Aditi and Rachit, Courtyard by Marriott Agra
Aditi and Rachit’s wedding at the Courtyard by Marriott Agra was a fairytale come true.
The beautiful layout of the hotel, the stunning outdoor lawn and elegant ballroom played host to this wonderful union. Here, the couple tells us about their wedding.
How We Met
“We were introduced to each other by our extended family in an arranged marriage setup. We had a great time over dinner as we talked about family, friends and work. We got along really well and the more we talked, the more we realized we had the same values. The next day Rachit met my family and I was introduced to his family who were in Sydney at that time. We continued to talk over the next couple of weeks and finally decided to tell our parents that it was a YES. We had our Roka roughly two weeks after we met in Delhi with our families and friends in attendance.”
Wedding Venue
“As Aditi’s hometown is Agra, both our families decided that it would be the best place to get married,” Rachit says. “We visited a few hotels and then came across the Courtyard by Marriott Agra. What immediately caught our eye was the beautiful layout of the hotel, the stunning outdoor lawn and elegant ballroom. We were very impressed by the presentation of Marriot group and the flexibility they provided catering to some of our very specific needs. It was immediately evident that their reputation was built on years of excellent service and justified their 5-star rating. Our functions were held from the 16th to the 18th of January. Taste testing was held two weeks before the wedding to ensure any seasonal requests could be catered to. A final tour of the hotel and the rooms available was also completed a week prior to check-in.”
Wedding Functions
Haldi
“Our Haldi was a very intimate function with only our very close family and friends attending. We preferred comfort over anything else and chose to wear simple yellow dresses to bring out our natural glow.”
Sundar Kand Path
“Our mothers are very spiritual and wanted to perform the path before other functions so again it was a family affair followed by the welcome dinner.”
Mehndi
“We wanted our Mehndi to be an amalgamation of the modern and traditional. It was hosted at the poolside of the hotel, the perfect venue for this colorful function. Our decor comprised neon marigold flowers and a quirky rickshaw that brought a fun vibe to the event. I wanted my attire to be easy and flowing, so I picked a beige skirt with a bottle green jacket. Rachit kept it simple with a green kurta and beige churidar with a floral bandhgala jacket,” says Aditi.
Tilak and Godh
“Tilak is a ritual performed by the bride’s brother and the groom. Rachit wore a black bandhgala which absolutely took my breath away. Godh is a ritual where the groom’s family gifts the bride jewellery and sweets. I wore an elegant orange traditional lehenga which my mother-in-law got from Ahmedabad.”
Wedding
Aditi says she was very particular about her trousseau and make-up, “I was definite about the look I wanted for my special day. The red Sabyasachi lehenga with beautiful golden motifs across the skirt and blouse was a winner for me. It had pale pink dual dupattas, one draped over my head, and the other across me like a sash. My makeup artist, Manleen Puri understood my minimalist tastes and crafted a flawless makeup look which exuded elegance and charm. Rachit wore a stylish gold sherwani with a red dupatta and embroidered collars. A beige and red ‘safa’ (turban) was enough to give him a regal look. His entire outfit was from Shantanu and Nikhil.
Apart from our outfits, the décor added an element of grandeur to the day. We wanted our wedding venue to have a regal setting, so we had the palatial arches in the background decorated with fragrant flowers.”
Advice for Couples
“For couples preparing to get married, the first thing you need to know and understand is that not all things will go as planned! There will be so many things that come up last minute that can be frustrating. Therefore, it is important to have a good wedding planner and a couple of family members from each side who have a run sheet and are fluent across all tasks. Being the bride and the groom, couples will not have time to cater to individual requests and that is where delegating tasks will help. Also, allow at least a couple of hours extra for every event from the start time. Allocate time for rest, as days will be hectic and everyone will want to meet and greet you. Pick up only essential phone calls. Make sure you practice smiling as you shall be doing it for a few hours every day. But most importantly, enjoy the occasion, soak it in as you only get married once!”
Wedding Vendors
“For photography, we chose Design Aqua. The team was really good to work with and knew what we wanted. They were very understanding during both, the pre wedding shoot in Mussoorie and the wedding in Agra. It was more of a friendly affair with a professional touch, which helped us to get our dream moments captured. We would highly recommend Design Aqua to capture your “special day”!
For makeup, we chose Manleen Puri (Makeover by Manleen Puri). She helped me with every look and made me look my best on the most important day of my life.”
The Wedding Makers
Venue: Courtyard by Marriott Agra
Makeup: Manleen Puri
Brides Outfit: Sabyasachi (Wedding)
Grooms Outfit: Shantanu and Nikhil
Photography: Design Aqua
