If there’s one word to describe Ruhi & Akash’s wedding, it’s intentional—every event, every design choice, and every emotion felt thoughtfully curated to reflect who they are as a couple. This was a South Asian wedding weekend that balanced tradition and modern flair, personal history and elevated production, all wrapped in color, joy, and heartfelt moments.
The celebrations began where Ruhi’s story started: her childhood home in Irvine, CA. Hosting the mehndi and haldi there added a deeply emotional layer to the festivities, especially when Ruhi had her mehndi applied on the same green bench she once played on as a child.
For the larger wedding events, Ruhi & Akash chose Omni La Costa, a venue that delivered a true resort-style experience while offering multiple scenic backdrops. The planning and design by Eventspell brought structure, flow, and polish to the entire weekend, ensuring that each event felt distinct while still cohesive. From logistics to creative execution, the celebrations unfolded seamlessly.
The floral vision by JnJ Florals played a major role throughout the weekend, layering vibrant colors and lush arrangements that enhanced each space without overpowering it. From ceremony florals to statement installations, the décor struck the perfect balance between bold and refined.
The ceremony beautifully blended Marathi traditions with Rajasthani elements, culminating in the exchange of handwritten vows. And just when guests thought the moment couldn’t get more memorable, the ceremony concluded with a color cannon finale, filling the air with celebration and leaving guests in awe.
Ruhi’s bridal fashion journey was equally stunning and thoughtfully planned. From a traditional green mehndi outfit styled with a voluminous braid, pink florals, and a pearl paranda, to a bold orange sharara for haldi, each look felt intentional and expressive. Her coral red sangeet ensemble stood out beautifully against blue-and-white European-inspired décor, while her pink bridal lehenga—rich with intricate embroidery of florals and birds—felt regal and romantic. Paired with emerald green jewelry and delicate butterfly kaleera, it was a look that balanced softness and royalty. The weekend ended with a striking royal blue reception look that made a powerful statement.
Hair and makeup evolved effortlessly throughout the weekend thanks to Drea V Makeup and Makiaj, who worked closely with Ruhi’s vision while adding their own professional artistry. Using two different teams allowed each look to feel fresh and unique, perfectly matched to the mood of each event.
One of the most memorable aspects of the celebration was the dancing. powered by the high-energy beats of 3D Sounds. From joyful family performances at the haldi to a heartfelt dance with her mom to a surprise bridal solo that left Akash beaming, each performance carried emotion. Akash even stepped out of his comfort zone, learning multiple dances for the sangeet and reception—a true crowd favorite and a testament to his love and commitment.
The celebrations were beautifully captured by Balerina Films, whose cinematography and photography preserved every vibrant detail—from the quiet, emotional moments to the high-energy dance floor scenes. Their storytelling ensured that the emotions of the weekend will live on long after the music faded.
Before the reception officially began, Ruhi & Akash shared a champagne tower pour with their closest friends, cheering them on—a high-energy, celebratory moment that perfectly set the tone for the night ahead.
At its core, Ruhi & Akash’s wedding wasn’t about perfection—it was about feeling. The colors, the vows, the dances, the thoughtful details all came together to create a celebration that guests truly experienced. As Ruhi beautifully shared, trends may fade, but the emotions you create will stay forever—and this wedding was overflowing with them.
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
In 2021, we were both busy in medical residency while also trying to date. I was in coastal Ventura while Akash was living in Las Vegas. We matched on Hinge and met up at a Mexican restaurant in Costa Mesa for our first date. The conversation lasted hours and we felt like we had known each other forever. We vowed during that date that we would see each other every 2 weeks and make long distance work. Soon, the only thing getting me through residency was his facetimes at the end of the long day. I had never met someone so caring, funny, genuine and I knew that this was a once in a lifetime type of love.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Akash knew he wanted to propose to me before we finished residency, which was a whole operation as Akash was still living in Las Vegas. Akash teamed up with one of my best friends to create a plan. My friend who recently got engaged told me she wanted to do a photoshoot with her closest friends in Palos Verdes. This was believable because she was also a professional photographer and seemed like something she would do. I, fully believing I was there for her photoshoot, arrived at this beautiful location with my 3 best friends greeting me. My friends then walked me to the proposal spot, a gazebo full of flowers and candles overlooking the ocean. Akash was waiting for me underneath and I could not believe this was my proposal. My family and friends then surprised me with champagne and flowers and we enjoyed the beautiful sunny day with stunning ocean views. It was such a beautiful moment having my 3 best friends walk me over to my future husband at our proposal spot – such a good blend of a romantic moment with my husband as well as a culmination of all of the feelings with my best friends being with me through all of the years.
Afterwards, Akash added more to the surprise and had an after party at my childhood home in Irvine with all of my closest family and friends with a live pasta station and an open bar. I could not believe Akash pulled this all off!
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.
When I envisioned our wedding, I dreamed of a joyous experience that felt like us in every detail. I wanted a mehndi and haldi in my childhood home in Irvine, CA. I got my mehndi done on the same outdoor green bench that I grew up playing on, which was such a special moment.
Since our proposal was overlooking the ocean, I wanted a different more green, nature filled vibe for our wedding. I immediately loved Omni La Costa in Carlsbad because it allowed us to have 3 different beautiful locations for all of our events. It was also nice as it felt like a mini destination as most family and friends were from Orange County. I knew I wanted an outdoor sangeet where guests felt like they were dancing under the stars. For the wedding, I knew I wanted vibrant colored decor and a color cannon along with a raised aisle. It was so beautiful seeing the color cannon amongst the palm trees and the ponds in the background.
For my mehndi I wore a traditional green outfit but I added a flare with a voluminous braid with pink flowers and a pearl paranda.
For my other outfit choices, I chose non-traditional choices. For haldi, I wore an orange sharara with a dupatta flowing from the back of it. For sangeet, I wore a coral red outfit that was perfect for sangeet as it stood out amongst our blue and white European inspired decor and the outfit flared so beautifully during all of the dance turns. For my wedding, I chose pink and for the reception I chose royal blue.
For my hair and makeup looks, I came in with specific pictures of hair and makeup but I also did let the hair and makeup artists give their own input as well which I think in turn created such a variety of looks. I also had two different hair and makeup teams for my events which I think ended up working out so beautifully as every look felt really unique.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I knew I wanted a pink bridal lehenga but I wanted it to still look very royal. The lehenga had intricate embroidery that featured flowers and birds which I felt was so unique. When I wore it for the first time, both of our parents and my sister in law could not stop looking at it and I knew it was the one. I combined light emerald green jewelry which gave a beautiful contrast. The dupatta was a slightly darker shade of pink and featured embroidery on it. My favorite element was the dainty kaleera which had butterflies falling from it which felt so elegant.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
I loved planning all of the dance performances at our wedding. We even did a dance at our Haldi with my cousin sister and my sister in law which was so special. I loved doing a dance with my mom and then also performing my bridal solo dance which was a surprise for my husband, Akash. I loved seeing his face in excitement and surprise. Akash even learned multiple dances with me for sangeet and reception and he is not a dancer at all but he did an amazing job and it was so sweet of him to be so involved in dances for me.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
My guests loved the wedding ceremony and the vibrant colored decor, the exchange of personal vows and the color cannon at the end. They cannot stop talking about the color cannon and how it was the perfect finale for the wedding ceremony.
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
On our wedding day, I entered with my brothers under a floral canopy down a set of stairs which was so special. Our ceremony combined both our traditions of Marathi culture with Rajasthani elements. Exchanging handwritten vows was my favorite moment—it was deeply personal, grounding us in the midst of tradition.
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.
The Haldi was so special to me because my mother DIY'd all of the decor in the courtyard of my childhood home and it turned out so so beautiful! She ordered wooden planks, nailed them together, and painted them white herself. She then adorned flowers to strings and hung them on the structures. She ordered beautiful florals and a platform stage to complete the look. Then her friends came over and decorated the house with flower pots and other beautiful decor.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Looking back, I realize our wedding was less about perfect décor or timelines and more about the feelings we created. My advice to future brides is simple: design for the emotions you want people to carry home. Trends fade, but the magic of shared laughter, happy tears, and a packed dance floor—that will stay with you forever.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
We loved doing a champagne tower pouring with our closest friends cheering us on in the background. It was such a high-energy moment and so perfect sharing an intimate moment with them before the reception begun.
See you tomorrow, ladies—more love, more details, and more beautiful stories await.
