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Eschewing patriarchal wedding rituals, this couple put equality first as they tied the knot in a minimalistic and progressive wedding ceremony
Wedding Planning - Aug 24, 2022
A wedding that was a true reflection of the couple’s modern sensibilities and their sheer perseverance in the face of opposition – Himani and Sumit Pandey’s wedding in Lucknow showed us how love can triumph over everything and pave the way for equality. Planning their unique and beautiful wedding was WeddingSutra Favorite – Foreign Wedding Planners who precisely understood the couple’s vision and crafted a wedding that stood out with its simplicity.
How We Met
Just like their wedding, Himani and Sumit’s love story also began in a unique manner, i.e., on a bus! As luck would have it, Sumit’s bike met with an accident that forced him to take the same public bus that Himani used to take to go to college. As time flew by, both of them bonded over the bus rides and their co-incidental friendship turned into love!
Wedding Functions
Haldi
The first event on the cards was a bright and playful Haldi ceremony where the decor included thick marigold garlands that embodied the spirit of the ceremony. After the ceremony, the couple was showered with flower petals as they playfully slathered each other with turmeric.
Wedding
Giving us an in-depth overview of the wedding and how the couple expressed their progressive views by crafting their own rituals, Neha Mehrotra, the founder of Foreign Wedding Planners shares, “Himani and Sumit are a modern-minded couple who wished to skip the age-old patriarchal traditions that one sees at Indian weddings even today. As independent individuals who were paying completely for their wedding, they made their own decision which resulted in them crafting their own rituals. Himani being a forward thinker took the unconventional route by not covering her head with a dupatta during the Phere nor did she wear an elaborate lehenga! Instead, she showcased her love for simplicity by wearing a beautiful silk saree. The Kanyadaan, which remains a popular concept in many Indian weddings to date was skipped entirely. Finding the right pandit for them in Lucknow was definitely a challenge since it’s a city where traditions are steadfastly followed. Our original plan was to include a female priestess in our rituals. However, we couldn’t find one and had to settle for a male pandit who also conducted the wedding in a gracious manner. Finally, the couple made their promises with a customized Phere ceremony that emphasized equality.” An apt reflection of their love for fuss-free things, the Wedding decor too was minimalistic with fresh blooms and light pink hues. Hosted under the bright blue sky and dappled in golden sunlight the wedding ceremony was breezy and romantic.
While the couple skipped a few rituals, they also creatively put their own spin on a few to reflect their personalities. Neha goes on to share, “The concept of the Mangalsutra was given a fresh twist as the couple chose to exchange promise chains instead! No gifts were exchanged in between the families and the music included instrumental gems which was a refreshing break from the loud dhols.” However, the sailing wasn’t entirely smooth as Himani and Sumit faced a fair share of opposition from their families including some of the guests on the day of the wedding. But in the end, through sheer determination and their love for each other, the couple celebrated their wedding as they deemed fit and enjoyed every minute of it!
The Wedding Makers
Wedding Venue: Lebua Lucknow
Wedding Planners: Foreign Wedding Planners
Photographer and Videographer: The Emulsion
