Riddhi and Rushabh, Vivanta by Taj President, Mumbai

She changed one costume at the last minute, and he forgot his reception outfit at home. Yet, despite the delays and stress, Riddhi and Rushabh’s wedding was marked with joy, color and standout style. Here, bride Riddhi shares highlights of the celebrations.

How We Met
“I first met Rushabh’s mother long before I even saw him. She and I have known each other since the time I used to go to their house to learn yoga. We got along really well, and our mothers are part of the same social. When my parents started looking for a groom for me, a mutual friend suggested that I get introduced to Rushabh. The first time we met, he came to pick me up and said a simple ‘Hi’ to me in the car. I looked at him and I knew this was it! When I got back home, my mother asked me how I felt about him. I replied that I had a good feeling about him because he was wearing shoes for coffee! I thought Rushabh was well educated, had good manners and had made the effort to dress up for me – he was a keeper!”

Wedding Proposal
“Since ours was an arranged marriage there wasn’t a formal proposal from him. However, our wedding was finalized within four days of our first meeting on April 13 this year. I left for Baroda the next day for a two-day visit. Throughout my trip there, we spoke over the phone for fourteen hours! When I got back, both of us said a ‘Yes’ to each other, and April 17, we were through with the exchange of ‘shagun’ (ceremony where the groom’s mother gives gifts or ‘shagun’ to bride’s mother who accepts it signifying that a bride has consented to the marriage).”

Wedding Venue
The wedding took place at the chic Vivanta by Taj, at Cuffe Parade in Mumbai. The stylish hotel served as the perfect setting for the nuptials and suited the couple’s sophisticated tastes.

Wedding Functions

Haldi
“Both our ‘haldi’ (turmeric application) ceremonies took place at our respective houses. The guest list for my function was really small, which allowed us to be at ease and have a whole lot of fun. This ceremony was so informal that I wore my night suit, and Rushabh wore a pair of shorts, for it!”

Mehndi
“My mehndi decor was inspired by Punjab and to match to the mood, the banquet was decorated with garlands of gendas (marigolds). My mother had arranged for a market-like set up in one section where we placed ethnic earrings, hairclips, and bangles as wedding favors for our guests. To keep the guests entertained, we hired ‘bhangra’ (Punjabi folk dance) performers, and when all my uncles entered the venue they were accompanied by the dance troupe.”

Sangeet
“For my sangeet, the venue was decorated to exude the vibe of royalty and the lead up was filled with insane twists. We had had a smaller function in the morning that day for which my family and I woke up at 5 am. We returned after lunch and the plan was to nap until 6 pm, and then get ready for the event which would begin at 8 pm. We, however, were so exhausted from waking up so early that the whole family kept sleeping till 7.30 pm! To add to that, I decided to switch my sangeet outfit with what I had decided to wear at the reception. When I saw myself after getting ready, something looked amiss, so at the very last minute I pulled out a tiara from my cupboard and asked my hairstylist to fix it on my head. Never have ever I rushed for anything as much as I did for my sangeet! But when I showed up at the event, I was glad for my last minute changes and choices. Since the theme for the sangeet was all things royal, my gown from Kamali in New Delhi proved to be a perfect choice, and the tiara helped in completing my look that suited the ambiance.”

Wedding
“For my wedding, my brother along with my decorator Sahil Giwani turned the venue into an ethereal wonder. The whole place was decorated with white lilies, and the mandap followed the same color code. I could not have even imagined a more mesmerizing setup. I wore a handcrafted red lehenga from Sagar Couture while Rushabh was dressed in a sherwani from Just Men. Rushabh wanted me to also be present during the welcome for the groom’s procession or the ‘Baraat Swagat’. However, I could not do so as it did not comply with our rituals. However, my mother decided to dance to welcome her son-in-law. It was such a sweet gesture and it got everyone talking!”

Reception
“My reception them was in sync with the wedding decor, therefore the white lilies were an integral part of the decorations here as well. My outfit for this function was from Frontier Raas, New Delhi. Since I was the cause of the hour-long delay at our sangeet, it was now Rushabh’s turn to do the same! As all of us were getting ready for the function when he realized that he had forgotten his suit at home! We had to send someone all the way back from Cuffe Parade to pick up this clothes. This was the second delay in our functions, but our gracious guests waited for us nonetheless.”

Advice For Couples
“Don’t get too involved with the planning process of your wedding. You will have no time to eat the food or admire the decor. Just go with the flow and trust your family to do their best and make this the most special affair of your life. All you need to focus on is enjoying yourself as much as you can. Also, remember to get a good photographer. Camera Crew, who shot our wedding, were so wonderful to work with. The entire team was there from the beginning until the end of every event quietly capturing every special moment and expression. Once the days of the wedding are over, you will want to revisit them, and without a good photographer, you may feel like you are at a loss.”

Wedding Makers
Location: Vivanta by Taj President, Mumbai
Decor: Fleuron Decor (Sahil Gidwani)
Bride’s Outfits: Kamaali Couture, Delhi NCR (Sangeet), Sagar Couture, Mumbai (Wedding), Frontier Raas (Reception)
Jewellery: Arena Jewellers, Dhedia Jewellers
Groom’s Outfits: Just Men (Mehndi), Just Men (Sangeet), Sabyasachi (Wedding) Just Men (Reception)

Photography: Camera Crew

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