Mayank and Aashita, Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru.
Mayank and Aashita did things a little differently at their lavish wedding in Bengaluru, from merging the two families via turbans to a personalized photo booth.
He is a professional cricketer and she is a lawyer. Despite their hectic schedules, Mayank and Aashita made time for each other, fell in love and planned their fun wedding at Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru, together with some interesting touches. Here Aashita shares details of their romance, viral proposal and exquisite wedding celebrations.
How We Met
“I first met Mayank eight years ago during a Diwali function hosted by his parents, but we did not talk to each other at that time. However, we added each other as ‘friends’ on Facebook and that marked the start of our relationship. Our work took up most of our time as Mayank is a professional cricketer and I am a lawyer. But true love survives anything, right? From making time for each other to counting the days for each other’s return, the light of love that we found in Diwali just kept getting brighter.”
Proposal
“I had always dreamt of Mayank going down on his knees to propose to me formally, but I never thought that would be possible with his hectic schedule. But dreams do come true and how! Mayank planned a surprise visit to London in December 2017 and pulled off an amazing proposal which went viral on social media. He booked an entire capsule on the London Eye just for the two of us. As soon as we reached the top of the circle, our favorite song, ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran filled the background as he went down on one knee and proposed. His planning and execution were flawless, and he even carried champagne and truffle chocolates to celebrate the special occasion.”
Wedding Venues
“Both Mayank and I wanted our wedding to be a modern, romantic and whimsical affair. Keeping this in mind, we picked Taj Yeshwantpur in Bengaluru as our wedding venue and its beauty, especially the splendid courtyard, won us over. The courteous staff of the hotel paid attention to every tiny detail and strived to give us all a remarkable event and moments to cherish. The reception which followed our wedding was hosted at another beautiful venue – The Mysore Hall at ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru.”
Wedding Planning
“With their team of highly organized and talented planners, Krafted Knots flawlessly managed our wedding. From helping us pick venues to ensuring that each event went off without any glitch, they ruled the backstage at our wedding. While the venues selected were grand, what made them even more breathtaking was the decor which turned out exactly like what we had dreamed of. Ohana Fine Flowers and Weddings did the decor at Taj Yeshwantpur, and Wedlock Weddings by Vima Rodriques was the mastermind behind the remarkable setting at ITC Gardenia. We also set up a personalized photo booth at our wedding which included items that reflected Mayank and my personalities – such as a cricket bat, gloves, and helmet alongside thickly bounded books on legislation and law.”
Wedding Functions
Ganesh Pooja
“Our wedding, just like any other auspicious occasion, started with the blessings of Lord Ganesha. I chose a burnt orange jacket anarkali from Nazar by Indu Abbot, and Mayank wore a summery lime green kurta for the rituals that took place at our respective homes.”
Mehndi
“Mayank and I hosted a combined mehndi ceremony at his house which opens up to a beautiful garden. Given the close bond and long list of mutual friends our families share, the function was truly rocking with dance, music, drinks and great food! Mayank chose to wear a three-piece floral kurta and bandi jacket for the mehndi, and I went in for a bohemian princess look with a teal top and dhoti by Aman Mathur.”
Welcome Event
“We hosted a welcome party at Taj Yeshwantpur for our guests to meet, mingle and gear up for the wedding revelry! I opted for a traditional mint and yellow sharara by Aman Mathur and paired it with beautiful jewellery from Curio Cottage while Mayank looked dashing in a bold red and black Pathani suit.”
Sangeet
“I ditched the traditional lehenga for the sangeet and trusted Shimmer by Jamila & Seema Malhotra to create something unique yet elegant. At first, I was a little apprehensive, but the flawlessly embellished bell sleeved crop top with a pretty skirt made me look no less than a princess! Mayank wore a black and khaki suit designed for him especially by Nirmal Mandoth, who also designed outfits for the boys of the family.”
Wedding
“Both Mayank and I put in a lot of thought for each function, with the wedding ceremony being the focus of it all. We wanted to do something different from the typical stuff. For example, for the baraat, we did not differentiate between the ‘safa’ (turban) colors of the two sides of our families; instead, we provided five color options for them to choose from. The point we tried to make via a cute signage was, ‘Please choose a ‘safa’ and not a side as we are all family once the knot is tied.’ My bridal lehenga, also a Shimmer creation, was a unique blend of red and pink shades. It was super comfortable, and I even crashed my baraat in it! Yes, listening to the beats of the drums, our excitement knew no bounds and my family followed right after me! Ditching the ‘phoolon ki chadar’ (floral canopy), I held my father’s hand and walked to the ‘varmala’ (garlanding) stage, where my Prince Charming was waiting for me in his off-white sherwani and a gold embroidered ‘safa’.”
Reception
“A formal soiree to celebrate our marriage, our reception was attended by the CM and deputy CM of Karnataka along with a host of other dignitaries and cricketers who came in to bless us. While I opted for a net sea foam green sari for the function, Mayank chose to wear a midnight blue bandhgala outfit. Right from our attire to the venue selection, I couldn’t have imagined a better end to our wedding.”
Advice to Couples
“Always discuss plan B with your wedding planners. In our case, there was a huge risk of rain on all days, but thankfully the rain gods showed mercy! But if they hadn’t, the events would not have proceeded as smoothly as they did!”
The Wedding Makers
Venues: Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru (Welcome Event, Sangeet, Wedding), ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru (Reception)
Wedding Planner: Krafted Knots
Decor: Ohana Fine Flowers and Weddings (Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru), Wedlock Weddings by Vima Rodriques (ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru).
Groom’s Outfits: Nirmal Mandoth (All functions)
Bride’s Outfits: Nazar by Indu Abbot (Ganesh Pooja), Aman Mathur (Welcome event), and Shimmer by Jamila & Seema Malhotra (Sangeet and Wedding), Reception
Jewellery: Curio Cottage (Welcome Event), Shilpa Puri Designer Jewellery (Maang tikka – Mehndi), Navratan Jewellers, Bangalore.
Makeup: Bodycraft Salon
Invitations: Ayesha at GlitterKode, Bangalore
Photographer: Ankit Singh at Ank Photography
