Anushka Mallick and Omkar Mulekar, Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur

A heady blend of Bengali and Maharashtrian cultures, Anushka Mallick, daughter of Angshu Mallick, CEO of Adani Wilmar Ltd, and Omkar Mulekar’s wedding was hosted at the Jai Mahal Palace in Jaipur where the couple celebrated surrounded by the property’s picturesque environs. Planned by WeddingSutra Favorite – TailorMade Experiences, the union was a confluence of two rich cultures and featured a series of colourful celebrations.

How They Met
Anushka and Omkar first crossed paths via a common friend at a party and instantly hit it off! And even though plans were made for the 2020 wedding, the pandemic delayed their plans. But after having an intimate engagement once the lockdown eased, they were able to plan their dream wedding.

Wedding Venue
Set amidst 18 acres of Mughal gardens, Jai Mahal Palace is a luxurious heritage hotel that is bound to give every celebration a stunning backdrop. Located a mere 30 minutes away from the nearest airport, this property ticked every box on Anushka and Omkar’s checklist as they went about planning their wedding. From the delicious local cuisine and the well-designed rooms to the plethora of in-house venues, Jai Mahal Palace impressed them on every front!

Wedding Planning
Zashank Bhatia and Shashank Gupta from TailorMade Experiences share, “Being a designer herself, Anushka was deeply involved in, both, the planning and designing of all the events. She had a clear idea of what she wanted for each event and meticulously curated every detail with our team. Whether it was the invites or the decor elements, everything was thoughtfully chosen to make both cultures, that is, Maharashtrian and Bengali, come alive.

Also, since the guests were flying in from all over the world and were prominent individuals like members of the prestigious Adani family, we were extra careful to ensure nothing was left out in the hospitality department and everything was carefully looked into. Right from the time they RSVP’d to the time they checked out.”

Weddings Functions
Mehndi
Shashank shares, “Being the first event, we wanted it to be a fun afternoon. With all the vibrant colours with a touch of Rajasthani elements, the event had a carnival-like vibe. Hence, the activities planned were also in sync with the theme – a puppet show, a live bangle maker, popcorn and candy floss station. This was also the first time that both families were coming together. To make their mingling smoother we also organised ice-breaking games with an engaging emcee and turned it into a fun competition between the bride’s side and the groom’s side.

Both, Anushka and Omkar are individuals who are very exuberant. Keeping this in mind, the couple had a high-energy entry with a playful song in which the bride was driving a rickshaw with the groom as her passenger. A photo booth, a stunning entrance arch and the bridal seating area accentuated the decor while the ladies enjoyed giveaways like DIY Potli counter for ladies to mix and match bangles, bindis and potlis as per their outfit along with stoles. While hand fans and sunshades were provided to beat the heat along with quirky signages.

Sangeet
Zashank shares, “The theme for the night was ‘Get your bling on!’ We wanted to fully use the open space and the colours we used were shades of purple along with shimmer in silver and gold. The highlight of the decor was the entrance arch, bar and stage. While the bride’s and the groom’s sides competed via dance performances, Omkar’s mom performed the traditional Maharashtrian lavni. The couple’s performance was the last one after which the after-party began.”

Haldi
The haldi was hosted as per Bengali and Maharashtrian traditions. Shashank shares, “The bride’s haldi the backdrop was made using the traditional bengali gamcha saree. Similarly, for the groom’s haldi the backdrop had Maharashtrian topi hangings.”

Zashank says, “For Omakar’s haldi, the entire event was curated around Maharashtrian culture. The decor was inspired by traditional Mahashtrian tribal art named ‘warli’ – and was printed across the venue in various forms from the entrance masking fabric, bar facade and backdrop, border of table overlays to the dance floor. In fact, even the menu was inspired by Maharashtrian cuisines.” Shashank goes on to add, “The couple entered to the beats of Nashik dhol as well as Bengali dhak and dhol. Various stalls and games like beer pong, live jenga, tug of war, a polaroid station, a date jar where everyone was asked to leave date ideas for the couple and tug of war kept everyone engaged.”

Wedding
Zashank shares, “The wedding ceremony was planned as per Bengali traditions. Hence, the decor flaunted hues of red and white with a touch of gold. Blooms, like, tuberoses and red roses were also interspersed throughout the venue. The traditional Bengali rangoli, named, Alpona was specially created by artists who came from West Bengal. Elements, like, Bengali hand fans, dhoonuchi (earthen pots) and artistic kulos accentuated the decor.”

Shashank shares, “The baraat procession started with the groom in a vintage car and friends and family dancing to the tunes of Nashik dhol.

They were welcomed by the bride’s family as per the Bengali traditions and the groom was made to wear a topor – Bengali headgear for the groom. Post this, he was taken to the Jaimala spot where the bride entered holding betel leaves in front of her face with her brothers holding the phoolon ki chaddar.”

Zashank adds, “The actual wedding ceremony was conducted by a group of priestesses who chanted mantras in Bengali and English and sang songs in between. On every chair, a wedding booklet explaining all the rituals along with a small conch shell and a cone with flower petals was placed. Even the menu featured a Bengali spread which everyone enjoyed thoroughly.”

Reception
The wedding was followed by a grand reception in Ahmedabad which was attended by the prominent leaders of the Adani Group including Mr Gautam Adani, the chairman and founder of the Adani Group. Shashank shares, “All stops were pulled for the grand reception in Ahemdabad. Chefs were flown in from West Bengal and the spread was curated by Foodlink caterers.” Colourful arches brimming with pastel-hued blooms welcomed the guests while the Bengali dinner service ensured everyone was in high spirits.

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur (Mehndi, Sangeet, Haldi, Wedding); Jade Luxury Banquets Ahmedabad (Reception)
Wedding Planner: TailorMade Experiences
Décor: The Capital
Design: DESIGN BāGH
Florist: The Flower Tales
Caterers: Foodlink (Reception)
Groom’s Outfits: Kora by Nitesh Mitesh (Mehndi), Manyavar (Sangeet)
Bride’s Outfits: Aneesh Agarwaal (Mehndi), BINDANI by Jigar and Nikita (Sangeet)
Bride’s Jewellery: A Sirkar Jewellers
Makeup and Hairstyling: Makeup Hair By Abhijith Chanda
Mehndi: Priya Mehndi Artiste
DJ: DJ simm
Emcee: Anchor Deepali Vijay
Choreography: Aastha Wedding Choreography
Wedding Invitations: Itchha Talreja Designs
Photography: Destination Photographers

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