Prerna and Ankit, Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Bhopal
They tied the knot at sunrise at the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace in Bhopal. Check out Ankit and Prerna's wedding celebrations that included whimsical decor and regal settings
He zoomed to his wedding on a Segway, while she made her entry in a traditional palanquin. Here, bride Prerna shares highlights of her wedding to Ankit which was planned to perfection in the ‘City of Lakes’ – Bhopal, in Madhya Pradesh.
How We Met
“Ankit and I met through a typical arranged marriage setting. We instantly connected, and after being friends for a while, decided to take our relationship to another level through marriage.”
Wedding Venue
“Ankit always wanted to get married in a temple. So he chose to get a structure built in the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, which is one of the most beautiful properties in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. We wanted to perform our wedding rituals during sunrise and thought that this magnificent residential Palace, now a WelcomHeritage property, suited us best. Besides, we were besotted by the its architecture which lent our wedding a lovely vintage vibe.”
Built in the 1920s, the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace overlooks the Upper Lake in Bhopal. Noor-Us-Sabah means ‘The Light of Dawn’, and it was constructed by HH Hamid Ullah Khan for his eldest daughter Abida Sultan. Situated at an altitude, the Palace commands a beautiful view of the gardens, city and the lake. It is only minutes from the airport, making it very convenient for guests.
Wedding Planning
“We started the planning for our wedding about a year before the date got fixed. We would go to either Mumbai or New Delhi every month to attend bridal exhibitions and meet designers. We explored a lot of options when it came to photographers and wedding planners, and finally zeroed down on the best team for our wedding festivities.”
Wedding Entertainment
“We put special emphasis on the entertainment for every function. The highlight, however, was the pheras which had lovely music and bhajans. The ‘pandit’ (priest) was specially flown down from Visakhapatnam for our special day.”
Wedding Photography
“We were lucky to have found Monisha Ajgaonkar of The Photo Diary. She captured each and every nuance of the wedding perfectly and was a joy to work with.”
Wedding Functions
Mehndi
“Most of my bridal trousseau outfits were from Diva’ni, and its designer Parineeta completely understood our requirements and designed clothes accordingly. To match the romantic decor comprising dream catchers and colorful ribbons, I wore a red lightly embellished anarkali gown for the mehndi . This was because I wanted to remain comfortable and also enjoy the fun event.”
Sangeet & Cocktail
“Our sangeet and cocktail function was a night to reckon with as we wanted to make sure each and every detail was executed well. The decor for the evening was very glamorous and included fairy lights and lanterns. My sleeveless ivory white anarkali salwar from Monisha Jaising, paired with Farah Khan jewellery was a perfect accompaniment for this function, and perfectly matched Ankit’s mirrorwork sherwani.”
Wedding
“For our wedding decor, we got the structure of a temple built with the magical ‘mogra’ (jasmine flowers) decorations and temple bells. My entry was done in the most beautifully floral ‘doli’ (palanquin), while Ankit entered the mandap in a quirky Segway. I chose the most beautiful red embroidered lehenga with golden embellishments from Diva’ni, while Ankit resembled a royal Maharaja in his velvet green sherwani and red ‘safa’ (turban). My ‘jhumkas’ (ethnic earrings), necklace and ‘maang tikka’ (forehead ornament) were by Khanna jewelers, and helped in completing the overall bridal look.”
Reception
“We wanted to convert our childhood fantasies and dreams into reality, and therefore created a moon and a heart themed decor for our reception. It was a dreamy setting decorated with hanging iridescent lights and pastel florals. We even entered the venue through a moon-shaped background and stage setting. For this beautiful function, I wore a dark blue anarkali gown with from Diva’ni with gentle shimmer on it. I accessorized it with a diamond necklace from ND Diamonds in New Delhi – and a genuine smile that came from within.”
Any recommendations/ advice you’d like to share for other to-be-wed couple?
“It’s your day! So make the most of your wedding, dance and have fun as these memories will stay with you fora lifetime.”
The Wedding Makers
Location: Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Bhopal
Wedding Planners: The Wedding Soul, Mumbai
Bridal Trousseau: Diva’ni (Wedding & Mehndi), Monisha Jaising (Sangeet)
Jewellery: ND Diamonds, Farah Khan Fine Jewellery, Khanna Jewellers
Photography- The Photo Diary
