Welcome to Maharani Weddings

At Maharani Weddings, we believe that every bride deserves the fairytale wedding of her dreams! Here at MaharaniWeddings.com you will find glittering seeds of inspiration for every aspect of your upcoming wedding. In addition to profiling some of the most spectacular Indian weddings from around the globe through interviews, pictures, and videos, we also hand-pick and share a list of the best Indian wedding vendors in our Maharani Weddings Platinum Guide. From event planners to photographers, dj's, florists, cinematographers, makeup artists, mehndi artists, you name it... you’ll find connections to every resource you could ever need for all your wedding ceremonies and celebrations.

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Elk Grove Village, IL Indian Fusion Wedding by R.E.M.

October 9, 2019 Posted by: Shawna Comments

Welcome back, Maharanis! We have more insights into Bansari & Michael's wedding festivities, so sit back, relax, and enjoy! It is no secret that we love fusion weddings, and one of the main reasons is because we often get to enjoy two wedding ceremonies. And today is no exception! Both events held at the Holiday Inn Chicago-Elk Grove amazed and captivated everyone. And we are sure you are going to take a lot of inspiring ideas from them. JD Event Design worked their magic to create a dreamy setting for Bansari & Michael's to unite their lives in marriage. Our gorgeous Maharani stole all the looks as she looked like royalty on both ceremonies after being dolled up by Makeup by Sonu Patel. Either on her traditional and fashionable lengha or her beautiful white dress, this Maharani always looked flawless! And we want to make a big shoutout to R.E.M. Video & Photography, for sharing the fantastic shots they captured during these lovely ceremonies. Make sure to check today's gallery if you don't want to miss any detail of these life-changing events; you are going to love it!

maharani,indian wedding ceremony,photo session

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?

Late April 2016, Mike and I met at a bar in Michigan, on a Wednesday night! The very first conversation we had with one another, there was an instant spark. As the night went on, we danced, laughed, and talked all night, it felt like we already knew each other for a long time by the end of the night, Especially since stayed up all night talking! The next day, reality hit - Mike was headed back to New York soon where he was living at the time. We both initially thought the spark would die out considering he lived ~800 miles way. Mike left after that weekend, and I came up my several reasons why it probably won’t work, “He’s not Indian”, “long-distance?”, “It probably won’t work”, “We’re too different” etc. That last till about 2-3 weeks until the next time we saw each other again. As mike got out of his car and ran up to hug me, my heart skip a beat and I knew there was something stronger there. Shortly after, Mike relocated to back home to Michigan, over time we became best friends, each other’s support system, and sometimes each other's worst enemies. From all the ups and downs, one thing we both knew for certain was that we wanted to spend our lives together. That is the story of how it all began, and well, the rest is history!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

Location: Mackinac Island, MI

Date: 05.27.2018

Memorial day 2018, Michael & I took a family vacation to Mackinac Island. Our second day at Mackinac Island, we decided to bike the 8-mile outer trail around the island, with breathtaking scenery and views. We stopped at several spots such as the arch rock to take pictures, but one spot, in particular, was the most special moment of our lives. At about 5 mile mark into our bike trail, we stopped at a gorgeous spot overlooking Lake Michigan and the mackinaw bridge. As we posed to take a picture, Michael whispered “I love you”, followed by the most magical proposal. He of course planned for a photographer (family photographer so it remained a definite surprise for me) to be there so our special moment could be captured!

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.

All the vendors I worked with made the wedding stress and planning so much better!

Decor: I worked with JD Event Designs for my decor, Josh went above and beyond in ensuring my day was perfect.

Makeup: I worked with Sonu Patel for my makeup for all the events - she truly listens and caters to her brides, In my search, I came across makeup artists who were more focused on their 'brand' in getting their bride ready vs. truly listening to what the bride wants. Sonu is a sweetheart and she was an absolute pleasure to work with!

Henna: II worked with Henna Moments for my bridal henna - Sheetal truly made the vision of my bridal henna come to reality. She is amazing at her work! There is a back story to me selecting Jasmine & Aladdin characters in my Henna: Growing up Princess Jasmine was Mike's favorite princess, the day we first met he joked and said 'I think I found my princess Jasmine in real life', and that stuck to me! I am so grateful she was able to get my perfect design down for our wedding day!

DJ: DjMixu - he was amazing, there wasn't a moment when the dance floor was empty. He kept the party going all night!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?

I always envisioned myself in a dark maroon wedding dress, I was never inclined to the idea of traditional red wedding dress. This changed the minute I tried on a red vs. maroon wedding gown! I had a picture of my ideal wedding dress saved on Pinterest - Asopalav Ahmedabad was able to pull out an almost identical outfit within an hour of the first day of my wedding shopping. The only difference was the red plum color vs. the maroon, but the minute I tried it on, I knew that was my outfit!

I did not have a vision for my reception outfit, I had to look more to find the style I liked. Surprisingly enough, I was able to find an outfit that had the modern touch to it that I wanted and the color and style made me look princess Jasmine - it matched the overall theme! That's how I knew that one was the one.

All my wedding shopping was done at Asopalav Ahmedabad.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?

I would say the most enjoyable part for me in the planning process was dress shopping, after years of pinning hypothetical wedding dresses it was very exciting to actually shop for these dresses. I was amazed with how quick and easily I was able to find the outfit I loved!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

We did an American Indian Fusion wedding to cater to both our families. Throughout the wedding events, our families were so integrated, the culture difference didn't seem to clash with how perfectly everyone and everything jelled together. I would have to say this was the favorite part for everyone for our wedding.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?

Absolute special moments for me were the first look before the Hindu Ceremony and his reaction to me walking down the aisle for the first time in the Christian Ceremony. Our first look was more playful, the excitement for seeing each other in the morning whereas the Christian ceremony first look was quite the opposite. He saw me walk down the aisle, it was emotional for the both of us, and watching him tear up made my heart so full!

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 went with a more modern look for our Mandap with the drapes and lighter with the reception colors vs. the dark blues that have been more common in the last several years. I was very happy with all the decor work! We loved how involved all our friends and families were in the performances, the American side of our family surprised us with a choreographed dance to Coca-Cola Tu which was amazing!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?

The key things I would recommend is:

1. Be very detailed oriented in what you want and what you like early on so you are not dealing with the stress later on.

2. Don't get hung up on minor details, trust me, I did that and I learned the only person who notices little things that may be off is you! To others, everything will look perfect, so try to relax and just have fun!

3. Make the time to eat during all your events, 1. the food is going to be amazing and you don't want to miss it, and 2. you will get cranky the hungrier you get! Have a designated person make sure you get the chance to eat!

Finally, don't forget to have fun! Stress less and have more fun!

The reception party is just around the corner, so make sure to check it out!

STYLE
GUIDE style
Fusion
Romantic
Contemporary
season
Summer
color

Makeup by Sonu Patel and Henna Moments are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Makeup by Sonu Patel VIEW PORTFOLIO

Henna Moments VIEW PORTFOLIO

For more information on how Platinum Guide members are chosen, click here.

New Orleans, LA Indian Fusion Wedding by Mary M. Cinema

October 4, 2019 Posted by: Shawna Comments

Good morning, ladies! Get ready to enjoy all the beauty and magic surrounding Vanesha & Shajib's wedding festivities! We're starting this couple's big day by joining them at a harmonious and vivid Baraat procession leading to the exclusive Riverview Room, where the ceremony took place. But this Baraat comes with a surprise! Instead of having just Shajib taking part in the Baraat, our gorgeous Vanesha also took part in this event riding her own horse! Although the Baraat has mainly been considered a groom's tradition, Vanesha stepped up to have her own Baraat. She made her voice heard, and against all the odds, she got into her own horse and had a blast. Definitely a true example of how traditional ceremonies can be adapted to modern takes; empowering women and adding a little spin-off that makes them even more significant. This Maharani was living her dream, and you can see how happy she was thanks to the beautiful shots captured by Mary M. Cinema. This Baraat procession was so captivating that all people passing by stood up to take some pictures and to admire the beauty of our lovely Vanesha. And we cannot blame them as this Maharani looked like a princess from a fairy tale thanks to the fantastic work of Makeover by Paro, who took care of her beauty needs. For more amazing shots of this Baraat procession, head into the gallery that we have prepared for today. It is full of fantastic and enchanting details that you're going to love!

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baraat,pre-wedding celebration,baraat procession

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?

When I moved to New York 4 years ago, I was desperately trying to meet new people. I met Shajib within the first 2 months of moving. He was someone who made dating seem so easy. His carefree and laid-back attitude gave me a glimpse of the possible future, that we could be happy even if we were just chilling on the couch watching reruns. That's when I knew, the moment of just hanging out and doing something extremely routine, but feeling so happy to be with each other.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

We took a day off work to go to a quaint town near NYC. We were planning on doing some hiking, exploring, and just having a fun day. It was a sunny but cold day with temperatures of around 9 degrees. Shajib was guiding me towards a spot that he had looked up online, but we got lost and ended up getting off the trail to find this beautiful lookout point. Once we got there, he walked straight up on top of a picnic table and held out his hand for me to join, he distracted me so I would turn around, and when I looked back at him, he was down on one knee. It had been 2 years since we had been dating, and even though we had discussed getting married, I was not expecting it and I completely started ugly crying. We were lucky enough that another couple were hiking up a few minutes behind us to that spot and took a couple of proposal pictures of us. It was perfect because it was him.

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.

Wedding planning was a little difficult, neither of us had any idea where to begin. We started by deciding where to get married, we knew it wouldn't be in New York City or my hometown in Mississippi. We narrowed down our top choices and finally agreed on New Orleans. We had some difficulty with a couple of vendors, a planner who wouldn't finalize the contract and kept increasing her charges, and a decorator who quit at the last minute. Luckily I was able to find Rena with Alchemy Events, who agreed to be my planner even though I had already finalized some key details. Once she came on board, it seemed like everything started falling into place. It was just nice to talk things out with someone who had wedding knowledge and make the best possible decisions together.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?

The most enjoyable part of the planning process was probably doing the test ride on our horses for the baraat. Meeting the vendors for the first time and sharing our vision with them, having them understand exactly what we needed was also a really exciting experience. It was like we were building our own world, and we could do whatever we wanted, we didn't let anyone force us into following arbitrary rules, and luckily our immediate families were very supportive of our (my) wedding dreams.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?

The Baraats, for sure, there was a moment when I got up on my horse with all my guests in front of me, and I just felt so loved. Then, my baraat met Shajibs, I saw how much fun he was having, we caught each other's attention for a moment in the midst of all the celebration, and we both knew that we would always remember this moment.

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.

It was important to both of us to represent our Hindu/Muslim, Indian/Bangladeshi, NYC/MS customs, and traditions. We made peacock colors our theme, as they also worked with Mardi Gras colors. We worked with our planner to represent everything we possibly could, our sangeet had Mardi Gras masks and beads to represent New Orleans, but we had desi style cushions on the ground for people to sit on. We had brought a lot of maangtikas, chooris, and chunnis from India, for everyone to use and dress themselves up to enjoy the sangeet festivities.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?

It's going to be stressful, it's going to be difficult, it may seem impossible at times, but it's so amazing when all your loved ones come together to celebrate your love. You have to disconnect from planning and project management mode the week of your wedding, at that point, stop worrying about the details and just enjoy. Even if something isn't exactly as you planned or seems like it will be a disaster, just let your vendors handle it and spend time with your friends and family to take in all the love.

At the end of it all, the only thing I remember is having fun, smiling and laughing like I conquered the world and crying because of how much this wedding would change our lives. I don't remember any of the details and I don't even care to remember which flower arrangements we went with or if we got the expensive chairs. All I remember were the range of emotions I felt, and how much love I was surrounded with.

We are just warming up over here, so make sure to stay close if you don't want to miss the upcoming events.

STYLE
GUIDE style
Fusion
Romantic
Outdoor
season
Spring
color

Arlington, VA Indian Fusion Wedding by Paperbird Photography

September 12, 2019 Posted by: Shawna Comments

Hi, darlings! We are wrapping up our journey through this charming love story with a fantastic reception party. But before we start, let's join Jithu & Tyler on a photoshoot taken before the reception party. For this photoshoot, Maharani Jithu looked stunning in her fashionable Lengha very well complemented with the beautiful hairstyle and makeup that Styles By Swati - Salon SBS created for this occasion. The wavy hairstyle combined volume and smoothness, which was perfect for an outdoor photoshoot and a reception party as it allowed the hair to have delicate movements without losing the style. And this look was enhanced with a discreet makeup incorporating a beautiful ruby color on the lipstick, that praised the adorable and captivating smile of our beautiful Maharani. This winning combination made our beautiful Jithu look like a princess! No wonder why Raja Tyler was amazed by this look, and couldn't take his eyes off of his wife. This moment created a beautiful scene that got immortalized by the talented crew from Paperbird Photography. After the photoshoot, it was time to continue with the reception party held at the Top of the Town. Jithu & Tyler shinned on the dance floor showcasing a well-choreographed dance that left everyone speechless. And thanks to the music and the scheme of lights that Dan Goldman Events prepared for this reception party, this night was a huge success. Without any question, having them on board was a perfect choice as they enlivened every moment of the party and put everyone on their feet. And the guests that were not dancing were captivated by the delicious plates that IndAroma prepared for this event. Hands down, this reception party was one for the books! It was full of happiness, dancing, and above all, lots of love! If you can't get enough of this lovely couple, head into our gallery for more! You are going to love it!

indian bride,indian groom,indian wedding reception

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?

We met on OKCupid and after a few messages decided to meet up. He knew I loved beer and suggested we meet at a local dive bar but had no idea that he suggested one of my favorite beer bars!

We saw each other two more times that same week. By the end of the week, we both knew that we weren't interested in seeing other people.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!

After almost a year and a half together, Tyler made sure to buy the ring on an auspicious day (generously provided by my mother).

Tyler picked up my parents from Dulles Airport after they returned from a trip to India, and asked my very sleepy parents for their blessing. My parents agreed and promptly fell asleep.

That night, also an auspicious day, Tyler took me to dinner at a fancy French restaurant, where we had a bit too much wine. Eventually, Tyler popped the question while I immediately broke into sobs. After crying through most of his proposal, I said yes!

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.

Venue:

As our guests came from all over the country and from around the world (India, Dubai!). We wanted to give them a very DC experience. We chose Top of the Town for both ceremonies because of the sweeping views of Washington DC. We wanted our day to show great views of DC during the day and have a great rooftop area for the cocktail ceremony and reception.

Hair & Makeup:

I found my HMU team on Instagram and booked them immediately! They worked with me to create a modern Tamil bridal look for the morning complete with a fishtail braid covered in red roses and baby’s breath instead of the traditional jasmine flowers. The look for the Christian ceremony was delicate with nude lips and eyes and was transformed to bright eyes and bright pink lips for the reception.

Design:

We focused on simple overall designs that favored bright colors and atmosphere over more complex scenery. For this reason, we choose a relatively simple mandap (stage) and oonjal (swing) for the Hindu ceremony, and a simple, but classic, greenery backdrop for the Christian ceremony.

Flowers:

Our decor team came through with a wonderful selection of flowers. One of our favorite design elements was the way in which our decorator worked the colorful flowers of the Hindu ceremony into the greenery backdrop of the Christian ceremony and reused them for our centerpieces. It provided great continuity between the ceremonies, and helped brighten up the Christian ceremony with just the right amount of color.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?

We wanted to wear traditional attire for the Hindu and Christian ceremonies and wanted outfits that reflected us for the reception. We traveled up and down the entire US eastern seaboard and coordinated with family in India for our three outfits.

For the Hindu ceremony, I wanted to wear a traditional red Kanjeepuram silk saree. With the help of my aunts and grandmother in India, the red saree was purchased from RMKV silks in Chennai over a 5 am WhatsApp call. Additionally, the saree blouse was custom designed and embroidered with Swarovski crystals in a temple bell design.

For the Christian ceremony, I chose a white wedding dress from Amazon after searching through traditional bridal stores and unable to make a final decision. I was drawn to a with lots of tulle and delicate lace details.

For the reception, I wanted a bright colored lehenga and selected a yellow lehenga with hot pink details from Ladlee in Atlanta, GA. Not to be outdone, Tyler got a custom made navy blue three piece Jodhpuri suit from Om Fashion Boutique in Edison, NJ. We received so many compliments on our reception outfits and cannot wait to wear them again.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?

Honestly, being done with wedding planning was the best part!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?

Our guests loved the baraat and enjoyed kicking off our wedding with dancing!

Additionally, we planned two surprise dance performances: one with the bride and her friends and one of the bride and groom dancing to lungi dance. Our guests went nuts when they heard lungi dance come on and were up on their feet with us!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?

The best part of our wedding was seeing our family and friends having a great time! My favorite story was about one of my best friends, Tyler's brothers, and one of my uncles roaming the hotel halls after getting back from a bar at 2 am and being gently scolded by my mother to go to their rooms. It was hilarious and also one of my favorite parts about weddings - bringing people together.

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 imagined our wedding to be warm, traditional but fusion wedding. Although we are a modern couple, with all the cultural clashes that come with that, it was important to us that both of our families felt comfortable and represented in our wedding.

Our rehearsal dinner followed this theme and was held at the Le Meridien Arlington’s outdoor taco shack, The Yard. We wanted a terrace space that would encourage our families to move around and interact with each other and a taco shack with picnic tables and lots of standing high tops worked perfectly!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?

A wedding planner is a must! They are the professionals and have probably seen it all --late vendors, last minute changes, the ever-changing seating chart! They are a great source of information and great listeners who can guide you through your vision.

Sometimes the details and material items can drive you crazy! Before we got into wedding planning, we wrote down three things we wanted our wedding to be: family, fun, and love. When we were stressing about small details like label placement on envelopes or the design of table toppers, we circled back to the three things we wrote down. It helped ground us and reminded us to focus on the important things.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)

We wanted to incorporate our two families by having heirloom pieces be a part of wedding. I wore my mother's diamond earrings and my late grandmother's gold belt for the Hindu ceremony. For the Christian ceremony, I had with me the groom's late grandmother's handkerchief embroidered with our wedding date. This helped us weave our families into our day and made it that much sweeter.

We are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow for a new adventure. You already know, same place, same time, so don't miss it out!

STYLE
GUIDE style
Fusion
Ballroom
Romantic
season
Spring
color

IndAroma and Styles By Swati - Salon SBS are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

IndAroma VIEW PORTFOLIO

Styles By Swati - Salon SBS VIEW PORTFOLIO

For more information on how Platinum Guide members are chosen, click here.

Chicago, IL Indian Fusion Wedding by Cage + Aquarium

August 29, 2019 Posted by: Shawna Comments

Hi there, gorgeous Maharanis! It is time to unveil Anupama & Andy's wedding reception party! This event followed the line of elegance and style that characterized the entire wedding, and it was the best way to bring the festivities to an end. The halls of the Artifact Events were transformed thanks to the fantastic decoration of Art of Imagination and the floral arrangements crafted by Trablume Floral Studio. Without any question, this winning combination orchestrated by The Simply Elegant Group took this reception to the next level and made this a night to remember. The talented DJ from Cage + Aquarium ambiance the evening and set the dancefloor on fire while the guests were craving the delicious plates that Mantra prepared for this gala. This night was full of elegance, love, and emotional speeches that hit hard on the feels! And we are sure that more than one of the guests couldn't keep their composure and dropped a couple of tears of joy! The night was coming to an end when Anupama & Andy's had their first cut at the delicious cake that Sweet Mandy B's prepared for this reception party! Without any question, everyone had a great time sharing the happiness of the newlyweds! And we want to make a special shoutout to Cage + Aquarium for sharing the shots captured during this elegant event. Thanks to those shots that we can feel just like if we were there! If you can't get enough of this lovely couple, head into our gallery for more! It compiles fantastic photos and inspiring ideas that you don't want to miss, so go check it out!

indian bride,indian groom,bridesmaids,groomsmen

indian bride,indian groom,reception table

indian bride,indian groom,venue,reception

reception,venue,indian bride,indian groom

See you tomorrow, ladies! Enjoy the rest of your day!

STYLE
GUIDE style
Fusion
Ballroom
Romantic
season
Spring
color

Kate Johnson Artistry and Henna Moments are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

Kate Johnson Artistry VIEW PORTFOLIO

Henna Moments VIEW PORTFOLIO

For more information on how Platinum Guide members are chosen, click here.

Chicago, IL Indian Fusion Wedding by Cage + Aquarium

August 29, 2019 Posted by: Shawna Comments

We are glad to have you back, ladies! It is time to continue our journey into Anupama & Andy's wedding celebration. For this installment, we will be taking a look at a fantastic outdoor photoshoot carried out by the talented crew from Cage + Aquarium. Anupama & Andy wanted to immortalize every bit of their wedding day, and what better way to do it than with an outdoor photoshoot capturing the most intimate and sweet moments of these lovebirds right before heading to their wedding reception party. Whether if it is under a contemporary bridge, a waterfront surrounded by tall buildings or in a park with greenery and tall leafy trees, the love of this two always steals the scene. We love how they portrayed their love and showcased the beauty of Chicago at the same time! They both looked ravishing on her elegant attires, but it was Anupama who stole all the looks! Her stylish white dress beautifully complemented with the hairstyle and makeup done by Kate Johnson Artistry was a winning combination! This fantastic look made everyone stop and take a peek at this gorgeous Maharani! There is no wonder why Andy couldn't keep his eyes off of her and wanted to hold her hand not just for the photoshoot, but for a whole lifetime! Just before we go any further, we wanted to make a special shoutout to Henna Moments for the fantastic Mehndi design created for our gorgeous Anupama. This artistic and incredible design is one we loved, and we are sure that you are going to love it as well! If you want to take a closer look at this incredible photoshoot, head into our gallery for more. It is the perfect way to prepare for the wedding reception party! So before you head to the exclusive Artifact Events, make sure to check it out!