Avina Avlani and Laxman Khanna, Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa, Thailand

Avina Avlani and Laxman Khanna had the time of their lives as they celebrated their union in Rayong, Thailand. Brimming with a plethora of unique themes and scenic beauty, this wedding was all things picturesque and fun.

How They Met
Avina shares, “Lax and my best friend went to high school together, and have been good friends for many years. She introduced me to him one fateful night outside a nightclub in Singapore. As I like to tell the world, Lax was swept away by my wit, and I was somewhat impressed by his charm. Fast forward 7 years…and here we are!”

The Proposal
“The proposal – in December 2022 – was beautiful and emotional. Lax was in Bali for a holiday with his family. Coincidentally, my family planned a trip to Bali around the same time and we had a day overlapping – Christmas Day. Lax saw his opportunity and put his proposal plan into action. He knows I love sunsets and the beach. Given it was Christmas Day, many spots were completely booked out but after a lot of research, Lax managed to find a private beach. He told me to dress up as we were going for drinks to celebrate Christmas. While this was a seemingly normal invite, I was on high alert! At 3:00 pm, he picked me up and we set off to the ‘bar’. Little did I know, the venue was a 2-hour drive and I started becoming even more suspicious, annoying him with many questions along the way.
We finally reached a hotel lobby in Uluwatu where someone was waiting for us who put a blindfold on me. Lax took my hand and we made our way to a flight of stairs. Once we reached the bottom of the stairs, he lifted my blindfold and in front of me was a beautiful beach enclave – turquoise waves crashing against a backdrop of dramatic cliffs. On the beach, there was a heart made of rose petals and in the middle of the heart, stood Lax who went down on one knee and popped the question. After I said ‘yes’, we celebrated with gin cocktails, a scrumptious cheese platter and sparklers – a man after my own heart! We sat on beanbags with a bonfire set up savouring every minute of the special moment. We then headed back to our villa where our families were waiting to celebrate with us. It was exactly what I wanted – a private proposal with an opportunity to celebrate with my loved ones after.”

Wedding Venue
When it came to choosing the venue for their March wedding, Thailand with its convenient location understanding of Indian cultures and top-notch hospitality hit all the right spots! Avina tells us more about the venue selection process, “I’ve always dreamt of a beach wedding so that was a priority factor when we were scouting for venues. Additionally, we wanted a bit of an isolated location – where all our favourite people are together under one roof for 3 days of pure love and celebration. Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa fit the bill perfectly – it is a pleasant 2-hour drive from Bangkok (with direct flights into Bangkok from Singapore and Delhi where most of our guests were from) and once in Rayong, you are pretty much in a remote location. And of course, it is by the beach! So, it felt like we had a private island for our wedding weekend. One of the things we loved about the Rayong Marriott was the number of venue options within the hotel. From two beachside spots to two lawns and a ballroom, we were spoilt for choice when planning our wedding – and could ensure a different location for every event.”

Wedding Planning
The couple also went the extra mile by looking into the smallest details to showcase their unique personas and make a solid impression on their guests. The bride shares, “Attention to detail is very important to me as I feel it’s the little things guests remember. So, from having our wedding hashtag written on guests’ bathroom mirrors to printing the event itinerary on room card holders to naming cocktails after the event theme, we incorporated many details throughout our wedding.”

Wedding Functions
Mehndi
“Think a riot of colours, chaos and crazy – but in the best way! This was hands down our favourite event. I’ve always wanted a non-traditional Mehendi event and a fiesta by the beach sounded perfect. And, a Fiesta means pinata, tequila and siesta (for those at the massage corner!) so these were some of the elements we included. For favours, we handed out evil eye bracelets and face crystals which tied back to the theme. From the beats to the booze (cocktails were called Muy Passionito and Piña Mamarita), the vibe of this event was a 10/10”, shares Avina

Sangeet
The sangeet, named ‘Stardust Soirée’ transported guests into a celestial wonderland where they felt they stepped into a world where the night sky meets elegance. Avina recollects, “Ambient lights, energetic performances and delicate blooms gave this event a soothing yet glam vibe. In addition to dance performances by family and friends, our emcee also made us play a ‘cooking’ game based on Lax’s and my shared passion for cooking.”

Haldi
“While we got all guests to wear yellow, I didn’t want the décor to be overly yellow so we opted for pastels to match the pastel florals on my outfit. My favourite décor element for this event was the origami cranes we had hanging from the ceiling. Lax was the most excited for his Haldi – over the years, he has got his friends messy at their Haldi and he knew they were coming for revenge! Overall, this was an incredibly fun event where everyone was at their playful best”, shares the bride.

Wedding
The couple shares, “We had a sundowner wedding by the beach. For the décor, I’ve always been a rainbow girl and wanted the décor to reflect this tastefully. So, we did a floating floral aisle over the pool in a rainbow palette and a matching acrylic mandap against the backdrop of the sea. Sparklers glittered in the background as we exchanged our varmalas, and we had fireworks light up the sky once the ceremony was over. Later, we danced the night away to classic Bollywood numbers!”

After Party
Avina shares, “It was finally time to let our hair down! We even had guests get a custom ‘#LAAVisland’ stamp on their arms before they entered the venue to mimic a nightclub experience. We popped champagne, cut cake and danced until sunrise.”

Advice For Couples
“As cliché as it may sound, be present and have fun. Start handing over key wedding responsibilities to family or close friends 1-2 weeks before the big day so that you can enjoy every single moment. We did this and had the best time. Another thing which helped us was to have a list of non-negotiables, just 3 to 4 things each of us wanted at the wedding and would try our best to make it happen. This helped when making decisions such as venues”, the couple shares.

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa, Thailand
Wedding Planner: Krish Events
Décor: KALIRE by Honey & Raunak
Bride’s Outfits: Rishi and Vibhuti (Mehndi), Seema Gujral (Sangeet), Varun Chakkilam (Wedding)
Makeup: Marisa Sethi Khanijaon
Varmala & Phoolon Ki Chaadar: KALIRE by Honey & Raunak

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