“For as long as I remember, I have been dreaming of a perfect wedding look. And now that I am getting married, I realized how fantasizing about the lehenga is fun, but the search in reality is quite difficult. Soon after my engagement I started thinking even more about my wedding day look, I visited a few stores, but wasn’t quite happy after the trials. While going through WeddingSutra’s page on Facebook, I came across ‘Wedding Sutra on Location’ and thought this would be a great opportunity for me to try out something new. I wrote in to them, quite unsure if I would be selected but luckily I received a call. When I arrived at the venue- Jade, I was introduced to ace Bollywood Stylist Nisha Kundnani. I had a brief chat about my likes and dislikes, and based on my inputs, Nisha suggested a few outfits which would suit me. I actually quite liked all the outfits at Jade, and each and every outfit which Nisha selected so I had no clue which would suit me best. Nisha told me to try one, and I was quite comfortable in it. I then proceeded for my make up with Makeup Artist Amrita Sanghavi. She recommended smokey eyes and a side bun. I had never tried a side bun so was a little unsure but at the same time I wanted to try something new. And I was so happy I went with Amrita’s recommendations. I felt my eyes never looked so beautiful and the side bun added a little drama to my look. And yes I could carry it off!”

“The Makeover was followed by a Photo shoot with Dev Purbiya. Nisha and Dev suggested different poses for the photos. I was very pleased with Dev as he encouraged me to pose without making me feel uncomfortable. Overall, it was a great experience. WeddingSutra on Location gave me what I needed – the confidence to try something new.”

If you’re getting married in 2013 and would like to be a part of ‘WeddingSutra on Location’ write (weddingsutra@gmail.com) to us with your name, contact no and wedding date. Three lucky winners get a complete ‘Bridal Wardrobe Look’ consultation on how to pick the wedding outfit complimentary to your body type & personality and experience the look you prefer with a trial makeup and photo shoot in the makeup look. Location and Date- To be decided (City- Mumbai)

Aditi’s Look:
Outfit- JADE (by Monica and Karishma)
Wardrobe Consultation & Styling- Nisha Kundnani
Makeup & Hair- Amrita Sanghavi
Photography- Dev Purbiya http://cam-dev.in/

Talia Krape spoke about her exquisite wedding. “Every moment of our wedding at Pashan Garh gave us memories to savour for a lifetime. We wanted something different and authentic. You only ever plan to have one wedding in your life so it was important for us to find an experience that was ‘off the beaten’ track without compromising on the
creature comforts.” Adds Jonathan Patrick Moore: “As if by magic we found Pashan Garh! Everything was beyond our expectations, from the accommodation and the meals to the activities that had been carefully planned by the wonderful staff. Nothing was left to chance but nothing felt contrived or out of place. It was truly the most wonderful week for us and our guests.”

Tucked away in the outskirts of the National Parks in Madhya Pradesh, Taj Safari chalets namely ‘Mahua Kothi’ in Bandhavgarh, ‘Baghvan’ in Pench, ‘Pashan Garh’ in Panna and ‘Banjaar Tola’ in Kanha are sensitively plugged to their wilder surroundings. Rich with its verdant flora and fauna Taj Safaris serves as an idyllic venue for any kind of destination wedding.

Your jewellery can be stylish and contemporary and yet represent an aura royalty. Exquisitely and intelligently hand crafted jewellery pieces can effortlessly transcend the past, the present and the future to make the wearer’s appeal timeless. Some of such pieces can be seen below, which are very modern and avant garde but represent a thousand year old royal jewellery tradition.

Satlada Inspired Necklace
Among the most exquisite is this ‘Satlada’ inspired necklace. Traditionally ‘Satlada’ was a seven-tier pearl necklace with woven filigree gold work. It was unique to the collections of the Nizams of Hyderabad. The necklace represented auspicious number ‘7’and covers different layers from neck to navel. This ‘Satlada’ necklace is interestingly paired with ‘karan phool’ or ‘jhumka’ earrings traditionally worn by North Indian aristocracy.

Chintaak Inspired Necklace
‘Chintaak’ or ‘Jadavi Laccha’ is again a very traditional Hyderabadi necklace popular in the court of the Nizams. It primarily consists of round choker made of seven layers of gold sheets and emeralds or ruby drops below. The above choker is a designer gold variation of the Chintaak paired with Karan Phool/Jhumka style earrings.

Royal Rajput Style Choker
In contrast to the Hyderabad inspired designs of the previous choker, this choker is clearly inspired by the exquisite necklaces worn by the royal ladies of Rajasthan. The necklace is traditionally designed in such a way to perfectly compliment a Rajasthani ladies ‘poshak’. This necklace set is hand crafted with fine filigree work and seven central flower motifs. It is complemented with a variation of a traditional Rajput style ‘kangan’ bracelet and pair of earrings.

Patta Haar inspired necklace:
‘Patta Haar’ is a very popular royal Rajasthani necklace wherein the necklace represents the leaves and flower motifs.  Interestingly, the ‘patta’ or ‘leaf’ themes were equally popular in South India as well. It is complimented with very modernist take on a traditional Indian ‘bazuband’ or an armlet.

Akshay Chavan is a Mumbai based writer and lifestyle enthusiast who blogs about Indian Royalty and Heritage

The Jewellery creations featured above are by Azva http://www.weddingsutra.com/azva/

“It is every girls dream to look her best on the wedding day and very few get lucky with a chance to live the same before it comes. Like I did thanks to WeddingSutra. The location was Jade where I got to interact with two very talented professionals, Nisha Kundnani, the stylist and Amrita Sanghavi, the make-up artist. When we saw the beautiful outfits on display, there was a little confusion as to what would suit me. I tried some outfits and then we decided on a pink ensemble. A raw silk lehenga paired with a silk blouse and a fresh green dupatta.

For accessories Nisha recommended traditional and elegant jewellery pieces. The set we chose was floral inspired, bangles with textured petals of gold and sunflower shaped earrings which I wore as a maang tika. Amrita did not have much time to do makeup since the photo shoot was scheduled in thirty minutes, so in twenty five minutes my makeup was done, and it was much better than I imagined it would be. Now it was time for the photo shoot with Photographer Dev Purbiya. It was the most fun part of the day, more fun than choosing outfits too. Initially, I was a little shy, but in about five minutes I became less conscious and started enjoying the experience; now I know I must be relaxed while facing the camera on the big day. I loved being with WeddingSutra on Location Jade that day, and will remember this unique experience always.”

If you’re getting married in 2013 and would like to be a part of ‘WeddingSutra on Location’ write (weddingsutra@gmail.com) to us with your name, contact no and wedding date. Three lucky winners get a complete ‘Bridal Wardrobe Look’ consultation on how to pick the wedding outfit complimentary to your body type & personality and experience the look you prefer with a trial makeup and photo shoot in the makeup look. Location and Date- To be decided (City- Mumbai)

Payal’s Look
Outfit- JADE (by Monica and Karishma)
Jewellery- Azva http://www.weddingsutra.com/azva/
Wardrobe Consultation & Styling- Nisha Kundnani
Makeup & Hair- Amrita Sanghavi
Photography- Dev Purbiya http://cam-dev.in/

The Mehendi ceremony was a lovely laid-back afternoon, with a pop-kitsch theme at the bride’s private farm in Pushpanjali. Neha wore a sharara designed by Nidhi Tholia.

The main Wedding function was held at The Grand Hotel, Vasant Kunj where the decor was designed and conceptualized by industry veteran Geeta Samuel. The bride wore a hot red lehenga designed by Pallavi Jaikishen and the groom was dressed in a sherwani by JJ Vallaya.  The finale was a formal Reception at The Lalit. Neha wore a Sabyasachi saree and Simran wore a classic tuxedo designed by designer duo Rohit & Rahul.

Photographs Courtesy
Joseph Radhik
http://www.facebook.com/Rareview

The star entertainers included Sonu Nigam, Mika, Shankar Mahadevan, Manasi Scott, Shiamak Davar and his troupe. Dia Mirza, Neha Dhupia, Esha Gupta and Anil Kapoor were the star guests who mingled with the host of politicos and other invitees from India and South Africa. Close to 200 wedding specialists who included chefs, decorators, photographers, fashion stylists, makeup artists and their teams flew in from India. Ace Chef Marut Sikka and speciality cooks who worked with the Sun City chefs to prepare a bewildering choice of strictly vegetarian and non-alcoholic fare. Delhi-based designer duo Rimple and Harpreet Narula were the official stylists to help guests get ready and Mumbai’s Makeup maestros Mickey Contractor and Vipul Bhagat dressed the bride and ladies from the bride and groom’s side.

While the pleasant weather in South Africa was a good respite for the guests, the majority of who were from Delhi and North India, they couldn’t help notice how tired the bride Vega looked on Day 3 and 4, thanks to the super-hectic festivities. Fortunately, she had a week long break because tonight is the grand reception, hosted by her in-laws, the Delhi-based Jahajgarhias. The venue is a sprawling Chattarpur farmhouse where the look is being orchestrated by India’s decor king Sumant Jayakrishnan. Now you know what Delhi will be talking about next week.

A Picture Perfect Moment

The Majestic Umaid Bhavan

Shaana and Uraaz’ celebrations commenced in Mumbai with Parmeshwar Godrej hosting a welcome party at her home, where the guests included a number of Bollywood A-listers like Aishwarya and Abhishek and Sussanne Khan. The scene then shifted to Jodhpur. The functions included a pre wedding puja & dinner at Raas Haveli, the wedding party at Umaid Bhavan and an after-party at the majestic Mehrangarh Fort. For all the wedding guests it was a weekend which will not be forgotten for a long time. “When are you renewing your vows? we want to come back” commented one of Shaana’s friend on her timeline. Here are some Photographs of the Jodhpur celebration shot by New York based Aranka of OneLight Studio.

The Groom’s Men

Bride Getting Ready

Safa tying

Shaana Levy in a Sabyasachi ensemble

“From the moment I walked in to Jade I felt very welcome and comfortable. I was pleased to meet the WeddingSutra team in person, since I have been following their Facebook page www.facebook.com/weddingsutra for so many months. They introduced me to the three specialists they had invited for this event, well-known Stylist Nisha Kundnani, Makeup Artist Amrita Sanghavi and Candid Photographer Dev Purbiya. The session start with a consultation with Nisha Kundnani. What I loved most about her is the time she spent to understand my tastes and styles. While talking to her I didn’t feel I was having a ‘consultation’, it was all so relaxed and her sense of humor put me at ease. Nisha shared a lot of tips on what I should remember while shopping, and what suited my body type and skin tone- the colors, the embroidery styles and the silhouettes.

For the photo shoot– Nisha recommended a purple and pink lehenga with a gold blouse after which she helped me choose jewellery- we chose a gold beads necklace set embellished with petal-shaped designs. Post the selection of the outfit and jewellery began my consultation with Amrita Sanghavi. Since I don’t use makeup on a daily basis, I didn’t know what to ask Amrita, but as we began talking I had so much to ask her, the time period to talk was short though, since she had to do my makeup and hair before the scheduled photo shoot. Amrita then began her magic, I didn’t ask her much about what she was using, I was sure she knows what suits me best. When I was ready, I looked at the mirror and I smiled, happy that what I saw in the mirror was a ‘very stylish me’.

Next was the much awaited photo shoot with Dev Purbiya. His warm attitude made me feel confident and I looked up and posed. After the first ‘click’ I was excited, I couldn’t wait to see the photos, and show them to my fiance and parents.

Every time I think about the day, there’s just one word which comes to my mind ‘Pampered’. I felt so pampered that day.”

If you’re getting married this year and would like to be a part of ‘WeddingSutra on location’ write (weddingsutra@gmail.com) to us with your name, contact no and wedding date. Three lucky winners get a complete ‘Bridal Wardrobe Look’ consultation on how to pick the wedding outfit complimentary to your body type and personality and experience the look you prefer with a trial makeup and photo shoot in the makeup look.

Location and Date- To be decided (Mumbai)

Ankita’s Look

Outfit- JADE (by Monica and Karishma)
Jewellery- Azva
Wardrobe Consultation & Styling- Nisha Kundnani
Makeup & Hair- Amrita Sanghavi
Photography- Dev Purbiya

Payal explains, “This collection represents an authentic summer bride that exudes elegance and tradition – her style statement though is experimental with an edge.”

Payal Singhal’s collection in NYC!

Date:
May 3rd, 2013: 11.00 am – 7.00 pm (rsvp only)
May 4th, 2013: 11.00 am – 3.00 pm (appointment only)

At Peepul Consulting
57 West 57th Street
(6th ave between 57th and 58th street)
4th Floor
New York, NY 10019

Contact for rsvp:
payal@payalsinghal.com
Deepal: 917-716-3087