Palak Shah and Avnish Chhabria, The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort, Chandigarh

Palak Shah , CEO of Ekaya Banaras, tied the knot with Avnish Chhabria, Entrepreneur and Founder of Wellbeing Nutrition and Eliya, in an intimate ceremony that celebrated their personalities and journey of love, planned to perfection by WeddingSutra Favorite – Krayonz Entertainment. From the bohemian Mehendi to the chic cocktail affair, and the fairytale wedding, every detail was thoughtfully crafted by WeddingSutra Favorite – The Wedding Square. Watch their dreamy celebrations come alive in these shots by the award-winning team of WeddingSutra Favorite – The House on The Clouds.

How they met
Highly accomplished in their entrepreneurial pursuits, the power couple was introduced by a common friend who thought they would be perfect for each other and had wanted to set them up for years. When the duo spontaneously met on a blind date amid a packed day, little did they know they had found their soulmate!

Wedding Planning
Being a bride working in the creative industry, Palak had a strong aesthetic vision for her destination wedding, with a mood board that was minimal, soulful, and elegant. For their intimate guest list and quaint, close-knit festivities, they chose the idyllic venue of The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort. The team of The Wedding Square designed and executed everything from the decor to the smallest personalized details of the celebration, while Krayonz Entertainment spearheaded the planning of the entire event, bringing the couple’s vision to life. Every moment of the 2-day festivities was immortalized in breathtaking frames by the celebrated team of The House on the Clouds.
With a very strong and specific sense of design, both Palak and Avnish love earthy tones and neutral shades, with a clean, minimalistic ethos. They wanted their wedding to be a reflection of both of their design sensibilities, but above all they wanted it to be a fun and personal experience for them and their loved ones. To incorporate their love story in every aspect of the celebration, the wedding saw personalized collaterals, a crossword puzzle based on their journey for their friends to “Sip & Solve”, coasters with Prateek Kuhad lyrics (an artist they both love), hand-written notes for all their guests, and more. Polaroid cameras were also strewn across the tables at the various parties for their guests to capture candid moments of fun and festivities they could look back upon.
Being a fourth-generation textile heiress and hailing from a family with a 120-year-old legacy of working with Benarasi crafts, the bride curated her wedding wardrobe with bespoke looks that were made by top designers with fabric from Ekaya Banaras.

Wedding Functions
Haldi
A poolside Haldi function kicked off the intimate, 2-day affair. Drenched in marigolds, the sunkissed soiree lit up the lush lawns with a burst of color, as the bride and groom were doused in haldi, love, and blessings. The bride paired her simple yellow saree with a statement maang tikka while the groom wore a textured ivory kurta set.

Mehendi
Imagined in a neutral palette, the modern boho decor for the mehndi function incorporated Banarasi textiles in the form of cushions, throws, etc to pay homage to the bride’s Banarasi heritage. Inspired by the couple’s love story, elements like coasters, framed quotes, napkins, table mats, little notes left for the guests, etc. added a lovely personal touch to the occasion. Matching the serene, minimalistic mood of the event, the bride made a statement in a unique mint green bandhgala and dhoti set, while the groom sported an ivory Bandhgala-pant set.

Cocktail
Amping up the glamor with a chic, stylized black tie soirée, the Sangeet was a classy event with black-and-white decor, statement art installations, riveting entertainment, memorable performance, and more. When not busting a move on the dance floor, the guests were invited to spray paint canvases which they could also take back home as a keepsake. The bride flaunted a scintillating black evening gown, while the groom kept it classy with a white tuxedo.

Wedding
Steeped in love and thoughtfulness, the intimate garden nuptials evoked the feeling of an ethereal white wonderland with clouds of gypsophila. From cute corners of their pictures to little napkins for “happy tears” and small bells for the guests to ring after the ceremony, the function was full of charming, emotional elements. The exquisite wedding mandap of baby’s breath created an illusion that the couple was floating under the clouds as they tied the knot. Matching the color palette, the couple and their loved ones all embraced white ensembles. Staying true to her timeless and multi-layered personal style, Palak looked enchanting in an ivory bespoke lehenga that echoed her love for tradition and penchant for modernity.

Reception
The celebrations came to a spectacular close with a reception party later that night. An extension of the wedding decor, the evening saw a lush, glasshouse lounge, candles, a champagne wall, and more, and exuded a warm, cozy vibe. The bride made a statement in a sculptural gown that she accessorized with her grandmother’s heirloom necklace, while the groom looked suave in a timeless blue suit.

The Wedding Makers
Venue: The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort, Chandigarh
Wedding Planner: Krayonz Entertainment
Decor and Design: The Wedding Square
Groom’s Outfits: Kunal Rawal (Mehndi), Osman Abdul Razak (Cocktail, Reception), Shantanu and Nikhil (Wedding)
Bride’s Outfits: Kunal Rawal X Ekaya Banaras (Mehndi), Nardos Texas (Cocktail), Ekaya Banaras (Haldi), Shantanu and Nikhil X Ekaya Banaras (Wedding), Gaurav Gupta X Ekaya Banaras (Reception)
Styling: Gautam Kalra
Makeup and Hair: Kritika Gill
Entertainment: Bhavuk, DJ AJ, Rudy (Saxophonist), Tarit Pal (Percussionist)
Photography: The House on The Clouds
Videography: The Wedding Filmer

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