Smridhi and Arnav- Pattaya, Thailand
Smridhi and Arnav's three-day wedding in Thailand was a standout affair with stunning ensembles, sensational music and sunset 'pheras'
About us
“I own a cosmetic and laser clinic in New Delhi along with my sister Dr Deepti Dhillon who is a cosmetic dermatologist. Arnav runs multiple businesses in Johannesburg, South Africa. We first met through our respective brothers who have been friends for over a decade. We had all gone out for a family dinner and after that first meeting, Arnav and I started speaking to each other pretty often. Once our relationship deepened, we decided to tie the knot with the blessings of our families.”
The Wedding Venue
“We definitely wanted a destination wedding but we were clear that the location should be convenient for our guests. So we picked Thailand as our loved ones were able to travel there quite easily. Arnav and my brother had visited the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort in Pattaya a couple of times and we finally decided on it as our wedding venue as it was perfect for the quintessential dreamy beach vibe we wanted! We worked on every little bit of planning and conceptualising and wanted the extravagance of the themes to be reflected properly in all our wedding functions.”
Wedding Functions
Welcome Lunch
“We had a very extravagant and opulent setting in mind for our wedding because we wanted our guests to feel truly special during our three-day celebrations. The decor for the welcome lunch event was done up with beautiful Thai-themed décor and instrumental music serenaded the guests in the background. This welcome lunch served up traditional Thai cuisine which made our guests feel comfortable right away. It was the best way to kickstart the festivities!”
Glitzy Cocktail Night
“The cocktail evening had a ‘Glitz & Glamour’ theme, and I wore a glittering gold cocktail gown by Monisha Jaisingh that kept me comfortable throughout the night, and Arnav matched my look in a sharply-tailored black tuxedo. The entire space was decorated with candles, white roses and lots of shimmering lights to give it a fantasy-like feel. We both love music and made sure that DJ Sumit played foot-tapping numbers to match the mood of the crowd. He definitely rocked this party that went on way beyond midnight.”
Mehndi & Haldi
“We had a beautiful and intimate Mehndi and Haldi ceremony by the beachside. It was such a welcome break to have the ceremony held in the open. The décor for this event was inspired by Turkey and featured many beautiful handicraft hangings and centerpieces. There was a lot of music and dancing alongside chilled coconut water and relaxing foot massages.”
Smridhi wore a Manish Malhotra crop top and skirt with funky and colorful motifs.
Sangeet
“Our sangeet ceremony was a gregarious affair and a great moment for the whole family to bond together. The crowd danced along to some Indi-pop numbers by DJ Chetas, while singer Kanika Kapoor’s ‘Baby Doll’ and ‘Chithiyan Kaliyan’ ensured that guests didn’t really deviate from the dance floor. I changed into a beautiful deep maroon lehenga with gold work by Rohit Bal during the sangeet ceremony which matched the Mughal/Maratha decor and feels of the event that was inspired by the movie ‘Bajirao Mastani’.
Wedding
“It took Arnav two hours to reach the venue! I donned an ornate ensemble in red and gold by Sabyasachi. Our ‘pheras’ were held in a mandap erected on the beach. This auspicious event took place at sunset and it was a very emotional moment for both of us. And when the spectacular fireworks lit up the sky, it left a memory that we will consider special forever.”
The ‘mandap’ with three sections featured shiny domes atop each section giving it a look of a heritage structure. Colorful garlands of brightly colored blooms hung from the ceiling and were festooned around the main pillars.
Reception
“We had a very elegant and sophisticated reception in mind which was turned into a reality by Red Events. The idea was to create a very contemporary setup entirely in hues of white, gold and silver. The melodious tunes of Sonali & Roop Kumar Rathore resonated with the mood of our guests and it was a fitting end to our three-day nuptials extravaganza.
Wedding Makers
Venue: Centara Grand Mirage Hotel, Pattaya Thailand
Cinematographer: Cupcake Productions
Bride’s Trousseau: Monisha Jaisingh (cocktail), Manish Malhotra (Mehndi), Rohit Bal (Sangeet), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (wedding)
Wedding Planner: Red Events
Entertainment: Momente
Make-up and Hair Stylist: Kavita Verma
The Décor Artist: Peerapach Co. Ltd., Thailand
The Caterers: Food Art, New Delhi
Invitation & Stationery Design: Verma Packers Invites & Parampara Wedding invites, New Delhi
Photos Courtesy: Cupcake Productions
