Neesha and Veer, Sri Lanka

Arabian elements, countryside-inspired setups, and colorful festivities from Neesha and Veer’s wedding were artistically captured by WeddingSutra Favorite – Priyam Parikh Pictures. This Sri Lankan wedding is certainly bookmark-worthy for all nature-loving couples. 

How They Met
Just like all the ‘friends turned into lovers’ stories, Neesha and Veer’s journey also followed a similar trajectory. The bride shares, “I moved to Vadodara, Gujarat, in 2006 from Zambia, Africa, and that’s where I met Veer. I was in Grade 9, and he was in Grade 10. We were good friends throughout school, but our interested in each other only after I graduated from school in 2010. We started dating soon after. Our relationship entered a long- distance phase as I moved to New York the following year to pursue my degree at FIT, while he joined his family business. Being far apart was not easy, but we somehow made it work and saw each other every year.”

The Proposal
Talking about the proposal Neesha shares, “I moved back to India permanently in 2016, and after seven long years of being together, Veer asked me to marry him in the most spontaneous, unexpected and unplanned way. It was more of a reaffirmation of what both of us wanted than a proposal. He stated the idea of marriage and said “I think we should get married and I’ve discussed it with my parents too. So…” He didn’t have to say anything else. My answer to his implied question was, ‘Yes’. A year and a half later we got married in a dream wedding at a destination that offered nature and serenity, and wasn’t so far from home – Sri Lanka.”

Wedding Venue
Finalizing the wedding venue isn’t always an easy task considering all the stunning locations available. The couple had a few options in mind, but Neesha had her heart set on getting married in Sri Lanka. When asked about what made them finally choose Sri Lanka, Neesha said, “We debated a lot about the venue. I always had Sri Lanka in mind, but Veer wanted to keep his options open. We explored Thailand but eventually found the exact ambiance we wanted in Sri Lanka and that too at the first property we scouted which was Anantara Kalutara. We made up our mind instantly that this was it. The rooms were very spacious and relaxing for our guests. The amenities and facilities all met our requirements, and the scenic and green property radiated a very homey vibe. Most of all, we were surrounded by the calmness of nature. It was an addition to the vibe that we tried to create for our wedding.” Every destination wedding, no matter how close or far from home, is the most enjoyable when it’s hassle-free. Veer and Neesha’s wedding celebrations ran smoothly due to excellent hospitality and other logistical arrangements.

Wedding Functions

Mehndi
The wedding festivities commenced with the sangeet ceremony which had a beach carnival vibe with a touch of Arabian elements. The ocean tides and beach rendered the perfect sundown setup for the celebrations. The event was held at the beachfront of the resort, and the couple booked multiple entertainment acts for the evening such as fire acts, belly dancers, and carnival girls. An assortment of fireworks lit up the sky as a kickstart to the wedding celebrations.

Sangeet
The sangeet ceremony had a completely different vibe as compared to the mehndi ceremony. Neesha shares, “The Sangeet was more of an urban countryside setup. We used a lot of dry grass elements and created a western countryside look. Natural jute and wood boxes and trunks were some of the elements used to create our countryside event.”

Haldi
The haldi ceremony was a playful affair as Neesha’s friends and family members doused her in turmeric paste from top to bottom. The bride looked adorable as she posed with her gang of girls in all her glowing glory.

Wedding
For the wedding, Neesha and Veer wanted to focus on the beautiful nature around them. The splendid surroundings, candid moments and sweet gestures made for the perfect frames. The bride shares the inspiration behind the minimalistic set-up, “The location itself was so scenic and mesmerizing that we didn’t need to use a lot of elements to enhance the nature/forest look. We created the look of a forest on the cliff for the wedding, and it stood out even more during the day.”

Reception
The reception was the perfect chance for the bride, groom and the wedding guests to dance and celebrate. The bride and groom wore complementing western outfits in shades of burgundy for the event and enjoyed every moment of the festivities.

Advice for Couples
Having planned a destination wedding herself, the bride advises, “For destination weddings start hunting for locations and book vendors a year in advance to make the process easy and smooth. And always do a weather check for every destination you have in mind.”

The Wedding Makers:
Venue: Anantara Kalutara Resort, Sri Lanka
Wedding Planner: Laksh Events, Vadodara, Gujarat
Hospitality and Logistics: Laksh Events, The HNL Desk
Decor Design and Execution: Laksh Events
Groom’s Outfits: JD Designs, Mumbai
Bride’s Outfits: AMPM Fashions (Mehndi ceremony), Ayushi Bhasin (Mehndi Sundowner), Manoj Agarrwal (Sangeet), Anita Dongre (Wedding), Gaurav Gupta (Cocktail Reception)
Makeup: Sonic Sarwate
Hairstylist: Meena Agarwal
E-Invitations and Stationery: CJS Studio Arte

Photography: Priyam Parikh Pictures

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