Anjuli and Ravi, Udaipur
From a decadent silver and red lehenga to a dainty floral saree, this bride set the bar high with her chic wardrobe choices.
Anjuli, a London-based fashion blogger, and Ravi, a self-employed trader first locked eyes at King’s College, London. In a classic case of friendship slowly transforming into love, it took almost two years for the couple to progress from being best buddies to life partners. And when it came to tying the knot, both of them decided to go back to their roots – India – for the celebrations. With Divya Chadha from WeddingSutra Favorite – A Klass Apart at the helm with her meticulous planning expertise and her unique conceptualization of each event with unbridled creativity, it’s safe to say that each function was a visual delight. On the decor front was WeddingSutra Favorite – The A-Cube Project who left everyone spellbound.
Here, bride Anjuli shares some highlights of the festivities.
How They Met
“Ravi and I first met at King’s College, London, but it took us almost two years to start dating. We were best friends first, so for us transitioning into love was fairly easy and magical!”
The Proposal
Gushing about Ravi’s surprise proposal, Anjuli recollects, “Honestly, we hadn’t even discussed marriage, but mutually we both knew that we’d end up spending our lives together. Ravi surprised me with a proposal when I was on a girls’ holiday in Mykonos. He flew out all the way and left me speechless with a memorable proposal.”
Wedding Venues
“My parents never got to have an Indian ceremony for their wedding, so I wanted to get it right for ours. Since Ravi and I wanted to get married somewhere traditional and elevated that would offer us beautiful views, we chose Hotel Fateh Garh, in Udaipur. However, we made an exception for the sangeet which was hosted at Fateh Niwas as it offered us sprawling, lush lawns.”
Wedding Planning
“Our vision included giving each function a unique concept which exuded elegant and intimate vibes. Helping us out each step of the way and guiding us through the intricacies of planning the wedding, was Divya from A Klass Apart who was absolutely fantastic in each regard. I found her through WeddingSutra and first met her soon after my engagement and was instantly convinced that she was the one!
Divya is a treasure trove of ideas and I don’t think we could’ve ever been able to plan the wedding without her by our side. She accompanied us on all our trips to the venue where we negotiated the commercials with her complete support. Working dedicatedly behind the scenes throughout, she ensured that she was always available from start to finish.. Collaborating with her was a rewarding experience as she put her heart and soul into the wedding, dedicating 18 months of her time to it! Also, her chemistry with our family was amazing, as she made sure that everyone was heard throughout the planning process, which honestly, is a difficult feat to achieve. From wedding favors, hotel coordination, arranging for entertainment, shortlisting photographers, vendor management, travel logistics, licenses and permissions, to wedding stationery and hospitality, Divya bore the mammoth task of planning a destination wedding on her able shoulders and we don’t think anyone else could’ve done better.”, shares the bride.
On the photography front, paving the way ahead was FotoConto who stunned the couple with their captivating shots. Additionally, they were also joined by WeddingSutra Favorite- Magic Motion Media who captured a plethora of stunning candid shots. Meanwhile, on the other hand The A-Cube Project aced the decor with their meticulous attention to detail. Adding to the team were makeup artist Arpita Karania and The Wedding Bartenders who impressed everyone with their impeccable service.
Weddings Functions
Mehndi
“The first event was our welcome party and mehndi. Since we’d envisioned a super chill vibe for the occasion, we went along with a Marrakech theme that, both, Ravi and I loved from the start. To keep the guests entertained, we had a parrot fortune teller and a spice cart. However, the final touch of flourish was added by a perfume bar, an idea suggested by our planner Divya from A Klass Apart, where everyone made their own customized scents. As the air was heavily infused with the scents of oud, it was quite easy for everyone to forget where they actually were and they got transported dreamily to Marrakech for the evening.”
Glowing under the evening sun in her yellow embroidered lehenga, the bride was all smiles as she mingled with the guests accompanied by Ravi, who wore a yellow printed bandhgala.
Haldi/Ganesh Puja
“The following morning, we had a Ganesh puja followed by the haldi ceremony where we went for a yellow, pink, and red color palette. Owing to the fact that it was a morning function, we thought it would be best to have bright colors under the glaring Rajasthani sun. Additionally, showcasing her detail-oriented nature, our planner Divya, who knew that I loved origami birds, thoughtfully hung them throughout the courtyard along with cute pom pom strings.
For the puja, I wore a light floral Sabyasachi saree, while Ravi picked a floral bandhgala. However, I quickly changed into an asymmetric Western dress for the haldi, and to keep our skin wedding-ready, we used the Kiehl’s cranberry and turmeric face mask instead of the regular haldi.”
Wedding
“Our wedding was held in the afternoon on the main terrace, in front of the pool, which gave us stunning views of the surrounding area. The mandap was fashioned from light-hued blooms with hanging wisteria. When both of us set our eyes on the mandap, we couldn’t believe it! I always knew that I wanted a floral mandap but was never sure about the colors. However, with Divya and the decor team pitching in ardently, my dream came true.
Staying in sync with tradition, I chose to wear a grey and red Manish Malhotra lehenga, while Ravi donned a customized sherwani.”
Sangeet
“Following an ‘Enchanted Forest’ theme, our sangeet was a dazzling affair, and since both of us love Disney, we chose to incorporate a magical theme into one of our functions. However, the challenge that lay ahead of us was to execute it in an elegant manner. I think our decor team rose fantastically to the occasion and awed all the guests with their efforts and attention to detail. With cocktails like ‘Popping Candy’ and ‘Candy Floss,’ a botanical gin bar and Disney-named tables adorned with customized art by Bombay based artist – Hiral Mehta, all our guests raved about the setup. I opted to keep my lehenga skirt from the wedding on, but added a dash of contemporary style to the look with a forest green velvet blouse that had wing sleeves.”
Pool Party
“The day after the sangeet we wanted to treat the guests to a relaxed day where they could unwind in complete comfort. And, since we got engaged in Mykonos, we opted for a ‘Mykonos Meets Nikki Beach’ theme. With vibrant pink flowers adorning the venue, along with a DJ who played chilled house music all afternoon, it almost felt as if we were sitting at one of the beach clubs in Europe. Everyone had a fun afternoon relaxing, drinking cocktails and playing pool games.” Anjuli wore a peach floral top and matching trousers which matched the vibe of the event.
Reception
“To end our wedding festivities on a high note, we hosted a gorgeous black-tie reception. With saxophonist Ryan Sadri playing his amazing tunes, we had a long drinks reception which set the tone for the rest of the evening. The decor followed a ‘White & Mirrored’ theme which included tabletops studded with mirror work, pristine white floral centerpieces, candles and fairy lights. The lights especially played a crucial theme in brightening up the entire venue and added a magical touch to the evening. For this function, I opted for a silver Manish Malhotra gown and Ravi wore a Hugo Boss Grey Velvet tuxedo. However, as the evening progressed, we were in for a treat as Ravi played the piano which left everyone spellbound.”
Advice For Couples
“I would advise all couples to start planning their destination wedding at least a year in advance so that they have ample time to plan. Getting a wedding planner on board was one of the best decisions we made as it simplified our entire wedding planning process making it a whole lot easier and enjoyable.
In our case, we enjoyed the process of planning the wedding immensely as we got precious insights and an unforgettable experience to cherish forever, from a creative and seasoned planner who has traversed across the globe garnering the best expertise and tons of fabulous ideas .”
The Wedding Makers
Venues: Fateh Niwas (Sangeet); Hotel Fateh Garh, Rajasthan
Wedding Planner: A Klass Apart
Decor: The A-Cube Project
Groom’s Outfits: Varun Bahl (Mehndi, Ganesh Puja/Haldi, Wedding, Sangeet), Hugo Boss (Reception)
Bride’s Outfits: Tamanna Punjabi Kapoor (Mehndi), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Ganesh Puja/Haldi), Manish Malhotra (Wedding, Sangeet, Reception), Naked Laundry (Pool Party)
Jewellery: Goenka Jewels
Makeup: Arpita Karania
Entertainment: Ryan Sadri (Reception), DJ Akash
Wedding Invitations: S9 Design
Wedding Stationery: Itchha Talreja Designs, Hiral Mehta
Bartenders: The Wedding Bartenders
Photography: Fotoconto and Magic Motion Media
