Svetana & Dhruwin, The Army Officers Club, Mumbai

Their story starts with a wedding and ends with one too! With remarkable dance performances at each function, talented dancer Svetana and Dhruwin hosted a fun wedding in Mumbai. Here, the bride shares moments from the special occasion.

How We Met
“While I am a professional dancer, Dhruwin went on to become a pilot after his MBBS. We met at my cousin’s wedding two years ago which was a five-day destination wedding to be specific! The celebrations began with a pool party, and I couldn’t help but notice this hot guy standing next to the groom. And that’s when the magic began. From there on, we spent the entire wedding together! We share a deep bond, but apart from that, we are very different! While I am loud, dramatic and extremely social, he likes to keep to himself and isn’t a fan of attention. When I tried to get him to kiss me during the wedding, he wanted us to know each other first and didn’t even budge a bit. Our differences can go on and on but our love cannot even be expressed through words.

The Proposal
“I always had a proposal envisioned but knowing Dhruwin, I knew it wasn’t his style. So, I decided to pop the question myself! It was perfect, but what he had in store for me was beyond my imagination. On a trip that we took after my proposal, he proposed marriage to me during scuba diving. The board he held said, “Will you marry me too?” It was amazing!”

Wedding Venue
“I always imagined a simple wedding and the lush lawns at The Army Officers Club, Mumbai was perfect for my dream wedding.”

Wedding Planning
“We did not have any wedding planner by our side, however, with the help of family and friends, the planning process was smooth. I had the perfect wedding within our budget and our photographers; The Sassy Souls also did a remarkable job! Deepti Jitani was my makeup artist for all functions, and she gave me just what I wished for – a subtly glowing visage. Also, while many thought I choreographed my wedding, I did not. The sangeet/cocktail night was choreographed by Akshay and Dionne. Akshay even hosted and planned the entire event. As for the reception and mehndi, my performances were choreographed by Team Naach.”

Wedding Functions
“While all of Dhruwin’s outfits were from Raymond, I got my ensembles designed by Nikita Shirodkar. She understood and created each outfit exactly like I asked her to, with references from Meraki by Nikki.S.”

Haldi & Mehndi
“We hosted my haldi and mehndi ceremony at the banquet hall of my parents’ house at Oberoi Woods. While the ceremony was called, ‘Henna.. Bolo Bolo,’ the color theme followed was green and white for the guests, and pink for the bridesmaids. We had simple yellow and white decor, just how I imagined. My parents arranged for a live singer as well! As for my attire, I opted for a simple look with a modern twist and wore a yellow dhoti saree with a pink corset which I teamed with floral jewellery and pink stilettoes.”

Sangeet/Cocktail
“The following evening, we hosted the sangeet at the Hardrock Cafe which was hands down the most epic night ever! Our invites for the event read, ‘Glam Up and Dance’ and that’s honestly what we all did! I wore my favorite color, white that night and with intricate embroidery, sheer fabric, and feathery elements, my outfit was a masterpiece. With most of my friends being amazing dancers, naturally, there were some performances lined up. However, my most special and unforgettable dance was the one with my father. Everyone walked out of the hall with sore feet and blurry memories!”

Wedding
“We hosted our wedding at The Army Officers Club at Juhu the next day, and I entered the venue with my bridesmaids to the song, ‘Din Shagna’ playing in the background, just like I always imagined! A moment that will always hold a special place in my heart is when I first saw Dhruwin with tears pooling in my eyes and saw him teary-eyed too! Our mandap was exactly how I wanted it to be, lit with nature’s best! And as for my ensemble, I was anything but the ‘typical bride,’ though I wore a traditional red lehenga with elaborate gold jewellery, I flaunted my red hair and 13 tattoos.”

Reception
“The last in the series of wedding celebrations – the reception was a grand one. We hosted it right after the wedding at another manicured lawn at Army Officer’s Club itself. Dhruwin and I entered the venue dancing to the tunes of, ‘Sooraj ki baahon mein’ after which the night continued with rounds of emotional and humorous toasts!”

Advice for Couples
“Do what you love and follow your heart; don’t stress about the ‘log kya kahenge’ (What will people say) part. Another important tip is to avoid alcohol during the wedding as it dries your skin. Besides I wanted to remember everything!”

The Wedding Makers
Venues: Hardrock Café (Sangeet/Cocktail), The Army Officers Club (Wedding and Reception).
Groom’s Outfits: Raymond
Bride’s Outfits: Nikita Shirodkar
Jewellery: Tanishq (Wedding)
Makeup Artist: Deepti Jitani
Choreography: Akshay and Dionne (Sangeet/Cocktail), Team Naach (Mehndi and Reception).

Photography: The Sassy Souls

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