Kritika and Jaimini – Jaipur, Rajasthan

Kritika Vyas and Jaimini Purohit had the most amazing royal wedding in Jaipur, Rajasthan. They met about 10 years ago and it was fitting to have the perfect rendition of the love story in the city of Kings and Forts.

Rajashtani Mela Theme for Mehndi

Kritika’s mom wanted to celebrate the mehndi in traditional Rajasthani style. So the only brief to the decorator was to use lots of colors and cheer. Kritika says, “We wanted the real spirit and culture of Rajasthan to come alive at the Mehndi that happened at Raksha Farms. Leheria fabric was used to make canopies. Lots of bangles, puppets, chakris were used to create the mela vibe. Dad was keen on having folk entertainment. So we had a local group who performed and welcomed the guests.” Usually men are left out at such functions but not here. There was kite flying, balloon shooting, hookah bar and dhol walas so everyone could enjoy and have fun. Kritika wore a colorful lehenga by Nidhi Tholia, the Jaipur-based designer whose forte is traditional Rajashtani gota patti work. Jaimini wore a Nehru Jacket with colorful stripes to go with the theme.

Chandni Raatein for Sangeet

The sangeet unfolded in the beautiful sprawling lawns of Rajasthali Resort. The decor, linen, napkins, and flowers- everything echoed the theme. Says Kritika: “For the sangeet, we wanted a very simple yet elegant decor. The facade at the backdrop gave a very Jagmandir Palace feel. Since the theme was ‘Chandni Raatein’, purple, blue, white and silver were extensively used. Nothing was over-the-top or elaborate. We had a DJ and along with him we had famous percussionist Jonqui playing live drums. Kritika wore a demure rose pink lehenga by fashion label ‘Petticoat’ by Debyani and Divya and Jaimini went for a subtle yet stylish achkan.

The Grand Elephant Polo

Kritika says, “The wedding was at night so we thought why not engage the guests in the royal Elephant polo match in the morning followed by lunch. So we arranged for the same at Dera Amer. The venue had a rustic appeal, perfect for this kind of event. They started with an elephant parade followed by a formal opening ceremony and then the match. The guests took turns and enjoyed the event in relaxed clothing.” Kritika wore a simple dress she bought in Spain and added the sophisticated edge with a couture hat from London, and she was ready with that charming vintage look. Jaimini wore an off-white linen suit.

Majestic Wedding

The grand finale unfolded at the ‘Heritage Retreat’ hotel with every element right from the decor to the dresses indicating imperial. Kritika says, “The hotel has a beautiful Amphitheatre like set-up where the mandap area is surrounded by water bodies and people can sit and watch the pheras comfortably without hassles. It lends a very charismatic aura to the wedding. The colors we used predominantly were red and pink as these were the colors of my lehenga too. Silver and white were used to cut the monotony. Silver ornaments used placed all over, the most interesting part was the stage where the exchange of garlands happened. It was designed with 30 heavy-work lehengas that were stitched together to create a magnificent effect.” Kritika wore an Anamika Khanna lehenga with intricate moti work and Jaimini wore an elegant sherwani. The celebrations extended into an after-party where the band Rajasthan roots performed in their signature style- a confluence of funk and folk. Fireworks, cake and champagne marked the beginning of a blissful marriage.