Amrita and Bhisham, Taj Lands End, Mumbai

Bhisham and Amrita knew exactly what they wanted for their wedding celebrations held at various locations in Mumbai. From their beautiful ensembles to the little decor details, everything was planned to perfection. Here, bride Amrita shares details of the functions and the inspiration behind each of them.

How We Met
“I could call myself a ‘runaway bride’ as I met Bhisham through a common friend who was training alongside me for the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. Bhisham ran the same marathon, which we realized only later. My friend felt we would connect as she knew we were like-minded people, so she introduced us. We went on a double date – and here we are – happily married in 2017! Bhisham and I dated for three years and had a long-distance relationship for a year when I was pursuing my Masters in the UK while he was in Mumbai. I am glad we were able to pull off the long-distance relationship phase smoothly.”

Wedding Proposal
“A day before I was leaving for university, Bhisham surprised me by proposing to me. I was dressed in track pants and sneakers – and had absolutely no clue that he had planned a full-fledged marriage proposal with flowers, candles, and a beautiful ring! It made me super emotional and I didn’t have the heart to go back. Both of us were very clear that we would get our parents to meet only after I had completed my education.”

Wedding Functions

Youngsters Party
“Bhisham and I were very clear that we wanted a themed Youngsters Party for our friends. We chose ‘The Great Gatsby’ theme which translates into a very glamorous, old-school and charming vibe for this event held at Farzi Cafe. We wanted to transport our friends back to the swinging New York of the 1920s using props such as hats, feathered hair bands and walking sticks. The Doli Diary executed this perfectly, and not only did we have vintage props doing the rounds, the party was lit with shimmering pearls and custom #hashtag pieces. It will definitely go down as a night to remember in our love history thanks to the awesome decor, amazing ambiance and great people.”

Wedding
“Our wedding pheras took place at the beautiful, sea-facing Taj Lands End in Mumbai. We chose a traditional theme when it came to the decor. Our indoor mandap had four box pillars which were covered with green foliage. Clusters of vibrant orange marigold flowers with green leaves were fixed on these pillars. The mandap ceiling was also covered with marigold flowers, and the centre part of the ceiling had marigold and floral garlands, tassels and bells strung from above. I wore a beautiful bright red lehenga and a ‘mukut’ (conventional Bengali headgear for a bride) paired with bespoke jewellery, while Bhisham wore a sherwani with an embellished collar and a red dupatta.”

Reception
“We chose a vintage theme for this evening which was also held at the Taj Lands End hotel. The decor included an off-white trellis frame which was beautifully done up with flowers and green ferns. Huge flower vases were placed on either side of the frame. A flower arch was created and the sides had urns and lamp posts with pink and white floral arrangements. A bird cage, garden lamps with candles in the walkway, a cherry blossom tree, glass accents, tumblers and paper lanterns strung from wires all added to the charm of the overall ambiance. We also had a photo booth with a ‘LOVE’ signage where our friends and family could take selfies.”

The dinner tables had round mirror plates along with tumblers with flower arrangements in pink, peach and white. The entrance had a black board installation which stated ‘Welcome to the #ABTohForever Wedding Reception of Amrita & Bhisham’, crates with blooms, candles in jars and garden lamps which cast a beautiful glow around the set-up. A red carpet was laid in the walkway till the entrance of the venue. Midway through the reception, Bhisham surprised me by organizing a fireworks display – he knew of my favorite band ‘Coldplay’, and the atmosphere was so magical and beautiful that it echoed their song ‘A Sky Full of Stars’. I wore a beautiful pink and orange Ritu Kumar ensemble, while Bhisham looked dapper in a navy blue suit from SS Homme.”

After Party
“We chose a retro theme for our after party/mini sangeet at Hyatt Regency Mumbai which consisted of a box truss over the dance floor filled with asymmetrical filament bulbs with black wire and crystals. The color scheme centred around glittery champagne gold and royal blue. Our wedding hashtag #ABTohForever was created with light bulbs, and a photobooth with props was also installed for our friends and family. Both of us were very clear about not having a traditional reception set up for this event. We utilized the dance floor for the sangeet and it also served as a space for people to have their pictures clicked with us before the dancing began. My dazzling gold lehenga by Ritu Kumar matched the theme perfectly, and Bhisham donned a classic black tuxedo from Gabbana.”

Advice for Couples
“Enjoy the wedding preparation period because these days have their own charm and don’t come back. You will need a big team – it could be your family members or a good wedding planner – to whom you can delegate the multiple tasks and responsibilities. Avoid splurging on big expenses such as decor and clothes; instead, invest that money in hiring a fantastic wedding planner/honeymoon/photographer and videographer.”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Taj Lands End Mumbai (Wedding & Reception), Farzi Cafe (Youngsters Party), Hyatt Regency Mumbai (After Party)
Wedding Planner: The Doli Diary (Neha Wadhawan & Jinal Patel)
Decor: National Decorators (Wedding, Reception, After Party), The Doli Diary (Youngsters Party)
Makeup Artist: Pakkhi Pahuja
Bride’s Outfits: Ritu Kumar (Reception & After Party)
Groom’s Outfits: Navy Brown by Sudhir Arora (Youngsters Party), The Label by Tanya Oak (Wedding), SS Homme (Reception), Gabbana (After Party)
Wedding Cake: Deliciae by Bunty Mahajan
Wedding Invitation Designer: Customizing Creativity (Disha & Harsh)
E-invites: Social Nomad Designs (Mandeep Dialani)
Choreographer: Vibha Luhadia (Studio In The House)

Photographer: Romesh Dhamija Productions

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