Nandini and Teja, Chennai
This couple’s magnificent wedding functions were creatively themed around the essential 5 elements of the earth.
After a formal meeting that led to a whirlwind romance, Nandini and Teja tied the knot in a glorious wedding celebration. The spectacular festivities that were held in ITC Grand Chola and other luxurious properties in Chennai were planned, deisgned and executed in meticulous detail by WeddingSutra Favorite – The A Cube Project.
Soulful performances by a roster of talented artists from WeddingSutra Favorite – GlowShow Entertainment captivated the guests. The bride takes us through the celebrations.
How They Met
Teja, who was working in the UK at the time, met Chennai based Nandini in a meeting arranged by their parents. Albeit brief, their courtship sparked a connection so strong, it didn’t take them long to know wanted to spend their lives together, forever. The couple shares a common passion for travel, food and adventure.
Wedding Venues
Nandini shares, “We were both born and brought up in Chennai. Coming from large, close-knit families and communities, and also being the oldest amongst our siblings in our respective families, we knew we would have an expansive guest list and hence wanted a grand wedding. Our engagement ceremony was held at The Leela Palace, Chennai and our Sangeet was at ITC Grand Chola. While the Mehndi was a homely function, our Wedding and Reception was hosted at the Ramachandra Convention Centre, Chennai.”
Wedding Planning
The team of The A cube Project was enlisted to plan the spectacular wedding. “Ambika did a fabulous job with themes and colors. She perfectly understood the ‘Elements of the Earth’ that I envisioned and executed it to perfection, with each of the 5 functions designed to evoke a visual and sensory story of the respective element. I wanted it to symbolize the start of our new life and the five elements to bear witness to our wedding celebrations.”
Celebrity stylist Ami Patel lent her expertise to ensure the bride felt her most beautiful for each of the functions. A coterie of artists from GlowShow Entertainment delighted the guests at the Wedding and Reception functions, while the Non-Violinist Project wooed everyone at the Engagement, DJ Vinod Karthik rocked the Mehndi function.
Wedding Functions
Engagement
The festivities kicked off with their Engagement hosted at The Leela Palace in Chennai. The decor was themed on Bhoomi (Earth) which was suffused with a remarkable setup of floral foliage decor, giving the function an enchanted garden feel. The highlight was a charming ‘tree of life’ that was the centerpiece of each table. The bride looked alluring in a pastel hued floral Sabyasachi lehenga. “This was the first time we were meeting the guests from each other’s families as we solidified our commitment, and it certainly was a special feeling.”
Mehndi
“We had both done our higher education abroad and had a ton of friends flying down for the wedding. We wanted the Mehndi function to be the most intimate and lively of all the events. Unlike the other functions, this was celebrated with just our close friends and family at my parent’s beach house in Akkarai, ECR.” The sunny, outdoor function was themed on Vayu (air). It was a vibrant affair with kites, pinwheels, quirky props and flowers on every surface. The enormous pool was strewn with rose petals. The bride wore a mango yellow Arpita Mehta outfit while Teja wore a Sabyasachi Kurta teamed with a Rohit Bal Bundi jacket.
Sangeet
Hosted at ITC Grand Chola, the Sangeet function was designed on the theme of Jal (Water). Everything from the spectacular arch entrance to the decor and even the stage exuded an ethereal blue vibe with lighting and sparkling props. The bride donned a gold lehenga with a custom-made off-shoulder choli by Kresha Bajaj while the groom wore a shimmering navy Bandhgala from Shantanu and Nikhil.
Reception
In an unusual twist, the reception function was held the night before the wedding at Ramachandra Convention Centre, Chennai. The inherent theme was Aakash (space) which incorporated a multitude of origami birds highlighted with a canopy of fairy lights and foliage over a spectacular gold walkway to the stage. The bride looked stunning in a purple custom Manish Malhotra ensemble while the groom wore a 3 piece custom Osman Abdul Razak suit.
Wedding
The next and final morning was the wedding ceremony. A fiery color-palette of red and orange brought out the theme of Agni (fire), while a 21-player flute symphony serenaded everyone at the festivities. The bride wore a red & gold saree from Kumaran Silk with a holy Shloka woven in the Pallu, and for the hair she ditched the usual adorned plait for a chic updo. The groom wore Osman Abdul Razak with custom Dhoti pants.
Advice for couples
“1. Always consider weather conditions before planning the venue and the decor. You don’t want to plan an outdoor function and then get rained out.
2. Allow enough time for outfit shopping and trials to avoid any last minute emergencies.”
3. Makeup trial is a must to ensure you look your best in your functions and the pictures.
4. If you are considering LED backdrop, make sure you have a discussion with the VJ and the photographer such that everyone involved is on the same page.
The Wedding Makers
Venue: The Leela Palace, Chennai (Engagement), ITC Grand Chola (Sangeet), Ramachandra Convention Centre, Chennai (Wedding, Reception)
Wedding Design & Planning: The A Cube Project
Décor: Sumyog (Sangeet)
Groom’s Outfits: Sabyasachi Mukherji (Mehndi), Rohit Bal (Mehndi), Shantanu and Nikhil (Sangeet), Osman Abdul Razak (Reception, Wedding)
Bride’s Outfits: Sabyasachi Mukherji (Engagement), Arpita Mehta (Mehndi), Kresha Bajaj (Sangeet), Manish Malhotra (Reception), Kumaran Silk (Wedding)
Stylist: Ami Patel
Makeup and Hairstylist: Florian Hurel, Shankar and Kumar (Engagement)
Catering: Taj, Chennai (Mehndi), The Leela (Engagement), ITC Grand Chola (Sangeet), Saraswathi Catering (Wedding, Reception)
Entertainment: GlowShow Entertainment (Reception, Wedding), DJ Vinod Karthik (Mehndi), DJ VDJ-Zen
Photography: The Storyteller (Engagement), Varun Suresh (Mehndi, Sangeet, Wedding Reception)
Videography: The Storyteller (Engagement), The Marigold Company (Sangeet, Mehndi, Wedding)
