at my general ideas and help elevate them to the next level and beyond! Together we curated a wonderful list of vendors that were so personable and easy to work with. Once we got assigned Adil, our venue coordinator at JW, we were so excited as he was extremely easy to connect with anytime and worked so well with Shy and her team. Shy puts so much thought into making sure the bride, groom, and their families have an effortless wedding weekend - so they can actually enjoy the moments! Pratik and I can both attest that we thoroughly enjoyed our wedding and were not stressed on the days.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I definitely knew I wanted all red and two dupattas (one being an accent color) for the bridal lengha! I went to numerous stores in Chicago and did online visits to stores in India, but nothing caught my eye. One of my mother's friends recommended a store in Dallas, and it was going to be the last stop before my mom locked down the idea of traveling to India directly for wedding shopping. We went to Silk Threads in Dallas and saw numerous pieces that we instantly knew would be starting points for our custom vision, and with the one-on-one help we received, we spent ALL day at the shop and customized ALL bridal wear in one day. Each outfit was made with careful detail work and quality materials - nothing felt too heavy in weight either; I loved and felt beautiful in every single outfit I wore during the wedding weekend.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Aside from Shy and Adil, I enjoyed working with all our vendors from all over the world, even in the virtual environment, especially...
*Ninad from Beauty by Lishma - waking up early was not too bad, knowing Ninad was going to work her magic, and we always had a good conversation - she made me feel comfortable and confident, and each look was unique and beautiful. She is so genuine, and I can not wait for our paths to cross again for more looks.
*Santiago Almada Photography - he was the first vendor we hired and beyond helpful in making sure we picked colors that didn't clash with the sun/lighting; he was also very easy to connect with any time on any platform (call, text or email) and helped answer my numerous questions along the way.
*DJ Issac - he paid attention to our curated themed music requests and conducted meetings to ensure everyone was on the same page with coordination - his attention to detail was greatly appreciated and made a difference in our event vibes
*Lupe - she went above what we discussed in our meetings for decor and made each event unique, and she always came prepared and worked with Shy so well to make a day of coordination changes as needed to elevate the space in real-time without the bride having to worry about a thing
*FestiveeveLK - extremely patient to work with and responded to all updates and details in such a timely manner for both Pratik and Richa's invites that were requested - the inviting quality was so rich and beautiful
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
*The number one comment we got was about loving the food and its variety in how the menu coordinated well with its event - every. Single. Dish. Was. Amazing - yes, the bride and groom actually got to eat, so we can confirm this too.
*Our guest also liked the organized method of coordination by getting group text messages about the events (timings, locations, updates, wedding program guides, seating chart) from our planner's app
*Our guests also have commented about the beauty of the Venue, the variety of decor/theme for each event, and that our Violinist, Johnathan Levingston at cocktail hour (who also plays Indian), played beautifully and added to the atmosphere for the evening
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Legit. Everything!
But especially the memories I got to create with my family and Pratik family, especially during Sangeet night when everyone came together to practice (even those last-minute joiners) and perform choreographed dances as well as finally enjoy Garba - being Gujarati, we knew everyone was longing to do the Garba and Raas after not being able to for almost 2.5 years due to COVID and the night was just a dream as we kicked off our wedding weekend in our first joint event with both families
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.
*Mehndi - traditional umbrellas, pillows, floor mats
*Grah Shanti / Haldi - traditional
*Sangeet / Garba - colorful and bright Moroccan vibes, chic lounge atmosphere, food cart stations, music was all about love and Garba ... we made a last-minute change on the Sangeet backdrop, and Sage Production pulled it together perfectly with Lupe making it a beautiful welcome night
*Wedding - peaches and florals ... we love how Weddings by Shy helped elevate our wedding mandap with a floral-wrapped aisle and stage, which tied into our mandap structure and theme effortlessly
*Reception - crisp and clean (whites, gold, blue accents) - we loved how Sage Production helped elevate our entrance which was through a moving LED wall backdrop
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Trust the process, and don't sweat over the little things - enjoy the process together!
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Richa and Pratik met and dated long distances during COVID. When they were together in their hometowns, one being Phoenix, they spent a lot of time exploring outdoor activities that were still open to the public. As their love for nature grew, they envisioned a beautiful Arizona mountain-cactus background to kick off their marriage adventures. With the help of close family and friends, as well as amazing vendor collaborations from all over the world, their wedding dreams came to life with a three-day, five-event weekend. Their beautiful memories were captured effortlessly by Santiago Almada Photography and will be a lifelong cherished - seriously, Richa peaks at her wedding album regularly, wanting to relive the celebrations all over again.
Thanks for being with us today, and don't forget to be back for our daily and lovely updates here!
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