Tejal Karlekar and Kelvin Fernandes, Gallops, Mumbai

Surrounded by greenery amidst the hustle and bustle of Mumbai, the founders of Urban Foodaholics – Tejal Karlekar and Kelvin Fernandes’ wedding in the pleasant month of December was picture perfect. Hosted at the picturesque and iconic Gallops, their union refreshed the eyes with its stunning views of the renowned Mahalaxmi Racecourse. Decorated by WeddingSutra Favorite – Dream Designs, the decor was a real treat for the senses with its artful use of dainty florals and nature-based elements. Photographing their union was WeddingSutra Favorite – Shades Photography who accurately comprehended the couple’s aesthetic sense and gave them an array of pictures to cherish for life. Spearheading the videography was WeddingSutra Favorite – Three Little Words who with their mastery behind the lenses captured heartfelt moments of the couple and their families.

How They Met
Tejal shares, “Kelvin and I met via mutual friends way back in 2014 and we connected over our love for food. It all started with chatting over Instagram. Jointly experimenting with different foods led us to build a microblog called ‘Urban Foodaholics’ on Instagram. From watching his football games occasionally to bonding over some of our favorite restaurants and lounges in Mumbai, we were closely connected every single day.”

Wedding Venue
“Due to our mutual love for beaches, we considered Goa for our destination wedding. We also scouted a few properties and met some vendors in Goa. However, with the uncertainty of the pandemic and our dates being shuffled around, we switched to Mumbai. I was very particular about choosing the venue for my wedding. My priorities were clear – loads of foliage, open-air, trees around and a vintage bohemian vibe. Amidst this concrete jungle, we planned a visit to one of our favorite restaurants to dine at – Gallops. We have always loved Gallops’, with its old-world charm and the way the space breathes vintage vibes laden with foliage not to mention its classic wood work. The outdoor space of Gallops was perfect for our D-day with an age-old tree that was adorned with suspended crystals shining in the morning sunlight as they brushed over our dreamy mandap. Since it was a morning wedding, I had visualized the gentle sunlight peeking through the leaves of the gigantic tree with suspended crystals that sparkled beautifully. The foliage-covered antique vibe is what we loved the most about the venue and it was just what we were looking for. A special thanks to Gallops’ head chef and owner Yajush Malik who painstakingly curated our wedding menu and supported us throughout the planning process of the venue”, shares Tejal.

Wedding Planning
For their December wedding, the couple zeroed in on reliable vendors who would make their dream wedding come to life. Tejal shares, “The pandemic disrupted our plans twice and we postponed our wedding to the end of 2021 in December. However, everything turned out just beautifully as we had some amazing vendors on our wedding squad.” The decor spearheaded by Dream Designs by Roxana Buhariwala looked out of this world. Bride Tejal shares, “From the day I first met team Dream Designs, I just knew that my dream wedding decor will turn out just like how I had envisioned it! With a ‘Morning in a Vintage Garden’ theme, the decor brimmed with dainty florals and foliage. Keeping the sunny weather in mind, the decor team also equipped each guest table with cheery umbrellas. Every detail was looked into thoroughly so I could easily enjoy my big day to the fullest! We also made Kelvin’s late father part of the ceremony whereby the team customized a floral-laden Chiavari chair to hold his father’s photo as we took the vows. Thank you so much Dream Designs for accommodating my custom requests and making our day super special.” Adding to the team was Shades Photography who gave Tejal and Kelvin a treasure trove of memories. She shares, “I have always adored the aesthetics of Shades Photography and their careful editing process. Their team did a great job in capturing intimate moments at the ceremony and made it all so seamless. The photos do the talking and I can’t help but browse through them once every few days.”

For a wedding as beautiful as this, an excellent videographer is a game-changer. Knowing this Tejal looped in Three Little Words who understood her brief accurately! She shares “I’ve known team Three Little Words for a while now and we shared a love for editorial style shots and dreamy portraits. Spurred by this, I decided to book them and they were amazing. With a pre-planned brief in place backed by their fantastic skills behind the camera, I let the team take over on the main wedding day – from getting ready to our pheras, they had it all covered effortlessly. Thanks for being there Three Little Words and also guiding us throughout the process.”

Planning your own wedding is not a cakewalk. Thankfully for Tejal, this process was simplified with what she considers one of the most trusted sources of information and inspiration, i.e., WeddingSutra. Tejal shares, “I’ve been planning my wedding for years, and over time, WeddingSutra has become my go-to place for the latest trends, reliable vendors and fresh ideas. I was constantly inspired by them and kept updating my mood board with the latest trends and aesthetics. We were blessed to have WeddingSutra on speed dial in case of any wedding planning queries that popped up. Planning your own wedding as a couple is not an easy task, but WeddingSutra made it a smooth journey for us both.”

Weddings Functions
Mehndi
Tejal shares, “Due to the pandemic, we canceled our well-planned Mehndi and Cocktail events that were supposed to be hosted at two different locations in Mumbai. Instead, we hosted a cozy Mehndi ceremony at Kelvin’s home with DIY décor. Kelvin, me and Kelvin’s brother decorated the entire home with a tulle canopy which doubled up as a seating area. Floral strings and tulle drapes added to the dreamy factor while terrariums, urlis, terracotta idols, candle votives and fairy lights added a dash of vintage charm.”

“I wore a stunning tropical print lehenga that featured a pink sequin bustier blouse and a feather-light nude crepe lehenga skirt with foliage digital print.” Describing her customised mehndi design, she adds, “Aksha Shah was extremely accommodating and her team customized a mehndi design especially me. In the design, I included milestones from Kelvin and my relationship like a Goa skyline that included a church, a beach landscape, some of our favorite delicacies, and of course, the logo of Kelvin’s favorite football team – Manchester United! Everyone was in awe of the mehndi design.”

Wedding
Describing her big day in detail, bride Tejal shares, “We followed a ‘Morning in a Vintage Garden’ theme, and the decor included blooms like peonies, roses, pink carnations, baby’s breath, wisterias along with foliage. Everything just came together seamlessly and the entire outdoor space exuded whimsical vibes. Considering it would be sunny by the time the phere began, each guest’s round table was sheltered with an umbrella that was decorated with real roots of Banyan trees and dainty florals that were in sync with the mandap. The mandap was clad with florals in pink, white, blush pink, powder pink and peach along with a plethora of foliage-based accents. The mandap itself had a glass bottom with pale pink roses strewn beneath the panel. To welcome the guests, the entrance pathway was a dreamy sight with hundreds of white suspended wisterias that swayed with the breeze all day.
As the guests walked in, they were welcomed with a breath of fresh air and a beautiful view of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. Since it was an intimate wedding, we hosted just one function which was the main wedding. Keeping in mind the time of the day and everyone’s food preferences we chose a customized spread.” The wedding was also a heartwarming fusion of three different cultures as Tejal goes on to explain, “The Wedding was held as per Maharashtrian traditions with a contemporary touch. Kelvin is a Sindhi-Catholic, hence I fused in Catholic traditions by walking down the aisle with a five-meter-long tulle veil that I had customized for myself and held by my bridesmaids as I walked down the aisle to a romantic tune. I fused Sindhi elements in the wedding ensemble by wearing layered kundan necklaces instead of the traditional Maharashtrian gold necklaces, and a round nathni instead of a Maharashtrian nath. I wore a custom-made minimalistic crystal mundavlya to infuse the Maharashtrian tradition in the ceremony.” Describing her outfit, she adds, “Bougainvilleas are one of my favorite flowers and the moment I saw Abhinav Mishra’s hot pink lehenga from his Sahiba collection, I just knew I had to make it mine! The delicate way in which the bougainvilleas spread across its stunning backless choli, complete with the most gorgeous mirror latkans had my heart. The hot pink lehenga, however, was the highlight! Filled with the designer’s cascading mirrorwork paired with a bougainvillea print organza dupatta.”

Advice For Couples
Tejal shares, “Keep patient throughout the entire planning process, also, believe and trust your partner while making decisions. We suggest dividing the responsibilities between each other so that there is no back and forth across multiple things. Last but not the least, let go of the little things that got missed out during the wedding. Yes, a few things might not turn out the way you expected, but remember to have fun at your own wedding, because in the end, that’s all that matters. Arrive on time for your ceremonies and make sure you give enough time to your photographers and videographers to capture your portraits before as planned. Always have at least one bridesmaid shadowing you across the event when you’re getting ready and also during the ceremony.” Kelvin adds, “Plan your wedding events well in advance to ensure you get good deals at venues and also keep a buffer for any date changes. As a working professional, I would suggest getting a reality check of your dream wedding versus reality whilst considering your budget. Avoid hosting back-to-back ceremonies as that’ll give you and your guests some breathing space. Ensure that you pay utmost attention to the food that will be served because that is the first thing that the guests will remember about the wedding.”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Gallops, Mumbai (Wedding)
Décor: Dream Designs (Wedding)
Groom’s Outfits: Maanyavar (Mehndi), Vanshik (Wedding)
Bride’s Outfits: Mahima Mahajan (Mehndi), Abhinav Mishra (Wedding)
Jewellery: Azotiique and Tanishq (Wedding)
Accessories: Gehna Shop (Anklets), Özel (Potli)
Makeup and Hairstyling: Makeup by Bhagyashree Tanwar
Mehndi: Aksha Shah
Varmala: Dream Designs
DJ: DJ Osh
Photography: Shades Photography
Videography: Three Little Words

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