Nikhita and Mukund, Chennai

Nikhita Iyar and Mukund Chillakant’s Chennai wedding raised a new bar when it came to creativity with its magical themes and grand decor setups. The conceptualization of various themes and their execution by WeddingSutra Favorite – DreamzKrraft enchanted everyone. All the special moments were captured with flair and finesse by WeddingSutra Favorite – Shades Photography. Take a peek at the fabulous festivities here.

How they met
The bride shares, “Ours is a unique story of more than a decade of friendship. I and my sister have known and been very close friends with Mukund and his fraternal twin brother since high school. Over time we built a very strong bond, especially between me, my sister and Mukund’s brother, which is why it was delightful when my sister and his brother fell in love and got married. It was over the course of planning their wedding, that I and Mukund, despite having known each other for a long time, truly connected deeply, and started dating on the very first day of their wedding celebrations. It was just over a year later that Mukund popped the question on a lovely family cruise, that made the moment even more memorable”.

Wedding Planning
The bride had envisioned her wedding photos to be at the pinnacle of perfection, and Shades Photography brought her vision to life. The subtle tone of their shots perfectly showcased the grandeur of the functions, bringing out the intricacies of the décor. Also, instead of clichéd poses, they documented the couple and their guests against the beautiful backdrops with great style.

The distinct vision and themes for each function were planned and executed in intricate detail by the team of DreamzKrraft, which is known in the industry for its opulent and innovative ideas and creations. Their invitations were handcrafted to perfection by WeddingSutra Favorite Puneet Gupta Invitations.

Wedding Functions

Welcome Dinner
The festivities kicked off with a Welcome Dinner with an ‘Indiana Jones’ adventure theme. Elegant yet eccentric, the poolside event saw decor elements such as cane furniture, lounges with twinkling lights, a bridge walkway over the pool, arrangements of dried flowers and pampas grass, and the glow from 3,000 candles. The highlight of the event was a 12-foot Buddha statue, while dancers, fire artists and bongo drummers made the evening unforgettable.

Mehndi
Evocative of magic and fond childhood memories, the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed mehndi function at the Chess Gardens was an ode to the bride’s love of fairytales. With a color palette of pink and mauve, the whimsical decor featured opulent floral arrangements, large installations and customization and branding which included specially created booklets with henna designs for guests. They also received hampers with themed gifts. Artists dressed as characters from the story greeted guests and mingled with everyone, as DJ Nawed belted out the bride’s favorite Bollywood songs. Laduree, Paris largely influenced the dessert spread which included beautiful French macaroons, cupcakes and other treats in quaint pastel hues, interspersed with story elements such as clocks, hats and teacups that were hung from the foliage. Themed food carts with an array of chaats from every corner of India and South Indian fast foods made up the mouth-watering menu.

Sangeet
Bollywood ruled the sangeet function, starting right from golden cinema tickets that guests received in their rooms to be stamped with the couple’s logo when they reached the venue. Fake paparrazi and lookalikes of famous Bollywood stars made everyone feel like they were at a B-town party. Shankar Mahadevan and Terrance Lewis set the stage ablaze with their impressive performances and guests enjoyed popcorn from customized tubs and finger food served in newspaper cones. Vases shaped like award statuettes made up the centerpieces and 10-feet tall movie posters lined the room. Images of iconic retro actors graced every prop, from the furniture to the coasters. The peppy numbers of DJ Nawed and VJ Tarang had everyone partying into the wee hours of the morning.

Wedding
Floral arches of white and pink welcomed guests into the quaint, traditional South Indian wedding hosted on the beachside lawns. The exquisite mandap was erected against the backdrop of the waves, and was a sight to behold with its pastel floral columns and drapes billowing in the breeze. The guests were handed mogra wristlets and garlands when they arrived, as well as personal notes elaborating the customs. Artists with mirrors circulated at the event so that loved ones could write wishes for the couple. The couple entered in stunningly choreographed entries taught to them by the Terrence Lewis Group, whose members also performed a Ganga Aarti dance. Sweet notes of traditional Naad Swaram music set the ambience as the couple tied the knot. Everyone then relished an authentic South Indian sit-down lunch as The Indian Jam Project played some beautiful fusion beats and tunes.

Reception
Nikhita and Mukund’s grand festivities came to a fitting conclusion with a magnificent Opera House themed reception. Decked with floor-to-ceiling paintings, elegant gold structures, exotic florals and colossal drapes, the evening captured the essence of the theme, including an astounding jeweled Faberge Egg installation. The three-arched custom stage with chandeliers and a cascading velvet stage made for an alluring sight, while Shillong Chamber Choir and a ‘Phantom of the Opera’ act by Terrence Lewis entertained the guests. Live artists in stupendous costumes added drama to the proceedings and some wore lamps on their faces and heads as they moved around serving food which was an interesting interpretation of the main theme.

Advice for couples
“Weddings often become more about families and customs than the bride and groom actually enjoying themselves on their big day. It is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, so make sure, no matter how you decide to celebrate your wedding, you have a lot of fun.”

The Wedding Makers
Venues: The Leela Palace, Chennai; Radisson Blu Resort Temple Bay Mamallapuram (Wedding)
Wedding Planner: DreamzKrraft
Decor: DreamzKrraft
Bride’s Outfits: Swapnil Shinde (Welcome dinner), Tarun Tahiliani (Mehndi), Gavin Miguel (Reception)
Makeup: Samuel Rauda (Makeupbysamuel)
Hair: Gio (Italian Hair)
Graphics & Stationery: Puneet Gupta Invitations
Entertainment: DJ Nawed (Mehndi, Sangeet), Shankar Mahadevan (Sangeet), Terrence Lewis (Wedding, Sangeet, Reception), VJ Tarang (Sangeet), The Indian Jam Project (Wedding)
Photography: Shades Photography

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