Good morning, Maharanis! If you were seeking inspiration, you've come to the right place. To begin this journey, let me take you to the exclusive The Henry Autograph Collection, the perfect venue chosen by Nayaab & Nouman, our lovebirds, to tie the knot. Just lovely! And we want to take a moment to thank Utsav Planners, Inc for the perfect planning of this magical wedding. They did an outstanding job bringing our beautiful duo's vision into a reality. We can't forget to mention the splendid decoration that Christopher & Co crafted as they took this life-changing event to the next level with well-mixed flower arrangements and veils. You will love how everything looks like taken out from a fairy tale. Speaking about fairy tales, Nayaab, our Maharani, dazzled everyone with a beautiful look that left everyone speechless thanks to Hair by Aysha, who praised her natural beauty, making her look like royalty. And we forgot to mention it, but we have a small surprise for you: Today we are double featuring this love story! You can relive this event by visiting our Video Blog, and also by taking a look at the marvelous gallery below. The best of all is that both are creations of the talented team from Nathan English Photography, so you already know it is going to be amazing! Don't think twice, and make sure to check it out! You will love every single detail of this wedding!
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How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Nouman and I met through a match-making service for young professionals of our religion. I was hesitant because I thought it would be like online dating, but it didn’t involve even going online (no swiping right or left!). After talking to my consultant, Nouman was the first person that she recommended I talk to and that was it! After talking on the phone for a few weeks, we started visiting each other, splitting weekends between Grand Rapids, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois. We really prioritized each other through out the long-distance period of our relationship. I knew he was the one pretty early on, probably around our third date. It felt like I was hanging out with someone I had known all my life.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
We had talked about wanting to get married and looked at rings together. So even though I knew it was coming, Nouman still managed to surprise me. We went out for my birthday dinner in downtown Chicago at a restaurant overlooking the water. After dinner he told me to open my gift. It was a bigger box, so I knew it wasn’t the ring, and I opened it to see a box of pop-up stationary cards featuring a sloth hanging from a tree branch. He said I could use them to write goodbye notes to friends in Michigan once I moved to Illinois and urged me to open the first card to see the pop-up sloth. When I did, I just saw this flash of light and realized he had attached the ring to the tree branch. By that time he was down on one knee asking me to marry him. Afterwards we went downstairs to the restaurant’s lounge area where a group of our friends were waiting to congratulate and celebrate with us. It was so thoughtful and we had a blast the rest of the night!
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.
Utsav Planners was our wedding planner and we had a great experience. Rupali and her team made sure everything went perfectly and they made my vision a reality. They really took care of us the entire time. So many brides told me about how their wedding day was the most stressful day of their lives. I had the opposite experience. Nouman and I were stress free and had so much fun the entire time. For the wedding I wanted neutrals, hints of blush and lots of greenery for a soft, romantic feeling. My dad suggested the Henry Ford Museum for our Venue and he was totally right. I wanted something different, something that would stand out against the sea of weddings we all attend, but still elegant, so this venue was perfect.
Hair and makeup was an easy decision. If you want the best in Michigan, that’s Jahura Hobby and Hair by Aysha. I have never felt more beautiful in my life and they both made me feel so relaxed and comfortable. I went with Luxorious Couture by Marium S for my mehndi and nikah outfits, Suffuse by Sana Yasir for the shaadi, and Rema & Shehrbano for the walimah.
Our photographer/videographer was Nathan English. Hands down one of the best decisions we made for the entire wedding. Nathan is truly an artist and on top of that, one of the most genuine, kind souls you will ever meet.
How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I wanted something in a soft color with sheer elements and unique details, so when I saw this gown from Suffuse by Sana Yasir, I knew it was my dream dress immediately. I know it's a cliche, but I felt like a princess in it.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Seeing different options for décor was really fun! Before that it was hard to imagine how everything would come together, so this really helped visualize things and make it real.
What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I think our guests really enjoyed the venue, especially because the museum was open for them to explore. They also loved the cake. Almost a year later and people still tell me it’s the best cake they’ve ever had. We have The Cakabakery to thank for that!
Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
When Nouman insisted on being in the hotel room as I got my hair and makeup done for the Mehndi party! Typically this is a big no-no, but he was so bored and wanted to hang out. And at the end of the day, I got to hang out with my best friend before kicking off our wedding weekend so that was really special.
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.
I wanted a subtle carnival inspired theme for the Mehndi, so we went with bright colors and multiple food stations for guests to visit, along with custom lattes and a mehndi artist for guests.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Go into this knowing it will not be absolutely perfect only because nothing ever is! But if you have the right people with you, you won’t even know what tiny thing didn’t happen exactly how you wanted and you probably won’t care. I would also write down a couple things that are priorities to you, things that truly matter, and make sure your team knows. For example, I wanted our religious ceremony to be the morning before the large wedding, with very limited number of people, and I did not want people to have their phones out. I got pushback about this but to me, this was the most important part of the entire weekend and I wanted Nouman and I to be 100% present during it. So pick out your priorities and stick to your guns about them!
Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
I want to acknowledge my father for giving me a wedding beyond anything I could have dreamed of. He always worried about not knowing how to do these kinds of things as a dad but I think he is a wedding planning pro. He also saved the tikka jewelry my mother wore during their wedding for my marriage ceremony. It was so meaningful to have a piece of her with me and honor her in that way.
We have more for you, so stay tuned if you don't want to miss it!
