Anu Ahuja and Andrew Piers

Gorgeous model turned fashion choreographer Anu Ahuja married Melbourne based online media consultant Andrew Piers in Delhi on January 16th. Says Anu: “We wanted to have a very simple wedding on a beach-with just twenty to thirty friends. But we ended up having two wedding ceremonies, and two post-wedding parties.” Anu was busy managing her fashion projects till a week before the wedding but since she began planning months in advance, the wedding week was relatively stress-free. “And thanks to so much help from so many friends, everything went off as per my ideas and plans”, says Anu who will be moving to Melbourne shortly.

Andrew was born and brought up in Bangalore and moved to Australia over a decade ago. Anu’s family is based in Gurgaon and she was shuttling between Gurgaon and Mumbai since she started modeling. Anu and Andrew met at a friend’s party ten years back, they kept in touch occasionally over email, until they met again, three years ago, when their relationship blossomed.

Wedding Shopping was least stressful

“Being a former fashion model one would think I’d spend loads of time deciding on my wedding clothes. But that was the least of all my worries. I spent just a few hours on deciding what to wear for which function. JJ Valaya created a tomato red lehenga from my grandmother’s saree. For the Delhi reception, I bought an embroidered saree-it was an impulse purchase while I was window shopping. The gown for the Christian wedding was designed by my friend Lascelles Symons, which I teamed with simple accessories– a pearl bracelet and watch and white gold and pearl earrings.”

 

The Functions

The lavish Indian wedding that happened at the Tavern on the Greens, Delhi saw the who’s who of the fashion fraternity coming by to join in the celebration. The decor, which was overseen by the bride herself, was kept ethnic for the day wedding with vibrant colors like oranges and reds while the reception in the evening saw a sit down dinner setting.

Flower arrangements that were about seven feet tall and broad candles added a romantic touch to the decor. Guests were treated to a lavish multi-cuisine spread and the lively DJ ensured that the floor was busy till late in the night.

The celebrations continued with a Christian wedding in Goa,  a party on the beach and then a special sunset cruise do for a few close friends.

Friends all the way

“I got so much help from all my friends. Nikhil Chinappa helped with the music arrangements and DJing for the sangeet and Goa reception. Ambika Pillai did my makeup and hair for the wedding and reception in Delhi. Farheen Khan and Madhu Sapre did my makeup and hair for the Goa functions. Since I couldn’t arrange for a photographer in Goa, good friend Shantanu Shourie who had come with wife Kimi Katkar to attend the wedding, clicked some wonderful photographs of the Goa celebrations.”

Pleasant surprises, Unpleasant situations, and Humorous moments

“The florist in Goa who I briefed on the phone, did some wonderful arrangements- from my bouquet to the decorations at the Church- it was such a nice surprise to see someone implement the brief so perfectly, even though I never met her personally.”

• “The vendor who was to arrange for the sofas for the Delhi reception didn’t deliver them-so while getting my make-up done I had to arrange for alternate seating arrangements.”

• “For the hen and bachelor party, the girls and the guys ended up landing at the same venue. Andrew’s big burly friend said he had a special gift for the wedding couple, and then did the full monty!! And everyone laughed, laughed and laughed.”

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