Twisha and Siddharth, Mumbai

A classic case of opposites attract, Twisha Sanghavi and Siddharth Mehta first crossed paths in a traditional arranged marriage set up. And once they opened up to each other, there was just no looking back! Despite the uncertain times that hindered their wedding plans, the duo with sheer determination stuck to their initial plans by tying the knot on the date they’d originally fixed. Hosted at the plush Taj Lands End, Mumbai, where they creatively used the vast and lush open spaces, their wedding was a delight for the senses. WeddingSutra Favorite – The Photo Lab captured their wedding in stunning photographs with their unbridled skill and gave the couple a treasure trove of memories to cherish for a lifetime. On the cinematography front, WeddingSutra Favorite – Magic Motion Media left no stone unturned as they thoroughly captured every detail in frames that aptly expressed the plethora of emotions that everyone felt at the nuptials.

How They Met
Twisha shares, “Siddharth and I are two very different personalities, and had it not been for an arranged marriage setup I think we would have never crossed paths. But as fate would have it, we were meant to be! I still remember the first time we met in 2019, we both were quite sure that we would not be able to get along at all. But, I think we just needed a little push to go beyond our boxed versions of what an ideal life partner would be for us, which our parents did by playing cupid. Both our families decided to meet and encouraged us to give it another shot. At first, we did meet each other with a lot of preconceived notions but once we let our guards down there was no looking back!

The Proposal
“Having met each other through an arranged marriage setup we both had kind of dismissed the whole idea of a proposal. In fact, Siddharth had constantly emphasized that it was not for us because he didn’t want me to expect it when he actually was secretly planning it all along! It was my birthday morning when he told me that we should head out for a long drive and have a lunch date at Lonavala to spend quality time together. On hearing this I was really excited since we hadn’t been out alone since the lockdown and this was the perfect plan! During the drive he took it slow taking food pit-stops on the way and didn’t want to rush to the destination. Little did I know that this was because there was some delay happening behind the scenes.

Siddharth and I both are close to our family and value relationships a lot so he went the old school way and made sure that both our immediate families were present for the proposal that he had so meticulously planned. As we were approaching the destination, he blindfolded me so that I could not see everyone present there. As I got down, I could faintly hear some camera clicks but it was all happening so fast that I had no time to take any guesses. And, as he opened the blindfold, I saw that we were standing below a beautiful floral arch which was flanked by balloons spelling out ‘Will You Marry Me?’ At that moment, I was overcome with so many emotions! Then when I turned to look back, Siddharth was down on one knee with a ring in his hand. I couldn’t even hear his exact words because I was so overcome with emotions! At that moment I just knew that I could not have asked for anyone better to spend my life with.”

Wedding Venue
“We had started scouting for venues pretty early on, in fact, right after our roka in 2019 despite the wedding being planned for late 2020, early 2021. Both of us wanted to have our phere in an open-air location where we could fit in a long guest list. In our quest, we did visit a lot of properties, but none fit the bill. Then, we came across Taj Lands End, Mumbai, and were blown away. Thanks to WeddingSutra’s Editorial Shoots, I’d visited Taj Lands End a couple of times and had always appreciated the beauty of the property. Fortunately, when we approached them to host our wedding, their entire team was extremely welcoming and organized. The whole place had such a nice vibe to it and the idea of a sundowner phere with a sea view in the heart of Mumbai was a dream come true for us!

We had selected the venue just a couple of days before the lockdown and little did we know that the whole scenario would change. But thankfully, Taj was quite accommodating as they helped us plan our wedding on the same date we had fixed and with all safety precautions in place.” says Twisha.

Wedding Planning
Knowing the importance of having a reliable team at hand to orchestrate their big day Twisha and Siddharth selected seasoned vendors to guide and help them through the labyrinth of tasks. On the photography front, they chose The Photo Lab who stunned the duo with each beautiful shot. Gushing about the photography team the bride shares, “The Photo Lab has covered our journey right from the start and they have captured not just us but the entire immediate family so efficiently. The team is very composed, punctual, and tries to accommodate your every need.”

For the cinematography, they selected Magic Motion Media who ensured that each detail of the union was captured through their lenses. Talking about her experience with team Magic Motion Media, Twisha shares, “I’ve been a big fan of their work for a while now and their way of storytelling is really unique. All the team members were so friendly and they wholeheartedly went out of their way to ensure that everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly.”

And, to make sure the bride looked stunning in each shot, WeddingSutra Favourite – makeup artist Richa Thakkar, crafted a look that highlighted her natural beauty. Twisha shares, “ Richa had previously done my makeup for the WeddingSutra Editorial Shoot and I loved the way she made me look! From then on, I was quite sure that I wanted her to be my makeup artist on the big day. Each look she created was so different and yet I could carry them confidently. Her team did the makeup for my family members as well and we were amazed by their versatility.”

Adding to the team were decorators JR Events, Ideas & Concepts, Decor By GauravS, Fleuron & Co. along with, planners Black Rose Events and Entertainment, and ANB Events.

Weddings Functions

Mehndi
Twisha shares, “It was almost New Year’s Eve and everyone was eager to usher in the New Year. But for me, it was the beginning of a new chapter in my life! We had a small Mehndi ceremony at home with only a few of my friends. Also, to make the occasion even more special my friends surprised me with a dance performance. Even my Mehndi design was customized to include all the elements which chronicled our story, right from the date we first met to our wedding date.”

Mandap Muhurat and Haldi
Hosted separately, the bride and groom’s mandap muhurat and haldi functions were close-knit events where they had plenty of fun with their loved ones. Describing Siddharth’s mandap muhurat and haldi, Twisha shares, “The decor was fun and quirky! Adorned with artificial flowers and colorful drapes the pooja stage looked fantastic. For his haldi, however, we stuck to a more traditional South Indian-inspired decor with huge banana leaves accompanied by a vibrant floral mustache and turban. Traditionally the bride and groom don’t meet or apply Haldi to each other once the Mandap Muhurat is done. But Siddharth and I were very clear that we wanted to be a part of each other’s celebrations.”

As she describes her own mandap muhurat and haldi functions, Twisha shares, “The color theme for the guests and the décor was pink, orange, and yellow keeping in mind the two functions. Decor-wise everything was kept simple with colorful drapes and small floral arrangements for extra enhancement.

Carnival and Sangeet
“We wanted to have a fun celebration before the wedding where everyone could just let loose and hence, we chose a carnival theme. But instead of having the traditional games and stalls, we had unique games like Angry Birds, life-size Jenga, and Pinball Maze. Additionally, we also had a kite-flying competition between the girls’ side and the boys’ side, a live photo booth station where people could get their mug-shot printed on mugs, a live bangle stall, and a tattoo mehendi stall. Moreover, the men were also given pocket squares and masks as giveaways.

Also, since both of us aren’t too fond of choreographed dance routines, we decided to have a performer who could make people dance non-stop for 3 hours. Gurdeep Mehndi, Daler Mehndi’s son, was undoubtedly the best choice, and to make sure we didn’t miss a step, both of us wore sneakers with our outfits!” shares Twisha.

Wedding
Twisha tells us, “We had the perfect venue for the wedding so we didn’t want to go overboard with the décor and create structures but we wanted something which would be in sync with the whole vibe of the place. Hence, we decided to go for a boho rustic theme with lots of pampas grass and artificial flowers. Our decorators understood our vision perfectly and created an enchanting Varmala stage and a mandap to go along with it. Also, to show my love for Siddharth, I danced my way to the Varmala stage with all my friends in tow, and the second bridal entry towards the mandap was dedicated to my family as I walked the aisle to a voiceover recorded by me which was followed by the song ‘Tere Naal Ishqa’. During the phere, Vedic chants lent the venue a magical vibe, as we both embarked on a new adventure.”

Additionally, Twisha also surprised Siddharth with a heartfelt note that took him off guard. Describing the adorable moment, Twisha shares, “We said ‘yes’ to each other on 3rd November 2019 and every month since then, I would write him a note or a letter that reminisced on our journey together. And on our wedding day too, I presented him with a similar note and he almost had tears in his eyes as he read it.”

Normally, the bidaai after the marriage is expected to be an emotionally fuelled ritual where tears are shed by the bride and her family members. But for Twisha it was an occasion of happiness as her joy overtook her sadness. She shares, “Being an emotional person by nature, my family and I had expected a teary bidaai. But the happiness of getting married to someone who loves and respects me unconditionally was so overwhelming that I couldn’t find a tear to shed! Everyone, on the other hand, was quite emotional but I just couldn’t stop smiling.

In fact, we also witnessed unexpected showers, in the month of January right at the end of our reception. It almost felt like a divine sign!”

Reception
The happy bride shares, “For the reception we wanted to have a classy décor with minimal colors, and following this concept, the entire venue was beautifully lit up and the lawns resembled a sky full of stars from our point of view as we stood in front of a monogrammed backdrop. Additionally, I also had a surprise speech for both our families and Siddharth prior to the reception. Also, to keep the guests entertained, melodious siblings Deepsikha and Priyanka kept everyone enthralled with their tunes.”

Advice for Couples
“Plan but don’t go overboard with it. Don’t let the wedding planning get to you and your partner! You may have to let go of certain things and be inclusive of the other person’s views as well. It is never just ‘your’ wedding or just ‘his’ wedding it is always ‘our’ wedding. So you win some and you lose some happily.” advises Twisha.

The Wedding Makers
Venues: Shree Manav Seva Sangh (Groom’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi), MCA The Lounge (Bride’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi), Canto – Restaurant and Banquet (Carnival and Sangeet), Taj Lands End (Wedding)
Wedding Planners: Black Rose Events and Entertainment (Carnival and Sangeet), ANB Events (Wedding)
Décor: JR Events, Ideas & Concepts (Groom’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi), Decor By GauravS (Carnival and Sangeet), Fleuron & Co. (Wedding)
Groom’s Outfits: Cross Seams (Lagan Lakhvanu, Groom’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi), Mukti Tibrewal Couture (Bride’s Haldi, Carnival and Sangeet, Wedding)
Bride’s Outfits: Khatri Jamnadas Becharadas (Lagan Lakhvanu), Kosha – Pooja J (Groom’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi, Carnival and Sangeet), Roopmilan (Bride’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi), Bharti’s (Wedding)
Jewelry: Shobha Shringar Jewellers (Lagan Lakhvanu), BA Shah & Sons Jewellers (Groom’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi), Sumantra Fine Jewels (Bride’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi), Dedhia Jewellers (Carnival and Sangeet), Zahairaa (Wedding)
Makeup: Richa Thakkar
Mehndi: Hansa Gajra
Entertainment: Gurdeep Mehndi (Carnival and Sangeet), Black Rose Events (Groom’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi), Harmony Events (Bride’s Mandap Muhurat and Haldi), Swapnil Mistry (Wedding), Deepsikha & Priyanka (Reception)
Wedding Invitations: Manasi Creations
Photography: The Photo Lab
Videography/Cinematography: Magic Motion Media

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