A Fall-Themed Wedding at The Rockleigh in Rockleigh, New Jersey

“You’re good, but I’m better.” These were the words Aashish Shah whispered to Uchita Patel the first time they danced together on a night out with friends. Uchi’s thoughts were somewhere along the lines of, “What a tool,” but she was still intrigued. Knowing of his love for basketball and the Knicks, she decided to invite him along when she had tickets to a game. The fastest way to Aashish’s heart is with Knicks tickets, so their adventure together began shortly after. 

Uchi and Aashish’s relationship started at a pivotal point in their lives, when career changes and family struggles would arise. Rather than hampering their growth, however, those complications urged them to turn to each other for support and friendship, which created the foundation for their romantic relationship as well. Knowing that someone would be there to offer an unconditional source of love and comfort was something both cherished.

Throughout their courtship, the couple would often go on “adventure dates” around New York City, exploring areas and trying activities they hadn’t experienced before. Fittingly, when it came time to propose, Aashish decided the best adventure for Uchi would be a scavenger hunt through NYC. A couple of friends were 15 minutes ahead of them, leaving cards that had riddles inside as clues for the next destination. At the final location, Aashish handed Uchi a gift for their two-year anniversary. Inside were two Knicks jerseys – one with “Mr. Shah” and one with “Mrs. Shah,” with an engagement ring sandwiched in between.

It took almost two years after the proposal for the engaged pair to tie the knot. Aashish moved up to Providence for medical school while Uchi stayed in NYC, and most weekends together were dedicated to the wedding planning process. With a guest list of 750 people, it was a significant undertaking. Fortunately, they had their parents, Premini Events, and a group of incredible vendors to help them along the way.

For every event that the bride and groom walked into during their wedding experience, it felt like a fantasy. From the whimsical Sangeet décor, to the fall-themed wedding ceremony, each segment was even better than they had envisioned. The pinnacle for them was the revealing of their wedding reception – a dark, sexy ambiance filled with lush roses and candles.

With all the formalities and stress behind them, the reception was where the newlyweds could completely let loose and party hard. They also put their dancing skills to the test with a competition in front of their friends and family. And, as Aashish had predicted all those years before, he won. (Uchi strongly disagrees.)