Baltimore, MD Indian Wedding by Nayeem Vohra Photography

Sometimes, love stories are written in the stars. Other times, they’re written in an online dating app bio. For Shikha & Vipul, it was the latter — proof that swiping right can, in fact, lead to forever. After years of not having much luck, Shikha suddenly found herself in sync with someone who just clicked. A year later came the proposal, and six months after that, a wedding that was nothing short of spectacular.

And when we say spectacular, we mean a four-event, Excel-sheet-and-shared-Notes extravaganza that managed to blend family traditions, Bollywood glamour, and a touch of surprise at every turn. Planning such an epic celebration in half a year while juggling full-time jobs? Let’s just say Shikha &Vipul deserve a gold medal in multitasking.

The festivities kicked off at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront for the sangeet, which Shikha fondly described as a “Bollywood dream.” With eight performances from the bride herself and countless others from family and friends. When the big day arrived, the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore became the backdrop for a ceremony that was pure magic. But let’s talk about the mastermind who held it all together: Events By Vaishali. From planning and design to executing every last detail. They not only balanced the logistics of multiple venues, but also worked with Partyland Sajawat to craft décor that made jaws drop.

No South Asian wedding is complete without unforgettable looks, and Style by Susmita delivered bridal glam that made Shikha shine like royalty. Her ensembles were equally stunning: a Papa Don’t Preach outfit for the mehndi, a regal Nitika Gujral lengha for the ceremony, and a dazzling Seema Gujral gown for the reception. Add in statement jewelry from Om Sons Bridal Store, and every look was Insta-worthy from head to toe.

Music and energy stayed at an all-time high thanks to Premier Entertainment, which handled both DJ and baraat. From karaoke at the mehndi to setting the perfect dance floor vibe at the reception, they made sure no one’s feet left the floor. And if that wasn’t enough, Pavan Verma’s live saxophone and flute melodies created goosebump-worthy soundtracks for both ceremony and cocktail hour. Henna artistry by Bhavna’s Henna brought the delicate tradition to life, while custom dance floor wraps by GoToShout elevated the reception space to a showstopper. Guests indulged in culinary delights by Moghul Catering, and the celebration flowed seamlessly from start to finish.

Capturing it all was the incomparable Nayeem Vohra Photography, whose lens didn’t just freeze moments but told Shikha and Vipul’s story frame by frame. From tender glances to dance floor mayhem, every shot was pitch-perfect — proof of why he’s a favorite for couples who want both artistry and heart in their memories.

It was more than a wedding. It was an experience, a testament to love, family, and the beauty of blending tradition with personal flair.

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met the good old-fashioned way...reaching for the same jalapeno in a grocery store..

Just kidding, we met on a dating app called Coffee Meets Bagel! After we matched, instead of small talk about the weather & our favorite colors, he immediately messaged asking to meet in person at a really cute cocktail bar in Philly called One Tippling Place. Our first date had some eavesdroppers who were sitting next to us & when he went to the restroom, they tapped me on the shoulder and were shocked that we were only on a first date! Even though it was a "school night," we closed the bar down & the rest was history.

Even though I'll never admit it to him, I knew he was the one pretty early on. I was in my GI fellowship at the time which can be really demanding, and he was endlessly supportive. From the start, we dated with intention. Every conversation, including the serious ones, only brought us closer. Nothing scared him off & if anything, it made us both even more excited for what was to come!

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 actually started planning our wedding before we were even engaged! Having attended so many weddings together, we quickly became experts in what worked (and what we’d do differently). Through those experiences, we organically discovered many of our own vendors.

We started a little backward by hunting for venues first. After touring multiple options, we ultimately chose a beautiful location at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore - perfectly situated between both sides of our families. Our vision was for everyone to move into the hotel for the entire weekend so that it felt like one big family reunion rather than a series of separate events. We did everything but the wedding ceremony at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, which is where all our guests were staying. The baraat was super fun since it walked my husband's side from the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, where they were staying, to the wedding venue at the Four Seasons with the backdrop of the Inner Harbor! I even got to pop out of one of the Four Seasons' terraces that overlooked the baraat walk for a quick cameo!!

By the time we found our wedding planner - Events By Vaishali, we already had the venue booked - but she was truly our saving grace. Her team coordinated every vendor, handled all the moving parts, and, most importantly, ensured the weekend ran seamlessly. I was able to completely hand over my stress (and my phone!) to them and just be present during the weekend. It wasn’t until after the weekend that I learned about all the little fires they’d quietly put out behind the scenes like true professionals.

Our planner also introduced me to my makeup artist, Style By Susmita, with whom I connected instantly. She has such a gift for enhancing your natural beauty and creating a calm, grounded energy - which is so important, especially since you spend more time with your hair and makeup team than almost anyone else during the wedding weekend! My planner also introduced me to my mehndi artist, who was equally incredible. We did a long Zoom consultation where she designed my patterns on an iPad. She spent over nine hours doing my full bridal mehndi but kept up the most positive, warm energy the entire time - it felt more like spending the day with a close friend than with a vendor.

Our decorator, Sachi from PartylandSajawa, turned from vendor to fast friend. She completely understood our vision and brought it to life with such attention to detail. Each event felt so distinct yet cohesive. She had this rare ability to take my Pinterest dreams and translate them into something even more beautiful than I imagined.

Our photographer was Nayeem Vohra, whom I met at my best friend's wedding over 5 years ago. I knew from that moment that he was going to be my photographer before I even had a man or a date selected. The universe was in my favor that he happened to be free! His team has an incredible way of making you feel comfortable in front of the camera, and he always gets the best shot!

Our caterer was Mogul Catering, which was out of this world! I am Punjabi, and my husband is Telugu so it was important for us to both have our cultures represented. During our tasting, Mogul made sure to have us try special dishes from both parts of India and absolutely came through during our weekend. Our guests could not stop raving about it!!

As a dancer, our musical talent was of the utmost importance. We used Premier DJs, HR Beats, and Ambition. They knew the vibe we needed for all four events, and we didn't have a single repeated song all weekend! Our planner also recommended Pawan Varma, who is a flautist & saxophonist. He brought such a unique energy to our baraat, wedding & reception. He played "Madhanya" on his flute for my bridal entrance and played saxophone covers of all our favorite Bollywood songs during the baraat & cocktail hour!

The outfit process was a whirlwind! We traveled to India for just a few days, so I had to make every minute count. I had done tons of research beforehand, but between choosing my own looks and helping my sister find hers, it was an adventure. Susmita, my makeup artist, was incredibly helpful even from afar, guiding me to pick outfits that complemented one another while still being unique for each event. Special shout-out to both my parents who never left my side during the shopping marathon. We also got a chance to custom make our bridal party outfits with Meetu Makkad in Shahpur Jat, which was such a cool & unique process!

And finally, the heart of it all, my family. My mom was my rock throughout the entire planning process. Together, we mastered the Notes app like pros, creating shared to-do lists and weekly check-ins with every detail meticulously tracked. My mom had this magical way of balancing logistics and emotions - she kept us organized, grounded and laughing through it all. Every little moment of our wedding had its fingerprints on it, from the tiniest décor details to the thoughtful guest experiences. My dad was instrumental in execution, helping us expertly pack inventory into bins in the months leading up to everything, and Tetris packing a huge moving truck without missing a single piece. It truly became a family project filled with so much love, teamwork, and joy.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The best part of the planning process was doing it together. We only had 6 months from our proposal to our wedding day, but we got through it all together! Things can definitely get stressful at times since there are so many moving parts but having each other through it all made it feel fun and meaningful.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The wedding weekend goes by in a complete blur - everyone tells you that, but you don’t really believe it until you’re in it. For me, the one moment that felt like time actually stopped was in between our wedding ceremony and reception. Vipul and I had about an hour completely to ourselves, and it was the first time all weekend that things felt quiet. We just sat together, taking it all in - everything we’d planned, everyone we loved, and the fact that we were finally married. It reminded me that all of it, the planning, the details, the celebration,s was ultimately for these moments together.

Overall, the entire weekend was a special moment. Flashbacks of all our family & friends having the time of their life on the dance floor and eating biriyani & gol gappe will live in my heart forever! Weaving both the North & South Indian cultures was also really special!

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.
As a lifelong dancer, the Sangeet was especially close to my heart. I choreographed almost the entire evening and somehow still found myself performing in nearly half the dances! It was one of the most fun parts of the whole wedding weekend. Seeing our family and friends pour so much love, energy, and enthusiasm into every performance was incredibly special.

Vipul & I also did a special performance that mixed the Hindi & the Telugu versions of Chaleya/Chalona together!

Ready to feel inspired, maharanis? Dive into our features for more happily-ever-afters!