Nikita and Pranav
A Night Under the Stars: Nikita Maniar and Pranav Bhakta’s Destination Wedding in Orlando
For Nikita Maniar and Pranav Bhakta, love began with a simple change of location on a dating app and quickly turned into a story filled with unexpected surprises, family, friendship, and plenty of Bollywood flair. Nikita, a neurologist from South Florida, had grown tired of the dating scene in Chicago and decided to change her dating app location to Dallas, where she had friends. At the same time, Pranav, a pharmacist in the pharmaceutical industry from Los Angeles, happened to be in Dallas for a pharmaceutical conference. His cousin convinced him to change his location to Dallas too. Nikita saw his profile, swiped right, and the rest was history. After dating for a year, the couple began planning their wedding.
Pranav’s proposal was every bit as personal as their relationship. Knowing Nikita was difficult to surprise, he enlisted the help of her closest friends and planned a proposal at North Avenue Beach in Chicago. Nikita arrived to find Pranav waiting beside a picnic blanket covered with Taco Bell favorites, a picnic basket, and an easel asking her to marry him, decorated with hot sauce packets. She immediately said yes before everyone celebrated together at a rooftop overlooking the Chicago skyline.
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The couple tied the knot over a three-day celebration from May 8 to 10, 2026, at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida, surrounded by approximately 350 guests. They chose Orlando as a destination that would bring together Nikita’s South Florida family and Pranav’s California family and friends. The location also gave their guests the opportunity to enjoy Walt Disney World after the wedding.
“Have fun with it,” the couple advised other couples planning their weddings. “Planning can get stressful, so delegate what you can to close family members that you trust.”
Their pre-wedding Haldi celebrations took place at the hotel. Nikita’s event featured yellow hibiscus and marigold flowers arranged in an arch against a green flower wall, along with a life-size Ganesh painting created by family friends. Pranav opted for a simpler backdrop with colorful draping and white accents.
The indoor wedding ceremony began around 11 a.m. and featured an elegant peach and ivory mandap decorated with circular floral arrangements. A candle-lined white walkway led to the mandap, framed by large pedestals adorned with hanging crystal beads. The baraat was energetic and colorful, blending hip-hop and Bollywood music. Pranav and his groomsmen surprised Nikita and her bridesmaids with a dance to “Pretty Woman” from Kal Ho Na Ho, prompting the bridesmaids to respond with “Sajna Tere Liye Sajna Ye Chudi Kangana.” Pranav made another memorable entrance in a white Lamborghini convertible.
Their reception entrance was full of energy, with the bridal party carrying signs reading “Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Bhakta” and “Forever Looks Good on Them.” Their first dance was a Bollywood medley incorporated into a skit that reenacted their meeting, relationship, proposal, and journey to marriage.
One of the biggest surprises came when Pranav and his groomsmen performed a Backstreet Boys song, Nikita’s favorite band, after learning the routine just two days before the reception.
“The little things that go wrong do not matter as long as your guests had a good time,” Nikita and Pranav reflected.
The couple also added personal touches throughout the celebration. Nikita designed customized signs for the photo booth, guest book, dessert table, and drink menu. She also created a Filmfare-inspired magazine photo booth and a personalized newspaper-style wedding pamphlet featuring an illustration of the couple and details about the Hindu ceremony. Guests received beach-themed bottle openers and magnets featuring the couple’s names and wedding date.
Their favorite “wow” moments included the first look with the bridal party, Nikita’s entrance beneath a flower chaadar, and Pranav’s grand Lamborghini arrival.
Even the unexpected challenges became part of the story. Their original baraat car vendor canceled after the vehicle was involved in an accident, forcing the couple to arrange a new Lamborghini just three days before the wedding. When reception signs failed to arrive on time, a family member quickly had them printed at a local FedEx.
In the end, every detail came together to create a celebration that was unmistakably theirs, filled with romance, laughter, Bollywood energy, family, and unforgettable surprises.
