Subikksha and Vik, Thailand

When true love is meant to be, it simply re-routes and comes back into your life for the second time. Subikksha and Vik, office colleagues who met again after several years in a different continent, fell head over heels in love with each other. The duo recently had an intimate wedding in Phuket where WeddingSutra Favourite – Keeran the Wedding Planner played a major role in adding magic to their fairytale wedding with their impeccable taste and design when it came to the decor selection and execution.

How They Met
Subikksha shares, “We both met nine years ago in Hyderabad, when Vik, an expat, decided to work in India, and I had joined the same company having moved from Chennai. Despite working in the same office and being part of the same social circle, we never really connected. Fast forward to 2013, I moved to San Francisco, we reconnected through mutual friends, and since we were both single, I decided to make the first move. Things went smooth for us, and the next thing we knew is that we had moved in together and also got our first baby, a pup, Mowgli (a fluffy golden doodle).”

The Proposal
“Vik planned a random ‘work from home’ day on January 9, where he attempted to woo me by planning a day of massages. He also chose a fancy spot for lunch, followed by a short walk with Mowgli at our usual spot, Bernal Peak. During our walk, the orange sky with the setting sun was surreal and we started shooting pictures as we were already in fancy attire. I spotted a person with a camera and thought of asking him to click all three of us against the stunning backdrop. Before I could approach him, Vik went on one knee and gave me a candy ring pop (a lollipop). Amidst a hearty laugh, I started walking up towards the photographer. When I turned back around, I saw Mowgli holding a sign that read ‘Will you marry my Papa?’ To my surprise, Vik was yet again down on one knee, but this time he was holding a box in his hand. It wasn’t until I said ‘Yes’ that I saw the ring that was custom designed by him. We celebrated at our favorite spot with champagne where he had planned yet another surprise with our closest friends who were patiently waiting to celebrate our future together”, recollects the happy bride.

Wedding Venue
The bride shares, “Since we wanted an intimate wedding with around 120 guests, our top picks were Thailand and Sri Lanka. Thailand fit all the bills since it had easy access from both India and the US. The resorts there are well accustomed and knowledgeable about Indian Weddings, and we chose JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa to host our dream destination wedding.”

Wedding Planning
Subikksha shares, “Wedding planners are a must for any wedding, especially when it comes to destination weddings. We probably met at least a dozen wedding planners, but somehow Meghna from Keeran the Wedding Planner really stood out. The duo of Meghna and Keeran is hard to beat. Meghna is the visionary and artistic mind behind the operation; she was able to understand our needs and conceptualized and designed our wedding beautifully, and Keeran is organised and was on top of all the major and minor details. Besides, we appreciated the fact that they were just as picky about taking on the right client as we were about choosing the perfect wedding planner.”

Wedding Functions

Welcome Dinner
They kick-started their wedding functions with a laid-back welcome dinner by the beach for their guests to relax after a long flight. The entire venue had all-white vibes with rustic textured elements incorporated with white drapes, off-white hanging lamps, fresh white flowers and beige coloured dry flowers, currently the hottest floral trend in wedding decor. The fresh white blooms against dried elements such as palm leaves, branches, seedpods, and gardenscapes lent a  beautiful sun-kissed warm tone under the sunset near Phuket waters. They welcomed their guests with garlands, Thai dancers, a saxophonist, and warm hugs. They spent the entire evening sharing stories with friends and family many of whom they were meeting after several years. The couple were twinning in blush pink outfits where the bride wore a jumpsuit saree designed by Vik’s cousin, Nidhi Bhasin and the groom picked a simple kurta from Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna.

Mehndi
For their mehndi function, they wanted the event to be colorful, interactive and fun with live barbeques organised in the backyard. Their guests played beer pong, applied Holi and threw water balloons at each other. The couple, along with their friends and family, entered the venue wearing white and pastel-coloured outfits. The bride picked a pista-green lehenga with a shocking pink dupatta by Madsam Tinzin and the groom color-coordinated in a green kurta and afghani pant which he paired with a white and orange Nehru jacket. Soon after the splashing of the colors was over, the couple along with their guests ran onto the beach making their mehndi function even more eventful.

Sangeet
The sangeet had a middle eastern theme that saw an elaborate decoration of the venue using lots of flowers, candles and lanterns. To accompany this theme, they added Afghani food to the menu. The highlight of the function was a gigantic stage that was built on top of a lotus pond which looked magical. The to-be-weds entered the venue wearing matching black and gold outfits. Subikksha picked a lehenga by Rohit Bal while Vik went in with a Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna bandhgala.

Haldi
Their haldi ceremony was personal and intimate with the bride wearing a Kanjivaram saree that her mother wore at her own wedding reception. The groom wore a south Indian veshti and shirt set for the very first time. JW Marriott’s chef’s served the wedding squad a delicious South Indian feast, and Keeran the Wedding Planner’s team’s simple yet beautiful decor brought Chennai to Phuket for a few magical hours.

Wedding
Donning an off-white sherwani by Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna with a red safa, the groom made a jaw-dropping entry on a tuk-tuk. He was driven in by his younger brother and his twin nephews with all his groomsmen dancing in the baraat who coordinated in yellow kurtas and orange jacket sets. The bride, on the other hand, entered with tiny tots throwing flowers in her path as she walked in wearing a striking gold and red saree by Sabyasachi. Her bridesmaids too colour-coordinated with her by wearing yellow and red sarees. During their pheras, the pandit translated and shared the reasoning behind all their traditions and mantras. They kept the ceremony short with Vedic chants and said their vows after tying the mangalsutra and exchanging rings.

Reception
The finale of their grand celebrations was their reception. For the evening, the maid of honor and the best man had their speeches ready, followed by the couple’s first dance as husband and wife. Their cousins gave solo dance performances, but in the end, the groom vowed the bride with his surprise dance performance with his crew. And then, they all took to the dance floor and partied all night long. Their decor had elements of black and pastel pink in it. The star couple of the hour looked stunning as they entered together holding hands and dancing to upbeat music. Subikksha wore a custom-made Gaurav Gupta blouse with exaggerated sleeves and a flared layered skirt that resembled a flowering rose in a purple shade. Vik picked a blazer set from Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna and looked equally dashing.

Advice For Couples
“Let go of the tiny details and don’t worry about things going off-plan. That’s what the wedding planners are for. Have fun, soak in all the love from your friends and family and try your best to create a special moment with each of your guests. Multi-day Indian weddings are more like a marathon, so try and space them out.”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, Thailand
Wedding planner: Keeran the Wedding Planner
Conceptualized & Designed by: Meghna for Keeran the Wedding Planner
Groom’s Outfits: Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna (Welcome Dinner, Sangeet, Wedding, Reception), Madsam Tinzin (Mehndi)
Bride’s Outfits: Custom-made by Vik’s cousin, Nidhi Bhasin (Welcome Dinner), Madsam Tinzin (Mehndi), Rohit Bal (Sangeet), Mother’s kanjivaram saree (Haldi), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Wedding), Gaurav Gupta (Reception)
Jewellery: Outhouse Jewellery, Aaharya by Rhea Hirani, GRT Jewels
Makeup Artist and Hairstylist: Swaness

Photography: Journeys by Ram

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