Aashna and Pallav, Taj West End, Bengaluru

It was not ‘love at first sight’ for Aashna and Pallav. However, a little prank by their friends paved the way for their romance. Their wedding was planned at Taj West End in Bengaluru by WeddingSutra Favorite – Poonam Mayank Sharma. Here, bride Aashna shares special moments of the celebrations.

How We Met
“Pallav and I had friends in Singapore who were friends with each other since they were studying in the same university there. My friend was in town, so we decided to meet for a girls’ night out. Pallav’s friend was in the city at the same time, and his group decided to go out on the same night. At some point, both these groups decided to hang out together, and that’s how we met for the first time. Nothing happened right away; in fact, we didn’t even exchange numbers that day. A few days later, he did reach out to me, but our initial conversations weren’t exactly smooth since we were apprehensive about opening up to someone new and had our egos coming in the way. That’s when our friends decided to step in and play Cupid by feeding us lies! Pallav’s friend told him that I found him cute and mine told me the same about him, and we foolishly fell for it. However, it all worked out. The next time he messaged me I was nice to him because I thought that he liked me and that’s how it all started.”

Proposal
“Less than a year from the time we started dating, Pallav started to apply to universities in London for his post graduation, and I began to get a bad feeling about us due to the long- distance situation. We were so used to being around each other all the time. I felt like this would be the end of us. Nonetheless, I supported his decision and one day we went to an educational fair where all that I could think of was about our relationship. Incidentally, all throughout, the same thing kept playing on his mind as well. When we stepped out of that event, Pallav did the most spontaneous thing ever. He went down on one knee right there and asked me to marry him. He said didn’t care about his post-graduation at the cost of drifting away from me. I had never imagined that he would do this! I said ‘Yes’ immediately.”

Wedding Venue
“We hosted our wedding at Taj West End, Bengaluru. One of the oldest heritage properties in Bangalore, the hotel is situated in the center of the city, but once you’re inside, you feel as though you have been transported to a different destination thanks to its sprawling 20-acres of beautiful spaces. Every function of ours was held at a different venue in the hotel. It was just the perfect place as both of us are from Bangalore, and the hotel is so rich in history which we love.”

Wedding Planning
“Poonam Mayank Sharma was our wedding planner, and she knew exactly what we wanted. The theme of a ‘Fairytale Wedding’ came alive and we loved every bit of it. She met with us ten times before we finalized everything and was so patient through it all.”

Wedding Functions

Mehndi
“Our mehndi was a daytime affair. The event was vibrant with bright colors and ethnic touches. Bright drapes were used at the entry along with colorful umbrellas and golden elephant statues. Pallav and I entered accompanied by ‘dhol’ (traditional drum) players rocking the ambiance with their beats. I paired my pastel green sharara that featured floral details by Tamanna Punjabi Kapoor with floral ‘haathphool’ (hand jewellery) from Floral Art By Srishti and kundan jewellery. Pallav looked rapper in jacket and pants by Rohit Bal.”

Cocktail Party
“We wanted our cocktail party to be a little different, so we decided to include dance performances at this event too. Elegant tufted white panels with ornate borders and a large floral wreath made for the backdrop of our stage. Pallav and I went for western attires for this function. I wore a tiered red gown by Shantanu & Nikhil while he opted for a classic black tuxedo.”

Sangeet
“This was possibly the most exciting event of all and the night saw numerous performances by our friends and family. We didn’t want to go overboard with the decor, so we kept everything striking yet understated. The standout feature here was the stage with an LED backdrop that was enhanced by circular structures on the sides. I went with a red lehenga by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla for this function, and Pallav donned a Shyamal & Bhumika ensemble.”

Haldi
“The haldi ceremony took place under a 200-year-old tree in the lush premises of this hotel. We used pink and yellow shades in our decor, with elements like tassels, dangling ornaments, swings, marigold blooms and more. We had a small area decorated with fresh blooms and fuchsia drapes where I sat under a dupatta that was held by my loved ones. Once everyone had smeared turmeric on me, it was my turn to return the favor! This was an intimate function where all of us truly had a blast. To match the color scheme of the decor, I wore a yellow and white saree and a pink blouse, and Pallav looked vibrant in his yellow kurta.”

Wedding
“Our wedding setup was simply breathtaking! Poonam Mayank Sharma transformed the space into something that was straight out of a dream. She used lots of fresh flowers creatively to enhance the beauty of the lush lawns at Taj West End, Bengaluru. The stage where we exchanged garlands had panels enveloped in peach blooms at the back and were alternated with mirrored pillars. The entire setup was bordered with two pillars, and an overhead fixture too was covered with pretty blooms. Large chandeliers added a classy touch to the setting. The decor at the entrance and mandap too followed a similar theme. I entered in a beautifully decorated palanquin and felt like a real-life princess.” For this ceremony, I wore a red lehenga by Sabyasachi, and Pallav picked a sherwani by Shyamal & Bhumika.”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Taj West End, Bengaluru
Wedding Planner: Poonam Mayank Sharma
Decor and ambiance creation: Flowers by design
Bride’s Outfits: Tamanna Punjabi Kapoor (Mehndi), Shantanu and Nikhil (Cocktail Party), Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla (Sangeet), Sabyasachi (Wedding)
Groom’s Outfits: Rohit Bal (Mehndi), Shyamal & Bhumika (Sangeet and Wedding)
Floral Jewellery: Floral Art By Srishti
Makeup Artist: Zorain’s Studio
Wedding Invitations: Kolar Kode Aisha
Photography: Candid Tales

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