Not every love story gets the setting it deserves. But every now and then, the universe cooperates — the venue is exactly right, the light falls exactly where it should, and the people standing at the center of it all look like they were always meant to be there. Soni & Anuj had that kind of wedding day. The kind where you look at the photographs and feel something catch in your chest, not just because the images are beautiful, but because the joy in them is so plainly, unmistakably real.
Their celebration moved across two venues that together told the full story of a modern South Asian wedding done with genuine elegance. The Marriott Saddle Brook set the opening chapter — a polished, gracious space that handled the early rhythms of the day with the kind of effortless hospitality that a large, celebratory gathering genuinely needs. But it was The Rockleigh — a Platinum Guide venue and one of New Jersey's most breathtaking event destinations — that brought the full cinematic weight of the day home. Nestled in a setting that manages to feel both grand and intimate, The Rockleigh has a particular gift for making a wedding feel like it was designed specifically for the two people at its center, even when the guest count runs high, and the energy runs higher. Soni and Anuj filled it magnificently.
The architecture of the entire day — every timeline, every transition, every carefully considered detail — was the work of Detailed Affairs, a Platinum Guide planning and design team whose name is, it turns out, not so much a business title as it is a promise they keep at every single event. There is a specific kind of trust that comes with handing your wedding day to a planner, and it only works when the planner has earned it completely. Detailed Affairs earns it. They are the team that knows that a great wedding isn't just a great party — it's a sequence of emotional experiences, each one building on the last, each one requiring its own specific attention. From the design aesthetic that threaded through both venues to the logistical precision that made two locations feel like one seamless celebration, they held this day together with the quiet confidence of people who have done this before and still care as much as they did the first time.
The music — which at a South Asian wedding is essentially the heartbeat of the entire reception — was in the masterful hands of M4U Events LLC, a Platinum Guide DJ team that also handled the lighting, which means they didn't just control how the room sounded, they controlled how it felt. That is not a small thing. Lighting and music together are the emotional weather of a wedding reception, and when one team holds both, the result is a night that has a coherent emotional arc — building, peaking, softening, soaring — rather than one that simply plays songs in sequence while the lights stay whatever color they started at. M4U Events understands this deeply, and The Rockleigh glowed and pulsed with it all night long. If guests left with sore feet and happy hearts, M4U Events deserves significant credit for both.
And through all of it — both ceremonies, both venues, every quiet moment between the loud ones, every laugh that happened too fast and every tear that arrived without warning — Aperina Studios was present. Handling both photography and cinematography with a singular vision and a consistency of eye that only comes from a team that sees storytelling as the actual job, not the byproduct of it. There's a reason couples trust Aperina Studios with both formats: when the same creative perspective captures a wedding in still and moving image, the result is a complete story, told without contradiction, without gaps, without anything important left in the margins. Soni & Anuj's day deserved that kind of completeness. These images deliver it.
Two venues, one Platinum Guide planning team, one Platinum Guide DJ handling sound and light, and one studio capturing every frame of it — this is what happens when everyone in the room is excellent at what they do and shows up to prove it.
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Anuj when I was visiting Chicago from NYC for work. I happen to be the only one from my company at a conference, and I decided I didn’t want to have dinner alone, so I opened up Bumble, and we ended up matching! My first message to him was “Hey, I’m visiting Chicago and looking for dinner recommendations. It would be even better if you wanted to show me around as a local!” Both of us were tired of making pen pals on the app - you know the ones that talk but never meet - so asking him out worked in our favor!
After that initial weekend, we stayed in touch as friends because neither of us wanted to get into a long-distance relationship. In hindsight, this was a great time to get to know each other as people without the pressures of a relationship. I ended up visiting Chicago again a few months after our initial meeting, he asked me out again, and we decided to give it a shot because we developed a connection despite the distance. From there, it was a whirlwind of flights, video calls, family introductions, and a proposal within the year!
I knew he was the one when I saw him pour into me as much as I did into him, when he loved my family like his own, and when every day with him felt like something exciting was about to happen!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
We planned a trip to Hawaii, jam-packed with things both of us wanted to do across the islands. One day, we were on the Big Island, and he kept getting phone calls. I just thought work was really busy. Turns out, he was coordinating with a helicopter company to get us a tour of the island and was asking for their support to help make the most magical proposal! Once in the helicopter, we landed at the base of a waterfall on a cliffside. Anuj walked me closer to the waterfall and got down on one knee! The pilot was in on it and secretly recorded the whole thing :)
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.
Anuj and I each had a few things we really wanted: a lush traditional ceremony, an elegant and romantic reception, amazing food, and events where our love for each other and our guests was apparent. We found an amazing team of vendors who took the time to understand our vision and helped us create the wedding of our dreams. Anuj grew up in India, and I grew up in America - it was very important for us to incorporate both these things in our wedding.
Our venue was The Rockleigh in New Jersey, one that I’d visited when we were planning my sister’s wedding. Due to the outbreak of COVID, her wedding was an intimate affair at a private residence, but my family always had this venue in the back of our minds. After we got engaged, it was only natural that we went there again, and we ended up getting the last Saturday date left in their calendar. After that, I used Maharani Weddings, Instagram, and personal recommendations for my mood boards and vendor shortlisting.
Each event had its own theme that helped us decide our clothing, accessories, venues, decor, and vendor needs.
Mehendi Mood: Intimate Connections - reconnect with family, blessings, and reflection
Haldi Mood: Elevated Backyard Party - games, impromptu dances, and celebration
Sangeet Mood: Colorful Disco - performances, garba, dance like no one’s watching
Wedding Mood: Royal Affair - lush florals, gold tones, candles, and warmth
Reception Mood: Twinkling Elegance - ivory tones, gold accents, lush greenery
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I wanted to be a red lehenga bride so badly! At the start of my shopping, I didn’t entertain any other colors. But they kept falling flat on me, the reds were too bright and the maroons unseasonal. I tried a variety of embroidery, beadwork, and stone work, and nothing clicked. Just as I thought I would have to give up my red bridal dreams, I came across my lehenga - a redish, pinkish, orangeish, gold tissue lehenga with unique work - that elegantly combined everything I was looking for. And I got all the jewel tones in one dress, rather than just red. Once I saw it, I knew!
When we shopped for Anuj’s outfits, we did not want to be matchy. We wanted to be complimentary while respecting our individual styles, and I think we accomplished that!
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was building something together, taking each of our ideas and making it better.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests traveled from all over the world to celebrate. Both sides stayed in the same hotel, with the youngest generation playing with cousins they’ve never met, and family members practicing their Sangeet dances together. Everyone felt not only the love Anuj and I have for each other, but the love we have for all our family and friends.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Stealing the shoes! In the middle of the ceremony, I realized my side never got Anuj’s shoes since his groomsmen hid them so well. So when the ceremony was over, and his groomsmen revealed the shoes for Anuj to wear before leaving, my dad shot out of nowhere and pounced onto the shoes, grabbing them! It turned into the most entertaining wrestling match between my dad and Anuj’s brother, but we got them in the end!
Another moment was the amazing speeches at our reception, all heartfelt and beautiful. Most especially my mother, who didn’t leave a dry eye in the room!
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.
Anuj never considered himself a dancer, but no one would believe that after the wedding! We spent time choreographing and practicing over 11 dances between the two of us and with other groups. The most laughs we had during wedding planning were practicing our dances!
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Connect with your fiancé throughout the planning process and the wedding, both of you have dreamed of finding each other, and now it’s finally time to announce it to all! Add your special touches and make it your own.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
I carried pieces from my family throughout the wedding. During my mehendi, I wore my mom’s wedding earrings. During the ceremony, I wore my late grandmother’s nose ring. These pieces kept me grounded and reminded me of the strong women I have come from.
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