Megha Nayyar and Nikhil Gupta met during their first week of college at USC, and started off their relationship as best friends. During their last year of college, the two began dating, even though it was a long-distance arrangement – both were in medical school, but Nikhil was studying in Philadelphia while Megha stayed in Los Angeles. Five years into their relationship, Nikhil decided to propose in the most memorable way.
“He whisked me off for a surprise trip to London for a weekend when I went to visit him in Philadelphia, and had hired a photographer and videographer to capture the moment,” Megha describes. “It was the perfect proposal, and his whole premise was taking me to London to feel like a real princess. And he did just that.”
“A FAIRY TALE-INSPIRED RECEPTION SPACE FILLED WITH LUSH PINK FLORALS AND EXQUISITE LIGHTING”
Joined by a talented group of vendors, the wedding planning process began for a beautiful celebration at the Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point. Since Megha has a passion for décor, she was very hands-on in designing each event, and thoroughly enjoyed bringing her wedding vision to fruition with her vendors. Wedding planner, Raakhi Masani from Pink Rock Events, was especially helpful during this time. Having planned the weddings for both Megha’s brothers as well as Nikhil’s sister, she was already like a member of the family.
“Raakhi went out of her way to make the impossible possible for me when I really wanted fire sparkles in the ballroom for our grand entrance,” says Megha. “She worked with the fire marshal until the very last minute to make this dream of mine come true.”
Wanting to create an ambiance that was traditional, regal, vibrant, elegant, but with some modern flair, a stunning floral mandap was designed along with a floral gateway entrance, leading to an aisle of floating flowers with crystals above. This was followed by a fairy tale-inspired reception space filled with lush pink florals and exquisite lighting.
After dinner, the reception space was transformed into a lively nightclub. The night’s entertainment included live music from Vidhya Vox, Violinder, and DJ Aftershock. The music was so phenomenal that the newlyweds extended their ballroom booking until 2am, as their guests didn’t want the party to end. Guests were also treated to an indulgent dessert bar, catered by the Monarch Beach, which featured a liquid nitrogen ice cream station – a definite hit.
“It makes the wedding weekend that much more flawless when you have an amazing team of vendors, but I think the best advice I have for brides is to enjoy your special day without worrying about the little details, because it comes and goes so fast,” says Megha. “Nikhil and I are forever grateful to our vendors and family for making sure things were absolutely perfect.”
WEDDING TALENT
Location and Cake: Monarch Beach Resort Dana Point, CA
Event Design and Planner: Pink Rocks Events Dana Point, CA
Floral Design and Rentals: Shawna Yamamoto Event Design Brea, CA
Lighting: Shine Lighting Fullerton, CA