The Platinum Guide Blog

Hello, ladies! Let's prepare for a full inspiring day by reading Bharti & Shiv's love story. This sweet couple's Indian wedding perfectly blended elegance, fun, and happiness. Everything was done with care and attention to detail, from the planning to the decor. The wedding held at The Dearborn Inn was planned by the incredible Marigold Wedding Planners. Their goal was to help Bharti have fun and enjoy every second while still adhering to the plan. With this fantastic team, you won't need to sweat the small details because they will handle everything! It was all a cornucopia of beauty and traditional flair thanks to Marigold Wedding Planners, who transformed the halls of this venue into a magical and almost surreal setting. Sky Films and Productions helped them capture the occasion with their cameras and lenses and, above all, the incredible talent resulting in the stunning shots we can enjoy in today's gallery. During the ceremony, the bride and groom dress in traditional Indian wedding attire. The bride looked gorgeous in her crimson red Sabyasachi-style lehenga with a gold embellishment after being pampered by Cecilia Kashat and Ekta Kansara. To crown Bharti's magnificent look, Radhe Henna outlined an artistic Mehndi design that was utterly impressive, not to mention that it added an extra touch of traditional flair. The reception theme was sparkle and glamour, and Lama's Florist was responsible for the incredible floral arrangements. The color themes were ivory and shades of lavender, so her outfit was an all-silver, sparkly lehenga by Seema Gujural. Bharti & Shiv got the perfect reception setup with Sky Films and Productions. DJ Vic from Sky Films and Productions had a lot of energy and got the crowd into the event. They handled everything smoothly, and the playlist was based on the guest's energy. Everyone danced with the DJ vibes and had the time of their lives! Throughout the reception, all guests enjoyed the culinary experience that Saffron prepared. Hands down, a sweet ending for this charming story! If you can't get enough of this wedding bash, check out more of this fantastic event. You will love every detail of this wedding.

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met in Chicago through one of the most common modern ways - over a dating app. Specifically, Coffee meets Bagel. In the first couple of months of getting to know each other, we created a strong bond of friendship that helped set the foundation for our relationship. Very early on, our relationship turned into 9 months of long distance, with lots of FaceTime dates and traveling to visit each other as I completed my medical rotations all over the country. This truly put our relationship to the test. But once I was back in Chicago, I made the decision to apply for jobs locally and be close to Shiv (my husband) as he completed medical school rather than start a fresh journey in a new city. I just knew he was the one because while we were going through our long-distance phase early on, he patiently waited for me to finish my rotations while also making an effort to keep our foundation strong.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
One of my greatest desires was a boating experience on the Chicago River. With the help of friends, Shiv (my husband) tricked me into thinking that they got a boat trip set up as a get-together. The next part of the plan was convincing me that this was a fancier occasion rather than a casual boat party. So with the help of my younger sister, I was guided to wear an outfit that I had had my eye on for a while.
Then it was finally the big day. My husband wanted all our close friends and family to be there at the proposal, so he invited his brother, his brother's girlfriend, and some of my best friends for brunch before getting on the boat. Next came the yacht. We all met at the Chicago River docking station, and finally, the yacht set off on the sunny shores of Lake Michigan. Shiv got down on one knee and popped the question with the Chicago skyline gleaming behind us. Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost! Shiv had another surprise awaiting. He took me to his family's home, where my parents, my husband's family, and more friends gathered to continue the celebration.

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.
The planning process for the wedding started about 10 months before the wedding date. We first started with finding a venue in my hometown of Detroit, MI. We wanted to keep our mehendi and haldi more intimate, so those events were planned on our own at our home. The larger events, such as the sangeet, wedding ceremony, and reception, were held at the main venue. As the bride, I was looking for something with glamour and charm. We decided on Dearborn Inn by Marriott because it has an old rustic feel with elegance. The hotel interior also made the entrance of the ballroom and lobby a spectacle to behold.

Planning our wedding was a family affair alongside our wedding planner, Tina Singh. We had a great experience using both of our families' insights and visions. We wanted to use themes for each of our wedding events and design the decor for each event accordingly. For example, the sangeet’s theme was the royal bazaar. So we went with decor that displayed a large gold swinging bench decorated with flowers, with two large life-like trees in the background. The food was set up as stations all around the entrance of the ballroom that mimicked a bazaar with bright, vibrant ethnic tents. We had a program of dances by family and friends, so we set up multicolored cots along the dance floor area for people to sit and enjoy the program. We also incorporated Punjabi and Gujarati traditions in the sangeet, so we ended the night off with traditional garba. Since this was a royal bazaar-themed event, the outfit I went with was a lehenga, which was wine purple in color with gold frame embellishments as well as peacocks and birds on the skirt. My makeup artist Cecilia (Blush Salon in Commerce township), did an amazing job by adding extensions to my hair and putting pearls into a braid to give it a unique look. She used multiple colors on my eyeshadow makeup to match sangeet vibes. She also did the makeup and hair for my sister, my mom, and my MIL’s. Everyone loved their unique touch. Shiv matched me with an Indo-western, burgundy, velvet Sherwani.

For the wedding ceremony, we wanted to use the beautiful outdoor lawn of the hotel which was decorated with greenery and fresh flowers. We set up the mandap there with fresh red, pink, and ivory flowers, and we matched our wedding outfits accordingly. Our wedding was during Labor Day weekend, and we were blessed with beautiful weather. We had so much natural scenery around us that we felt the mandap did not have to be overdone. We went with a mandap that was rustic in nature to match the outdoor scene. Our bridesmaids and groomsmen entered with matching custom sage green outfits to start the wedding ceremony, and from there, it transitioned into the traditional Hindu ceremony. Each bridesmaid carried a fresh-flower bouquet down the aisle. For the bridal entrance, my uncles and cousins walked me on a red carpet under the Phoolon ki Chadar, custom decorated by our Florists by Lama in Dearborn. My hair was put in a loose bun, while my makeup had tones of gold with a bright red lip to match my wedding lehenga. Altogether it looked stunning with the jewelry hand-picked from South Delhi Jewelers, with green and light pink beads to match the veil and gold embroiderings. Our wedding was recorded by our video team, who used multiple drones to capture the beautiful footage.

Our reception theme was all about sparkle and glamour. The color themes I chose were ivory and shades of lavender. My outfit was an all-silver, sparkly lehenga by Seema Gujural. Shiv wore a custom-designed tuxedo. For the decor, we went with gold frames on our stage, with chandeliers dangling on the sides and an ivory bench in the center. All our guest tables had fresh flowers, bouquets, and candle arrangements following the theme of ivory and lavender. We had a LED light stage in the center of the ballroom where all the performances and speeches took place. I also came up with a Photo Booth area near the entrance of the ballroom with a LED sign that said “It Was Always You,” placed on a green wall and surrounded by cherry blossom trees. Our dessert table consisted of assorted bite-size pastries decorated with a life-size white peacock with a tail made of lavender flowers. Last but not least, our DJ and photography team, Sky Films and Productions and DJ Vic did a spectacular job at all our events to capture each moment. They kept our wedding reception open dance floor flowing with energetic music so that we danced until we dropped. Even today, we keep replaying our same-day edit video and reliving our wedding each time.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I originally wanted to go with pastel colors on my lehenga. But after trying on several pieces, I decided the traditional red color looked best on me. After shopping around in New York and India, I decided on a crimson red Sabyasachi-style lehenga with gold embellishment that I found in a unique boutique in Delhi. I custom-designed a light peach veil with a wave border to match the lehenga.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part was having substantial input on how each wedding event would run and planning the decorations. My wedding planner was instrumental in helping me decide which of my ideas was realistic and reasonable to bring the themes of each wedding event to life. I took pride in knowing that each event had an original touch of my personality. I also had a significant role in choreographing all the dances  I performed in. I have been dancing and choreographing for my other friends' weddings in the past, and now it was finally my turn to showcase at my own wedding.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
We received numerous compliments about the high energy in the room during each of the events, how in tune and invested our guests were with the program going on, and how much detail our events were decorated. Last but not least, we received so many compliments about how AMAZING the food tasted. Our guests kept telling us how they kept going back for more.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
The most special moment for me was walking down the aisle to the mandap with all the guests' eyes on me, and seeing the joyful yet somber faces of my parents, knowing that I was entering a new phase of life. That is a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
To each bride-to-be:
Planning your wedding is one of the most stressful times that you and your family can go through.  At times it may seem that things are about to fall apart, and last-minute details are still not finalized. But at the end of the day, you will get to your wedding day and realize it all worked out. Trust the process and do the best you can, but don’t be too hard on yourself. Stress only causes tension in your loved ones and yourself. Enjoy each moment of planning because it always turns out beautiful, no matter what.

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Venue: The Dearborn Inn by Marriott - Event Planners @ Venue: Paulette OConnell and Christie Dixon
Wedding Planner: Tina Singh (Marigold Wedding Planners)
Photography/Videography/DJ: Sky Films and Productions and DJ Vic
Reception Gown Designer: Seema Gujral (Delhi, India)
Groom's Clothing Designer: Diwan Saheb (Delhi, India)
Bridal Jewelry: South Delhi Jewelers
Hair and Makeup Artist: Cecilia Kashat (Blush Salon in Commerce Township)
Mehndi Artist: @DreaminginHenna by Sandy (Michigan)
Reception Florist/Wedding bouquets: Lama's Florist (Dearborn, MI)
Sangeet Catering: Punjab sweets and Indian Cuisine (Michigan)
Wedding Breakfast Catering: Krishna Catering and Restaurant (Michigan)
Wedding Lunch Catering: Krishna Catering and Restaurant (Michigan)
Reception Dinner Catering: Saffron (Michigan)

Getting ready for "I Do? Visit our blog tomorrow for more inspiration for your own big day! 

Sky Films and Productions and Marigold Wedding Planners are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Hello, sweeties! Are you ready to venture on a trip? Today, we will take a trip to the northern coast of beautiful Puerto Rico to join our gorgeous couple, Malary & Kishore, at their wedding celebration—three days filled with beautiful memories, laughter, happy tears, and many colors. We will start this journey in the best possible way with a Haldi celebration followed by an Indian wedding ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico. With the sea and the sunset as the background, and with the lovely ornaments and floral arrangements that Jat Lozano - Flowers & Events put together, there is no denying that this was the perfect scenario to say "I do" in front of their family and friends. The outstanding work of Rosalina Torres Momentus created an elegant atmosphere that set the mood for this reception. And thanks to the talent and effort of Alex Dali Weddings, we can enjoy and be part of these special moments. There was so much elegance all over the place, but nothing compared to Malary's stunning look! She was a vision of beauty thanks to Christopher Feliciano, who cared for her hairstyle and makeup needs. Malary got a beautiful Mehndi design from the talented Henna Stella PR to crown her look. And for a fabulous reception and party, they allied with DJ Riz Entertainment. This wedding celebration was one that everyone enjoyed and felt welcomed, and they put everyone on their feet with the latest Bollywood hits! It was a fantastic celebration. If you want to dance confidently, an incredible choreography for luxury wedding and event dance performances, Soni Choreography, is the best and most accurate option. She helped our lovely couple make custom concepts for the routines to set them apart.  And what a great dance! You cannot miss this feature if you want to be splashed with more details of this sweet and romantic story! You can peek at the gallery we have prepared for you. It's a visual delight. You will love it! 

Remember that we have inspiring stories every day, so make sure to join us tomorrow for more!

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Good morning, Maharanis! I am so glad we can meet again. This time we will have a chance to check out Ambika & Sonny's incredible wedding. No venue is more elegant and appropriate for starting a beautiful life together in New Jersey than The Rockleigh, where every detail is meticulously crafted to bring a dream Indian wedding to life. The exceptional service and breathtaking backdrop created a magical and unforgettable celebration of love. This venue and the fabulous ceremony decor are proof of that. Our Maharani Ambika showcased her excellent taste with an extensive collection of striking ensembles. Her outfit for the ceremony was incredible, thanks to Ritu Kumar, and it paired perfectly with the intricate mehndi design that Henna By Shweta created for her. And we cannot stop admiring the incredible makeup of Divine Beauty by Vaishali. Our gorgeous Maharani's beautiful and elegant palette reflects her passion for makeup, expertise, and creative knowledge. And what is a reception party without music? We want to shout out to the great Dj Suraj's fantastic music that made everyone dance! And big kudos to the Luxe Event Group team for setting the mood for the fascinating reception; hands down, it was a night to remember! Highly talented photographer KetaNuva Photography understood the couple's vision delivering awe-inspiring images of the wedding celebrations you will enjoy in our complete gallery! And remember that if you want to capture and preserve authentic stories and moments quickly and straightforwardly, 4K Weddings is the best ally! This couple loved the individual experience and passionate service they provided for their wedding video. Believe us; you will enjoy today's feature! 

Thanks for being with us today, and don't forget to be back for our daily and lovely updates here! 

Divine Beauty by Vaishali, The Rockleigh, Luxe Event Group and 4K Weddings are members of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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Happy Tuesday, beautiful Maharanis! We hope you are ready to dive into a new love story because we are about to unveil Nishma & Brandon's wedding bash in the Bahamas. They held their wedding at the stunning Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. This spectacular beach resort is on the pristine Cable Beach, Nassau. With step-in and full balconies overlooking the magnificent beach, they could not ask for a better setting! The outstanding work of Sabrina Hans Events created an elegant atmosphere that set the mood for this wedding. We love the fancy floral arrangements that Wildflowers created and the magnificent work with the scheme of lights that was able to keep up with the different activities that took place during the evening. Our lovebirds could not have wished for a better scenario to celebrate with their family and friends. Nishma looked stunning in her beautiful white dress for the wedding ceremony. Undoubtedly a fabulous and fashionable design made by Priya Chhabria, Rabani & Rakha, and Raaz Couture. And what about the beautiful makeup by Lina Zuniga and the hairstyle that Dayana Denis created for this occasion? It was spectacular! The hairstyle and makeup combined with the fantastic Mehndi by Priya Shah praised this Maharani's innate beauty, making her look like a princess. After the wedding ceremony, it was time to party with Premier Drummers, Essence Band, and Willis and the Illest Reggae Band. Everyone in the room danced the night out, only stopping to taste the delicious food and treats from Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. And it is thanks to the lens of Le Cape Weddings Photo & Cinema we can enjoy this celebration of love. If you want more of this incredible wedding, head into today's gallery! It is inspirational and full of colors, you will surely love it!

Maharanis, that is all for today! Come back tomorrow for more romantic stories and incredible tips!

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Hello, sweeties! This time, we will join Khushbu & Akash at their wedding celebration, and we are sure you will love every detail of it. You will be captivated by it, and you will feel how this event makes your imagination and inspiration flow hard! This couple wanted an exquisite and modern look within a budget, and their vendors could give them everything and more for every event. So without any further ado, we'll take you to Shree Umiya Mataji Mandir Temple to witness this magnificent wedding. We love how the talented crew from Mandap World demonstrated all their expertise and showed all the essential aspects of their culture in this celebration! Simply amazing! All this could not have been possible without Ardour Events, who took care of the planning and design of this wedding bash, delivering nothing but utter perfection. Our gorgeous Khushbu looked breathtaking, thanks to the stylish and exquisite makeup that Anisha Shajan created for her. In case you were wondering, Custumise designed her incredible outfits. And they are a dream come true! They created an outfit with exceptional designs, premium quality, and phenomenal craftsmanship. Every detail enhances our lovely bride's delicate and natural beauty. They are the ones you need if you want to look like a goddess! We also love the exquisite jewelry that Kiian Silver selected for Khushbu since this praised her while giving her a perfect touch of elegance and style. Every one of the guests had a great time, and we are sure that you will also have a great time while looking at the fantastic gallery captured by Bhowmik Dave Films & Photography. So get ready to enjoy this love story! 

How did you meet your Groom, and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met my husband (Akash) through his older sister (Bhumi), who was my best friend at the time. I had known her for many years but only knew of Akash through stories. I never really got to see him much because she was married and living with her husband when we met. We stayed friends but didn't get to see each other as often because I had moved to Atlanta for college. I was very introverted and never really wanted to be social or go out and do the "college" things, but after a few years or lots of studying and working a job, I realized that I needed to push myself to be more open to new experiences and enjoy life. Right around this time, Bhumi called me and invited me to a Beyonce concert in Atlanta very last minute, and I decided to go because this would be the perfect start to my new journey plus, Beyonce is my all-time favorite artist, so it was perfect. Akash ended up coming as well, and this was the first time I started crushing on him, but I tried to play it off because I wasn't looking to be in a relationship at the time, and I also felt like he was too good of a catch and that I was way in over my head. A few weeks later, Bhumi called me and invited me on a weekend trip for her birthday. I was very tempted to decline and just take the weekend for myself, but I knew that I would never get those experiences if I didn't push myself out of my comfort zone, so I decided to say yes. Akash ended up coming on the trip as well, and apparently (according to his cousins), was flirting with me the whole weekend, though I never realized it. I knew he would be the perfect guy for me on this trip because we just connected so naturally, and it felt comfortable, and fireworks exploded at the same time. I still didn't say or do anything because I wasn't sure if he liked me. On the last day of the trip, we had our cheesy Bollywood moment when we hugged goodbye, and our keychains interlocked and tugged us back together as we were coming out of our hug. I left and got back to Atlanta when I noticed that he had texted and asked me on a lunch date. I was so upset that I didn't check my phone while I was driving because he lived about 3 hours from Atlanta. Thankfully a week later, he ended up having some job interviews in Atlanta and asked me to dinner. We went and knew that we were the ones for each other and, a week later, introduced our families and never looked back.
Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
I had told Akash that I didn't want to know anything about the proposal and that I wanted it to be a complete surprise. He definitely kept me on the edge of my seat as we had already set a wedding date, and he still hadn't proposed. Finally, when there were only seven months left before the wedding, the big day came. This worked out well for him because I had so many moments leading up to the day where I thought he was going to propose but didn't so by this day, I was more in the mindset that it was not going to happen anytime soon. It was Valentine's Day weekend, and he told me that he had planned a surprise getaway for us. He told me to go ahead and get dressed up as he had reservations for us at a fancy restaurant once we got there. He told me what to pack, and we spontaneously hit the road. I began to have some suspicions that he could propose but was not sure of any details or that it was even going to happen. We reached a cabin on the lake, and there was a steep heel down, so I told him I was just going to change into my slide while we unpacked the car and then change back for the restaurant, but he told me to keep my heels on and at this moment I had a strong suspicion that it was about to happen. He ended up helping me down the driveway and told me to wait in the front while he went to "grab the keys." A few minutes later, my sister and Bhumi (now sister-in-law) opened the front door, and that's when I knew it was happening. We all burst into tears and had our little moment before they walked me down to a spot on the deck while the sun was setting, where I watched a video Akash had put together. I made my way down the hill onto a deck on the lake where Akash was waiting for me. We had our special moment, and then I turned around and saw all of our family and friends waiting on the porch. It was the perfect celebration with our loved ones and is one of the most memorable days of my life
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part of the planning process was getting together with family and friends to do small things here and there, such as making gift bags, signing invitations, etc... It was so much fun getting together and goofing around. Watching my favorite people come together with Akash's favorite people and all have so much fun together was so nice and fulfilling. Dance practices were also one of my favorite things, as it was another way to get everyone together. Just seeing all of the love and support we had from our family and friends and watching how excited they were to be a part of this process was amazing.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
The best advice I got from everyone was not to stress about the small things and that no one is going to know that something didn't go as planned if you never tell anyone. Any big event is bound to have some things that don't go exactly as you planned but don't allow this to ruin your big day because, at the end of the day, the purpose of a wedding is for you to create memories with your lifelong partner, family, and friends that you will cherish for the rest of your life. Looking back, those things that didn't go as you planned will be minuscule to the joy you will have from your big day.
And that's a wrap for today, lovely Maharanis. I'll see you tomorrow for the next grand romance!

Custumise is a member of the Platinum Guide. Love what you see? Explore their portfolios.

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