Anisha and Kabir, JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa

Anisha and Kabir fell in love in 2010 and have been inseparable since. They roped in the skilled photographers at Reels and Frames who managed some striking images at their wedding at the JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa which was planned by Weddings by Ekta Saigal Lulla and ESL Events.

How we Met
There was nothing dramatic about our first meeting. We were introduced by a common friend in 2008 but didn’t see each other in a romantic light. In 2010, we reconnected and things changed. We liked each other instantly and started dating. Last year, my parents began to talk about marriage and I spoke to Kabir and we decided it was time for our parents to meet each other. Our story is pretty straightforward and in all honesty, we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Proposal
I’d always told Kabir I’d like a proposal and some great photographs to remember it by. Once our parents had met and decided we should get engaged, I was at a salon getting my nails done when he called. He said he was on a friend’s terrace and I should come meet him and say hi. But when I reached, there was no sign of his friend. Instead, there was a heart made out of candles and him. Everything about it was perfect; the view of the sea, the champagne, the setup and above all, the heart-shaped pizza that he had 1Tablespoon Pizza Kitchen customize for us! The ring was great, but how could I have ever said no to pizza!

Engagement
Even before the wedding celebrations started, the duo made the news of their marriage official with a spectacular engagement at Jade Garden, one of Mumbai’s most luxurious banquets. The elevated open garden terraced by an unending sky played host to their near and dear ones who gathered to shower them with love on the momentous day. For the function, Anisha wore a maroon lehenga while Kabir opted for a black bandgala.

Wedding Planning
When it came down to organizing the entire affair we were sure of two things:

1. We wanted a great wedding planner

2. We had to have a fabulous wedding photographer

A relative recommended Weddings by Ekta Saigal Lulla to us. Before we met her we were a little skeptical about what it would be like working with her. However, she turned out to be everything that we had ever wished for! Everything I wanted, she made sure it was arranged for; whether it was my dream mandap or a last minute request, she managed to pull everything off smoothly. Ekta has worked with the Marriott chain before and had a good rapport with the team there. Lastly, her own team was fantastic; they were present the whole time, looking into even the smallest of our needs. We troubled them so much but they didn’t complain even once. I have loved Reels and Frames’ work since I first saw it and they were my first preference especially after the amazing pictures they took at our engagement. Both, Anand and his team are easy to work with and are experts at capturing moments that you are sure to cherish.

Wedding Venue
We celebrated our wedding at the JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa. We had booked earlier this year, when the hotel was still under construction. Operations had begun only a week before we arrived for our ceremonies. Despite that, they pulled it all off without any glitches! The staff was very hospitable and the manager who takes care of the weddings there was especially good at his work and Chandrashekhar Joshi, the General Manager, was very hands on. The property itself, of course, was stunning and very luxurious.

Wedding Functions

Welcome Dinner
Before the functions, we wanted to make sure both families were familiar. A welcome dinner was the best way to achieve that; The only function not held at the JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa, we set up a bar at the top terrace at Nahargarh Fort. We had two groups of performers – Live Subi and Bollywood Retro. And dinner and drinks were followed by dancing. I wore a Raw Mango lehenga and choli and paired it with a dupatta that my mother had specially picked up.

Mehndi
Kabir comes from a Punjabi family so the theme for this function decided itself. We had a larger than life ‘Patiala bar’ and set up lots of khatiyas and diwaans. Parandis were a big part of the decor and the photobooth was inspired by typical paintings on truck filled with sarson flowers resembling Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge movie set-up. We had Punjabi folk dancers from Bhatinda performing and turban tiers who made sure all the men present looked every bit Punjabi! For food, we had lassi counters and chole kulche and sarson ka saag with makke ki roti. For the function, I wore an Anita Dongre lehenga.

Sangeet
I am a big Shah Rukh Khan fan so the sangeet was a tribute to him! Our photobooth had posters from his movies and the stage looked like a movie set. I had told Ekta about my love for all things Bollywood and King Khan and she conceptualized the function perfectly. Once the performances were over, DJ Stetson took over the console and with Taran Singhal on percussion they threw us a rager that had us partying till 6:30 am! A lehenga from Jade had was my outfit for this function and Kabir wore a Shantanu and Nikhil bandhgala.

Haldi
This ceremony was sheer madness! Setup by the beautiful poolside, yellow dominated the decor, depicting the haldi shagun colours complimenting the hotel’s white backdrop. Kabir’s friends and family broke eggs on his head and rubbed tomatoes on his face. My friends, on the other hand, poured bottles of beer on my hair. I think our loved ones had more fun than we did at this ceremony….wink

Wedding
The wedding took place on an open lawn and the mandap was made taking inspiration from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi with lots and lots of brass bells and florals. There were a lot of brass elements and lots of big lotuses. I wore a Sabyasachi lehenga for this function while Kabir went with a sherwani by Anita Dongre.

After Party
We swapped a traditional reception for an after party. At a destination wedding, all the guests get to meet the couple at some point through the course of the nuptials and that ensures that everyone has pictures with the bride and groom. Given these two factors, we didn’t see the purpose of a reception. So, instead, we had a band called ONEmpire play for us. This was followed by a brief DJ party but we called it a night early. Soon after dinner, the functions were all done.

Advice For Couples
I have a couple of things that I would like to say:

1. Hiring the right people to take care of your wedding is very important. “Right” does not mean that they have to only be the top or the most expensive people in the industry. Instead, they should be people who you get along with and whose ideas are in tune with yours.

2. Don’t stress about the decor, food and minor details. Take interest but don’t get overwhelmed. You will hardly find time to eat any of the food or the drinks that are on the menu or roam around the venue to see the decor.

3. Brides, do consider wearing flats especially if your functions are going to involve a lot of dancing. It’s the only way you will last the functions without having to deal with blistered feet and all the pain that comes with it.

4. Lastly, hire a good photographer. Reels and Frames did such an amazing job, every time I look at my wedding photos I am wowed. Right from the funny faces that I made that lasted only a couple of seconds to the never-ending laughs that everyone shared at the functions, they captured everything.

Wedding Makers
Venue: Jade Garden, Mumbai (Engagement), JW Marriott Jaipur, Resort & Spa, Rajasthan (Welcome Dinner, Hadli, Mehndi, Sangeet, Wedding, After Party)
Wedding Planner:  Weddings by Ekta Saigal Lulla and ESL Events
Bride’s Outfits: Raw Mango (Welcome Dinner), Anita Dongre (Mehndi), Jade (Sangeet), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Wedding)
Groom’s Outfits: Shantanu and Nikhil (Sangeet), Anita Dongre (Wedding)
Makeup Artist: Vipul Bhagat (Mumbai)
Talent Manager:ANS Entertainment
Entertainment: Tarang Singhal, The Percussionist
DJ: DJ Stetson (Mumbai)

Photographer: Reels and Frames

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