Monica and Pavan, The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa, Langkawi
After an exciting proposal, Pavan and Monica ensured their destination wedding in Malaysia was as memorable with novel themes and stunning decor.
The lush environs of the Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa in Malaysia’s Langkawi island was lit with the wedding celebrations of Pavan and Monica. Bride Monica shares the diverse inspirations that went into crafting a lavish multi-themed wedding that dazzled all.
How We Met
“Pavan is a businessman who lives in Turks & Caicos. He is originally from Madrid, while I am a digital marketer and fitness fanatic from London. We met through a mutual friend and connected over social media. Over time, we became the best of friends. We even saw each other every couple of months, even though we were jetlagged after! After a year of this cross-continent romance, we definitely knew that our relationship had evolved and we were destined to be together forever!”
The Proposal
“Pavan was due to arrive in London on March 7 for a week. The last thing I was expecting was for him to show up at my doorstep on the morning of March 4, the day he knew that I was working from home! He had planned a surprise for me and informed me earlier that he could not come as he was facing some visa issues. Over breakfast, he presented me with two handmade boarding passes. They were for the following day which I only discovered when we got to the airport that the destination was Zurich! He had planned everything in advance! Pavan suggested visiting a local mountain called Uetliberg. A train ride took us up the mountain, and Pavan suggested we trek to the top to see the beautiful mountain scape. At the edge of the mountain, Pavan got down on one knee and offered me a fortune cookie – and inside were the magical words “Are you ready to become Mrs. Uttamchandani?” He slid a ring on my finger before I could even respond! It was one of the most unforgettable moments of our lives!”
Wedding Venue
“We decided to host our wedding as far away from our homes as possible, so we picked Langkawi in Malaysia. We wanted to pick a destination that was not only different, but also one which our guests had not visited before. We chose The Westin Langkawi Resort and Spa as it was one of the most beautiful properties that we had ever visited. The resort had plenty of outdoor and indoor spaces to choose from for our wedding events such as the newly-built grand ballroom.”
Wedding Planning & Decor
“For our wedding, every single detail had to have an intimate personal touch. As we had guests from all over the world, we ensured that they felt welcomed from the moment they arrived. After months of researching on Instagram and Pinterest, our ideas finally came to life with Hanngevent. They were absolutely wonderful! They even made sure that there were several engravings of our wedding hashtag “PavMon” on every single detail of our wedding festivities. We would also like to thank Resham of Moor Designs, who helped us with specialized wedding invitations and vibrant stationary, and imbued everything with a fairytale look and feel.”
Wedding Functions
Engagement
“We hosted our engagement party by the pool that overlooked the beach. It was a very relaxed event wherein dress code was ‘Fire and Glow’. I chose to wear a contrasting green and cream Indo-Western dress gown that beautifully contrasted with Pavan’s velvet suit jacket.”
After Party
“This event had an interesting “ticket only” entry format! We gave strict instructions to guests that they had to take a Polaroid picture in order to get an entrance ticket to the “Blasting Off To Tomorrowland” after party, otherwise they would have to have an alcoholic shot! We wanted to bring life to a club at our wedding and the glowing and neon decor throughout was a hit!”
Mehndi
“We held the mehndi function before the wedding so that I could enjoy every moment of the event. My mehndi was pre-designed by a friend and showcased my love story and other details such as where we met, the proposal and moving to Turks and Caicos! I wanted my mehndi to be elegant and glamorous and decided to go with the ‘Floral & Fabulous’ theme. I picked a bright mustard and coral crop top and skirt that was perfect for the outdoor event. I had a clear vision from the start of wanting to make my ‘bridal squad’ look perfectly synchronized and elegant.”
Sangeet
“The sangeet was held at the newly-built ballroom at the resort, and beautiful Arabic decor lit up the venue. The elegant effect of the lighting around the room that gave us a mystical feeling of ‘Dancing Under The Stars’. My sangeet outfit was custom designed by Sureena Mirchandani. It was a beautiful gold and maroon velvet lehenga with the most stunning floral embroidery at the hem. The highlight of the function, however, was when Pavan entered on a mobile magic carpet that reflected the Aladdin theme which was truly magical!”
Wedding
“The pheras took place on the beach on the fourth day. We wanted to keep the theme romantic but close to the Indian ethos as possible. The decor was kept elegant with lots of floral petals in whites, oranges, reds and pinks with a beautiful hanging Ganpati made from red flowers. We decided to coordinate our outfits with accents of fuschia pink to match the mandap which looked great aesthetically.”
Reception
“From the time our wedding dates got fixed, I had always imagined a ‘Winter Wonderland’ themed reception which our guests could enjoy to the fullest. I chose to wear champagne pink and ash gold gown by Priya Chhabria that complimented the “Frosty Fairytale” theme of the function.”
Advice For Couples
“Try to keep the wedding planning strictly between yourself and your fiance – if too many people are involved, there will be more chances of conflicts. Before finalizing your bridal outfits, try bright colors that suit your skin tone. Wedding planning can be stressful, so try and take quiet weekends out where you escape the madness and just spend quality time with your fiancé.”
The Wedding Makers
Wedding Location: The Westin Langkawi Resort, Malaysia
Wedding Planner: Hanngevent, Langkawi, Malaysia
Bridal Trousseau: Priya Chhabria (Reception); Sureena Mirchandani (Sangeet)
Wedding Invitation: Moor Designs by Resham Ramchandani
Music: DJ Sameer, Mumbai
Makeup: Gari Son, Cebu
Bartender: Flair Mix
Photography and Cinematography : Colomono
