Aarushi and Sangram, Jaipur

Aarushi and Sangram, college lovers, after smooth sailing in a long-distance relationship decided to enter the nuptials with a beautiful palatial wedding in Jaipur. The team of WeddingSutra Favourite – Gautam Khullar Photography with their intuitive lens beautifully captured their pictures against the striking backdrops, of this larger than life wedding.

How They Met
Aarushi and Sangram, who met during their University days in London School of Economics, found a special place in each other’s hearts over many dates. Unfortunately, this rosy period was derailed when Sangram decided to stay on in London, while Aarushi moved back to Delhi. Just as they had gotten comfortable with the challenging long-distance switch, life threw another curveball at them when Sangram made a permanent shift to work with the UN in New York City. Through constant messaging, lots of FaceTiming and frequent trips to visit each other twice a year, they fought all odds and paved the way to a happy married life.

The Proposal
Aarushi made a work trip to NYC, which happened to be during her birthday week. She had planned to go shopping on her special day when Sangram caved in and told he had already made dinner reservations at a Michelin star-rated restaurant. On her birthday, after downing a few drinks at a pub, Sangram called for an Uber to take them to a secret place. To her surprise, the car stopped at the airport where she saw a sign that read – Helicopter Tours. The blushing bride shares, “I was jumping with joy. We hopped onto the helicopter and fifteen mins into the ride, Sangram tapped on my shoulder and there it was, a beautiful ring in a lit-up box with a note which read ‘Bubs, this is the place I want you to be with me, will you marry me’? I said a big ‘Yes’ and announced it to the whole world.”

Wedding Venue
“We chose Samode Palace and Samode Bagh Resort for its gorgeous royal setting that offers the luxury of celebrating functions in the lush gardens of the palatial properties. We absolutely loved our venue and the hospitality we received”, shares the happy bride.

Wedding Planning
The bride-to-be shares, “We wanted our functions to flow elegantly by maximizing Samode’s natural beauty, so lots of flowers and fairy lights were incorporated for an added traditional charm. The girls at Baraati Inc beautifully worked on the concept and executed the wedding in the way we had envisioned. The team at Gautam Khullar Photography worked wonders with their photography skills. Gautam made sure he captured our portraits with the beautiful surroundings of Samode.”

Wedding Functions

Bridal Mehndi
The wedding celebrations kickstarted with an intimate bridal mehndi tea party held at Samode Palace’s courtyard. Following the Bride’s love for ‘Chai and Parle G’ which was the central theme, the venue was decked up with fairy lights, bright marigolds and hand-painted kettles, specially curated from the local artisans. Aarushi was glowing under the sun wearing a green embellished jumpsuit with a tie and dye puffer short jacket by Papa Don’t Preach by Shubhika.

Welcome Dinner
The private event was held at the restaurant in Samode Bagh where the walkway was decked up with floor shamianas. Interactive seating with quirky photos of their family as centerpieces was the highlight of the evening. The bride donned a white crop top with flared pants and a red belt from Richa Khemka while the groom picked a Herringbone & Sui ensemble.

Mehndi
The Rajasthani Bazaar themed mehndi with varied elements like tote bags counter, fun camel rides, kite flying sessions, bangles, pocket squares and mirror counters were a delight for the guests to indulge in for fun activities and favors. Bright marigolds and soothing sea-green decor brought the beautiful venue to life with its minimalistic charm. The soon-to-be-weds, along with the baraatis, put their best fashion foot forward in vibrant clothes. Aarushi made a style statement in a lemon lehenga by Aisha Rao while the dashing groom walked in with a printed white and red kurta and bandhgala set by Arjun Duggal.

Cocktail
The cocktail night at Samode Palace followed a blue and gold color scheme that included the bougainvillea flower setting on the main tables. The bride and the groom made a jaw-dropping popular Ed Sheeran song walking down the main stairs lit with pyro shots. The couple of the day complemented eachother buy wearing a Shantanu and Nikhil gown and a customized Enzo Tuxedo respectively.

Haldi
From smearing the bride with turmeric paste and covering her hands with chooras to showering her with yellow petals, everything about the Haldi function was magical. Aarushi looked pretty in a camel printed white and yellow kurta that she paired with a fuchsia dupatta.

Wedding
Their wedding held at the Samode Palace terrace was simple yet classy with martabans filled with marigolds and tables laid with candle stands and a shamiana setting to add to the royal touch overlooking the gorgeous Aravalli hills. Gold, red and ivory decor elements were festooned around the venue. The couple looked every bit regal in an Anamika Khanna red lehenga and a white and gold sherwani from SVA By Sonam & Paras Modi.

Reception
The final curtain to their grand wedding celebrations was their reception held in Delhi. Following a blend of modern and traditional decorations, the boho Jaipuri style function had a pop-up bar for all the guests to sip away and enjoy the evening with their drinks. All eyes were on the newlyweds with Aarushi wearing a Falguni Shane Peacock lehenga and Sangram looking dapper in a couture Enzo suit.

Advice For Couples
Aarushi shares, “It’s best to have planners on board if you’re doing a destination wedding. Involve your family members to help you with the work and do away with micro managing completely. It’s normal to get a little carried away and feel the stress, but remember this day is about you and your partner.”

The Wedding Makers
Venues: Samode Bagh Resort (Pre-Wedding), Samode Palace (Wedding), Shiv Niwas Palace, Mor Bagh, Delhi (Reception)
Wedding Planner: Baraati Inc
Décor: The Elephant Ride
Groom’s Outfits: Herringbone & Sui (Welcome Dinner), Arjun Duggal (Mehndi), Enzo (Cocktail, Reception), SVA By Sonam & Paras Modi (Wedding), Shantanu and Nikhil
Bride’s Outfits: Papa Don’t Preach by Shubika (Bridal Mehndi), Richa Khemka (Welcome Dinner), Aisha Rao (Mehndi), Shantanu and Nikhil (Cocktail), Anamika Khanna (Wedding), Raw Mango, Falguni Shane Peacock (Reception)
Jewellery: Rachna and Chandini Mehra, Devanshi Seth (Kaleerein)
Floral Jewellery: Fooljhadi
Makeup: Jasmeet Kapany, Gayatri Sharma, Adai Artistry
Entertainment: Swaraag
Invitations: Simran Monga, Shop Hieco

Photography: Gautam Khullar Photography

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