Kajal Patel and Raj Kiran were set up during the pandemic through a family connection—her aunt and his sister-in-law were introduced, and both had relatives who were “interested” in meeting someone new. After some well-intentioned scheming, the women swapped Kajal’s and Raj’s numbers and passed them on. Raj messaged Kajal first, saying: “Hi, it’s Raj.” “When I first read the message, I had a gut feeling it was the start of something special,” Kajal, who is a pharmacist, remembers.
“Kajal was in Chicago, and I, who normally live in Chicago, was in Twentynine Palms, California, where I grew up, taking advantage of work from home,” Raj explains. “Things really started fast the first two weeks over texts and video calls.” After a couple of weeks, in January 2021, Raj flew back to Chicago to meet Kajal for the first time at his condo. “The plan was for me to make Kajal a cocktail before we went for a walk,” Raj says. “I had been talking up my cocktail-making abilities over Zoom and thought this would be my best chance of impressing her.” Things didn’t go according to plan, however. “I ended up getting so nervous once I saw Kajal for the first time and completely fumbled the drink,” he remembers. “My bright and green kiwi mojito somehow turned out tart and brown. Luckily for me, Kajal still pretended to like it.” Adds Kajal, “Raj definitely has improved his cocktail-making abilities since then!”
The two got engaged in 2022 while on a two-week surprise “graduation trip” to celebrate Kajal finishing pharmacy school. She knew they were going to London first, but had no idea where they were headed next—until the captain announced that the plane was headed to Jordan. “On the morning of our engagement, I awkwardly made eye contact with a secret photographer, before we started the 40-minute walk to the Treasury in Petra,” Raj remembers. “When the time came for me to propose, I, who normally pride myself on my preparedness, of course stumbled on my words. It didn’t matter, though—Kajal was filled with emotion and remained stunned by the scenery around her. I was finally able to relax, and we enjoyed the rest of the evening, individually calling all of our parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.”
“[The ring was] just the way I had imagined it,” Kajal says. “I remember sneaking away and looking through his suitcase when we were in London, thinking I was going to get proposed to there, but to my luck, I didn’t find it. So I assumed I wasn’t getting engaged on this trip, but he had just done a good job at hiding the ring!”
The wedding took place March 9 to 11, 2024, in Scottsdale, Arizona. “When we were initially looking at where to have the wedding, we weren’t sure about the location, but we wanted to get away from the cold Chicago winter,” Kajal says. They visited a few venues in Scottsdale and the Los Angeles areas, and ultimately fell in love with the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch. The couple worked with Rupal Patel from Malenia Events to plan everything—and their families were closely involved too. “Raj and I both value family and wanted to include them in the process,” Kajal says. “We are grateful to have wonderful sets of parents who stopped at nothing to make our wedding perfect, from dealing with our catering completely to helping with minor decor for gifting and making everything just the way we like it!”
One of the most important elements of the planning for Kajal was decor. “I wanted not only my guests and family to be blown away, but for Raj and I to be amazed,” she admits. “With that being said, Prashe Wedding Decor went above and beyond what we could have asked for.” For the wedding itself, the bride knew she wanted a clean white look. “They were able to make this dream of mine a reality on our wedding day!” Kajal says. “The fresh white florals and clean-looking mandap were beyond my wildest dream.”
The design directive for the bride’s wedding-weekend wardrobe was much less minimal, and the entire project was a true labor of love. “I started by looking at a few designs and options before going to India in November just to get an idea of what I was liking and help narrow down some choices,” Kajal explains.
Kajal began with her haldi outfit—and had already seen a few designs by the Indian designer Label Anushree that she liked. She went to the designer’s store and immediately fell in love with a yellow blouse with handwork detail, and paired it with a knee-length skirt that worked well when friends and family applied the haldi on her. “It was the perfect length, and the whole look was different from what I wore to the other events,” she explains. “Luckily, they were able to make Raj’s attire as well. We used the same handwork embroidery on his vest and a similar plain marigold color for his undergarment pieces.” Kajal was also able to find her sangeet look at Label Anushree: a long, flowing dress. “I love dancing and so I knew I would be dancing the night away at this event,” she says.
Indian designers Shyamal and Bhumika created a look for the satak. “Green is one of my favorite colors, so I was excited when I saw the perfect shades of green in this outfit,” Kajal explains. “I had to make some customizations to the outfit and had to trust them to pull it all together, as I wasn’t able to try this on until they shipped it to me a couple of weeks before the wedding. Luckily, it fit like a glove, and I absolutely loved it!”
Kajal was most nervous about finding her perfect wedding dress. “I [knew I wanted red but] didn’t have a clear vision of what I wanted going into shopping in India,” she remembers. “And, as a result, this was one of the last looks I found.” After going to a couple of stores and feeling disheartened when she didn’t find exactly what she was looking for, she walked into the final shop of the day. “I had worked with Indian designer Chamee and Palak before to make my engagement look and knew the quality of the work was phenomenal,” Kajal explains. “I initially walked into the store thinking I was just going to buy some small pieces but ended up with my dream dress.” As with her satak look, the bride wasn’t able to go to India for a final fitting. Because of this, the dress had to be shipped sight unseen. “Right after opening the package, I couldn’t wait to try it on and was truly blown away,” she remembers.
The one look Kajal struggled to find was her reception dress. “A lot of the outfits I was seeing in the stores in India were too traditional,” she says. “I wanted a good balance of modern, elegant, and bright.” After heading back to Chicago, she went to a local Indian designer store called Studio East 6, where they work with clients in the States and connect them with the big designers in India. While scrolling the shop’s website, she stumbled upon an outfit that felt familiar, and then quickly realized she had screenshotted the exact look a few years prior. “I knew this had to be my reception outfit,” she recalls. “We were able to do a rush order as well as some customizations like adding a tie bow to the back of the blouse.”
Kajal and Raj had a traditional Indian wedding, consisting of three full days of events with at least two events per day. “A wedding is typically perceived as the coming together of two people, but we believe it is the coming together of two families as well—and that is one of the key feelings we wanted our guests to experience,” Kajal says.
The wedding weekend kicked off with a game night on Wednesday evening. They had matching shirts for the dulha (groom)’s and dulhan (bride)’s side, which helped break the ice for friends and family who hadn’t met before. “There were games throughout the night, but ultimately, it was a win for both sides, as we are welcoming and becoming one extended family,” Kajal says.
The first official event of the wedding was the haldi on Thursday morning. Traditionally, the bride and groom don’t do a haldi together, but Kajal wanted it to be a fun experience, so they applied the pithi (turmeric paste) on each other. “At the end, Kajal and I jumped into the pool to wash off some of what was on our faces!” Raj remembers.
That evening was the mehndi event, where Kajal had henna applied to her hands. Raj and his siblings surprised Kajal and danced into the event carrying a tray gifted to her by his family with pictures of both of them and sweets on it. “The DJ played older Bollywood hits, and so our aunts, uncles, and even grandparents really got into it with, of course, the younger guests as well,” Raj adds. “I wasn’t expecting the dance floor to be so full this early in the week! There were also small impromptu dance-offs between ‘Team Dulhan’ and ‘Team Dulha.’”
The next morning was the satak. “This is a small ceremony involving my mother’s side of the family bringing gifts for me,” Kajal explains. “They bring my wedding outfit along with the jewelry and shoes I wear on the day of the wedding.”
Later that evening, it was time for the sangeet—a night filled with welcome speeches and dance performances. “One memorable part of the evening was watching Raj get up on the dance floor and do a performance with his brothers,” Kajal recalls. “I am the dancer between the both of us, but after his performance, I can definitely say I have some competition now!”
On Saturday morning, before the wedding, the bride and groom exchanged letters that they had written for each other. “I was left speechless when I turned around and saw Kajal for our first look,” Raj remembers. “Her wedding outfit was the only one where I had no idea what she had picked out. She looked so beautiful! And the amazing wedding location in front of the lake and mountains made it even more surreal.”
After their first look, Raj went to the front of the hotel for the small prayers. “I was really overcome with emotions, especially as my mother came to bless me—I’m a very stereotypical mama’s boy,” he admits. “After the prayers, it was time for the groom’s entrance: the baraat. Honestly, this was the part of the wedding I was most nervous about. I’m not usually a hype person, and I was worried about being able to energize everyone before the wedding. I’m not really sure what came over me—maybe it was the retro Japanese fire truck I had rented for the entrance—but I had the time of my life. The energy was on another level and the sirens were heard throughout the resort.”
At the wedding madap, fresh white florals were intertwined between the pillars and white roses hung from the middle. “I was left speechless again at the way that Prashe had executed all the decor details,” Kajal says. “The background with the lake and mountain view made for a beautiful backdrop! At the reception, the showstopper was the greenery and floral installation hanging over the middle of the ballroom above the dance floor.”
“Once we were both seated at the mandap, I was admittedly exhausted from all the dancing,” Raj jokes. “It was great to have a little time just with Kajal…and the priest, of course.”
After the wedding, there was the vidaai, a tradition where the bride’s family bids farewell to the bride. “I had previously joked to Kajal’s dad that I didn’t want to see any tears because Kajal would still be in Chicago and only moving 30 minutes down the road,” Raj says. “Of course, we couldn’t stick to this.” Afterward, the newlyweds took a short drive around Scottsdale in their vintage getaway car.
“It took a few minutes as we were driving to let it sink in that we were officially married now,” Kajal remembers. “And that we only had one more event—the reception on Saturday—left in our wedding weekend. I was a little sad because it flew by so fast, all those months of planning had almost come to a close.” Thankfully, there was still one more night of roasts, toasts, and performances to close out their epic wedding weekend.
Photo: Yuko Weddings2/73A shot from above overlooking the pithi venue with our guests mingling before the event started.
Photo: Yuko Weddings4/73For the pithi, we both wore Indian designer Label Anushree. The detail and intricate work on the blouse and Raj’s vest are stunning.
Photo: Yuko Weddings5/73Our family applied haldi paste on Raj and me, signifying the beginning of a prosperous life together.
Photo: Yuko Weddings7/73At the end of the ceremony, we had a little fun with the leftover paste and smothered each other in it. We might have went a little overboard with the amount we put on…
Photo: Yuko Weddings8/73After sitting under the sun for a few hours, we thought a dip in the pool would be the perfect way to cool off!
Photo: Yuko Weddings10/73Our decorator, Bilen from Prashe Wedding Decor, was beyond creative with all the events. They were able to create unique layouts and designs for each event.
Photo: Yuko Weddings12/73A close-up of my outfit for the sataak ceremony. I wore a custom piece designed by Shyamal & Bhumika, along with my mother’s necklace and earrings.
Photo: Yuko Weddings13/73The details on the skirt and blouse were beautiful. I was able to work through different shades of green to really make this outfit unique.
Photo: Yuko Weddings17/73Before the start of the ceremony, Kajal’s paternal side of the family greets her maternal side. What better way to receive than a little dance-off!
Photo: Yuko Weddings19/73One of my favorite looks of the weekend. I was so impressed that Prashe was able to incorporate so many of the colors in my outfit into the decor.
Photo: Yuko Weddings20/73Yuliia had a vision for this shot. I am so glad we went through with lying on the ground for it, because it turned out beautifully.
Photo: Yuko Weddings21/73A wide shot of our mehndi event taking place above the pool area in the resort—with the gorgeous Scottsdale sunset in the background.
Photo: Yuko Weddings22/73Friday night we had our sangeet and welcome night filled with dancing, laughter, and celebration! For this event, I wore a custom Label Anushree gown that was light and flowy, which made it easy to dance the night away.
Photo: Yuko Weddings23/73A close-up on the table decor for the evening. We went with a Mediterranean–meets–Arabian Nights theme with lots of colors.
Photo: Yuko Weddings26/73The bar setup was circular with these geometric pieces hanging from above. The structure was one that I most wanted to incorporate at some point in my events.
Photo: Yuko Weddings28/73I was a little nervous at the start of the dance, but once the song started, the steps and movements flowed seamlessly.
Photo: Yuko Weddings31/73Close-up of my wedding outfit by Indian designer Chamee & Palak. I wanted an outfit with different shades of red incorporated throughout. They were able to take the vision and turn it into reality.
Photo: Yuko Weddings33/73My wedding necklace and headpiece were from Jaipur, India. The earrings and some bangles were borrowed from my sister, who had worn them at her wedding.
Photo: Yuko Weddings34/73Close-up of Raj’s wedding outfit with intricate handwork details in shades of cream and off-white along with a ruby beaded necklace.
Photo: Yuko Weddings37/73Our first look! The first time we are seeing each other on our wedding day.
Photo: Yuko Weddings39/73A glimpse at our excitement and pure happiness. We can’t believe the day is finally here!
Photo: Yuko Weddings41/73Our mandap was exactly what I envisioned and even more. I wanted a clean, white look for this event, with an open concept to see the mountains in the background.
Photo: Yuko Weddings43/73Raj’s aunt blessing him with a red dot on his forehead before starting the procession toward the mandap.
Photo: Yuko Weddings44/73Raj’s sisters wave this over his head throughout the procession as a way to ward off bad omens.
Photo: Yuko Weddings45/73Raj rented a retro Japanese fire truck for his baraat wedding procession. A couple of his groomsmen are pictured here getting the crowd pumped up.
Photo: Yuko Weddings46/73Raj is not usually a dancer, but that morning he had so many moves. They also used smoke bombs to make a grander entrance.
Photo: Yuko Weddings48/73All eyes were on him as he rode through the entrance on top of the fire truck.
Photo: Yuko Weddings51/73I had my parents walk me down the aisle to the mandap where Raj was waiting.
Photo: Yuko Weddings52/73Waiting for the floral draping to come down so Raj and I can see each other for the first time at the mandap.
Photo: Yuko Weddings54/73We exchanged garlands to signify our acceptance of one another as life partners. I made Raj work for it a little bit.
Photo: Yuko Weddings56/73Raj applying sindoor, or vermilion powder, on my forehead as a symbol of our matrimony.
Photo: Yuko Weddings58/73The moment we were announced as husband and wife in front of our family and friends.
Photo: Yuko Weddings59/73A group picture with our bridesmaids and groomsmen showering us with white floral petals.
Photo: Yuko Weddings60/73For our getaway vehicle, Raj went for a vintage car that was decorated using the same floral arrangements from our mandap.
Photo: Yuko Weddings61/73A moment between Raj and me, letting all the emotions settle in that we are officially married.
Photo: Yuko Weddings62/73A floral and geometric hanging installation on top of our dance floor at the reception.
Photo: Yuko Weddings63/73A detailed look from our reception, tying in the whites from early that morning with some hints of black for a clean and elegant black, white, and gold theme.
Photo: Yuko Weddings65/73Another table-setting shot incorporating fresh hanging florals as the centerpiece.
Photo: Yuko Weddings67/73Raj and I posing for some portraits in the reception space during the cocktail hour.
Photo: Yuko Weddings69/73Estate-table details with fresh florals and black candles along the center.
Photo: Yuko Weddings70/73Kajal’s brother-in-law, Anit, getting the crowd excited for the evening full of dances, speeches, love, and laughter.
Photo: Yuko Weddings72/73The night was filled with lots of dancing! Raj and I let loose and enjoyed the amazing music our wonderful DJs were playing. DJ Vik and DJ Neil from M4U Events were the best.
