Lalima and Siddharth, Country Inn & Suites By Radisson, Gurgaon

In the process of giving Siddharth a warm welcome to India, Lalima unknowingly welcomed her soulmate into her life. Starting a new chapter of their romance, the duo tied the knot, entrusting WeddingSutra Favorite – Shutterdown with the responsibility of photographing all the emotions from their big day. Here, the bride talks about the nuptials and shares pictures from the occasions.

How They Met
“Siddharth had recently moved to Gurgaon after quitting his job in Singapore when we met for the first time. He was setting up something of his own while I was trying to make my mark in the world of makeup and fashion. Since he was new to the city, I decided to help him get accustomed to the place. Through our short meetings after work, we realized that we got along really well – Sid took this as an opportunity to ask me out. Much to his dismay, I wasn’t up for it. However, being from the start-up world where challenges were a part of life, he did not let this dampen his spirits. Time went on and the frequency of our meetings increased. Before I even realized, casual dinners had turned into dates. He then proposed to me once again. This time, the feeling was mutual!”

Wedding Planning
“We decided against hiring a wedding planner as I was keen on putting everything together myself. I am very particular about even the smallest of details and had no desire to be a bridezilla to anyone! So with Sid and our families’ support, I was able to achieve just what I had dreamed of.

After a lot of research, Sid and I chose Shutterdown and what a great decision it turned out to be! Lakshya and his team did a fantabulous job at our wedding. They were so well coordinated. They gauged our tastes perfectly and captured us just as we are. Their pictures and videos mixed genuine emotion with contemporary styles. What we loved the most was their live edit!

As a makeup artist, I believe in subtle yet powerful makeup that plays up one’s natural features. I believed that I knew what would work best for me and the techniques with which I could achieve perfection. I ensured that my makeup matched the way my outfits were styled and, with the help of my team at Lalima Puri Makeovers, I created looks that I was very happy about.”

Wedding Functions

Mehndi
“Rajasthan was the inspiration behind the decor of our mehndi function. We used a lot of brightly-colored umbrellas, marigolds, matkis and puppets. In order to match the mood of the event, I decided to give myself a ‘street glam’ look, and the banjarans from the state put my imagination into overdrive. I wore a blue lehenga and blouse, leaving the dupatta out for the sake of convenience. For my makeup, I wanted to make a bold statement so I gave myself sultry eyes with heavy lashes, teamed with dark-brown lip color.”

Complementing her deep-hued outfit, Siddharth wore a black kurta pajama from Vicugna Menswear, along with a bandi from Suhail Hafeez.

Engagement and Cocktail Party
“This was a very elegant sundowner for which we made use of a lot of soft-colored flowers. To stand out from the muted color palette of the blooms, I chose a silver gown designed by Nitya Bajaj. Staying away from the usual ballroom-gown style, I picked out a mermaid silhouette. I balanced the feminine dress with some contemporary makeup – black, smokey eyes along with pink lips. My hair was loosely curled and decked with a wreath. Siddharth wore a light powder blue suit from Suhail Hafiz, with a tie from Philocaly.”

Wedding
“Pink drapes, fresh blooms and wooden elements set the stage for our wedding. Though unintentional, the decor for the pheras matched my outfit. For the ceremony, I wore a fuschia lehenga by Abhinav Mishra with lots of mirror work on it. On Abhinav’s recommendation, I teamed this with two blush dupattas. The look was tied together with very natural-looking makeup in shades of pink.I made my entrance to the tunes of the song Nachdi Phiran. Siddharth was dressed from head to toe in Philocaly. He wore a white sherwani along with a blush pocket square and saafa.”

Reception
“As this event was hosted in the evening, I embraced a bold look. Red is a statement color and also one that is associated with Indian brides, so I chose a sparkly gown in this hue by Nitya Bajaj. Along with the dress, I wore my sindoor as well as chooda, and I received a ton of compliments for my look. This was a very glamorous ensemble, which I accentuated with flowing hair, matte-brown smokey eyes and red lip color. A black achkan from Megaan was Siddharth’s outfit pick and it stood in perfect contrast to my dress.”

Advice For Couples
“1. When choosing clothes and accessories, pay more attention to what suits you than what is trending.
2. Ensure that all confirmations from vendors are taken in writing, regardless of how small or big the commitment is.
3. Start the venue hunt and other preparations as early as possible for better rates and stress-free planning.
4. Choose e-invites over traditional invitations. These are environmentally friendly and more convenient to refer to.
5. No matter how perfectly you have planned your big day, there will be goof-ups and you have to let things go and not get affected. Just enjoy the precious moments!”

The Wedding Makers
Venues:  Indian Grill Room (Mehndi), Country Inn & Suites By Radisson (Cocktail, Haldi, Baraat, Wedding), Amour Convention & Resorts (Reception)
Groom’s Outfits: Vicugna Menswear (Mehndi and Engagement), Suhail Hafeez (Mehndi and Engagement), Philocaly (Wedding), Megaan (Reception)
Bride’s Outfits: Simpy Narang (Mehndi), Nitya Bajaj (Engagement and Reception) Abhinav Mishra (Wedding)
Shoes: Dorothy Perkins (Engagement), Charles and Keith (Wedding and Reception)
Jewellery: Firoza (Mehndi), Infuzzed (Mehndi), Jewellery Palace (Mehndi) Mahira Jewels (Engagement and Wedding), IRAA Gold & Diamond Jewellery (Reception)
Makeup: Lalima Puri Makeovers
Hairstyling: Hair By Brijesh (Mehndi, Engagement and Wedding)

Photography and Videography: Shutterdown

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