From the moment Aditi & Ankit’s eyes met across a crowded room, it was clear their story would be one worth telling. Their wedding was a dazzling showcase of tradition and creativity that made everyone reach for their phones (and tissues).
The spiritual union took place at the majestic BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. With its intricately carved pillars and serene white marble, this venue set the tone for an unforgettable ceremony steeped in heritage. Enter Royal Vivaah Creations, whose floral artistry elevated the mandir’s beauty into a dreamy canvas of color. Aditi was a vision, with hair and makeup by Shiza Ahmed, who ensured her glow matched the sparkle in her eyes. From pre-wedding glam to the final dance, every look was on point. Henna queen Henna by Ash-Ashlesha Parekh added intricate artistry to the bride’s hands, each swirl and motif a love story of its own.
Meanwhile, behind the lens, Manish and Sung Photography worked their magic, capturing every glance, gesture, and stolen smile. Their storytelling style gave each image a sense of intimacy and energy—whether it was the sacred ceremony or the glamour of the reception at The Marigold, a venue that defines elegance.
No Indian wedding is complete without a soundtrack, and here’s where Kurani Studios came in—not once, not twice, but thrice! Handling DJ, baraat, and even the photo booth, they kept spirits high and energy higher. Their reputation for keeping the dance floor alive is legendary, and they didn’t disappoint. (Seriously, if you weren’t dancing, were you even at the wedding?)
The couple treated guests to a feast by Moghul Caterers, whose flavorful creations had everyone lining up for seconds (and thirds—no judgment here). For sweet endings, Whole Foods Market provided the wedding cake, joined by guest cakes from La Bon Bake Shoppes and the delightful treats of Nothing Bundt Cakes. Let’s just say dessert was not an afterthought—it was a full-blown experience.
Even the smallest details spoke volumes: custom cake toppers from Etsy artists, styling touches from Dreams Decor, and hair color finesse by Cece MacNeill. Every vendor brought something special, each playing a part in weaving this unforgettable tapestry of love.
Looking back, Aditi & Ankit’s day wasn’t just about rituals or aesthetics—it was about celebrating family, faith, and the undeniable joy of finding “the one.” It was big, bold, and brimming with beauty, just like the couple themselves.
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I knew Ankit was the one when my (now our) dog, Howie, got violently sick in the car and he helped me get to the vet, clean out the car, and spent the day with me to help me keep me sane until I heard back.
Ankit and I met on Hinge, and I decided to head off on a 2-week cruise with friends, fully anticipating our conversation to fizzle out as I country hopped. However, every time I got service at a port of call, there would be a random Beyonce meme waiting for my reaction. Even if I wasn't able to respond for a day or two, or if my responses were short-- he would, without fail, send me something every day. We decided to meet up once I got back, but that would be also be pushed as I ended up with COVID.
Although he messaged first, I suggested meeting up for a Trivia Date once I was better, which ended up being about 6 weeks after we first started talking. I was nervous to transition to real life as that's when things fizzle, but meeting Ankit for the first time was like being swept up in a wave of calm. From the onset, he was the quiet to my chaos, the stillness to my storm. I knew I had found something special when we were no longer able paying attention to trivia because we were talking to each other.
Fast forward through a few more dates, Howie decided to put his future Dad to the test by vomiting all over the car, repeatedly. Ankit handled both of us as calmly and gently as possible, and I knew that if there was ever a future with a family for me, it would be with Ankit.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Ankit's original plan was proposing on Mt. Vesuvius, as I had tried (and almost succeeded) to convince him that Mt. Vesuvius was in Greece. I promptly threw a wrench in as I did not want to be proposed to on vacation. He rallied and orchestrated an even more personal and meaningful proposal at Duke Gardens.
Ankit rushed me home after a week-long trip to Vermont and Canada under the guise of meeting some of his friends for their wedding planning. We were supposed to have dinner with them at Duke Gardens, and I was irate. Who in their right mind would say yes to dinner after a 10-hour car ride home from Canada?! I was cranky-- I didn't want to shave my legs, wear a dress, do my makeup. I wanted to curl up on the couch and snuggle with him and our pup.
He got me to Duke Gardens, and we took a walk to the Orchid House. I had never been, so while I was geeking out at all of the varieties of flowers, we was setting up to take some pictures before heading to dinner. It was in the orchid greenhouse, surrounded by lush plants and beautiful flowers that he asked me if I would like to spend the rest of our lives together.
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.
Family is of the utmost importance to both us, and our families wanted to share this with our nearest and dearest. Ankit and I wanted to ensure that we kept close to tradition and prioritized simplicity.
Planning a wedding is hard. It's also usually the first group project you do with your parents. Between managing personalities, competing preferences, wants, budgeting, etc, it get's emotional and dicey pretty quickly. Ankit did a lot of the stakeholder management, and I did a lot of the logistics and execution. Our original plan was to have a small, intimate temple ceremony with immediate family and a large reception, but it was cost prohibitive, so we ended up doing a large ceremony with a slightly smaller reception in the evening.
We knew from the start that we wanted a temple wedding. We wanted a place that was already steeped in the ambiance and virture of tradition, so we decided on BAPS Edison. Our AM decorator was Dreams Decor who did an amazing job with the Rose Gold and Maroon steeped mandap and backdrop. We had about 300 attendees, catering was done by BAPs.
Our evening reception was at The Marigold in Somerset, with a Rajasthani Royalty theme. We had Moghul catering, Kurani Studios for entertainment. Wedding Art NJ decorated our event, and we had some personal touches scattered throughout-- our dogs were our cake toppers, we made personalized table tents for each tables, personalized chocolates, and our returns were our favorite Bundtinis.
Hair and Makeup for both events were done by Shiza Ahmed; Photo and Video were done by Manish & Sung.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
My vision was ivory, but we compromised on burgundy. We had started looking at lenghas, and nothing was clicking for me. Finally, we walked into Meghna Jain Modish, and I found an ivory lengha I just couldn't stop looking at. She pushed me to try it on despite us looking at bridal wear, and once I put it on, I knew it was the one. I had to call Ankit and show him, and he agreed-- it was perfect. It fit our simple and traditional vibe perfectly.
We had a similar experience with my reception lengha-- we just walked into a store and it was there.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Ankit and I did a 'last dance' to cap our reception. We were surrounded by our closest friends and got to dance to our song as our friends lit up the dance floor with their phone lights. It felt like we were dancing among the stars. This also signaled the end to an event we had been putting together for over a year, and it felt right that we got to share it together, just the two of us.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
We still get compliments about our wedding-- it was simple, traditional, and steeped in love. Our entertainment team from Kurani Studios was amazing. They kept everyone on the dance floor the entire night, just like we asked, and some of our friends have also reached out to them for their events.
Our guests also loved our Bundtini return favors-- it was a sweet little treat to cap off a night of partying!
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
We abandoned tradition as my sisters walked me down the aisle to the mandap for me to start the next phase of my life. We did this as a symbol that while Ankit may be marrying me, his responsibility to protect, nurture, and love extends to my sisters as well.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
You're not going to remember the small things, so don't hyperfocus on them. Something will go wrong, just focus on enjoying your day and letting go of control.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
ewelery was custom
Hair/Makeup was Shiza Ahmed
Photo Video was Manish and Sung
Mehndi was henna_by_ash_nj
Cutting cake was Whole Foods
Dog Cake Toppers was Etsy
Cake was La Bon
Bundtinis from Nothing Bundt Cakes
Catering was BAPs (AM) and Moghul (PM)
Decor was Dreams Decor and Wedding Art NJ
Entertainment was Kurani Studio- Raj and Jaymit
Maharani, if your Pinterest board is craving inspiration, this wedding checks every box.
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