Skincare Tips for women on the go

Apr 27, 2012 Fashion & Bridal Wear

Shreya Sen won the Women Wedding Photographers’ contest announced by WeddingSutra in honor of Womens Day. Shreya won a gift hamper of products from Kaya. We asked Shreya about her skin care regime. “I really do not get time to take care of my skin, so this gift hamper made for a great start. I’ve been motivated to use them regularly thanks to their light and non-greasy feel. And now I’m looking forward to the glow!”

Given the nature of her work, Shreya spends most of her working hours either at shoots or at weddings. She is exposed to various things like harsh lights, dust, the sun, greasy and heavy wedding food, different kinds of weather & water. These factors leave her skin feeling dry and grimy. Unlike other working women who are largely indoors, women like Shreya need a mild yet effective cleanser that can calm their skin after a long day. To protect their skin they need a moisturiser with sun protection that lasts for several hours, without being heavy or sticky.

Beauty Expert, Bhavna Kohli’s tip, for women on the go: “Drink adequate amount of water so that your skin is hydrated and supple. Invest in a good sunscreen that leaves your skin feeling light yet protected. Exfoliate atleast once in ten days so your skin feels renewed.”

Tags: outdoors, Skin Care, Women

Sunidhi’s Shaadi at Taj Land’s End, Mumbai

Apr 24, 2012 Celeb Weddings to Watch out for

Sunidhi’s engagement function was a simple, intimate function at her friends place. But we hear her wedding reception at the end of the month is going to be fairly big, though not extravagant affair.

The Pheras we hear will be a family-only affair in Goa after which the newly-weds host the reception at the most high-profile suburban wedding venue in Mumbai- Taj Land’s End. Sunidhi, according to friends is not too stressed about the preparations, since she has left most of the work to her Wedding Planners, Platinum World Weddings. According to sources, all the big names from Bollywood and the music industry have been invited, and the main Ballroom, and all the adjoining rooms of Taj Land’s End have been booked, since close to a thousand guests are expected to be there.

Sunidhi and her fiance Music Director Hitesh Sonik

Click here to see Sunidhi’s engagement photographs

Tags: Hitesh Sonik, Platinum World Weddings, Sunidhi Chauhan, Taj Lands End, wedding

Actors Sachiin & Urvashi’s Wedding Film

Apr 24, 2012 Celebrity Wedding Pictures

The beautiful Taj Vivanta overlooking the scenic Dal lake in Srinagar was the perfect setting for Sachiin Joshi and Urvashi Sharma’s wedding ceremony. Incidentally, this was the first wedding to be hosted by Taj Vivanta, Srinagar, paradise rediscovered, in a stylish new avatar. Perched on Kralsangri hill with finest panoramic views of Dal lake, it is a modern and contemporary space which has the essence of Kashmir wonderfully woven in.

Here is the wedding film, filmed by The Wedding Story (TWS) showcasing the best moments of the wedding ceremony. Says Harpreet Bachher of The Wedding Story: “After the film was edited, we decided to fade each moment into a sepia colour treatment – this was symbolic of Sachiin’s suggestion of fading the present into the past.”

The function was an intimate affair for family and close friends, after which the couple hosted a reception at JW Marriott in Juhu, Mumbai. Click here to see the reception photographs.

Film courtesy www.theweddingstory.in

Tags: Harpreet Bachher, Sachiin Joshi, Srinagar, Taj Vivanta, Urvashi Sharma, wedding

The Bling Wedding

Apr 23, 2012 Celebrity Wedding Pictures

Bappi Lahiri’s son Bappa wed Taneesha Verma at ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton on April 16. The pre and post wedding celebrations included the sangeet at Club Millennium, Juhu and the reception at JW Marriott. Several Bollywood biggies like the Bachchans and the who’s who from the music fraternity came to bless the couple. Known for his love for gold, Bappi ensured that the bride and the groom shone in the brightest and most ostensibly embellished golden outfits. The entire venue was decorated in bright golden hues.

See more pictures of the Wedding and the Reception

The Reception. Taneesha and her mother

The Family that Shines

Taneesha’s best friend, actress Shraddha Kapoor. Kiran Rao and her mother-in-law

Rani Mukherjee. Kajol Devgan.

Tags: Bappa Lahiri, Bappi Lahiri, Club Millennium, ITC Grand Maratha, JW Marriott, reception, Sangeet, Taneesha Verma, Wedding Photographs

Photography and Bridal Preparations@ Lakme Salon, Allahabad

Apr 23, 2012 Fashion & Bridal Wear

Lakme Salon conceptualised an exciting bridal contest wherein brides-to-be had to upload a stylish picture of themselves and get maximum votes to win a bridal outfit worth Rs One lakh and other wow prizes- a wedding photography package from Naina Redhu and a complete bridal makeover from Lakme Salon. Sanya from Allahabad won the contest.

Naina Redhu shares her experience of shooting the getting ready moments.

Sanya arrives at Lakme Salon in Civil Lines, Allahabad

The red Garaara that Sanya would be wearing for the wedding, presented to her by her mother-in-law. The makeup was based around the color of the outfit as well as the particular look that Sanya wanted. Sanya’s toes getting dried while her fingernails are being painted

The staff at Lakme Salon started prepping Sanya up with the basics. Red nail paint being applied to her toes

She giggles nervously as I try to get her to relax, typical wedding day nerves!

The Lakme staff then proceeded to fix Sanya’s hair the way she wanted them and also helped her wear the jewelry. It’s a rare opportunity to do a self-portrait when shooting a wedding assignment- when I do get a chance, I take it.

Her bare eyelashes as she relaxes on the chair while the make-up artist preps her kit

The eyelashes are now with mascara and a stick lash that was Sanya’s favorite

Those are Jaya’s hands as she prepares just the right shade of lipstick for Sanya- her hands were the palette and she worked like a painter

Sanya gets up from the chair for a first look at her makeup and she loved it!  Once the makeup was done, Sanya proceeded to wear more of her jewelry. In this case, her ear rings


And here, the ‘payal’ given to her by her mother-in-law

The Lakme staff helped her put on the nose ring as well and Sanya is now starting to look like a really really beautiful bride.

A closer look at the nose ring and the gorgeous red lipstick

She looks all set but there’s one thing missing- the jhumar. Sanya looks at herself in the mirror while waiting

The jhumar is here and the Lakme staff fix it for her.  After this, we headed to the venue to hopefully catch some portraits of the bride before the guests and the groom arrive.  At the venue, finally, a full length portrait of the bride just as twilight sets in

And we end with a closer look of Sanya just as we hear about the groom’s arrival

Photographs courtesy- www.knottytales.com

Tags: Ahmedabad, Bridal Preparation, Bride, Getting Ready Moments, Lakme Salon, Naina Redhu, Photography

Hitkaris host a grand engagement at The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai

Apr 20, 2012 Celeb Weddings to Watch out for

It was a dream setting at Mumbai’s most elegant wedding venue- The Ballroom of the Taj Mahal Hotel. Arjun, son of prominent socialites & business persons Debbie and Arun Hitkari got engaged to Gayatri Misra. The city’s crème de la crème were there- politicians Chhagan Bhujbal and Sanjay Dina Patil, glamour personalities Shoba De, Nisha Jamvwal, Isha Koppikar, Bhagyashree, Sheetal Mafatlal and designer Maheka Mirpuri. A host of corporate CEO’s including Noel Tata who made a rare appearance. His Holiness Shankarachaarya of Puri was the special guest.

The star entertainer was Sukhbir who belted out popular hits like ‘Gal ban gayi’, ‘gudinaal ishk mita’ ‘nachle soniye’.

Debbie and Arun Hitkari with Arjun and Gayatri

Isha Koppikar, Sheetal Mafatlal, Nisha Jamvwal

Kiran Juneja and Bhagyashree, Shoba De

Tags: Arjun Hitkari, Arun Hitkari, Debbie Hitkari, engagement, Gayatri Misra, Mumbai, Taj Mahal Hotel

Ideas for Pre-Wedding Shoots

Apr 17, 2012 Wedding Photographers

Text By Jaspreet Soni

Experimentation, fun and romance – pre-wedding shoots give couples the perfect opportunity to let go and enjoy unlike the hectic wedding day. Showcasing 5 contemporary candid wedding photographers and their take on pre-wedding shoots.

Ranu Mistry
Ranu Mistry says, “When Payal and Jaykishan approached me for their pre-wedding shoot, I decided to make it memorable by choosing a very historic location- Pavagadh in Champaner about 45 km from Vadodara, Gujarat where the couple live. It brought a very rustic feel to the shots.”
www.ranumistry.com

Anshum Mandore
When Tanya and Siddanth got in touch with Anshum for their pre-wedding shoot, Kaas plateau near Pune, also known as valley of flowers, was in full bloom.  “Cliched as it may sound, the place and weather was perfect for a Bollywood romance inspired shoot”, says Anshum.
www.anshumm.com

Avani and Abhinav Sah
Urvashi and Karan wanted some pictures for their wedding website. They had very clear idea that they wanted forts, palaces, gowns – a very romantic, Indian, almost filmy feel but in a sophisticated context. So they decided to get their pre-wedding shoot done by Avani and Abhinav Sah who made the pictures memorable by shooting at Jai Vilas palace, Amer Fort, Jai Mahal among other locations across Jaipur. As Urvashi says, “Weddings are magical and pre-wedding shoots make you feel special.”
http://www.photokhichega.com/

Events Capture
Harry Pandya of Events Capture says, “Since India is symbolic for its farms, we decided to do the pre-wedding shoot of Prachi and Jigar at a beautiful farm on the highway of Nadiad and Ahmedabad. The farm gave a very natural look and brought to fore the classic vibe of our nation. ”
http://www.eventscapture.com

Krunal Shah
Krunal did the pre-wedding shoot of Keyur and Payal in a local garden in Ahmedabad. Krunal says, “I wanted a locale where they could be in ‘their own world’. So I asked them which place they frequented when they were dating, so they could relive those fun, beautiful moments.”
krunalshah.m@gmail.c​om

Tags: Anshum Mandore, Avani Abhinav Sah, Harry Pandya, Ideas, Krunal Shah, Pre Wedding Shoots, Ranu Mistry

An Ooh La La Sangeet

Apr 17, 2012 Celeb Weddings to Watch out for

The Sangeet to celebrate Bappi Lahiri’s son Bappa’s wedding to Taneesha, daughter of action coordinator Mahendra Verma was quite naturally a fun, glitzy affair. The who’s who of Bollywood, especially music were there at Juhu Club Millennium, and Bollywood beauties were dressed in their traditional best.

Usha Uthup sang her super hit tracks and Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun entertained the audience with Choli Ke Peechey Kya Hai while Sophie Choudry performed to Jor Ka Jhatka Hai Joro Se Laga. Taneesha, was escorted on stage by her best friend, Shraddha Kapoor, and she and her friends danced to energetic numbers like Mast Kalandar and Desi Girl. She performed solo to Bole Chudiyan, and later the to-be-weds performed to the tunes of Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai. Many other friends of the family did impromptu dance performances.

The Wedding a traditional Bengali-Gujarati affair, was held at ITC Grand Maratha on Monday, 16th. The grand reception is on Wednesday, 18th April.

Taneesha Verma and Bappa Lahiri

Bappi Lahiri with wife Chitrani.

Mother-daughter duo Ila and Ishita Arun

Happy and Loud- Usha Uthup. The Comperes- The couple’s close friends Sudhanshu Pandey and Rupali Ganguly, now famous as Pinky from hit serial Parvarrish

Pretty in Pink- Sophie Chaudry. My Best Friends Wedding- Actress Shraddha, daughter of Shakti Kapoor

The Sangeet and Wedding Invitation

Tags: Bappa, Bappi Lahiri, Juhu Club Millennium, Sangeet, Son, Taneesha

Bye Bye Bling- Hello Shimmer

Apr 16, 2012 Fashion & Bridal Wear

Shehnaai, the Indian Bridal Couture studio in New York City hosted an evening to showcase their Bridal Collection 2012. Rusts, reds and eggplant purples dominated the line, as the ever present silver and gold made way for the new antique gold and rich baby pearl beading on heavy fabrics. Long flowy collared jackets over lace skirts struck an interesting balance between the structured and feminine.

Shehnaai will offer the entire collection and more for custom orders as well as direct purchase. Shirin Vinayak, the founder of Shehnaai says, “While all brides want to of course hold on the true spectacular creativity provided by the Indian designers, with a more practical perspective, it also holds true that each bride has a vision of herself along with a set of requirements, so it’s our job to combine both the designers innovation as well as the brides vision to give her a bespoke outfit, perfect for her.”

Chic bright yellow long flowy silk-georgette kalidaar with beautiful pearl & crystal roses

Hot pink long pearl motif lehenga with a sassy velvette blouse & stunning sequinned dupatta

Vibrant pink to coral to red net lehenga with super elaborate crystal & pearl emb

Edgy and fusiony short rust lehenga with churidar teamed with navy velvette blouse & stunning sequinned dupatta

Elegant eggplant long motif antique lehenga with sequinned blouse & lovely orange to pink shaded dupatta

Bold pearl-crystal roses lehenga in red velvette with a blouse & dazzling contrast sequinned dupatta

Tangy orange lehenga with pearl & multicolored work with rose pink velvette blouse & stunning sequinned dupatta

Shehnaai is reachable on 917-519-5456 or at info@shehnaaiusa.com to schedule personal consultation and a chance to view the Bridal Couture collection of 2012.

Tags: Shehnaai, Shirin Vinayak

An Intimate Wedding in Goa

Apr 16, 2012 Destination Weddings

Upasana and Deb, both advertising professionals from Delhi got married at a chilled-out, intimate function in Goa. The venue was a quaint set of Villas called Aashiyana Lakhanpal, hidden away in the scanty lanes of Candolim. The setting was serene and the feel relaxed and cosy.

Upasana and Deb

Welcome notes for each of the guests kept in their room

The functions at the two-day event included the Mehendi and Cocktails on day one and the brunch, wedding ceremony and a poolside party on day two. For the wedding ceremony, held as per Arya Samaj rituals, Upasana wore a gorgeous blue and white creation by Sabyasachi. Both days had colour themes for decor and clothes, which the guests, very sportingly adhered to. Day one was green and gold. Day two had pastels for the brunch and off-white and gold for the wedding. Finally, the hundred guests got to the pool, and most of them were in dresses and shorts. Wet dresses and shorts eventually!

Upasana getting ready for the mehendi

Matching mehendi decor in green and gold

Tying of the kaleera’s

Deb presenting his wedding outfit

Beginning of phera’s

Upasana and her bridesmaids

Upasana and Sabaysachi, a different kind of love affair

Decor

After the wedding, off white and gold made for a good photograph

Tags: Aashiyana Lakhanpal, Destination wedding, Goa, Nikhil Kapur