Pooja and Vikram, Thailand

Pooja, who is from the UAE and works in the healthcare management industry, married Vikram, who was based out of Hong Kong and moved to the UAE to work in the hospitality industry. The duo hosted six grand functions at the beautiful property of Angsana Laguna Phuket in Thailand, overlooking the Bang Tao beach. WeddingSutra Favourites, Divine Mantra captured all their beautiful moments together with their intuitive lens, and Revel Events orchestrated their extravagant destination wedding flawlessly by paying attention to every detail with utmost dedication.

The Proposal
Pooja recalls, “Vikram and I were in Hong Kong visiting his family for his birthday in October 2018. I had won concert tickets to a concert on November 9 but he told me that he too received two passes to something exciting (which he was keeping a secret) as a birthday gift from his boss. It was happening on the same day so we decided to go with his plan. On the day, we left the house at 4am. I did not know where we were going or what needed to be done. We drove towards Dubai from Abu Dhabi to Ibn Battuta Mall, and I thought we were going for the first show of a movie. We ended up walking towards Movenpick Hotel, where a jeep was waiting for us. We got in the car and the driver gave us a paper to sign. On it, it mentioned that we were going for a hot air balloon ride. I was extremely excited and also worried as Vikram is scared of heights. But he did it all just for me as I love heights! The moment was beautiful. We reached 4,000 feet at sunrise and an eagle was flying around the hot air balloon while Vikram asked me questions like, ‘Do you love me?’, ‘Do you see us spending the rest of our lives together?’ and, for the third question, he went down on one knee and asked, ‘Will you marry me?’. Of course, I said, ‘Yes’. Upon landing, we went for a drive to the desert, where in a private tent, we enjoyed lunch and champagne.”

Wedding Venue
“We had the option of having the wedding in India, Dubai, Hong Kong or Thailand. We chose Thailand and decided on Phuket as we love beaches. Being in the hospitality industry and with fantastic knowledge of interior design, Vikram’s parents made a trip to Phuket to shortlist a couple of venues for us. When we walked into Angsana Laguna Phuket, we fell in love with the place. It was beautiful with lots of greenery and water points such as a beach, swimming pool and many ponds. The staff was friendly and the property was spotless. It was a big ‘yes’ the minute we saw it. We sat down with the sales team to finalize the venue. During our stay in Angsana Laguna, we felt very positive. There was a calm and relaxing aura there,” says the happy bride.

Wedding Planning
Pooja says, “It was great working with Rani, Harry and the team at Revel Events. They were very responsive and ensured things were done as planned. They were quite helpful and knowledgeable and took care of the guests as if it was their own family by making sure that everyone was having a good time. The team at Divine Mantra were also very professional and we loved how all our wedding pictures turned out.”

Wedding Functions

Welcome Dinner
The welcome dinner was by the poolside, with colorful lights creating a festive atmosphere at the venue. The couple made a grand entrance to the song ‘Swag se karenge sabka swagat’ on an ATV decorated with blue and white balloons. Pooja wore a flared blue gown and Vikram wore a white jacket and pants with a blue t-shirt. Guests enjoyed barbequed snacks, Mexican food and delicious sliders.

After Party
After the welcome dinner, guests made their way to the ballroom for the after party. Hip hop and RnB music filled the air. The groom and bride were in full swag mode, wearing orange Adidas Originals. The groom even sang the song ‘Amplifier’ by Imran Khan.

Haldi and Mehendi
The couple entered dancing to the song ‘Iski Uski’ from the movie ‘Two States’, their friends leading the way. Dressed in South Indian attire, their outfits were in ivory and gold, and adorned with temple jewellery. After haldi was applied to the to-be-weds, young girls in the family performed a short dance for the couple. They then quickly changed and got dressed for their mehendi function, making an entrance to the song ‘Panjeba’, their friends shooting color bombs into the air. There was a dandiya dance party at this event for all the guests to get into the party mood.

Sangeet
Their sangeet had a Morrocan theme with Lebanese and Morrocan food on the menu. The star couple made a jaw-dropping entrance, dancing to an Arabic song as belly dancers escorted them to the main stage. The night was filled with performances from family members who took turns to dance and sing for the couple. This was followed by a performance by Humsufi from Kolkata, which guests thoroughly enjoyed.

Wedding
The day started early with the bride’s chura ceremony; her friends tying kaleerein for her. Coral-hued decor provided an ideal backdrop for the couple’s exchange of wedding vows. The bride entered sitting in a dholi decorated with pink lotuses. She wore a beige lehenga with a pastel pink dupatta. Twinning with his bride, the groom wore a beige sherwani with an old-rose pink safa and stole. After the wedding rituals, the evening took a fun turn with the bride playing a salt game with the groom’s side of the family.

Reception
The wedding celebrations came to an end with the reception, leaving everyone teary eyed as the groom and family members shared heartfelt speeches. The decor for the evening had a contemporary theme, featuring quirky black and white elements. The newlyweds’ first dance was to the song ‘If you hold my hand’. This was followed by Pooja dancing with her father and Vikram dancing with his mother. The evening ended on a high note with a jazz band performing; the groom’s cousins singing and playing the drums along with them.

Advice For Couples
“We found it hard to have a meal during the days when there were events. It is best to eat something whenever you have time and try to get some sleep. Things are bound to happen differently on the final day so just relax and enjoy your special day rather than being tense and letting it show on your face.”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Angsana Laguna Phuket, Thailand
Wedding Planner: Revel Events
Décor: Oriental Events
Caterers: Coco’s Catering, Flair Mix, Gulp
Bride’s Outfits: Mrunalini Rao, Nidhi Tholia, Zene, Vasani Jaipur
Makeup: Anjali Bhasker
Entertainment: Hum Sufi, Bebop Band, Belly Dancers
DJ: DJ Kilogram

Photography: Divine Mantra

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