Discover Sonal & Rahil's wedding journey, beautifully featured on the Platinum Guide Blog.
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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
It was the summer of 2021 when I was in Atlanta celebrating my grandfather's 80th birthday with my entire family. Amidst the celebrations, my phone pinged -I had a notification from Dil Mil- a DM from a new match! He used a corny pick-up line that made me laugh. I messaged him back with a bit of sass, and within minutes, another ping. My playful banter had found its match. Over the course of several months, we messaged back and forth, exchanged phone numbers, and used social media and FaceTime to keep in contact during our busy lives. He was in medical school, and I was immersed in my family business. In the fall of 2021, I returned to Atlanta to visit my family and happened to let Rahil know. He immediately cleared his schedule and planned our first date in Downtown Roswell. What started with watching the Georgia Dawgs game turned into hours of talking, walking through the decorated downtown streets, playing with stray cats, venue hopping, and ended with my two younger cousin brothers with their noses stuck to the windows waiting for me to return home and get a glimpse of my date. I’ll never forget that night because from that moment on, something felt easy, familiar, and right. Before I had even made it to the airport at the end of my weekend visit, his flight to Dallas was booked. It was his turn to visit me. After that trip, we’d visit each other every month, sometimes twice in one month. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but it was new and exciting, and we wanted to explore it more. So, we did.
We spent nearly two years long-distance while Rahil completed medical school, and I was deeply involved in running my family business. There wasn’t one dramatic moment where I suddenly knew he was the one. It was the quiet consistency. The way he showed up during stressful seasons, supported my dreams, and built a partnership rooted in patience and trust. He is the one person who chooses me over and over again. In those two years, despite the distance and the different chapters of our lives we were in, this man made me feel accepted and safe in a way I never thought was realistic. It was a love I’d only seen in movies. He loved me without conditions, without performance, without fear. I don’t know if I can ever express how important that feeling has been for me. Life with him feels calm, full, and balanced. That’s when I knew he was the one.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Rahil proposed in March 2024 in Costa Rica, a place that felt both adventurous and intimate. This trip was a perfect reflection of our relationship. Little did I know at the time that Rahil had been planning this surprise for months with my mom and sister. After a day in the sun, he told me we were having dinner at a nice place off of the resort property and that we had a private driver to take us. He picked out this stunning blue dress for me to wear, which threw me off because I had a feeling that maybe he would propose, so I had a white dress packed just in case! But he insisted on the blue dress, and I thought, “Oh, maybe he isn’t, and it’s really a nice dinner.” I put on the blue dress and took my time getting ready before we were picked up. When we pulled up to our destination, I had no idea we were going to a CASTLE! I didn’t even know Costa Rica had castles. It was beautiful. We took a tour of the castle and saw that it was adorned with artwork all throughout. We walked through every room to see the various artwork throughout the castle before we were escorted to the rooftop and met with appetizers and champagne before our dinner service started. Just when I thought we were about to be taken to our table, we started to walk back towards one of the balconies we had previously seen just minutes prior. Rahil took my hand as we crossed the doorway, and there were rose petals EVERYWHERE. Roses in vases, everywhere! A violinist playing Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” and a stunning archway made of more roses with a sign that said, “Marry Me.” I lost it. I was a puddle of tears. I have never ever felt so loved and surprised and in awe by this man. I’m tearing up again just remembering that moment and all of the feelings that came along with it. He held both of my hands while he shared with me how much I meant to him. Then he got down on one knee, and while I sobbed, he asked me to marry him. We popped champagne, had an entire photoshoot while being congratulated by all of our loved ones before we sat down to have what was undeniably one of the best meals I’ve ever had. After we ate dinner, the violinist was still close by, and Rahil and I danced on the balcony. While swaying and listening to the sounds of nature and the ocean crashing in the distance, all I could think of was how loved I felt. It was an evening that was private, thoughtful, and filled with intention. After years of long-distance growth and building toward a shared future, the proposal felt like a deep exhale. It wasn’t just a question; it was a celebration of everything we had already built together and the life we were so excited to begin.
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.
Planning our wedding was truly a labor of love. It was layered, emotional, and deeply intentional. I am forever grateful to our wedding planner, DP, from Dream Geplant. We wanted to approach the process as storytelling across multiple days, allowing each event to have its own identity while still feeling cohesive.
All of our events were hosted at The Renaissance Hotel in Addison, which provided several options for spaces that allowed us to be creative in hosting our many events. It became a blank canvas that we transformed again and again. Each theme was carried out by Ketan and his team at Divine Décor of Dallas, who brought each vision to life with extraordinary artistry. From my butterfly garden-themed welcome night, my playfully pink pithi, my white gown moment during the ganepat, then my peacock prancing mehndi night, the most elegant and soft Satak with my grand entrance on a horse and carriage leading up to the mandap. Ketan uncle made all of my pre-wedding events feel feminine and captured my personality in different lights, which was so special! Our joint sangeet, wedding, and reception were all stunning. The reveal during our sangeet night made my jaw drop! So many planning and custom creations were made from Divine Decor, and all of the hard work came through tenfold. Our wedding mandap and color scheme were beautiful. Our cocktail hour was a HIT with our casino night theme with help from White Felt Casino, leading up to our starry night reception. The reception theme wasn't just an aesthetic choice; it was foreshadowing! I performed a solo to Saiyaara, meaning moving star, as a special tribute to Rahil, making our celestial theme feel more personal. To really highlight this we had Lightware Labs elevate the room through projection mapping that added drama and dimension. Even our transitional spaces were thoughtfully considered, with our proposal and engagement photos on the elevators, which were wrapped by Grit Productions and Expositions. Every moment felt immersive and intentional, which is exactly what we wanted for our wedding week.
Fashion and beauty were equally meaningful. Each outfit was chosen to reflect the tone of the event and allowed me to explore different facets of my bridal style throughout the week. We kicked things off with a bold look for my welcome night: A Seema Gujral sharara set paired with a fun wet hair look and an ear cuff with butterflies on it. A super cool blend of tradition and edgy. My playful pithi outfit was a stunning ombre lehenga with a halter blouse and the most beautiful blends of pinks, oranges, and yellows from Panache by Sharmeen! For my Ganepat, Divya at Studio D Dallas created a completely custom, one-of-one lehenga that gave me my “white dress” moment. It was jaw-dropping, unexpected, and unforgettable. It was easily one of the most special fashion moments of the entire week. Sharmeen worked her magic again by creating me a one-of-one stunning blue lehenga that was inspired by peacocks, perfect for my mehndi night! On Friday, we had Sabya-day. I wore a jaw-dropping mint lehenga that I felt truly beautiful in. It was soft, not literally but in the way it made me feel. I felt like it was the outfit I was meant to have my Satak in. To be joined by my maternal and paternal family together and be the daughter of both before my family was about to grow twice its size. There was an innocence to it. It’s hard to explain. That evening, however, I was feeling bold. I wore a multi-colored Sabyasachi lehenga that was hands-down the second heaviest outfit behind my wedding lehenga. It was gorgeous! With multicolored panels, I had an outfit change where I swapped my blouse for another Sabyasachi blouse in order to have some more movement during the dancing of the evening. After the wedding, I joined our guests during the cocktail and reception in a beautiful champagne/gold Falguni Shane Peacock lehenga that twinkled in the light. It was perfect for our starry night theme.
Jewelry played an equally meaningful role. Pearlings curated every bangle stack and jewelry set custom for me, thoughtfully designed to complement each outfit, color palette, and mood. Abbas travelled all the way back to India to find the perfect colored stones to match my lehenga. His attention to detail and eye for color matching were magnificent. There is one piece of jewelry from my pre-wedding events that holds the highest place in my heart and that is the necklace from my Satak. This piece was created by my father, inspired by a piece we had originally wanted to purchase that was no longer available. The time and dedication he took to curate a necklace with so much love and labor and to wear it on the day of this particular event meant the absolute world to me. To have my father spend months and months creating a necklace from scratch and made specifically for me is a blessing that I will never take for granted. I am blessed to be loved so much and to have a token to physically carry that with me during one of the most important journeys of my life. Fashion became a way to honor tradition and my family while expressing individuality.
One of the most unexpectedly profound parts of the experience was my relationship with my hair and makeup artist, Alex also known as THE Ms. Painted Lady. Alex was the very first person I saw every morning of my wedding week. Before the noise, the timelines, or the emotions took over, she created a calm, safe space where I could just be. On the wedding morning especially, I was an emotional wreck from reading letters from my husband, bridesmaids, family, and closest friends while openly sobbing as she did my hair. She comforted me, grounded me, fed me between outfit changes, never rushed me, and made me feel completely supported. In a week filled with transformation, she didn’t just help me look beautiful; she helped me feel beautiful, even when stress and exhaustion had taken a toll on my skin and body. Looking back at my photos and videos now, I feel overwhelming gratitude. Choosing someone you trust for that role is everything, because they shape how you begin each day.
Amidst all of the celebrations, we needed amazing food to keep us fueled, and Priya from Sawaii Catering and Hemant uncle from Annapurna Catering were the two to make it happen! Priya’s presentations were absolutely stunning with flavors that matched the bold decor throughout our venues, and Hemantt uncle’s Gujarati flavors were the perfect taste of home while celebrating with our families and friends.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Wearing my bridal lehenga was one of the most surreal moments of the entire wedding. I had always dreamed of wearing red on my wedding day. To me, wearing red on my wedding day symbolized love, prosperity, and new beginnings, but it also carried a deep sense of pride and heritage. There is something incredibly powerful about stepping into that rich red bridal lehenga, knowing generations of brides before me had done the same. To be fair, I tried on many other colors, which were all beautiful. It wasn’t until I stepped into the red that I looked in the mirror and tears welled up in my eyes. I’m getting married. It’s happening. That’s when I knew that I would be wearing a red bridal lehenga on my wedding day.
My lehenga was a bespoke Manish Malhotra creation in the richest shade of red, intricately embroidered with gold so densely that the fabric itself felt almost like jewelry. The craftsmanship was extraordinary, and there were so many meaningful details woven into the design. Our initials and wedding date were delicately embroidered into the train of my veil, a quiet detail that made the piece feel uniquely ours. The back of my blouse featured a stunning chainmail-inspired crystal design that caught the light with every movement, and Mr. Manish Malhotra himself added the final touches with beautiful gold spheres that draped from the ends of my sleeves.
When everything was finally placed, the lehenga, the jewelry, the dupatta, and the veil, I felt the weight of it all immediately, both physically and emotionally. The lehenga itself was incredibly heavy (it took four of my bridesmaids to help me navigate a bathroom break before the ceremony started), but that weight somehow made the moment feel even more grounding. I walked halfway down the aisle by myself so that my parents could see me before I joined them to walk together down the pathway that would take me from daughter to wife. Walking forward between my parents, wrapped in red and gold, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride, not just in becoming a bride, but in representing my family, my culture, and the traditions that had shaped this moment for generations. This was the walk that connected my past, my family, and my future all at once.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
“Everything felt curated for the guests and their needs but also gave the flair of the bride and groom throughout the wedding events” - A quote from one of our guests. Guests often shared how immersive and thoughtfully planned the entire experience felt. Each event revealed something new while still flowing seamlessly into the next. From the decor and performances to the emotional moments and joyful celebrations, guests felt truly included in our story and our love. We planned our wedding with the guests experience in mind: ample seating at each event, multiple food and beverage stations, mocktail bars, live entertainment during idle times such as my outfit change between the pithi and ganepat, arts and crafts tables for children, and many little details to let our guests know that we put time and consideration into their experience just as much as the bride and groom’s.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
There are many moments I’ll cherish forever, but one that replays in my mind constantly is the moment the floral antarpat dropped during our wedding ceremony. As I walked down the aisle, Rahil was blocked from view, like he’s supposed to be. And then, in that instant, as soon as it dropped, I saw him. My husband. My other half. The person I get to do life with forever. My heart felt overwhelmingly full.
I remember looking around and seeing every single person we love in one room: our families, our friends, our people. I saw my grandparents, all present and in good health, and felt immense gratitude. I also saw the empty chair we reserved, draped to honor Rahil’s grandparents who had given us their blessings before their passing. And then, as I moved my eyes from the chair, it rained. Rain is a symbol of good luck and abundance, and it fell on our wedding day. It felt like a blessing from above, as if our loved ones were celebrating with us. The entire moment felt sacred, emotional, and deeply meaningful. I’ll never forget it.
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.
We had live sketch artists by Alisa Maxine Illustrations during our Mehndi night, which was loved so much by all of our guests. We wanted to make sure that while we had several bars for friends, family, and guests, we also wanted to have mocktails, which were a major hit from Halal Fizz Mocktail Studio. Each event had the perfect vibe from the decor, the people, to our incredible DJ, Iqwak from Desi Junction DJ’s. We worked for months with Iqwak, Jiven, and Chani to pull off some of the most fun events we have ever had in our lives. Our guests still talk about our reception night and how much fun it was! We had the sparklers, CO2 blaster, and so many unique elements that we honestly trusted our team with DJD to help brainstorm ideas.
As the bride, my bridal mehndi was very important to me. I wanted to incorporate certain elements that are specific to mine and Rahil’s relationship, as well as what this bridal journey meant to me. My wedding process was wonderful, but there were lots of emotional moments about me being a firstborn daughter (and firstborn granddaughter on my father’s side) getting married and then moving to the East Coast the day after my reception. I am very close to my family. I have a younger sister who is my world, and it was important that I honor the various aspects that played a role in bringing me to that point in my life. Swarda from Henna by Swarda listened to my requests and was so kind and purposeful in how she embedded the little details of the butterflies into my mehndi. To my guests, the butterfly garden theme was whimsical, but to me, it symbolized the beginning of the change I was about to go through from daughter to wife. The stars we added aligned with the reception theme, but deep down, the number of stars in my mehndi represented the loved ones who couldn’t be with us but were celebrating us from the stars. I specifically asked to have the details of Rahil, and I hand in hand because he is my calm, and whenever I’m stressed or anxious, he holds my hand and reminds me that everything will work out because we have each other. I wanted peacocks in the mehndi because not only are they the representation of courage and grace, but they also hold qualities I wish to bring into my marriage. Swarda was so patient during the application and with my sister and me. My little sister, Kailas, kept me company by singing songs together (lots of Ariana Grande), feeding me snacks and making sure I was hydrated, to bathroom trips, which were quite the hassle! She eased my nerves when Rahil wasn’t able to (because we didn’t want him to see where his name would be hidden). I’m forever grateful. Kailas was my maid of honor and my right hand during every step of wedding planning, all the way up until the reception night. She was my sounding board, calm during the chaos, and my best friend through all of it.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Choose vendors who care about you, not just the outcome. Trust the process. Allow yourself to feel everything. Feel the joy, the nerves, the emotion. Perfection isn’t what makes a wedding unforgettable. Presence is. Lean on your people.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
This wedding was a labor of love that was built not just on aesthetics, but on relationships, trust, and heart. Arina and her team from Balerina Films captured our wedding in a way that makes you believe in fairy tales and magic. Arina curated our same-day edit video and played it during our reception, where Rahil and I were in awe. The content was incredible, and our memories were saved in such a special way. I wouldn’t have trusted anyone else with our wedding week besides Arina’s team. She made all of the portraits fun, unique, and artistic. I felt beautiful during our look, but Arina’s ability to create and capture a person so well that the photo reads as though there is a story happening in one shot. It’s incredible. We also had a content creator, Cayli, who shot so many behind-the-scenes videos and photos that turned into TikToks, Instagram Reels, and posts that capture the memories in such a raw format. Looking back, I get to see my wedding from different perspectives, and I smile each time. What stays with me most is the overwhelming sense of love and gratitude. The feeling of being surrounded by blessings from those in the room and those watching over us. I pray I never forget it. It truly was a magical weekend.
I have to thank my family endlessly. While I am the one who walked down the aisle, the heartbeat of this wedding was my mother. She is my rock and my world, and she poured that love into every single detail. From aligning over 40 vendors to hand-selecting every item for our ceremonies. Between her and DP, they were the true architects of this day. Mom was my advocate through decision-making and execution. If there was a will, she found a way to make it happen! If there was a hurdle, she found a way to jump it! This wedding took so much work, and she never missed a single meeting, phone call, fitting, or anything. She was the behind-the-scenes coordinator. Through all of the planning, she still found the time to prioritize learning her own dance with her sisters, dedicated to me. Watching her shine in her own dance performance after months of tireless planning was a moment I’ll never forget; she didn't just plan a wedding, she curated a masterpiece for us.
My father not only created one of the most special pieces of jewelry during my wedding events, but if we needed to travel anywhere for whatever reason, he made sure he took me. If we needed to drive to Houston and Dallas and back in the same day, multiple times, he did it. If we needed to go to New York for a fitting, flights were booked, hotels were booked, and he was providing feedback on the outfits in true girl-dad fashion. My ‘hype-king' of a dad made sure that his first-born was dressed beautifully and that I felt my entire family’s presence during each stage of planning. During our many, many meetings at the decor warehouse, my dad and Ketan's uncle would go back and forth brainstorming how to bring my ideas to life through constructing new backdrops from scratch, how to add dimension with colors, and elements of flair throughout. Not many dads will do this, and I am so grateful to have such a present father during one of the most momentous journeys of my life.
A perfect blend of romance, fun, and jaw-dropping décor—this celebration was pure wedding royalty.
