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Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan

After a proposal backed by dazzling fireworks, Akanksha and Sushant's wedding was a glitzy affair inspired by all things theatrical that unfolded in historic venues in Jodhpur.

From a Sufi night to the colors of Rajasthan, Akanksha and Sushant’s Jodhpur wedding was a well planned affair that played off the regal venues such as Umaid Bhawan Palace and Mehrangarh Fort to perfection. Bride Akanksha shares some photos and highlights of the stylish celebrations.

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan

How We Met
“Sushant and I met at a horse riding event where I was a fellow rider. We began talking about our passions, and almost instantaneously we fell for each other. Our conversation soon turned into late night phone calls, and we both felt this pull towards each other, much like gravity. However, we were slow to let everyone know about it. We spent every single day together, yet none of our friends knew about it.”

Proposal
“In June, Sushant flew us to Jodhpur in a private jet for a shoot at the Umaid Bhawan Palace. I was expecting him to propose in the flight itself, which he didn’t. So when we reached the palace, I proposed to him, hardly aware of what he had in mind. He was stunned, and I believed I took him by surprise. In the evening we got ready for the shoot, and as we walked towards the palace gardens, the photographer began clicking us. Just then a firework burst and I watched with starry eyes, thinking there must be a wedding taking place nearby, but as soon as the third firework went off in the beautiful empty lawn, I knew it was for us. We reached the gazebo which was beautifully decorated, and he went down on one knee before popping the question. I said ‘Yes!’ to him and our magical life ahead. As soon as I hugged him the entire gazebo lit up with fireworks. This was one of those moments when reality was better than any dream!”

Wedding Venue
“We had a destination wedding in Jodhpur which was followed by a reception in New Delhi. Our mehndi and wedding were hosted at the Umaid Bhawan Palace, while our sangeet took place at the Mehrangarh Fort. As for the reception, it took place at The Ritz By FNP Gardens at Gurugram.”

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Wedding Planning
“All the decorations for our nuptials were designed by Geeta Samuel, and she was fantastic. Simran Takkar was my makeup artist, and my mehndi was applied by Veena Nagda. Our wedding invites were designed by Entertainment Design Company; and capturing all the precious moments of our big day was Stories by Joseph Radhik.”

Wedding Functions

Mehndi
“Our wedding celebrations began with a daytime mehndi ceremony for which the theme was ‘Colours of Rajasthan.’ As the name suggests, the venue was bursting with vivid hues, and marigold blooms were used in abundance to bring in an ethnic vibe to the setup. Going with the vibrant aesthetics of the function, I wore a bright blue lehenga with geometric patterns from ASAL by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Sushant, however, went with a subdued palette by choosing a white achkan and jacket by Manish Malhotra.”

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Mehndi Ceremony

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Mehndi Ceremony

Sangeet
“The ‘Theatre’ theme was the inspiration behind the decor for our sangeet, and our stage was designed to look every bit worthy of a professional performance! Complete with heavy curtains, ornate frames, and an LED backdrop, it set the perfect mood for a night filled with songs and dancing. For this function, I dressed up in a gorgeous pink and orange lehenga by Anita Dongre and Sushant was dapper in a Rohit Bal creation.”

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Sangeet

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Sangeet

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Sangeet

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Sangeet

Wedding
“To create an atmosphere that was truly regal, we went with red and golden as the primary colors for the decor. Large installations of trees with golden bells, luxurious drapes, and a mandap with a ceiling smothered with ‘kaliras’ (bridal bangle ornaments) – we had it all! For our big day, I wanted to wear the color that is most fitting for an Indian bride – red, so I picked a customized Manish Malhotra lehenga and Sushant went with a Sabyasachi sherwani.”

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Wedding

Reception
“We had a Sufi-themed reception and the highlight of the night was our entry into the venue. We walked in with our mothers, flanked by girls dressed in outfits inspired by Mastani’s look in the song ‘Deewani Mastani’ from the movie ‘Bajirao Mastani.’ I wore an outfit by Sabyasachi Mukherjee for this spectacular event, while Sushant chose a wine colored Jodhpuri ensemble by Rohit Bal.”

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Reception

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Reception

Akanksha and Sushant, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan - Reception

Advice For Couples
“Don’t get consumed with every little detail of your wedding. Make a list of 10 broad things that you want to focus your energies on and stick to paying attention to just those items. For everything else, delegate and let others be responsible. Let everyone get drunk, dance, eat and laugh a lot! Everything will fall into place. On your important day, nothing should stand in the way of you and your smile.”

The Wedding Makers
Venues: Umaid Bhawan Palace (Mehndi and Wedding), Mehrangarh (Sangeet), The Ritz By FNP Gardens (Reception)
Decor: Geeta Samuel
Bride’s Outfits: ASAL by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla (Mehndi), Anita Dongre (Sangeet), Manish Malhotra (Wedding), Sabyasachi (Reception)
Groom’s Outfits: Manish Malhotra (Mehndi), Rohit Bal (Sangeet and Reception), Sabyasachi (Wedding)
Makeup Artist: Simran Takkar
Mehndi: Veena Nagda
Wedding Invitations: Entertainment Design Company
Photography: Stories by Joseph Radhik.

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