Southern California Weddings

Attention to details… it’s what makes us different. This was my company’s first tagline and I have found no reason
to change it. In 2001 I decided to take my passions for design
and entertaining and fuse these elements to create an event
production company, Exquisite Events. Little did I know the fun
and magic that was to ensue. Today many consider Exquisite
Events home to the undisputed South Asian wedding experts,
or simply masters of any gorgeous and detail-rich affair.
With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, Brian
Carabet and John Shand are drawn to creating spectacular
publications for discerning readers. The founders of Panache
Partners have produced upward of 100 books and continue to
redefine what it means to create sophisticated publications.
Here, I’m proud to present fabulous images and descriptive
editorial revealing the amazingly intricate events my team and I
have brought to life to please our discerning clientele. We love
to turn what would be ordinary parties into gorgeous showcases
that speak to incredible vision and meticulous attention to
detail. I’m honored to have been a part of each and every
event I design, and I love that so many Indian and Pakistani
brides trust me to orchestrate every element of a South Asian
wedding—from gorgeous sangeet and henna parties to
lavish ceremonies and grand receptions. Southern California
Weddings beautifully captures these dazzling creations.
Southern California Weddings is the inaugural tome in a series
slated for expansion into popular destinations in North America
and abroad.
Panache Partners’ body of work also includes the Art of
Celebration series, designed to give readers inside tips from
event professionals of all stripes. The publisher’s Spectacular
Homes, Dream Homes, and Interiors titles showcase various
regions’ finest interior designers, architects, and builders. City
by Design, Spectacular Wineries, Perspectives on Design,
Spectacular Golf, and Experience further complement the
publisher’s impressive array of titles in the luxury lifestyle genre.
Panache Partners’ critically acclaimed collections have farreaching audiences as a result of domestic and international
distribution and circulation.
Exquisite Events
Nikki Khan
5635 Hazelcrest Circle
Westlake Village, CA 91362
818.620.2665
www.exquisevents.com
Captivating destinations and exceptional resources
Introduced by the Finest Event Planners
From channeling ’50s Hollywood glamour to constructing
enchanted Mughal gardens and courts, my team and I
have striven to exceed our clients’ expectations and deliver
elegance and magic, no matter how big or small the scale.
Perhaps the most rewarding part of this journey has been the
many friendships forged with staff, vendors, and clients which
continue to blossom and strengthen. I’ve even been invited to
speak about creating opulent Indian weddings at symposiums
and seminars, an honor that excites me and gives my company
another dimension. I am truly blessed to be doing what I love
and I hope you enjoy the celebration…
South Asian Style on the West Coast
Many Southern California cities are cultural melting pots, and the weddings held there
are no different. Nikki Khan’s name is well known among Indian and Pakistani circles in
the area: she’s the undisputed South Asian wedding expert. Nikki coordinates more
than just one big day, as South Asian weddings entail a host of attending festivities
before and after the ceremony. Born in Pakistan, she gleaned the intricacies of
social etiquette from a finishing school education in Switzerland, then broadened her
horizons traveling the world and Europe for three years. She ended up in California
for university; by 2001 she had turned her love of special events into her company
Exquisite Events. South Asian weddings are Nikki’s passion, and her background
makes her well versed in the traditions, attire, cuisine, and languages involved. From
the henna and sangeet to the ceremony and grand reception, Nikki coordinates,
plans, and designs everything.
Photographs: right by Megan Stark Photography; below and below right by John Solano
Photography
Exquisite Events by Nikki Khan
Vibrancy. Traditions. Culture.
Indian and Pakistani weddings unite more than two people: they bring two families together.
These multi-day affairs encompass many social events that ensure guests mingle and spend
time together, including joyous and colorful mehndi. During the fun-filled ritual, the bride
receives intricate henna designs on her hands and feet. Escorted by her sisters and female
cousins in a procession to the stage, the bride sits under a canopy amid decorated thaal
platters of henna. During the henna process, Indian musicians accompany women clad in
vivid colors, beautiful jewels, and embellished garments who circle the bride as they dance,
sing, and engage in good-natured teasing of the couple’s families. .
Photographs: top left and top right by Megan Stark Photography; above and left by Tara Arrowood
Photography
Sangeet is a colorful night full of fun, festivities, and drinking and dancing.
As it takes place prior to the ceremony, during sangeet guests get
acquainted with one another. Deep jewel tones pervade sangeet
events, and the ballroom or private home’s décor can go from that
palette to cutting-edge. A joyous occasion marked by feasting,
dancing, and singing, the sangeet is a vibrant party that kicks off the
wedding revelry.
Photographs: top left, bottom left and above by Tara Arrowood; middle left
by Global Photography
The wedding ceremony is the centerpiece and crowning jewel of
days of celebrations. The décor must be pitch-perfect and carefully
situated to accommodate the fire at the heart of Hindu wedding
rituals, considered a witness. Under the mandap structure that
houses the ceremony, the bride and groom exchange garlands
then conduct seven circuits around the fire. With each circuit,
the couple makes a vow pertaining to some aspect of a happy
relationship and household. After the ceremony, a meal is served
before the bride and groom depart amid an emotional sendoff
from family and guests.
Photographs: right by Tara Arrowood Photography; below and below right
by Megan Stark Photography
Following the ceremony, the groom’s
parents may host a reception at
their house. The full-scale reception
including the bride and groom
happens the next day, and it’s an
opportunity to shake off cultural
traditions if desired and let loose
with
the
Western-style
clothing,
customs, colors, and décor of the
couple’s choice.
Photographs by Daniel Boswell
As an event designer specializing in South Asian weddings,
Nikki Khan plans every aspect of these celebrations,
designing many separate parties in a range of styles. She’s
truly an expert at navigating the details of every day of the
festivities, and it’s no wonder she limits herself to about 20
celebrations a year.
Photographs: top left and top right by Megan Stark Photography; above
and right by John Solano Photography
Nikki’s passion for coordinating special events
extends beyond South Asian events and even
beyond weddings and Southern California—
she loves to design any sort of event, anywhere
in the world. With Nikki, it’s sure to be exquisite.
Photographs: above by Global Photography; right by
John Solano Photography
Attention to details… it’s what makes us different. This was my company’s first tagline and I have found no reason
to change it. In 2001 I decided to take my passions for design
and entertaining and fuse these elements to create an event
production company, Exquisite Events. Little did I know the fun
and magic that was to ensue. Today many consider Exquisite
Events home to the undisputed South Asian wedding experts,
or simply masters of any gorgeous and detail-rich affair.
With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, Brian
Carabet and John Shand are drawn to creating spectacular
publications for discerning readers. The founders of Panache
Partners have produced upward of 100 books and continue to
redefine what it means to create sophisticated publications.
Here, I’m proud to present fabulous images and descriptive
editorial revealing the amazingly intricate events my team and I
have brought to life to please our discerning clientele. We love
to turn what would be ordinary parties into gorgeous showcases
that speak to incredible vision and meticulous attention to
detail. I’m honored to have been a part of each and every
event I design, and I love that so many Indian and Pakistani
brides trust me to orchestrate every element of a South Asian
wedding—from gorgeous sangeet and henna parties to
lavish ceremonies and grand receptions. Southern California
Weddings beautifully captures these dazzling creations.
Southern California Weddings is the inaugural tome in a series
slated for expansion into popular destinations in North America
and abroad.
Panache Partners’ body of work also includes the Art of
Celebration series, designed to give readers inside tips from
event professionals of all stripes. The publisher’s Spectacular
Homes, Dream Homes, and Interiors titles showcase various
regions’ finest interior designers, architects, and builders. City
by Design, Spectacular Wineries, Perspectives on Design,
Spectacular Golf, and Experience further complement the
publisher’s impressive array of titles in the luxury lifestyle genre.
Panache Partners’ critically acclaimed collections have farreaching audiences as a result of domestic and international
distribution and circulation.
Exquisite Events
Nikki Khan
5635 Hazelcrest Circle
Westlake Village, CA 91362
818.620.2665
www.exquisevents.com
Captivating destinations and exceptional resources
Introduced by the Finest Event Planners
From channeling ’50s Hollywood glamour to constructing
enchanted Mughal gardens and courts, my team and I
have striven to exceed our clients’ expectations and deliver
elegance and magic, no matter how big or small the scale.
Perhaps the most rewarding part of this journey has been the
many friendships forged with staff, vendors, and clients which
continue to blossom and strengthen. I’ve even been invited to
speak about creating opulent Indian weddings at symposiums
and seminars, an honor that excites me and gives my company
another dimension. I am truly blessed to be doing what I love
and I hope you enjoy the celebration…