Shelly and Dhritiman, Thailand

About us
Shelly and Dhritiman met for the first time in Mumbai after being introduced by their only common friend at the time. Shelly, from the Philippines, was exploring her career options in hospitality and Dhritiman was able to offer some advice to her given his background in the industry. The couple share the same birthday and were ironically born only four hours apart! Their annual birthday greetings and long distance Skype conversations fostered a sense of camaraderie that eventually blossomed into a beautiful relationship.

Shelly and Dhritiman have just transitioned from their life in Singapore to new beginnings in Dubai. To them, life is about beautiful new experiences and they both enjoy traveling to different corners of the globe. Dhritiman is pursuing a career in hotel real estate development and asset management. Shelly on the other hand just completed a stint with the United Nations in Singapore and is presently exploring her options in Dubai while continuing to focus on her designer brand of footwear in the Philippines. Peek into the memories of her wedding at the Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa in Thailand.

The Wedding Venue
“We selected Thailand as our wedding destination as it ticked all the right boxes. It was strategically located for our wedding guests, most of whom traveled there from the Philippines, Hong Kong, and India. Thailand with its amazing resorts, impeccable service and sumptuous Thai food that can please the most diverse palates, makes for a sensible and convenient option. Selecting a country and hotel venue that works for the family and guests definitely allows you the opportunity to concentrate on other aspects of your dream wedding without having to compromise or worry about the logistics, service and general infrastructural landscape that serve as the pillars of a successful wedding. Thailand also has a long list of reputed suppliers and partners to work with, be it wedding planning, alcohol, bartending and decorations which make everything even easier.”

“We tied the knot at the Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa. We had previously attended our friend’s wedding at this beautiful resort and had fallen in love with it. Although it is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Bangkok, the hotel makes for a fantastic venue for a destination wedding. Also, in a relatively secluded destination like Rayong, your hotel guests are completely engrossed with the wedding festivities and there are no shopping distractions for the ladies! The property is located right next to the beach and has large aesthetically designed and well-appointed rooms. The event space here is backed by a professional outfit of hoteliers who know how to deliver exceptional service and are also well experienced with Indian weddings.”

Wedding Functions
The wedding was a four-day affair and included the following ceremonies.

Ring Ceremony
The wedding festivities started with an Engagement Dinner. Shelly wore a beautiful pink saree with a floral motif blouse in the same rich hue by Sonaakshi Raaj, while Dhritiman donned a sharp black bandhgala ensemble by Sameer Patel.

Ghari Puja, Haldi and Welcome Dinner
On the second day, Shelly’s ‘Ghari Puja’ and Dhritiman’s ‘Haldi Ceremony’ was held, followed by a Thai style sit-down welcome dinner by the pool overlooking the beautiful Thai coastline. A traditional Thai long drum dance and a floating market centered theme were part of the décor. Shelly wore a gorgeous blue outfit by Falguni and Shane Peacock from their Peacock Bride collection, while Dhritiman wore a dinner jacket by Sameer Patel. Shelly selected her outfit on the first day of her wedding shopping in Mumbai! It was perfectly harmonious with the Thai-themed welcome dinner she had in mind where she looked very elegant walking down the steps surrounded by the traditional Thai long drum dancers in the beautiful evening setting by the sea.

Wedding and Pool Party
The ‘Baraat’ and morning wedding incorporating elements of Sindhi and Bengali rituals was followed by a pool party and an outdoor dinner. Shelly looked party-ready in a pretty peach gown by Filipino designer Christina Sarte, while Dhritiman looked casual and classy in his white shirt and pink shorts. For the wedding, Shelly chose a pastel cream Suneet Verma outfit with exquisite embroidery on the lehenga, blouse, and dupatta. The long, regal ‘anarkali’ design worked perfectly as she entered in the traditional Bengali ‘Pidi’ (low wooden stool) with the betel leaves covering her face. Dhritiman, on the other hand, wore traditional Bengali wedding attire which included a dhoti with the help of designer Sharbari Datta who personally designed it to match the color of Shelly’s outfit.

The outdoor ‘mandap’ overlooked the green lawns of the resort, and its pretty pink drapes over the four pillars and matching blooms bordering the structure’s top made for a pretty picture.

‘Bou Bhaat’ and Sangeet
A traditional post-wedding Bengali ceremony called ‘Bou Bhaat’ was the focus of the lunch where the new bride invokes the blessings of the elders in the groom’s family before leaving as husband and wife. Shelly wore a green sari with red and orange accents from Tanshi Bridal in Kolkata.

In the evening, there was a cherry blossom-themed sangeet as the finale. Instead of a wedding reception, the couple decided to draw the curtains on their wedding celebrations with a sangeet, and it was important for Shelly to find something that would work well for a dual sangeet-cum-reception vibe of the function. She wanted something elegant and stylish, and the light brown and white Shantanu and Nikhil outfit turned out to be the perfect selection for the occasion when paired with a three-layer diamond set. Dhritiman wore an eye-catching long royal blue ‘bandh gala’ outfit by Sameer Patel.

Wedding Shopping
Bridal Trousseau: Sonaakshi Raaj (Engagement Dinner), Falguni & Shane Peacock (Welcome Dinner), Tanshi Bridal (‘Ghari Puja’ & ‘Bou Bhaat’), Charina Sarte, Philippines (Pool Party), Suneet Verma (Wedding), Shantanu & Nikhil (Sangeet-Reception).

Groom’s Trousseau: Sameer Patel (Engagement Dinner, Welcome Dinner, and Sangeet-Reception), Massimo Dutti (Pool Party), and Sharbari Datta (Wedding).

Wedding Makers
Wedding Planners: Shanaya Celebrations
DJ: Kevin Singh, Singapore
MC: KP Sandhu, Singapore
Dhol team: Dholtronics with Paul Veer Singh & Gursewak Singh, Singapore
Cello Player: Alisson Gabrielle, UK
Percussionist: Picco the Percussionist, Thailand
Bartenders: Flair Mix, Thailand
Bride Hair & Make-up: Vipul Bhagat, India
Photographers & Videographers: Doodle Studio, Malaysia
Singer: Ashish Thadani, Indonesia

Photos Courtesy: Doodle Studio, Malaysia

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