The Platinum Guide Blog

Good morning, ladies! Get ready to enjoy because we're taking you on a love journey through Supreet & Kabir's wedding festivities. If the name of this lovely couple sounds familiar, that's because their wedding was already featured in our Video Blog thanks to the fantastic film created by Studio KSD. Supreet's journey to find the perfect outfits was made effortless by Heena Surani, her shopper. For her wedding day, Supreet fell in love with a lehnga from Dolly J Studios in her favorite color, Rani pink. One of the most memorable events was the Sangeet, held at the exquisite venue, The Rockleigh. As soon as the guests entered the stunning venue, they were transported into enchantment and grandeur. Its magnificent architecture and opulent interiors provided the perfect backdrop for this vibrant and joyous celebration. Urban Dancera orchestrated all the sangeet dances, including Supreet's solo performance and the couple's dance. Raj Minocha from Platinum Roadshow was one of their favorite vendors as he helped light the dance floor on fire! The Sangeet focused on Bollywood music, and the Mehndi and Jaago, where Supreet wore an outfit from Abhinav Mishra, leaned more toward traditional Punjabi. Equishare Baraat Horses brought a delightful touch to the wedding as Kabir made his grand entrance on a stunning horse, and the spectacle was truly breathtaking, leaving everyone in awe. Chandai Events ensured that the entire wedding journey was a seamless and unforgettable experience. Their creative vision, organizational skills, and dedication allowed the couple and their families to relax and fully immerse themselves in the joy of the celebration. Studio KSD had the important task of capturing the essence and beauty of this wedding. With their artistic prowess and technical expertise, they transformed fleeting moments into timeless treasures. Their talent and dedication resulted in breathtaking photographs that will be cherished for generations!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
Heena Surani from @houseofchicofficial was my personal shopper and a BIG help when it came to picking out all of my clothes, as well as my mom's and my sister's. We didn't go to India to shop, so I really needed someone I could trust to coordinate with designers and ensure that everything fits perfectly. Heena works closely with many of India's top labels, which made the process smoother than I could've ever expected, especially given the fact that Kabir and I planned our wedding within 6 months.

I knew I wanted to get married in Rani pink, but I fell in love with the ombre Aaliyah lehnga from Dolly J Studios. Luckily, they were able to send me swatches of pink and custom-made the lehnga for me in that color. The swatches also made it easier for Kabir to incorporate the same shade of pink in his ensemble as well.

My sangeet was one of my biggest events and had the most people. I had really struggled to find my look for this event as I wanted to stand out and look bridal but still have fun and feel comfortable enough to dance. Coincidentally, the Rang collection from VVani had just launched, and I fell in love! Once again, I asked for a custom red color (Kabir's favorite!), and Vani was kind enough to give me multiple options on threadwork that would go best with the red. Vani and Heena really helped me every step of the way, offering suggestions and best practices.

My Mehndi outfit was the easiest of them all, as I liked it as is and didn't have to go through any customizations! I'm a traditional bride through and through and knew I'd want to wear yellow.

Lastly, my reception outfit was the most difficult! I wanted a different look while still feeling bridal. I had chosen such heavy outfits for all the prior events and didn't want to fall short at the reception. Our reception was more intimate, so originally, I had picked a taupe color with silver embroidery. Once it arrived, I decided it didn't have the same wow factor as my other outfits. Again, House of Chic came to the rescue and worked with the wonderful Seema Gujral to rush order me a reception outfit in a custom sapphire blue. This one was BREATHTAKING. My makeup artist, Karuna Chani, helped me style the dupatta in the more modern cape style, which allowed me to dance freely and take it off halfway through the night.

All in all, for bigger weddings, I think it's worth splurging on your bridal clothes. You want to stand out amongst a crowd and feel like a princess!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Definitely the food and the DJ!! I come from a big entertaining/ foodie family, and food was definitely a top priority during the wedding. We served over 2,000 lamb chops during our wedding week! Each day had an expansive menu filled with stations from around the world (Thai, Mexican, Sushi, etc.). The wedding day at the Gurdwara had a completely vegetarian menu, but we were able to incorporate traditional South Indian food, juices, smoothies, etc., to make it more special.

Raj Minocha from Platinum Roadshow was one of our favorite vendors. He helped light the dance floor on FIRE! Each event had a particular musical theme to keep things different. The Sangeet focused on Bollywood music, the Mehndi and Jaago leaned more toward traditional Punjabi, and we had told Raj to turn our reception into a club! He delivered all of the above and beyond.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our toy poodle puppy, Romeo, was able to make it to the reception and take family photos with us. His doggy daycare Doggie Shrink was super accommodating and coordinated with our wedding planner to make an appearance. Romeo is very special to Kabir and me since we met on the same day I brought Romeo home. Having him in our wedding pictures was magical, and he got to see his mommy as a bride!

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.
Karishma Tanna, the owner of the Indian luxury wedding choreography company Urban Dancera, coordinated all of my family's sangeet dances as well as my solo and Kabir and my dance. She was wonderfully accommodating and taught us all via Zoom from Mumbai. I had seen her dances on youtube and Instagram and had known for years that I'd want her to choreograph my dances. In my opinion, the dance companies in India have more unique, modern steps than the ones based here in the States. The icing on top of the cake was when Karishma flew in from Mumbai to have one last in-person dance rehearsal with all of us before the wedding.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Find vendors that you truly love and connect with! One bad vendor can really sour all of the hard work and effort you put into your wedding, and no one wants that. Taking the time to meet with multiple vendors until you find "the one" is really tedious, yet important.

I also delegated a lot to my parents and my sister. My mom and dad were really passionate about food and decor, and I trusted their opinions completely, so they led those conversations and took those tasks off my hands.

Have a go-to person outside of your family to help run last-minute errands or be on bride duty in case you forget something the day of. I chose a few close family friends and bridesmaids to be my go-to people while my mom, sister, and I were in hair and makeup for 5 hours getting ready.

Lastly, find moments to sneak away with your husband! Those were some of Kabir's and my favorite moments! Our photographers would take us to various locations for pictures, which allowed Kabir and I to catch up and get a few moments to ourselves away from the spotlight.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
We had the @thepaanwala at the Sangeet, which was a big hit with our guests. @urbandancera choreographed all of my wedding dances.

Loves, I hope you have enjoyed this lovely wedding. Do not forget to come back tomorrow for more!

Studio KSD, Chandai Events, BEAUT by FAR, The Rockleigh and Equishare Baraat Horses, Rickshaws and Carriages are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Good morning, ladies! We have a beautiful day ahead of us, so let's get started with some romance. Ankitha & Preston's wedding was an unforgettable event at Quincy Hall. Aroona Events, the event planner and designer, transformed the space into a romantic oasis filled with lush flowers and decor from Forget Me Not. Aroona Events played an instrumental role in bringing Ankitha & Preston's vision to life. They executed every aspect of the wedding flawlessly. Their attention to detail and expertise in the field ensured the couple could enjoy their special day without any worries. The result was a wedding that was not only visually stunning but also reflected the couple's personalities and love story. Ankitha looked stunning in her bridal fashions from Aroona Events. The intricate detailing and use of traditional fabrics and embroidery created a timeless and elegant look with her hair and makeup done by Everthine Beauty & Co and Mehndi by Gracious Henna. The couple danced the night away to music by DJ Chris with a grand lighting scheme by Aroona Events while the guest enjoyed a delicious cake by Hey There Cupcake! and catering by Crave Catering. The entire day was captured beautifully by Matt Lien Photography. From the intimate moments during the pre-wedding ceremonies to the grandeur of the reception, every detail of Ankitha & Preston's wedding was thoughtfully executed. The day was filled with love, laughter, and joy as the couple exchanged vows and celebrated their union with family and friends. Please take advantage of every snap of this lovely union in our complete gallery. You will feel part of this love story. We are sure you will enjoy them!

How did you meet your Groom, and when did you know he was "the one"?
17 years before our wedding day, I met my husband on the playground in elementary school. I was swinging on the swings, and some boy pushed me off, sending me tumbling to the ground. I slowly got up, and all of a sudden, another boy was helping to brush the wood chips off of my back. The boy said, "I like your hair!" and ran off. Little did I know I would marry that boy 17 years later.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
My husband and I spent a lot of time in Duluth, Minnesota, when we were first dating. If you know anything about Duluth, it's that there is a beautiful lift bridge on the banks of Lake Superior connecting downtown Duluth to Park Point. On Park Point, there is a sand bar that has a long stretch of beach along Lake Superior. We used to walk a lot on that beach and take in the sun and the waves. One of these walks was the first time that we told each other we loved each other. Years later, in March of 2020, on a vacation trip to Duluth, Preston took me again to this beach. As we were walking together, I noticed a path of red roses along the ground. At the end of the path was the exact location Preston told me he loved me. He dropped to one knee, and the rest is history.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was creating a fusion wedding. My husband and I come from different cultures and backgrounds, but we found that our traditions were rooted in the same values of love, commitment, passion, and family that we've shared ever since meeting each other. This fusion of traditions can be seen in our attire, ceremonies, and decor. Finding ways to incorporate our different but ultimately harmonious traditions was the highlight of planning our wedding.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Our Sangeet is something I will never forget. We had a series of performances from friends and family, culminating in a large Bollywood dance routine that was some of the most fun I have ever had. It was so special to see the people I love laughing, smiling, and dancing like crazy. However, even more memorable, if that is even possible, was my husband, at the last second, totally surprising me, walking to the front of the stage with his guitar in hand. He began to sing this beautiful song called "Love Someone." His voice and that song constantly replay in my head.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Do your best to focus on everything at the moment during your wedding. You've had months and months to plan your perfect day. Don't waste that time worrying about what could of have been or plans that changed. Focus on you, your partner, and all the beauty that is your wedding night. Nothing else matters at that moment!

What a lovely wedding! Leave us a comment with your impressions. See you tomorrow for more!

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Good Morning, Maharanis! The end of this marvelous week is here, and as always, we are back to re-fill your inspiration with another lovely story filled with tons of emotions and great moments. You will love it! Today we are unveiling the beauty surrounding Mahira & Ekram's wedding celebration! If this sounds familiar is because we have previously showcased this event in a marvelous film by Samson Productions that you can relive here. Today we have more insights captured once again by the enormous talent of this photographic studio, so you can already imagine how amazing it is going to be! To start this journey, let me take you to the exclusive Taglyan Complex, the perfect venue chosen by our lovely duo to tie the knot. And all we have to say is that this was an excellent decision! Beauty was all over the place, but nothing compared with the ravishing look Mahira, our gorgeous Maharani, showcased after being papered by Peace Love Sakeena, who created the ideal style for her. Something we want to remark is the well-trimmed and planned event that The Marigold Company designed. They took it to a higher level, transforming our lovebird's vision into a dream come true. To relive these magical wedding details, make sure to visit today's enchanting gallery!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Ekram (my husband) at a wedding. I actually just decided to approach him on a whim to tell him he looked familiar and just like that, we added each other on Twitter and started talking. I knew he was “the one” when I realized that he was genuinely my best friend. See, Ekram lived in the bay and I lived in Orange County, and we didn’t see each other as often as couples that are beach other do, so we relied on long phone and text conversations that ended up creating a strong foundation for our relationship.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
I had taken Ekram to Victoria Beach in Laguna when I first started talking to him. He ended up flying down to SoCal and coordinating with my friends and family to plan his proposal there. What ended up happening was a bit of a wreck actually, my friends convinced me to dress up, took me out to dinner and decided to go to Victoria beach after. So at this specific beach the entrance is at the bottom of a staircase and so my friends are walking in front of me and at the bottom of the steps you see small candles lit leading to a path of red roses in the shape of a heart, my friends backed away and let me walk into the proposal but I noticed a lot of people I didn’t recognize and long story short I walked in to a DIFFERENT proposal!! Both my friends and I were so incredibly confused and they ended up having to call Ekram who had to come to the steps and lead me to HIS proposal which was further out from the steps, it was similar with rose petals and candles in the shape of a heart and he popped the question. Because of this fiasco, by the time my friends had figured out it wasn’t my proposal, the sun had gone down so there’s actually only one picture from that night that isn’t too dark or messed up, everything turned out fine I just cannot believe my friends and I walked into another girls proposal hahaha

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.
Luckily, I had a good ten months to plan my wedding. I knew exactly what kind of decor, what venues, what outfits, and which makeup artists I wanted. I went to Pakistan twice to ensure all my outfits were fitted and made properly, I visited my venues several times to ensure clear communication with the managers and I reached out to mua’s much in advance. I literally planned every single detail, including countless, thorough meetings with my decorator. I had a lot of vendors for my events so I ensured that my coordinator was aware of each and every one. Even so, things didn’t go exactly as planned, my MUA got stuck abroad and cancelled on me the night before my wedding (I ended up staying up till 4 am that night finding a replacement which is a whole story in of itself) and the day of my wedding, the decorating team arrived late so they were hastily attempting to finish on time, but everything came together even though it wasn’t exactly according to plan. Planning was a stressful process just because I was soo focused on every little thing being perfect, down to the day of my wedding where I was trying to check up on things even in my dress and makeup, but it ended up paying off as it all came together.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
As mentioned earlier, I went to Pakistan twice for my outfits. The first time I went for three weeks and I kid you not I looked at wedding outfits every single day. I knew I wanted red and gold but I wanted some more color in the dress as well. That proved hard to find as I remember finally picking an outfit on my final days of the first trip. I ended up choosing an outfit but altering the entire color scheme to match red, gold, and peach. My mom (who has an eye for color) helped me ensure every detail of that dress worked well, often times asking for swatches of the design before finalizing it. On my second trip, I was able to finalize other outfits and see my dress come to fruition, the end result was absolutely stunning, the shop owners themselves said that they decided to create one to place on the rack since we had designed the color scheme. I didn’t realize how heavy each outfit was until the day of the events as the hair, makeup, dress, and dupatta setting really make you feel sssooo much heavier but because of the rush and energy I was still able to dance my heart out at the events

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
My favorite part about planning was brainstorming ideas. I knew for a long time I wanted certain themes (peacock for mehndi and gold/white/blush for wedding) but being able to just come up with decor through looking at thousands of inspiration pictures was just so fun. My sisters had lots of fun sifting through instagrams and Pinterest pages to find vendors or cute ideas to incorporate at the events. It felt like a team effort and when it all came together, it was just amazing, I still cannot believe it sometimes.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
I’ve been to a ton of weddings and so my main goal was to ensure that my guests had a good time. I didn’t want anyone to be bored of lengthy speeches or starve waiting on the food. I know that everyone appreciated this as they were entertained throughout and were not left hungry. Everyone absolutely loved the variety and quality of the food and dessert so shoutout to taglyan Complex’s in house catering. I made sure speeches were kept short, that the program overall wasn’t too long, and that food was served at appropriate times.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
Yes so it was actually after the ceremony and during our entrance at the reception. For some reason I was just nervous to enter the hall even though I had just gotten married. The music was playing and the doors were just about to open as Ekram tells me he’s going to do something. I was so confused as to what that meant and asked him what? But the doors had opened and we had to walk. As we’re walking in people are of course clapping and cheering and Ekram keeps saying I’m about to do it and under my breath I’m asking him what?? And then halfway into our walk just as we’re in the middle of the hall and the chorus of the song, Ekram takes off his turban and runs in a large circle around me while pointing to me as the sparklers are sparkling and the crowd just goes wild and I realized ooohhh this is what that meant. Every time that song comes on (sauda khara khara) I think of that 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.
I had quite a few events but my favorite were the mehndi and shaadi. The mehndi decor was peacock themed so it was very colorful within that color scheme and the decor was just amazing. Additionally, my family and friends practiced their dances for months and everything looked soo coordinated and just perfect. We also had hired dancers for both events, joya kazi for the mehndi who did more classical, technical style dancing and karmography who did more big, Bhangra type moves which was a nice contrast between the two that kept people entertained. I could go on and on about each and every vendor and what they did to make the event special, but it would take forever! I had found a singer on Instagram named Neel from New York City that ended up moving to LA after my wedding to further his music career here. We had a chai cart come to the mehdni that featured Kashmiri chai which was a crowd favorite. Agnes was a live painter for the wedding who everyone just loved. There was just so much going on for every event but it all came together beautifully.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
My only advice is to take it easy and enjoy the events. I recall stressing out minutes before the ceremony and reception as the decor was finishing up and they had locked me into the room upstairs so I just couldn’t see anything anymore but as I entered both the ceremony and reception, everything came together and was fine even if it didn’t go exactly as planned. So just do your best to not worry the day of and enjoy your time because all this time, effort, and energy is spent on events that go by so fast so you might as well ensure you enjoy each and every moment of it

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Jewelry: I also took an very long time picking a set for my wedding mainly because my mom was extremely picky when it comes to gold but I ended up finding the most beautiful set I’ve ever seen and even though the entire thing was heavy I am still in awe just looking at the intricate design/sparkle.
My venues for the mehndi and shaadi, Hilton in irvine and taglyan cultural complex in LA were just amazing when the decor came together. Noel from Hilton and Hovig from taglyan were amazing people that were extremely nice and helpful to work with, they really did all they could to help.
There are lots of vendors we used but I really want to give a special shoutout to @peacelovesakeena who decided to do my wedding makeup last minute since lulu had cancelled and sakeena did an AMAZING job and was so kind to me and I knew she hadn’t slept since she was responding so late and I knew she had a bride in the morning and at night so she fit me in between which was just so nice of her because I actually almost fainted when I found out at 11 pm that my wedding hair and makeup artist was not going to be able to make it. I still can’t believe that happened but sakeena really came through and helped me.

For more inspirational stories, visit us Monday. We have something special for you.

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It is Friday, Ladies! And as promised, we are here one more time to bring you the inspiration that you need for your dreamed wedding. The best way to begin this dream is with a magical engagement celebration. On this installment, we will take a peek at Esha & Vineeth's unique engagement celebration. After a beautiful and traditional ceremony hosted at the exclusive MGM Grand Detroit, it was time to celebrate this life-changing event. So, a party started, and both families gather to celebrate the union from their favorite ones. Once again, Utsav Planners, Inc. took it to a higher level, designing the perfect celebration, and let me tell you that this was as come out from a fairy tale. Just amazing! It was an epic night, where everyone created new memories that will last forever. Choreographies, delicious food prepared by Punjab Fine Indian Cuisine, family games, excellent music played by DJ Ice & Fresh Productions, and of course, tons of love were the unique ingredients for this magical celebration. If you want to relive the details of this party and get the inspiration that you need, make sure to visit our today's gallery. This is thanks to the fantastic talent from Irvin Sidhu Fine Art Photography Studio. You will be amazed by so much beauty!

Utsav Planners,Inc., DJ Ice & Fresh Productions and Punjab Fine Indian Cuisine are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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TGIF, beautiful Maharanis! The end of this fabulous week is here, and we don't want to end it without presenting you with a beautiful event that, without a doubt, will take your breath away. On this installment, we will unveil the beauty that surrounded Esha & Vineeth's engagement ceremony. To begin this journey, let me take you to Detroit, MI, at the exclusive MGM Grand Detroit to relive this magical moment. Right from the bat, we admired how everything was perfectly trimmed and executed. Utsav Planners, Inc. is the mastermind behind the scene, as they took the vision from our lovebirds and created the event of their dreams. Just fantastic! You will love every detail performed at the ceremony before the party, which we will present to you in our next episode. We should thank heaven for the enormous talent from Irvin Sidhu Fine Art Photography Studio, who made sure to capture every emotion and unique moment of the night and transform it into a phenomenal photo gallery. If you are in the pursuit of inspiration, you are in the right place. We hope you enjoy this feature as much as we did, as there is nothing quite as beautiful as the beginning of a love story!

Utsav Planners,Inc., DJ Ice & Fresh Productions and Punjab Fine Indian Cuisine are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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