From a memorable first date, their love story unfolded into a magical wedding celebration. A 6-hour exploration of the Bay Area sparked a swift decision to marry, surrounded by loved ones at an intimate Roka ceremony. The proposal at the Palace of Fine Arts led to a spontaneous pre-wedding shoot, and festivities included vibrant Mehendi, joyous Haldi, and a lively Sagan Night. Their wedding day, highlighted by the sacred Anand Karaj Ceremony, showcased elegant peach and white decor, reflecting their deep commitment. Each event was a beautiful testament to their journey, culminating in a union celebrated with cherished friends and family.
How They Met
When your first date lasts 6 hours, you know it’s meant to be! Both of us have lived in Silicon Valley (Bay Area), California for more than 5 years now. When we first met, we hopped around the entire Bay Area, from beautiful Half Moon Bay to Lake Elizabeth to Palo Alto Downtown, maybe because we didn’t want the day to end. We had so much in common, and our connection felt so real.
How They Decided to Get Married
“Shortly after, we knew we were the lucky ones! We decided to call our families to the US and set up a meeting.
Roka
Within a month, we had our Roka on July 17th, 2022. It was an intimate function with just our families at San Jose Gurdwara. Despite the sunny California weather, it was ethereal and beautiful.
By the start of 2023, we decided on our wedding date: Oct 29th, 2023, and the place: Amritsar. Banipreet is from Amritsar, so what better holy place to get married than this Golden City?
Proposal
This caught me by total surprise. I had just come back from a short trip to India. Little did I know he was busy researching the perfect ring. The weekend after I returned, he was eager to go to San Francisco like we normally do on day trips. I was jet-lagged and unprepared to the extent that I just put on my usual clothes. He took me to the Palace of Fine Arts. We were just casually walking around (he was looking for the perfect spot). He asked me to stop at a spot and started talking to a random stranger at a distance. He came back, and that’s when he put a ring on me! And there it was, a perfect imperfect moment on June 10th, 2023.
Pre-wedding
Since we didn’t have an official photographer at the time of the proposal, we decided to have a small pre-wedding shoot before we headed to India for our wedding celebrations. California has tons of beautiful places, but what’s more romantic than a castle and vineyard? We headed to the famous Castello di Amorosa Winery in the world-famous Napa Valley. Though the weather didn’t support us much, we made the best memories out of it.”
Mehendi
The 3-day wedding festivities started with Mehndi and Jaggo Night on Oct 27th, 2023. The decor theme was vibrant and colorful. It ended with lots of dancing, showers of love, and hugs.
Haldi
On the 28th morning, we continued our colorful journey with an intimate Haldi at our respective places. With lots of Dhol, Punjabi Boliyan, and endless Flower showers.
Sagan Night
By the evening, we were all decked up for our sagan and sagai, and we danced our hearts out.
Wedding
For the wedding day, we headed to the gurdwara for the Anand Karaj Ceremony in the morning, followed by Varmala and a party at our venue. We wanted a royal yet elegant theme, so we went for peach and white decor and a royal bride and groom photoshoot.
TIPS They Want to Give You
This is your moment, be YOU, and don’t get lost in trends. Also, at least rehearse the dance once before the actual performance, especially when you have learned all the choreo online.
The Wedding Vendors
Bani and I opted for complementary outfits as a couple, while my mom wished to twin with me. Being a pastel color enthusiast, I knew reds, oranges, and rust weren’t my style. Therefore, all my outfits were in shades of pastel.
For the Mehndi, I aimed for an authentic Sikh bride look with a parandi and an outfit reflecting my Sikh roots. I chose a raw silk pale pista/ivory lehenga from Rimple and Harpreet with delicate embroidery and gota patti. Interestingly, I had already purchased another outfit for the Mehndi, but when we stumbled upon this lehenga while shopping, it became my dad’s pick. When I emerged from the trial room, it was a heartwarming moment seeing my dad, thrilled that his little princess was finally getting married.
For the Haldi ceremony, I switched to a floral pastel yellow suit and handcrafted jewelry from Toronto.in.
For the Sagan Night, I aimed for a muted glam vibe. I wore a dusky rose lehenga from Surabhi Chopra Label with beautiful handwork of mirror, dabka, cutdana, and sequin. I paired it with a minimal rose gold jewelry set.
On my highly anticipated wedding day, I knew pink was my color. I sought something royal yet comfortable for the Anand Karaj ceremony. My search ended with a peachy pink raw silk lehenga from DollyJ. I opted for a monochromatic look, complemented by matching jewelry and a Rani pink chooda. To add a touch of contrast, I wore custom Tassel green Kaleeras from Raabta by Rahul and followed the layered jewelry trend. Completing the look was a head Paasa with the dupatta draped in a traditional yet modern Sikh bride style. Bani complimented me with a matching turban and a Rani pink palla adorned with delicate work depicting his Baraat.
Of course, my mother twinned with me, wearing the same color Sharara set from DollyJ. Lastly, my makeup artist did a fabulous job ensuring my mom and I were twins for each function.
Wedding Hashtag: #BanJaMeriPreet
After days of brainstorming the perfect hashtag, this came to my mind by lucky stroke. This had the most beautiful meaning out of both our names.
Venue: Hyatt Regency, Amritsar
Photographer: Studio Kelly Photography
Wedding Invitation: Store Invitation
Makeup: Jaspreet Khosla
Mehndi & Sagan Night Hair: Muskan Manhas
Wedding Day Hair: Dennis Malhotra
Groom’s Turban Stylist: DHILLON TURBAN’S
Bride Outfits:
Mehndi: Rimple & Harpreet Narula
Haldi: I AM DESIGN
Sagan: SurabhiChopraLabel
Anand Karaj/Wedding: DOLLYJ
Jewelry:
Choodah & Kaleeras: Raabta Jewels Private Limited
Haldii Jewelry: Tonoto
Choreography: Sheetal Biyani
