If there were ever a love story that proves fate has better timing than any dating app algorithm, it’s Simrita & Suraj’s. They almost met online… but the universe said, “Let’s make this cinematic.” Instead, their college friend groups merged, group chats overlapped, and suddenly, Taco Bell runs, late-night study sessions, music debates, science talks, Southern California sunsets—and yes, even Pokémon—turned into something much more meaningful. Seven years later, what started asa friendship blossomed into a love story worthy of its own wedding logo: #SDSquared.
Simrita, a lifelong lover of Indian fashion (and a wedding content creator herself behind Mandap Moments), poured her creative vision into every single detail. From custom invitations to a cohesive wedding logo inspired by #SDSquared, every event had its own palette, personality, and storytelling moment. The Sangeet & Garba at Hotel Zessa was pure Gujarati joy turned all the way up. Sweet Love Designs orchestrated an atmosphere that felt both festive and deeply personal, while Deepti’s Florals transported guests straight to a vibrant village in Gujarat. Old-school cots framed the dance floor, colorful tents housed live food stations, and LED screens by Unity Logics displayed a village scene complete with engagement photos and the couple’s custom logo. Natraj USA delivered live stations featuring chaat, hakka noodles, Manchurian, momos, and Indo-Chinese favorites that kept guests fueled for hours of dancing.
Simrita’s Sangeet look was a love letter to Gujarati heritage. Her tissue silk lehenga from Asopalav in Ahmedabad featured Patola and Abla work, blending traditional motifs with modern silhouettes inspired by designers like Mayyur Girotra and Tarun Tahiliani. Suraj matched the energy in a colorful embroidered kurta depicting a village scene—essentially wearable art. The wedding ceremony at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir unfolded under a beautifully overcast sky, creating the dreamiest natural lighting. Suraj arrived in style—in a Porsche, because why not?—while Sagar from ShaadiBeats LA kept the baraat dancing at full throttle. If your baraat doesn’t feel like a Bollywood music video for a moment, are you even doing it right? Officiated by Pandit Nilesh Bharadwaj, the ceremony was rich with meaning, with rituals thoughtfully explained to non-Indian guests.
Team Pro Events designed a mandap that beautifully balanced tropical greens with sunset-toned florals, harmonizing with the temple’s elegant domes. Those very domes inspired Simrita’s mehndi and stationery design, creating a visual thread that tied the weekend together. Her intricate mehndi by Karishma Patel of Miracle Mehndi echoed the architectural motifs of the mandir—a detail only someone with a content creator’s eye would dream up. Her flawless hair and makeup were created by the talented team at Henna Dil Se.
The reception at Hotel Zessa was where personality truly took center stage. After cocktail hour bites, the couple made their entrance to “I Wanna Be Your Pokémon” by Badshah—a playful nod to their shared love of Pokémon and Punjabi beats. The custom music video, displayed across the screens, welcomed them into a ballroom transformed into a soft, airy dreamscape of white and light blue blooms.
Greycard Photography captured every layer of this celebration with artistry and emotion. From the high-energy garba spins to the quiet, meaningful ceremony moments, their imagery tells a story that feels immersive and intimate. Robles Video added cinematic depth with cinematography and a lively photo booth experience, while Lifetime Content ensured every scroll-worthy moment was preserved in real time.
What makes Simrita & Suraj’s wedding so compelling is the intention. Every element—from temple-inspired mehndi to LED village backdrops—was rooted in identity, heritage, and joy. It was a tradition told through a modern lens. It was personality woven into every detail. It was #SDSquared in its fullest expression.
How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Our love story started off like any modern love story; we had actually matched on a dating app, but the universe had other plans. We met through friends in college, and we quickly realized we were in the same group chats, hangouts, and weekend plans. Group hangouts soon turned into late-night study dates, where we bonded over Taco Bell, music, science, Southern California, and even Pokémon. What started as a friendship quickly blossomed into love. I knew he was the one when I realized I had found someone who knew me better than I did!
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
After seven years together, Suraj proposed in 2022, after I moved from Minnesota to Southern California, closing the gap in our long-distance relationship. How did he propose? He tricked me into thinking she was planning a graduation party for him, but it was all a ruse. To my surprise, all our friends, local and out of town, were there to celebrate the moment with them. It was everything I had dreamed of and more.
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 it came time to plan our wedding, we knew one thing for sure: our personalities needed to shine. This included everything from the wedding’s creative direction, music, and our outfits. Every detail, from the invitations to the wedding logo, was designed by me to create a cohesive atmosphere across all events. I am a lifelong lover of Indian fashion, and my passion for style only grew as I planned the wedding. I designed our wedding logo inspired by our hashtag, #SDSquared, and coordinated stationery to reflect the color palettes of each bridal outfit. During the planning process, Suraj also found his knack for men’s Indian fashion; both his wedding and reception outfits were designed by him. We were really lucky to have Suraj’s parents involved with the planning from day one, especially with vendors and logistics. I’m so lucky we had them so we could focus on the fun part, the creativity! As a wedding content creator myself, I am always touched to see the personal details that couples themselves add to their events to make it truly memorable and special. I knew I wanted our wedding to reflect the same.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I had always imagined myself as a traditional red bride inspired by Sabyasachi, but when I went lehenga shopping with my bridesmaids, they encouraged me to try an orange lehenga, and I instantly fell in love. While I was certain about the red, something about the orange just kept coming back to me. Unable to travel to India and unsatisfied with online options, I collaborated with Divya Kanakia from Mumbai to bring her royal Rajasthani and Sabyasachi-inspired vision to life, featuring golden embroidery, sequins, zardosi, cutdana, and aari work. I showed her 3-4 different designs that I liked, and she somehow managed to understand my vision with very few words. We only ever communicated on WhatsApp, sending inspo and WIP photos + videos. It was definitely a risk worth taking!
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part was learning that my husband also has a keen eye for fashion. He chose his outfits himself, and even designed 2 of them to perfectly match me.
As a wedding content creator myself, I really enjoyed doing the creative work; creating stationery & signage, our wedding logo, and making sure our colors throughout the events coordinated well with our outfits!
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests could not stop raving about the gorgeous ceremony. The ceremony was at BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills, which transported our guests and us straight to India. Some even felt like they were in Jaipur. Our priest, Nilesh Bharadwaj, also did a fantastic job explaining the Hindu traditions to both Indians and non Indians alike, with clarity and humor to keep them engaged!
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Yes, walking down the aisle with my two brothers while my soon-to-be husband was waiting for me at the mandap. It’s something I wish I could relive daily.
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.
Sangeet & Garba
Our Sangeet & Garba at Hotel Zessa was full of energy, food, and dancing. We knew from day 1 live food stations were a must, and Natraj brought our vision to life, offering everything from chaat to Indo-Chinese favorites like hakka noodles, Manchurian, and momos. Deepti’s Florals designed decor inspired by a traditional village in Gujarat, with old school cots surrounding the dance floor and colorful tents housing the live stations. LED screens by Unity Logics displayed a village scene with our wedding logo designed by me and photos from our Gujarati engagement ceremony. As the dance floor came alive, the screens transformed into a visualizer, making the night feel like one big party, exactly how Suraj envisioned it.
We also honored Suraj’s heritage in our outfits. I chose a tissue silk lehenga with Gujarati textiles and work like Patola and Abla from Asopalav in Ahmedabad, blending traditional motifs with modern silhouettes inspired by Mayyur Girotra and Tarun Tahiliani. Suraj chose a colorful embroidered kurta displaying a palace scene on a blank canvas with florals and paisley motifs.
Reception
The reception at Hotel Zessa was full of love, laughter, and dancing. Guests mingled during cocktail hour and enjoyed appetizers from Natraj before the couple’s entrance. We entered to “I Wanna Be Your Pokémon” by Badshah, a playful nod to our shared love of Pokémon and Punjabi music. The accompanying music video, displayed on Unity Logics’ LED screens, welcomed them into the room alongside their loved ones.
The night continued with heartfelt speeches, energetic dance performances, and a first dance in a light and airy ballroom adorned with white and light blue florals by Deepti Florals, including my favorite, blue hydrangeas. We opted for a Same Day Edit, where Robles Videos created the most cinematic and memorable video. No kidding, I watch it on a weekly basis. Our guests still reference it months later, too! My full glam reception look, a hand-embroidered blue ombré lehenga from Asopalav, inspired by Seema Gujral, complemented Suraj’s custom navy blue Indowestern ensemble, complete with custom shoes matching the sequins on his jacket.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
I know it’s important as a South Asian bride to keep everyone happy, but don’t forget about yourself! If there are things that are important to you, don’t forget to speak up! There’s a delicate balance between the two.
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
I would love to include how my experience as a wedding content creator in here, experiencing other people’s weddings, really helped shape the vision of how I wanted our wedding to look.
The temple dome at BAPS Chino Hills inspired my mehndi and stationery, carried throughout invitations, programs, and my mehndi design by Karishma Patel of Miracle Mehndi. The mehndi also features our wedding logo, designed by me, and my favorite spot in Laguna Beach.
Lastly, this couldn’t have been done without the help of Suraj’s parents, who toiled for 9 long months to make sure we got the celebration of our dreams!
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