Eshaa Amiin

Married to: Siddharth Pradhan

Basking in the love of their families and friends, Eshaa Amiin, a famous Bollywood celebrity stylist, tied the knot with her beau, businessman Siddharth Pradhan at a close-knit ceremony held at ITC Maratha in Mumbai. With minimal decor, the venue saw guests streaming in to participate in the celebrations with full fervor, while those who could not make it ‘attended’ the festivities via video calls. Here, Eshaa shares some highlights.

How They Met
“Siddharth and I first met via a mutual friend and we had no idea back then that we would start dating. But as time flew, we decided to meet up independently which allowed us to connect. And, a couple of months later, we knew that we had found something that would last a lifetime.”

The Proposal
Recollecting her surprise proposal Eshaa recalls, “Siddharth had planned a proposal for me right before my birthday at Townhall. However, events took a funny turn as I’d had a very bad day at work. And, I remember going for dinner completely clueless about his plans. So when I joined him, I kept talking about my work and I’m sure Siddharth thought that his plans were going to go for a toss. After a while, he politely informed me about his plans! The fact that he was patient enough to hear me out even when his plans were being hampered with stole my heart and indicated that he put me before himself.”

Wedding Venue
“I’ve always dreamed of a beach wedding and that was the original plan for our May 2020 wedding. Nature has always been one of my biggest inspirations, so an outdoor wedding was our preferred choice. However, with the monsoon on the horizon, we did not have that option so we quickly started looking for a rainproof venue that would allow us to express our affinity for nature. As we began scouting for such locations, we came across the ITC Maratha that had a ballroom with glass doors on all three sides and was located right in the middle of the garden. It fit the bill perfectly as not only was it surrounded by lush greenery but it also allowed us to be in an open ballroom. This was a major plus point since one isn’t allowed to have air conditioning at lockdown weddings.”

Wedding Planning
“Initially, we did have a grand wedding on the cards with around 500 guests that included loved ones flying in from across the world. But, unfortunately, COVID-19 forced our plans to change and we postponed the wedding for another two months. However, we realized that the pandemic isn’t ending anytime soon, and so we decided to go ahead with an intimate wedding ceremony that adhered to all the safety and hygiene norms. Only 15 people attended from each side, with the addition of the wedding photography and video crew – Isrrani Photography. Additionally, a Zoom was arranged for family members and friends who could not attend. I think the biggest challenge for us was to source fresh flowers for the decor due to the lockdown. Being a nature lover, fresh blooms were an important part of the decor for me. However, using the experience that has come with owning a wedding styling company, I could arrange for things at a more accelerated pace. For my trousseau and other outfits, we shopped online, and the only time we stepped out was for Siddharth’s sherwani trial.”

“Since Siddharth and I are extremely busy and career-driven individuals, this seemed like a perfect time to tie the knot as we were both at home. It allowed us to fully concentrate on ourselves and settle in as we got to know each other better. And even though it was a tough decision to make, we are quite happy at the way it turned out.”

Wedding Functions
Pre Wedding Photoshoot
Introducing a dash of color and glam to the pre-wedding photoshoot, Eshaa decided to go for a yellow, heavily embroidered contemporary trail lehenga with a side slit skirt. She paired the ensemble with a statement green choker necklace and a mint blue and gold embroidered dupatta that contrasted her yellow lehenga perfectly.

Engagement
For a dreamy look at this function, Eshaa picked an off-white lehenga with golden thread work and a sleeveless blouse with a deep neck. She looked regal in her kundan encrusted choker necklace with emerald dropstones.

Mehndi
For the mehndi, the bride chose to celebrate with her friends over a video call party. Hosted by anchor Sachin Kumbhar, the bride’s buddies included Lara Dutta and singer Shibani Kashyap who sang a song for the couple which delighted the intimate gathering.

Looking comfortable and chic in a floral printed black and pink lehenga with a rich golden zari border, Eshaa was all smiles as she got henna patterns applied on her hands. She went bold on the accessory front with a statement maang tikka and contemporary jhumkas.

Pre-Phera Rituals
For the rituals before the wedding, the bride chose another stunning off white lehenga by Falguni & Shane Peacock. Adorned with intricate embroidery and a sheer white dupatta, the lehenga was paired with a contemporary gem-encrusted choker necklace. And, adding a final flourish was Eshaa’s minimalist makeup look and side-parted hair that fell in loose waves around her shoulders.

Wedding
The decor at the wedding venue reinforced the bride’s love for nature with elegant and earthy elements. Eshaa shares, “For my mandap, I chose a white floral backdrop with pastel blooms alongside a glass chandelier adorning the ceiling. Dainty peach, pink, and white blooms added a touch of dreaminess to the setup. Even my floral canopy which I walked under followed the same route with a hint of green foliage. Lining the aisle were pristine white flower pots filled with fresh white blooms. Our table centerpieces included delicate glass terrariums that reflected the nature outside. Since it was a small wedding with just 30 guests, we made sure that everything was elegant yet minimal and expressive of our personalities.

One of the cutest elements of my wedding, in my opinion, was the wedding cake which had miniatures of Siddharth and I dressed exactly as we were on the wedding day. My friends really aced at it and made it look perfect. Also, my entrance was heralded with Carnatic music and was changed to ‘Zingat’ as I approached the mandap. This signified my transition from a Mangalorean to a Maharashtrian household.

Additionally, we also took the safety of each guest seriously with a hand sanitizer placed at each table, a baarat that followed the norms of social distancing, seating arrangements were made with three feet distance in between each seat and designer masks in various prints and colors that the guests could choose from at the entrance.”

Embracing her roots in a stunning, fuschia pink vintage Kanjeevaram saree that belonged to her mother, Eshaa looked like a South Indian princess. She draped a strawberry red sheer dupatta over her head. For her accessories, she chose a gem-encrusted matha patti, a choker, several layered gold necklaces, balas, bangles, a gold waist belt, and a hair bun adorned with gajra.

Reflecting on the perks of having a close-knit lockdown wedding, Eshaa shares, “ I feel having a lockdown wedding was the best decision that Siddharth and I could’ve made. It was definitely a lot more stress-free than having 500 people at your wedding. Everyone present felt completely at home, so I didn’t have to make an effort in order to make them feel comfortable. Everything that we had imagined for our initial wedding was somehow incorporated and adapted to fit the cozy wedding ceremony.”

The Wedding Makers

Venue: ITC Maratha, Mumbai
Groom’s Outfits: Qbik (Pre-wedding Photo Shoot), Rohit Kamra (Pre-Wedding Rituals), Tarun Tahiliani (Wedding)
Bride’s Outfits: Anamika Khanna (Pre-wedding Shoot), Rajat Tangri (Engagement), Shruti Sancheti (Mehndi), Falguni & Shane Peacock (Pre-wedding Rituals), Raw Mango (Dupatta – Wedding)
Jewellery: Anmol Jewelry, Floral Art
Makeup and Hairstyling: Nidhi Agarwal
Emcee: Sachin Kumbhar (Mehndi)
Photography: Priyank Nandwana (Engagement), Isrrani Photography (Wedding)

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