Mitika Bajpai and Ridhesh Sejpal, Woods At Sasan, Gujarat

Mitika Bajpai and Ridhesh Sepjpal, a filmmaker and entrepreneur’s wedding, set the sustainability bar high. Their wedding venue was the idyllic and eco-friendly Woods At Sasan, a modern luxury well-being retreat located at the edge of Sasan Gir Forest, Gujarat which ensured that this nature-loving duo made a minimum impact on the world around them. Helming the wedding planning was WeddingSutra Favorite – To The Aisle who with their creativity, vast network and dedication orchestrated a sustainable wedding that looked absolutely stunning!

How They Met
Mitika and Ridhesh first met as volunteers for a young professionals community in Mumbai, which needed them to catch up over dinner to ideate for an upcoming project. And, as time flew by, their brainstorming sessions transformed into conversations about the mutual love for travel, animals and food which led to love.

Wedding Venue
After experiencing a global pandemic together, Mitika and Ridhesh wanted to celebrate their love in a way that would create the least impact on the environment. This, coupled with their admiration for nature, led them to choose Woods At Sasan, a modern luxury well-being retreat located at the edge of Sasan Gir Forest, Gujarat. Mindful about the ecosystem around them, this quiet retreat was the perfect pick as it recycles all of its waste while flaunting an eco-friendly infrastructure and interiors. Exuding peace at every turn, this stunning retreat is set on a sixteen-acre mango orchard where one can easily forget about the hustle and bustle of life to celebrate the smaller yet significant joys of life.

As part of their philosophy of sustainability, they host and help organise Biophilic Weddings.
Their open lawns, natural landscaping and abundance of trees make it the perfect venue for intimate gatherings of friends and family. They ensure that every aspect from the wedding pavilion to decorations is exquisitely crafted and 100% sustainable. They also offer a completely organic, farm-to-table menu for the occasion. For nature lovers, eco-ethical guests and those of discerning taste, their out-of-the-way retreat promises a wedding that’s rich in memories and light on the environment.

Wedding Planning
While a sustainable wedding is essential given the current scenario, orchestrating one remains a challenge. Making this incredible feat possible while understanding where the couple was coming from wedding planners To The Aisle looked keenly into the smallest of details. Prerika Puri from To The Aisle shares, “We were ecstatic to be able to plan such an off-the-beat, sustainable destination wedding. It seemed very unlikely, given that the wedding was intimate and just a few close friends and family members were present to celebrate the love of these two beautiful souls in the forest. To be honest, the wedding’s two days were more of an adventure with more activities than ceremonies. The Gir Forest was chosen because of the unique activities that could be included in the celebration. The location offered a pottery workshop on both evenings, an organic vegetable field tour, and a fresh fruit shop. Everything about the wedding was environmentally friendly, including the wedding location, Woods At Sasan, which recycles all of its waste and has as environmentally friendly infrastructure and interiors as possible.

Mitika and Ridhesh were both adventurous souls who believed in celebrating their marriage rather than putting up a show for the guests. We were able to get everyone on board with what was going on at the wedding after almost 10-15 meetings with both families that always lasted longer than 5 hours. Planning an economically sustainable wedding, especially in a distant location, comes with its own set of problems. especially in the midst of a pandemic, plus it is also a dry state. This was one of those weddings that came with a lot of challenges, from cancelled flights to rescheduled flights, but we have to say that we had a lot more fun planning this wedding than we expected, and how could we not have been involved in the jungle safari on our first recce to ensure that our guests had a good time?”

Weddings Functions
Cocktail
The cocktail party was a particularly lively event with local tribes performing their dance for the guests under the open sky and games that kept the guests occupied.
Prerika shares, “In order to manage waste, plastic-waste collection boxes were spread out across the venue, enabling them to collect all non-biodegradable waste and have it recycled in the best way possible. The local community was involved in accentuating the experience in the forest, with a potter who entertained guests at high tea, a local tribe that performed a dance at the cocktail, and drivers from Gir who showed guests around the forest.”

Wedding and Reception
The ‘four R’ philosophy of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle or Remove’ was the cornerstone of the festivities. Decor elements that were a part of the hotel or ones that the decorator had used were used earlier and recycled were put into use. This resulted in a unique blend of colours, designs and textures. Using crochet work, pampas grass and earthen pots – the wedding mandap looked distinctly bohemian. Dappled by the sunshine, the venue looked like a lush paradise as the couple tied the knot.

Later in the evening, the reception was hosted under the stars. Adorned with fairy lights that lent a delicate glow to the evening, the decor was minimal. Wrapped around the twisting branches of the tree, the lights gave the venue a dreamy yet glamorous look.
Prerika goes on to add, “Set on creating a positive impact on nature, the couple and their immediate family offset their flight travel emissions by planting trees through a number of NGOs and also added some non-profit organisations to their wedding registry. Mango wood-based products were used without tarnish where required to prevent the cutting of trees, and guests received a handy jute bag loaded with proud local elements to take back home as a memory.

Living up to their standard of individuality, Mitika and Ridhesh made sure to have nature-friendly baarats too! Ridhesh made a grand entry on a beautifully decorated cycle with his groomsmen, while Mitika roped in all her bridesmaids for her own baraat and ensured everyone shook a leg. On the whole, the duo had a wholesome, meaningful and once-in-a-lifetime kind of special celebration!”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Woods At Sasan, Gujarat
Wedding Planner and Décor: To The Aisle
Makeup: Natasha D’Souza Jham
Photography: Snapped Studio

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