Shikha and Tanay, Sri Lanka

They’d known each other since they were children but it took a trip to the Southern Hemisphere for Shikha and Tanay to fall in love. While visiting her sister who lives in Australia, the two connected at another level and began the began their journey towards marriage.

WeddingSutra Favorite – Purple Chariot Weddings helped them create a celebration worthy of their love story.

The bride tells us about the wedding and all the little details that made the occasion so special.

How They Met
Their families had known each other for 30 years and lived within a 200m radius of each other. But Tanay was 9,800 kms away in Melbourne when Shikha went to visit her sister who also lived there. They met and Cupid struck half a world away.

The Proposal
By the ocean, on a beach in Sri Lanka, champagne, candles and tiki torches for the perfect ambience – Tanay proposed to Shikha and she said yes.

Wedding Venue
“We were very sure we wanted to get married in Sri Lanka and so we asked Purple Chariot Weddings, Sri Lanka wedding experts for recommendations. They showed us different properties across the country and after a very logical evaluation, we chose the Anantara Kalutara Resort.”

Wedding Planning
“The process of planning our big day started seven months prior. All the effort culminated into a flawless wedding experience that our families thoroughly enjoyed.

Purple Chariot Weddings ensured everything flowed seamlessly. Our guests were well taken care of, whether it was pick-ups from the airport, reminders for the e-visas, sharing the dress code and itinerary, constant communication ensured that they knew what to expect and what to prepare for. They even made local currency and sim cards available for them at the resort!

In fact, weeks before the festivities, we were faced with the news of blasts in Sri Lanka. It was very sad but we realized it also made our guests a bit apprehensive about traveling there. However, timely updates given by the team ensured that these jitters were taken care of. Eventually, 420 of our guests arrived to celebrate with us.”

Wedding Functions

Cocktail Party
Shikha and Tanay’s wedding began with a ‘Royal Indian’ themed cocktail party in Mumbai. The red and gold palette was fused into the décor via rich drapes, along with an abundance of roses and Rajasthani art work. The entire venue was bathed in the warm golden glow of the chandeliers overhead rendering it a sophisticated and opulent feel..

Pool Party
We had Anway P Bhoite, the creative mind behind all the concepts and themes, give us a break from the usual Hawaiian, neon, nautical and other concepts and created this new ‘Emojis Theme’ as a take-off point. The vibrant yellow decor stood out against the blue sky and matched the mood of the guests. It was the first party in Sri Lanka and Tanay and Shikha took advantage of the lagoon near the pool to enter the venue on a speedboat accompanied by acrobatic jet skiers for dramatic effect.

Sangeet
“The sundowner sangeet was a glimpse into Sri Lankan culture and arts. We entered the venue with a traditionally decorated elephant, Kandyan dancers, fire dancers, and drummers. It was absolutely captivating. The stage was set on the beach and exuded a tropical vibe. It looked gorgeous against the beachscape. While the performances by our loved ones had all of us thoroughly entertained, we also invited a well known local percussion band who made the night memorable playing drums from different parts of the world.”

Wedding
“The wedding was inspired by Vrindavan in the time of Krishna. The pheras took place upon the pier with the lagoon as backdrop. Tanay arrived with along with his baraat in a vintage car and I made my way to the venue through the water body, on a platform balanced upon two boats. As I reached the lawn, I was welcomed by folk dancers who escorted me to the mandap performing traditional choreography.

As part of the theme, we eschewed the traditional mandap structure. We created a canopy using four tree-like structures, decorated it with peacock sculptures and lots of flowers. Large paintings of Radha Krishna were brought in to perfect the ambience. As a subtle, soulful touch, we had a flute playing in the background.”

After Party – Happy Ever After
For the After Party, apart from Nakash Aziz and his band who enthralled the audiences late into the night, our planners also ensured that the Sri Lanka & India world cup which clashed with our wedding was screened for all the guests. The party wound up in the morning with a splash in the pool !!!”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Anantara Kalutara Resort, Sri Lanka
Wedding Planner: Purple Chariot Weddings – Sri Lanka Experts
Decor Design & Styling: Anway P Bhoite – Purple Chariot Weddings
Bride’s Outfits: Sabyasachi (Pool Party and Wedding), Manish Malhotra
Makeup: Mickey Contractor
Hairstyling: Ritika Hairstylist
Entertainment: Nakash Aziz
DJ: DJ Sandy
Bartender: The Wedding Bartenders

Photography and Videography: Israni Photography

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