Incorporating two cultures in a wedding is no easy task. But Chandni and Avi rose to the challenge as it gave them a chance to create something uniquely them. According to lovely bride Chandni, the double wedding ceremony followed by the court marriage gave the couple a chance to say their vows not once but three times! “The weather was perfect and with loved ones in attendance, the 2-week long celebration was everything I had ever dreamed of!” Read the details as to how Chandni and Avi worked hard to personalize this classic wedding. All images courtesy of Camera Crew.
We met
Avi and I met on 16th February 2013 through a mutual friend who, together with me, played a prank on Avi. He sought to play a prank back and ensured that we met officially, only to then fall in love and later get married on 16th February 2017.
Our proposal…
We are absolute millennials. I was working in Dubai and Avi left Dubai to pursue his MBA from ISB – Hyderabad. He proposed through Skype- aren’t we the trendsetters! His exact words were “Talk to dad or I’m calling him” – How romantic is that! But there was no doubt in our minds that this was exactly what we wanted, to be together for eternity. We’re best friends, and nothing could be better than getting married to your best friend.
Our wedding theme/colours…
Avi is Tamilian and I am a Punjabi. Do I need to say more? We are a completely filmy couple, and therefore our theme of the wedding was “2 States”. In all, we got married 3 times; The Punjabi Wedding, The Tamilian Wedding and The Court Marriage. Who can say that we haven’t sworn to be together for life, we’ve sworn 3 times if once wasn’t enough!
The engagement ceremony
Our colour scheme
It was neutral and we went for pastel colours with hints of blue orchids wherever possible (It is our favourite flower and colour).
My dresses
Here’s a list for you aspiring ladies out there:
My first function was the engagement, for which I wore a graceful, beautiful and elegant gown by Shantanu and Nikhil. Trust me ladies, this outfit was magical, it made me feel like a princess and all eyes were glued on it. It had just arrived in their showroom on the day I went shopping (which by the way was just a week before the wedding), and I kid you not, they were amazing in altering it and delivering it on time. Remember girls, it’s ok to be late, just don’t panic and let the ladies in the house help you out. The designers are familiar with Indian weddings and know when and how to deliver the outfits. Leave it to them to sort out the rest. Just stay calm and go shopping like any other day.
The Mehendi
My second function was Mehendi. For it, I wore a beautiful floral outfit by Payal Singhal. I was lucky to have her clothes on display in Dubai and this was one of the first outfits I had purchased. The glamorous signature-look of Payal’s was displayed all over the outfit and, trust me, it made me feel special.
The Sangeet
The third function was Sangeet. We had a Punjabi theme for this function which depicted Patialas and Peshawari Dhotis. Wow was it a task to look for an outfit for it! Exactly a week to the Sangeet and guess where I found the perfect outfit for myself! Tarun Tahiliani, whose signature look is Dhotis. You will shine in Tarun’s outfit and you will stand out. His subtle and delicate work is intricately crafted on his outfits. With soft and silky material, you are bound to feel comfortable, beautiful and elegant.
And finally the 2 days of the wedding ceremonies. My Gurudawara wedding attire was from Mayyur Girotra. The subtle pastel colours of the wedding attire allowed me to be exactly what I wanted, the unconventional bride. Away from the reds, I opted for pastel pink and soft green, which worked wonderfully for a day wedding. Mayyur himself mans his store in Delhi and ensures that the bride feels what she deserves; happiness.
My Tamilian wedding outfit was a beautiful Kanjivaram Saree from Chennai. The beautifully handcrafted cloth draped amazing well on my body and dressed me into a Tamilian bride.
My Hair and Makeup
I’m not much of a makeup and hair person, those who know me also know that I have very little knowledge of this topic. However, I survived, and for each event I had a different stylist. My top two events; the engagement and the wedding I went with Jasmeet Kapany, she’s one of the top-rated makeup artists available in NCR at the moment and was recommended to me by a couple of people, including my wedding planner, and boy was she a great choice! For the Mehendi I wanted subtle day makeup and went ahead with Komal Gulati, who not only does superb makeup but has a great team on hand. Finally, for my Sangeet I opted for Jasmine Anand, a beautiful lady and a cousin of a friend’s. Bless her soul, even with high fever, she was there for my big day.
Make sure to always get a trial done, but even if you don’t, fret not. Makeup artists have been practicing on various people for a while, just ensure you tell them what type of hair and makeup you want. I reached Delhi only 10 days before my wedding, and had no time to get a trial done. But all the ladies were amazing and stayed in touch with me on whatsapp or skype. I had sent them my hairstyle and makeup choices through pictures and was guided perfectly by them on what would look good.
His suit
Guys are the simplest people on earth! They don’t worry about their hair, clothes, shoes etc. Avi is simpler than the simplest, he is neither brand conscious nor worries about the style much, till the time it looks good on him and is priced reasonably. What I definitely like about Avi is that he thinks ahead. He chooses only those that he can wear again (think of it like an investment). But leave it to the men to do their shopping. We girls sometimes go overboard and want to shop for them as well. Remember to only focus on yourself, the guys will look after themselves. India has made shopping for men very easy, you go into one store and buy everything from top to bottom. And my dear husband did exactly the same. He walked into Karan & Moin and walked out with all his shopping in his hand (including shoes, pocket square, tie, cufflink and jutti). Now that’s smart shopping!
What our bridal party wore
Bridal party consists of a lot of family members, just know that they’ll start shopping much ahead of you. And that’s good. Because by the time the weddings comes closer, you’ll have to be the focal point of their attention. Don’t worry much about the bridal party, they are much organized than you and will always be, and trust me, that’s something you surely want. Leave them to do their work, they have much more to do than you, they have your in-laws to worry about!
Our 5 day wedding affair started with a bang and culminated with a bang. Our ceremonies were not the typical big fat Punjabi wedding, but they were no less than one either. There was full on entertainment ranging from DJs, belly dancers, dhol wala, Tanoura dancers, shehnai and family performances. The perfect blend of Punjabi, Tamilian and Arab entertainment.
The jewelry and dress
Baraat
Our photographer
I fall short of words when I have to describe our photographer: Camera Crew. Their name describes them perfectly, they are a crew who is there in every corner capturing every moment of yours. They don’t miss a shot or a moment. Their team blend in with the crowd, they are literally your family and friends who are part of the fun. Camera Crew consists of Rajesh, Ashhish and their team and all are beyond professional. They get to know you even before your functions begin. Like I said, they become family. It was one of my best decisions to have picked this team, they were in my face the whole time, and I kid you not, as a bride that’s exactly what you want. Oh and I must mention, they made my dream come true as well, I got to maneuver their drone!
Wedding planners
After my family and husband, my wedding planners were my support system. They looked after every small inch and minute detail that even you as a bride won’t think about during the wedding. From decorations, to entertainment, to getting your choice on board, they do it all. And perfectly. I still remember, I told Gunjan and Kunwar just once that I love blue orchids, I never had to mention it again, they surprised me with the same wherever they could. They are your two brothers who sit right next to you and make sure you’re okay. They’ll even go to the extent of making you laugh when you’re just about to burst into tears.
Venue and Menu
Our major venues were Country Inn (where the whole fam jam stayed, including me), Courtyard Marriott which held the engagement ceremony and the Gurudawara in H Block Gurgaon for the wedding ceremony. We chose these places ‘cause all are less than a 5 minute drive, and if you’re from Gurgaon and Delhi, you know that it makes a huge difference to pick venues close to each other to avoid the crazy traffic during wedding season.
Each of these places had in house meals prepared for us. We obviously sat with them a week before to finalize the menu and boy was I ecstatic! My request from all of them was a fusion menu. Gone are the days when you will stick to the typical dal chawal and roti, I wanted something different. Coming from Dubai and Delhi where fusion food is a hit along with gastronomy, you are sure to know that fusion food is a big deal for me. Moreover, it was a fusion wedding so why not the food as well.
For the wedding in the Gurudawara we got catering done from ‘Fork n Spoon’, and OMG was the food mouth-watering. Their service along with the delicious innovative delicacies just melted your heart, mouth and soul into one. Try them out, I promise you won’t go wrong.
Our honeymoon
The most awaited and favourite part of this blog! Our honeymoon! You could say the honeymoon was an encouragement towards keeping our patience during the wedding. An Indian wedding can take a toll on you, by the time it’s over you’re exhausted and somewhat fall a little sick as well. That’s why honeymoon was created, a runaway with your husband for some time. Take it immediately, don’t wait for next month to go on a runaway.
Avi and I love beaches, food, and exploring places. Therefore, we chose the place which has it all: Bali – Indonesia. Amongst the beautiful archipelago lies a small dot called Bali. The serene water, the tranquil temples, the exotic food, the humblest people and a clean city all blended into one. A place famous for nomads is a place that you don’t feel like leaving. If we had a choice, we would have spent months living on that land.
One place I would definitely ask you to book and try while you’re in Bali is the glamping tents. The last 3 days of our 8 day stay in Bali, we stayed at Sandat Glamping tents in Ubud. Away from the city and within the forest, this glamourous camping is a must try. We even fell in love with a new kind of lizard there called Gecko!
My favourite part of the wedding day
Weddings can be stressful, and no one feels it more than your family. My favourite part of the wedding consisted of my entire family being there for me and making me smile and laugh. Half my worries went away just by seeing them around me. They put in their heart and soul to make these days the most memorable for you, and that stays with you forever.
My piece of advice for other brides
Relax, breathe and take it easy! Yes, easier said than done. But trust me, I know! I picked my outfits just a week to 10 days before the wedding and it all worked out perfectly. Map things out, organize yourself, create timelines and charts, but don’t go crazy! I ran around in my office screaming that I want to get married in jeans, do it, scream, let it all out, but in the end, think with a calm mind and action with an even calmer mind. Everyone around you is professional, from the wedding planners to the makeup artists, let them do their job. You concentrate on yourself and let the family handle everything else. Remember to be yourself, don’t get pressurized into the typical, traditional, orthodox, high-fi stuff! Let your outfits reflect you, even if it means getting married in jeans. Just be yourself and ENJOY, this day won’t come back.
