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Today's Platinum Guide Blog is unfurling the vibrant tapestry of Shena & Daxesh's wedding. Enjoy!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
In May 2021, I received a connection request on a dating website. At first, I didn't answer the connection - she hadn't heard of Daxesh and wanted to find a mutual friend who might be able to vouch for him. After some time, a friend was able to confirm that Daxesh ('Dax' for short) was a great guy, very likable and well-known. Shena took the leap and, on the second connection request, clicked ‘accept.’ One connection request and the rest is history.

I knew Dax was the one after our first date. After a long few months of texting and talking over FaceTime, we decided to meet up in Washington, DC. Our first date consisted of two things we love dearly - Art and Food! After attending the Van Gogh immersive experience, we headed over to a restaurant for lunch. After our first date, I remember walking away feeling safe, feeling like I could be myself around him, and knowing that this guy would make me laugh and smile for the rest of my life…I just knew he was the one!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
R. We were planning a cabin staycation at Cloudland State Park in November 2022. As the date came near, Dax saw an opportunity to execute the surprise - and I know at certain points that week I got on his nerves with my Type A, planner personality. He had hired a photographer and dusted off his drone skills. As we went outside to look at the mountain scenery in the morning, Dax swept the drone up and smoothly landed on one knee as I turned around. It was absolutely perfect! You can see the video on my Instagram!

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.
Many know, and for those who don’t, I currently work in the corporate world, but I also am at the beginning of my journey to start my side business as an event planner. Saying that, you can imagine the crazy Type A personality I had when planning our own wedding. Leading up to our wedding, Dax and I worked hard to break down each detail and be on the same page. This really helped when talking to all our vendors and families. The effort put into the planning in the months leading up to the wedding definitely paid off during the week of the wedding!

Our wedding could not have been possible without our amazing vendors! Each one of them took such care in helping us plan out each detail, and when the weekend came, they showed up with their A-game. Each of our vendors was easy to work with and stayed flexible when things changed! Leading up to the event, they worked hard with us to make sure they could achieve our vision (and within budget). My coordination team took all the details I had planned and executed everything perfectly! I think I am one of those rare brides who didn’t stress about if things were getting done because the coordination team was always on top of it, even when there were last-minute changes.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Call me weird, but I did not want to go with the traditional red. Anyone who knows me well knows that when it comes to Indian outfits, I like to wear stuff that is unique. Dax and I looked for inspiration for months. We finally found a color that we really wanted to incorporate into our outfits - sage green. Walking into Thakur’s, I knew I would have to keep an open mind. We didn’t have much time to get custom-made outfits, so I would have to choose something ready-made. After looking at a few outfits, the lengha, which was brought out last, was the one I fell in love with. It had a sage green color and incorporated the red brick color as well.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
I loved the planning process! I believe my favorite part was planning the small details. We really wanted to make sure that our guests enjoyed the weekend. Guests at any event remember two things the most - the food and the experience. Dax and I made sure we thought about those two things in the most detail when planning. We had an in-depth conversation with our caterer to build a menu that was different for each meal. We wanted to make sure there was variety the entire weekend, and being foodies ourselves, it was important to us that our guests enjoyed the food!

For experience, we tried to have meaningful experience-related pieces throughout the entire weekend. We wanted to showcase our favorite things throughout the weekend while adding the element of guest experience. We planned unique event signs (our love for art and design), flower pithi (our love for fun and fresh floral), sparkler exit, baraat dances (our love for music and healthy competition, as we had a dance-off between both families), late night games (our love for board and card games) and much more! I’m so happy we put time into detailing these pieces because it made the weekend much more enjoyable and memorable.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Even today, the two things I hear the most about from our wedding guests are that the food is some of the best food (if not the best) they have had at a wedding in the US and that they have never been to a wedding which has had been as punctual and organized as ours. Everyone had a blast and was able to enjoy the moment!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Obviously, it is hard to choose just one moment. Of course, the entire weekend revolved around my husband and I, and each of those moments was special. However, there is one special moment that stands out to me. Over the past few years, I have been giving this piece of advice to my friends, family, and bridal clients:

During your wedding, choose a random chunk of time and walk around the venue. Use this as a moment in time to observe and let the emotions soak all in. I chose to do this twice, once on the Wednesday before my wedding and once on the Friday before. These moments will remain so special to me because walking around I saw all the individuals - family and friends - who came together just for Dax and I. Each one of them worked together to help make our weekend possible. These moments showed me that the weekend was about Dax and I, but it was also about the relationships we have forged with each guest who attended. I will be forever grateful for these relationships and remember these moments!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
When you look back at your wedding and the months leading up to it, you don’t want to be reminded about hating the process. Wedding planning can be stressful, but only if you make it more stressful than needed. There is no right or wrong way to plan a wedding. Plan your wedding with the method that works best for you and your fiance because it will make the process that much easier. If you wanna get all the easy stuff done first and then work on the large pieces, do that. If you want to plan the little things and have a planner do the large pieces, then hire a partial planner. If you don’t care much about certain things and want to hand them off to family members so they can help, then communicate that and get the help. If you need help from others, get the help. At the end of the day, do what works best for you!

Obviously, Indian weddings have a HUGE family element to them, and for many, that could be the stressful part. However, always remember that communication is key. Keep everyone on the same page on what you and your fiance envision and what the budget is/should be. Also, take the time to understand the different ceremonies and traditions.

Lastly, I have seen a lot of brides recently becoming stressed during wedding planning because they keep thinking about what others will think. Always remember that the weekend is about you and your fiance. Plan the details in a way that showcases your relationship.

Join us in reliving this majestic celebration, where every moment is a story and a testament to love.

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Let's revisit Natasha & Anish's mesmerizing tale of love and grandeur. This love story, set against the splendid backdrop of the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort, was nothing short of a fairytale. The venue, known for its luxurious elegance, played a pivotal role in their dream day, offering a blend of sophistication and comfort that beautifully complemented the couple's style. Natasha's beauty was elevated to celestial heights by the exquisite craftsmanship of Sabyasachi Official. The magic in her look was perfected by Dolled Up by Lulu. The air was fragrant with the aroma of fresh blooms from Bloombox Designs. The allure of the setting was heightened by the rhythmic beats of 3D Sounds, whose DJing skills set a lively tempo. Amidst laughter and dance, the ingenious Pixter 360 photo booth captured moments in dynamic frames. The feast by Jay Bharat was a culinary delight, each dish a testament to South Asia's rich, diverse flavors, complementing the sweet essence of the day echoed in the delectable creations of Tasty Temptations Catering. As the night unfolded, Lex Wedding Films masterfully encapsulated the essence of this journey, their cinematography not just recording but storytelling, infusing life into each frame. Check it out! 

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Met through a dating app, and the rest is history! Throughout our time getting to know one another- we helped each other grow, constantly laughed, tried new adventures, and mainly enjoyed the quality time. We both felt organic and natural to be in each other's company, and that's when we both knew marriage was the next step.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Anish knows how much I love the scenery. I never thought what my proposal would be, but I did know that I wanted it to be intimate; when we both went on our Europe trip, that's when he proposed in Florence, Italy. The location, the view, the moment- truly was a magical experience. In my eyes, it was a fairytale proposal of a lifetime!

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.
We both had a vision, budget, and multiple trackers to stay within the scope of our wedding vision. We had a lot of help from our families, which we are both grateful for.  The wedding decor was inspired by Bridgerton :)

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I always knew that I wanted to wear a pastel lehenga. I love the color red and the significance it has in an Indian wedding. However, with makeup, hair, and jewelry, I felt that the color would have been too overpowering. My mother and I went to numerous stores in Mumbai in search of my bridal lehenga. When we both arrived at Sabyasachi, I saw the pink bridal lehenga and knew that it was the one.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
No, Indian wedding planning is so stressful!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
In planning for each event, I paid a lot of attention to guest experiences where they could truly enjoy something in particular from that event.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our first dance! The song was - Mere Haath Mein from Fanaa & Married Life from the Pixar movie Up. My husband literally came up with the choreography the Friday before Wedding Week! I was so nervous that we would forget our moves, but luckily we did not! To this day, I still watch our first dance.

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.
Each event came with a theme—Haldi Ceremony- Whimsical Pastel that used a lot of yellow, lavender, and light pink. We provided spicy banana chips ( because it's yellow and tasty.. duh) and minter cooler drinks to our guests—Grah Shanti- Rajasthan, where the color palette was coral & blues. We made cool floral stickers to put on the gift bag for our guests. The Sangeet is multicolored to represent a more "Mela/carnival look." We curated a special Mango lava drink that looks really festive for our guests.  The wedding was inspired by Bridgerton- pops of berries, blush pinks, and greenery. The reception was Romance meets Great Gatsby. We had a photo booth and 360 LED walls, which our guests loved!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Have a vision, curate a budget, and create trackers to stay in scope for your wedding planning. During the week of your wedding, drink lots of water and use hydrating masks/lotion to look fresh for your wedding events.
May this love story inspire you, as it has inspired us to believe in the power of love and charm.

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Darlings, let's enjoy the enchanting wedding of Bansi & Deep through the Platinum Guide Blog.

Let the allure of this wedding inspire your fairy tale. I will see you soon for more love stories!

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Welcome, sweeties, to a tale of romance and elegance at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya, where Aneri & Roshan's wedding unfolded like a dream come true. Aneri was enhanced by Dani Delgado's masterful hair and makeup artistry. Loto Mehndi added a traditional touch with intricate and stunning designs. Roses and Co. transformed the venue into a paradise, perfectly encapsulating the couple's vibrant yet sophisticated style. Liz Medina from JC Castillo's meticulous planning and design were evident in every detail. Amidst these enchanting details, Indian Destination Wedding, the travel concierge, played a pivotal role, ensuring that every guest's journey to this destination wedding was as seamless and memorable as the event itself. MVP DJs filled the air with beats that resonated with the couple's journey, turning the celebration into an unforgettable party. The joy, the dances, the laughter, and the love were captured exquisitely by Gareth Davies Photography, whose lens didn't miss a single moment of this enchanting day. Darlings, enjoy the incredible gallery we prepared!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
It all began back in 2012, during their sophomore year of college. Roshan and Aneri were introduced to one another by a mutual friend and hung out several times during Aneri's 6 year stay in the Bay Area. Roshan did not know this at the time, but Aneri knew that if she was to ever date this man, he would become her husband one day.

Once Aneri moved to LA, she did not expect to see him ever again. However, she was unaware of the fact that Roshan too had moved to LA. They bumped into each other a few times while hanging out with their respective friends, and each time, Roshan tried his best to get a date with Aneri.

Fast forward to December 2019--during her trip with her cousins to Austin, TX, she was convinced to download Hinge (dating app). They helped her create her profile and that same night, guess who decided to shoot Aneri a message? It was Roshan! Man was he persistent.

After years of random run-ins, they finally reconnected. By January 2020 they were CONSTANTLY texting long messages, talking on the phone and Facetiming. Roshan took the initiative to come see Aneri during the pandemic lockdown and the rest is history.

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.

HAVE A DESTINATION WEDDING!!! My husband and I cannot stress enough how amazing our wedding planning experience was. Of course we hit bumps here and there and also had days where it was extremely stressful, but overall, we are proud of our decision of having a destination wedding. A huge reason why our experience was wonderful was because we had such an amazing team help us through this process. We are beyond grateful for them and all our vendors. Every single one of our vendors were an absolute delight to work with. They really did their best to get to know us as a couple (likes, dislikes, vision) and presented us with the options for our events.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I always knew I didn't want the traditional red bridal lengha. I really wanted something different, something similar in color to what my mom wore for her wedding. She wore ivory and gold with some hints of red in her sari. When I went to India, I knew I wanted to buy something within that color scheme (ivory), but when I tried on my bridal lengha at the store, both sets of parents and my sister were in awe and I knew that it was it. Surprisingly, my husband fell in love with his outfit which coincidentally matched my outfit perfectly. We both waited until our first look on the wedding day to see each other in our wedding outfits and it was truly the best moment.

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

My husband's close family and my close family flew in several days prior to the wedding festivities. We stayed at the resort for a full week, which gave everyone plenty of time to bond and made the events that much more memorable with everyone mingling and celebrating us together. However, I'm sure all of our guests and vendors would probably agree that the most bitter/sweet special moment would have to be the morning of our wedding when our wedding mandap came crashing down due to extreme weather conditions.

Yes, it is true. Right before my husband was about to make his entrance down the isle, it started pouring rain and the extremely heavy winds destroyed our mandap. "It was out of a movie!" That is what I heard time and time over the rest of the weekend. I wasn't there to witness it, but was told how so many of our family members held down corners of the tents, tried to save the flowers/decor, and helped one another to safety. We were sure the wedding ceremony was going to be canceled or extremely delayed. But thanks to our family and friends who volunteered themselves to assist our planners and coordinators, we were able to have a ceremony indoors just 45 minutes after. It was such an emotion heavy experience, but seeing how both sides of the families came together to make our ceremony happen for us was such a beautiful thing to witness.

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.
All of our events and decor was absolutely beautiful. JC Castillo's team really brought our vision to life for each ceremony, including our wedding mandap, which we weren't able to get pictures with. Our themes varied across each event:
Mehndi/Welcome Night: The decor was a bohemian, minimal aesthetic with a rustic wooden swing set and 2 teepees overlooking the beautiful beach back drop. We had the guests dress more casual and comfortable mixing both Indian traditional and western styles.
Haldi/Pithi: Our only theme here was to have a blend of all spectrums of yellow and whites for the color scheme. We wanted this event to be more traditional in the sense that the Pithi is usually yellow and we wanted all of our guests to wear something within that range.
Sangeet/Garba: Bright and Vibrant with a variety of florals and colors. When I think of Garba, I think of colors and gorgeous traditional chanya cholis. I wanted the sangeet decor to represent that. Like the other events, this was outdoors and was on a rooftop. We had bright pink, blue and white flowers hanging on top of the dance floor, along with some umbrellas and twinkle lights, which is a popular garba decor item. The colors matched our outfits.
Reception: My vision for our reception was classic, modern and should scream elegance and the best 3 colors to portray that theme were black, white and gold. JC and the team went above and beyond with the decor for our reception. The hanging pieces on top of the stage were my favorite! I always knew I wanted to do that, but I wanted it to be different than having the usual flowers. We discussed potentially using golden geometric shapes and the team delivered exactly that. The reception style and decor was both of our favorite.

Darlings, keep an eye out for our upcoming posts. Until then, happy wedding planning, my friend!

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The story of Tulsi & Prashill's wedding is back! Held at the magnificent Rainwater Conference Center, their wedding was the epitome of a fairy tale brought to life. With the meticulous orchestration of Events by Nandani, every element seemed to whisper the couple's love story. Thanks to Floral Designs by Her, the air was perfumed with roses and marigolds. Tulsi was a vision in her Ejaaz Coutour bridal finery, and Bhindi Jewelers Atlanta adorned her with jewels that sparkled with the promise of forever love. Stringed Petals crafted exquisite flower jewelry, infusing a traditional charm that was nothing short of mesmerizing. Glam by Amber Bava worked its magic, draping her in elegance with bridal draping, sari tying, and styling that echoed the grandeur of an ancient romance. As the celebrations unfolded, Maa Vimla Catering tantalized the palates with a feast fit for royalty, every dish narrating the richness of South Asian cuisine. DJ Prince Chishty took over, turning the gathering into a jubilant dance of joy. And as Oak and Gold Studios weaved through the crowd, their lenses didn't just record; they immortalized the laughter, the tears, and the love that filled the room, crafting a cinematographic masterpiece that would allow one to relive the day over and over. Enjoy!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met him through my high school friend's boyfriend, who was also his high school friend. He sent my Instagram handle. The moment I came home from work and saw my phone, it was full of a bunch of likes, so I also went and liked his pictures, but he only had 4. So I didn't want to seem too interested, so I only liked a couple. And he liked more of my pictures. So I messaged him, and he said he was returning the favor!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Our proposal was done with close friends and family. I told him where ever he did it. My sister had to be there! He made a plan when we went to visit my Sister in Jersey. We went to New York, and he had a proposal planned at the Edge. I was talking to him about this place and how I wanted to go there a few months prior to our proposal, and he made it happen!

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 part: It kind of got really hectic trying to juggle work and planning a full wedding at the same time! I turned to Nandani. I met her for the first time with my parents and Prashill and loved her! She made the whole experience less hectic. She replied to all the emails and set up all the appointments. She even ran through what was needed from me during those meetings with each vendor.
Shopping was very exciting. I ordered my wedding outfit from Ejaaz Couture, and for the rest of the events, I designed them. Shopping was exciting since my whole family was there sharing opinions and buying everything together for the wedding. At times, it was confusing since we didn't know what to pick and worried if it would match, but it all turned out amazing!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Wedding dress? I was always into weddings and always talked about my wedding. I looked on Instagram for suggestions, and I knew I was very detailed and I had to love every part of what I was wearing. For my wedding, I knew I wanted a red but not a bold red. I saw the Ejaaz outfit in one picture but didn't see anyone wearing it. I always had my mind on it, and when it came to the time when I had to choose, it always pulled me to the one that I saw a year prior.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The best part of the planning was executing, haha. I loved it when we got done picking vendors, and we only had to worry about the small things, like decor and how it was decorated, suggestions on the food, or shopping and making sure everything was purchased and ready to use.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
My guest enjoyed how well it was organized and went through without any hiccups. Usually, we would forget something. Nandani is so great at making sure that each detail is perfect. She remembers everything I wanted and exactly how I wanted things. I was worried that during the event and wedding days, they may need me for something, but Nandani knew how I would want that done, so she made sure it was done before any issues came to me.
The guests enjoyed the food, and everyone LOVED it!!! We had food served to guests almost four times a day, including snacks and drinks. My Food Caters were amazing; they stayed on top of everything.
Everyone enjoyed how well it was executed, and since we were on a time crunch, no one still felt rushed. It all happened on time, and everyone was able to enjoy it!

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
When I was walking down the aisle, I almost cried! I knew I had to be strong since my dad was walking me down, and he would cry immediately! The pheras only happen once, so make sure to give each other the most time and walk very slowly!!
The last thing is when we fed each other the Pada and Kajukatri. We made sure to add a special touch of us to it. We are very playful yet caring, so we made sure to enjoy 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.
Sangeet was my favorite event other than the wedding, It was the first event together that both sides were able to mingle and enjoy. It was very special to see how both families were able to laugh and converse together.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Please take it easy. There are times when I would panic, but now, looking back at it, it's done! The planning and the shopping, the events are sometimes always so stressful that we forget that it's going to be done too quickly! Make sure to always look at each and know that this is your time spent together and the memories you create!
Join us in celebrating the beginning of more adventures, and may love continue to inspire us all.

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