Shivani Patel and Aniruddh Kathiriya, The Alsisar Nahargarh, Rajasthan

Shivani Patel and Aniruddh Kathiriya’s destination wedding in Ranthambore, Rajasthan was a dream that has been two years in the making. Flaunting a unique theme at each event and ensuring that their loved ones had an immersive sensory experience, the couple left no stone unturned as they remotely planned their wedding.

How They Met
Shivani shares, “We met during the first year of college when we were pursuing the same major. Aniruddh and I eventually became best friends and later he asked me out. At first, I was a little hesitant because I didn’t want to ruin our friendship or even let our relationship affect my career. But, after a few months, things got serious and there was no looking back as we’d been dating for seven years until we got married!”

Wedding Planning
For Shivani, the wedding planning was an ongoing task that took two years to come to life as she shares, “As a bride, I was very particular about the smallest of details as I’d given everything a lot of thought for a very long time. However, a planner on the same wavelength made all the difference! My sister, especially, was also of great help as she understood my vision and helped execute my ideas perfectly! Also, wedding planning for us started two years ahead because of the pandemic pushing the dates. I didn’t visit India till the last minute. Not even for shopping, trials, or any kind of discussion up until 10 days before our wedding. Everything happened online with sleepless nights to make our dream wedding come to reality.”

Weddings Functions
Mehndi
Shivani shares, “For the mehndi we were quite specific about the decor and wanted it to follow a ‘Gujarat and Rajasthan Fusion’ theme that resembled a desi mela. We used a plethora of colors, our seats had a custom-made backdrop made with colorful patches of fabric which reminded people of the classic colorful quilts that are so often found in Indian households. Blooms placed in empty coke bottles, Indian pickle jars and dream catchers were interspersed across the venue. We had stalls such as balloon shooting, and live bangle-making along with vitamin c or khatta meetha stalls. The dance floor had live folk singers and dancers with a backdrop of ethnic puppets. Plus, dholis made sure everyone shook a leg!”

Sangeet
Shivani shares, “After a fun time at Mehendi, we wanted to take our guests on a small ride to ‘Ranthambhore Forest’ through our decor. So, we decided to recreate a forest for our sangeet. To give it a realistic look, the effigies of tigers, monkeys, birds, and deer were used. The entryway consisted of a walkway decorated with torches which led the guests to a dense forest. Animal sounds and various special effects of the jungle were also added to give the guests an impression of walking into a jungle. To make it a complete sensory experience we also implanted incense sticks that carried the fragrance of flowers, mud and herbs.”

Haldi
“For the haldi, we kept everything light and easy. Subtle, clean colors were used and a phoolon ki holi ensured everyone had a playful time. And, as the music started everyone danced the garba! We wanted the entire event to smell fresh and used incense sticks that reminded everyone of early morning walks and mandirs”, shares Shivani.

Wedding
Shivani shares, “Our wedding has been in the making for the past two years and both of us are so thankful that it turned out exactly as we’d dreamed it would be! We were very keen on trying something new, to give the guests an absolutely unique experience. Hence, we chose the ‘Benaras’ theme which exuded a sense of serenity. The decor and lighting played a major role. Notes of tulsi, jasmine and patchouli gave the venue a heavenly scent while the white and gold color palette completed the look. The guests were requested to wear hues of red which looked stunning against the decor colors.”

Advice For Couples
Having learnt from her own experiences Shivani shares, “Plan at least a year ahead and ensure your outfit fittings are done on time. Choose your vendors smartly and to avoid any last-minute hassles stay on your toes constantly.”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: The Alsisar Nahargarh, Rajasthan
Wedding Planner and Décor: Wedding By Ishwar
Groom’s Outfits: Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop (Mehndi), Sawan Gandhi (Sangeet, Wedding), Prima Designer Studio (Haldi)
Groom’s Accessories: Shahi Pagdi and Safa House (Safa)
Bride’s Outfits: Radhika Airi (Mehendi), Arpita Mehta (Sangeet), Prima Designer Studio (Haldi), Manish Malhotra (Wedding)
Jewellery: Vamika Silver Jadau, Raj Jewellery, Vinanti Manji, Chhatrala Jewels, Shree Janmangal Jewellers
Makeup: Glamocracy
Entertainment: Raja Dholis
DJ: DJ Edge
Emcee: Anchor Chirag
Photography and Videography: The Wedding Story

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