Aashana and Rathiesh, Ramada Plaza Palm Grove, Mumbai
Set amidst the bustle of the city, this wedding was a beguiling amalgamation of two cultures.
Aashana and Rathiesh’s city wedding was a blend of their personality quirks and distinctive tastes, enveloped in beautiful Malayalee and Sindhi traditions making for a truly unique celebration which was captured in breathtaking detail by WeddingSutra Favorite – DreamCatchers Photography. Here are a few glimpses from the celebrations.
How they met
The couple met six years ago through a mutual friend, and as they spent more time together, their friendship evolved into love. Aashana shares, “When Rathiesh expressed his feelings to me I didn’t respond instantly. But as days passed by, I found myself falling in love with him and I began to reciprocate the love and affection he showed towards me. That’s how our story started.”
The Proposal
After 4 years of being together, Rathiesh’s move to Spain was when things fell into perspective and they just knew that they wanted to be together forever. “A year later, on his trip to Mumbai, he asked my parents for their blessings before he popped the question to me. On our 5-year anniversary, we got a couple tattoo of an anchor and a compass. The anchor symbolized the security and commitment in our relationship and the compass was a symbol of guidance.”
Wedding venue
Aashana shares, “We always wanted our wedding to be outdoors, but the highest priority was to have it in Mumbai. After scouting a few venue options around the city, we found Ramada Plaza Palm Grove, which has a stunning view of Juhu Beach, to be the perfect fit for our dream wedding. The Poolside wedding and the reception on the rooftop gave us the best of two worlds.”
Wedding Planning
“As Rathiesh was miles away I took on the task of planning the entire wedding, down to the last detail! We were researching photographers online when Rathiesh shared a wedding teaser with me which had mesmerized him. It was by DreamCatchers Photography, and we knew immediately that we wanted them to capture our wedding. They possess excellent photography and cinematography skills. Without a doubt, they are the best in the business.”
The bride envisioned her makeup to look naturally flawless and radiant, and found Makeup Missile by Preeti on Instagram who understood and delivered her requirements perfectly.
Wedding Functions
Mehendi
The celebrations kicked off with the Mehendi function, an uninhibited extravaganza of colors. The couple entered dancing to beats of Punjabi dhols under a canopy of bursting smoke bombs. To add to the fun, a live Punjabi band was invited to set the mood, who got everyone to dance to their hearts content. The bride donned a vibrant yellow lehenga with a hot pink dupatta and completed the look with floral jewelry, bold lips, shimmery lids and a beautiful braid. The groom wore a kurta set and amped it up with a floral Nehru Jacket from Manyavar.


Cocktail
“My idea was not to have a typical sangeet but instead a dance floor where all of us could dance all evening. We popped the champagne after the cake-cutting followed by some unforgettable dance numbers performed by our friends and family. I surprised Rathiesh by performing on Nachdi Phir by Jasleen Royal and we danced on ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran. I wore a custom made silver lehenga paired with sparkling diamond jewelry, glowing makeup and retro side-swept hair. And finally, thanks to a sweet gesture by Rathiesh, I wore custom Adidas Stan Smiths engraved with our Hashtag that he got for me to ensure my comfort while dancing the night away”.


Wedding
“Since I am Sindhi and my husband is Malayalee, we decided to have wedding rituals that borrowed from both the culture’s styles. The Malayalee Thaali kettu (mangalsutra ceremony) was followed by Sindhi wedding rituals. We planned for our wedding decor to compliment both cultures. The walkway was decorated with floral urlis, marigold hangings with bells and samayas lending a traditional touch to the festivities, leading up to the spectacular crystal chandelier in the center. The color scheme for the mandap was centered on pastel hues.
For the Sindhi wedding rituals, I chose a hand embroidered lehenga from Kalki while Rathiesh went for a custom-made cream sherwani with gold and peach embroidery. For the Malayalee wedding, I wore a traditional off-white and gold saree with a hand embroidered red blouse from Asmera. Rathiesh went for a traditional white kurta and Mundu.”
Reception
“Here, we entered hand in hand, amidst the glitz of sparklers and the smokes creating a magical ambience as we walked to the stage. A floral backdrop and chandeliers on both sides added a royal touch. I went for an off-shoulder gown with a huge trail from Kalki, and Rathiesh went for a black tuxedo by Nicky Prithyani.”
Advice for Couples
“Start early and delegate some of the responsibilities. Do your research to find suitable vendors to meet your requirements. And finally, as you draw closer to the big day, simply focus on enjoying yourself.”
The Wedding Makers
Venue:Ramada Plaza Palm Grove, Mumbai
Groom’s Outfits: Manyavar (Mehndi), Moksh (Cocktail), Nicky Prithyani (Reception)
Bride’s Outfits: Asmera (Malayalam Wedding), Kalki Fashions (Sindhi Wedding, Reception)
Makeup artist: Makeup missile by Preeti
Photography and Videography: Dreamcatchers Photography