Sanjana Ahuja and Varun Dave, The Leela Palace Jaipur
A Hollywood-style cocktail party, a traditional wedding and a disco glam after party - this couple’s destination wedding was a stunner!
Breezy and interspersed with grandeur, Sanjana Ahuja and Varun Dave’s destination wedding at The Leela Palace Jaipur stayed true to tradition while being fun and light-hearted. Capturing the couple at their adorable best was WeddingSutra Favorite – Sam & Ekta who photographed some truly beautiful moments!
How They Met
Sanjana shares, “Varun and I met in London in 2017, where we were both studying for our master’s degrees. He quickly became my best friend and my home away from home. When our year in London came to an end, we both returned to Delhi and Bombay, respectively, unsure if we could make the distance work, but it made us stronger than ever.”
The Proposal
Sanjana recollects the romantic proposal that Varun had planned for her. She recounts, “On my 25th birthday, Varun planned the most beautiful proposal that outlined the milestones of our relationship, and had pictures of all the big and small moments since we’ve been together. When he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, I couldn’t say yes quickly enough! Brownie points to Varun for having my beloved pet dog also present there!”
Wedding Venue
For their celebration, the duo chose The Leela Palace Jaipur that lent its majesty to every event. Taking full advantage of its beautiful in-house venues, the couple gave their creativity full liberty. Additionally, their guests lounged in luxury, all thanks to the 200 palatial rooms and suites from where they enjoyed a stunning view of the Aravalli Mountains.
Wedding Planning
Planning a destination wedding is not a small task. Knowing this, the couple took their time to ensure their loved ones had a great time. Sanjana shares, “We took almost a year to plan our wedding and wanted it to be a fun and memorable experience for our loved ones and us. Due to the continuously changing pandemic restrictions, visiting potential destinations and deciding on a guest list number was challenging. The key was to be patient, and we worked with some incredible vendors with whom we got along well. They helped us keep the process stress free and enjoyable!”
On the photography front, they chose Sam & Ekta who impressed them from the get-go. The bride shares, “Our photographers Sam & Ekta were the first wedding vendors we got on board, even before the dates and venue were locked in! I’ve been a huge fan of how they document weddings for years and knew I had to have them there on my big day. Sam, Ekta, and their entire team captured every detail of the two days in the most beautiful way and became our dear friends in the process. They put their whole hearts into what they do, and the results speak for themselves. I highly highly recommend them to all brides and grooms to be.”
Keeping everyone in high spirits was WeddingSutra Favorite – DJ AJ who spun toe-tapping tunes that had everyone grooving. Sanjana shares, “DJ AJ played at all our functions, and he really knows how to get the crowd going! He took the time to speak to us before the wedding to ensure he understood what we liked and didn’t like! He played a mix of English, Hindi, retro and commercial hits to cater to all age groups and was so fun to be around.”
Weddings Functions
Mehendi
Sanjana shares, “The Mehendi was the first event and was hosted at the hotel’s stunning rooftop. We wanted the decor to be vibrant, fresh, and airy and complement the rooftop’s existing beauty. A pastel decor palette was chosen with lots of fresh flowers, quirky ornaments and drapes to create a fun and contemporary setting. The tarot card reader became a crowd favourite and made for a fun activity!”
Cocktail
Sanjana shares, “We wanted the cocktail to be modern and reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour. The decor consisted of large chandeliers, black and white furniture, mirrors and greens. We started the night with performances by our close family and friends.”
Chooda and Haldi
The bride recollects, “The morning of the wedding, we hosted a traditional chooda ceremony which was emotional and solemn. After the rituals, the ceremony turned into a playful haldi where everyone was so cheerful. The decor was simple, with lots of yellow flowers to brighten up the winter morning.”
The Wedding
Sanjana shares, “I always knew I wanted to get married outdoors, but the weather forecast leading up to the wedding made me extremely nervous. Although no one expects rain in a desert in January, we decided last minute to cover the lawns with a glass hanger and it was a great decision. The decor was traditional and rich, with red, white and gold hues. I entered with my sisters and brothers, and walked down the aisle with my parents, before meeting Varun at the jaimala stage. It was a dreamy evening, perhaps the most magical of my life.”
The After Party
Sanjana shares, “The theme for the after-party was desert disco and the dress code was disco glam. After the emotional wedding, we wanted to cut loose and celebrate the start of our new lives together! The decor consisted of large camels, flamingos, disco balls, and neon signs everywhere, completely transforming the ballroom into a club. The party went on into the early hours of the morning and was the perfect end to the celebrations.”
Advice For Couples
Sanjana advises, “I have two pieces of advice for people planning their weddings. The first is to avoid getting swept up in trends, and instead plan a wedding that is an accurate representation of who you are and consists of the things you love. The second is to really enjoy it. While I spent months planning every little detail of the celebrations, when the day actually arrived, it was important to have fun celebrating one of the biggest moments in my life! Let go of things you can’t control, like the weather, and trust your vendors to pull through. Partner with vendors you like being around and believe in, and everything else will fall into place.”
The Wedding Makers
Venue: The Leela Palace Jaipur
Wedding Planner: sWISHin Events LLP
Décor: 6 dot stories
Groom’s Outfits: Arjan Dugal Studio (Mehndi), Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna (Cocktail), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Wedding)
Bride’s Outfits: Abhinav Mishra (Mehndi), JADE by Monica and Karishma (Cocktail), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Wedding)
Makeup: Emelda Lepcha Tamta (Mehndi, Sangeet, Wedding)
Hairstyling: Hair By Santosh
Entertainment: Twin Strings (Wedding)
DJ: DJ AJ
Choreography: Dansync Studio (Cocktail)
Wedding Invitations and Stationery: Samreen Chawla Designs
Bartenders: Flaming Trio
Photography: Sam & Ekta
