My Best Friend Shruti’s Wedding

Call them the  ‘girl-gang’, the ‘mod-squad’ or the ‘cute crew’ – having her girlfriends at her side during her wedding is an unparalleled feeling for a bride as everyone gets together to celebrate one of the most important events – and transitions – of her life.

When bride-to-be Shruti shared her delight at having her childhood friends Ruchi, Sanjana, Pooja and Maitri as bridesmaids at her wedding in Mumbai in November this year, WeddingSutra decided to treat her and her entourage to a makeover so they could get a feel of what lies in store for them on Shruti’s big day! Shruti is the first in her friend’s group to tie the knot, so all her bridesmaids were excited at the prospect of this mock wedding rehearsal with WeddingSutra’s favourite panel of experts.

The enthusiastic young women were invited to spend a day at the luxurious JW Marriott Hotel in Juhu, Mumbai. They were mesmerised by the cool and contemporary decor of the beautiful Royal Lotus Suite which hosted them for the day.  Shruti loved the spacious bathroom and latticed windows. “Oh, and it overlooks the beach! Really, what more could a bride ask for?” she remarked, smiling. But there was more to come… the WeddingSutra team welcomed the girly gang with exquisite chocolates from Fantasie and crisp, refreshing Ciroc Vodka cocktails.

The morning began with an overcast sky, but this didn’t dull the happiness on the faces of the girls as they slipped into their comfortable JW Marriott bathrobes. Our photographer Rajesh Dembla captured all the excitement as the girls went through the chic ensembles from Aza Fashions. Every outfit was specially curated to match the theme of the shoot and had the requisite touch of glamour with intricate embroidery and shimmery details.

While Shruti chose a navy blue lehenga with silver and red motifs from Sabyasachi Mukherjee which had a vintage vibe, her bridesmaids settled for a pastel ensembles.  Ruchi opted for an Anushree Reddy creation with beautiful embroidery. “It fit me like a dream!” she exclaimed. Sanjana looked gorgeous in a mint green and pink creation by Anushree Reddy, while Pooja twirled like a star in her Aneesh Agarwal lehenga which had a cape. Maitri looked regal in her stunning mint green and pink ensemble again by Aneesh Agarwal . “I feel like a bride in this…” she whispered to the WeddingSutra team.

It was the first time Shruti had got her make-up and hair done professionally and was thrilled by the final look that make-up artist Kumar Iyer gave her. “It was such a pleasure to have my make-up done by such a talented professional – he not only shared some amazing and handy make-up hacks but also created a look that did seem not over the top.”

The radiant bridesmaids too were also happy with their perfectly coordinated looks done by ace make-up duo Heema and Hetal Dattani. “It was dream come true for all of us. I don’t usually wear make-up but I love the soft, shimmery look she did on all of us. I am definitely going to incorporate all the products in my daily make-up routine,” shared Sanjana.

Then it was time for Shruti to get her hands on a range of bridal jewellery from Manubhai Jewellers. She chose a beautiful choker and ‘maang tikka’ while her bridesmaids picked  ‘jhumkas’ and ‘chaandbalis’ from the same range.

Finally, the moment that all the girls had been waiting for arrived – the photo session! Photographer Rajesh Dembla put the girls at ease by coaxing them into having natural, casual and animated conversations – and was a pro in in making them forget there was a camera around.  The photos shot at the intricately designed ‘molecular mixology’  bar with its colourful mason jars and Ciroc Vodka cocktails was designed by Hops Cork -The Drink Lab and complemented the fun and festive spirits of the girls perfectly.

“We loved dressing up together and this occasion was really special. We never imagined we would receive such a royal pampering,” Ruchi shared, while Maitri added, “This has been such a great experience. It felt like a dream. I had to pinch my hand to make myself believe that this was actually happening.”

Underneath all the fun, frolic and busy vibe of the shoot was a layer of emotions that all the girls felt. The shoot not only gave them all a chance to bond and create happy memories all over again, but also made them realise that their squad would change over time as Shruti –  and soon all of them – would get married. “We still can’t imagine that Shruti, a friend we all grew up with, is going to tie the knot. For us, she is still the same simple and friendly girl who would always pull us out of trouble…” they reflected during breaks between taking selfies and discussing make-up tips.

Shruti says she considers herself very lucky to have experienced such a memorable makeover experience with her closest buddies. “I cannot thank the team at WeddingSutra enough for this day!”

We at WeddingSutra enjoyed giving Shruti and her friends a memorable experience, and we wish them all the best!

Location- JW Marriott, Juhu
Outifts- AZA
Altamount Road Jewellery- Manubhai Jewellers
Makeup and Hair styling for the bride- Kumar Iyer and Laksh Singh
MakeupHair styling for the bridesmaids- Heema, Hinal Dattani and Poonam Solanki
Accessories (Footwear)- Himali Doshi
Bar Setup- Hops Cork- The Drink Lab
Gifting Partner- Fantasie Chocolates

Photobook partner- Canvera

Photography- Camera Crew

Getting married in 2017? Would you like to be a part of My Best Friend’s Wedding Shoot? Write to us at editor@weddingsutra.comwith your name, link to your FB profile and wedding date.

*Location and Date– to be decided, Cities– Mumbai/ Delhi/ Bangalore

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