Anushka and Steven, Suryagarh, Jaisalmer
This grand wedding was celebrated with Scottish and Indian customs.
Anushka and Steven’s multicultural destination wedding at the majestic Suryagarh Palace Hotel was a beautiful mix of heartfelt moments, unique traditions and carefree fun. They entrusted WeddingSutra Favorite – Gautam Khullar Photography, to capture their functions in stunning photographs.
How They Met
Anushka says, “I moved to Singapore for university and it was in my first year of work that I met Steven through mutual friends. Steven had come to Singapore on a three-month work stint and was to relocate to London after. However, when we met, these plans were quickly scrapped. After our very first date we felt like we had known each other forever.”
The Proposal
Anushka recounts, “We flew to Glasgow to spend Christmas with Steven’s family. On Christmas morning, as we gathered in the living room to open gifts, I found a small flat gift with my name on it. In it was a letter asking me to pack a bag and a map with a route on it. Steven had planned a road trip up to a surprise location for me! We packed our bags and headed off to this location. A few hours and a beautiful countryside drive later, we arrived at the Fairmont Hotel at St Andrews, nestled between a golf course and a cliff edge, with a stunning view of the ocean. Steven took me for a walk along the coast the next afternoon and popped the question just as the sun was setting! He even had my family waiting on a video call to celebrate with us!”
Wedding Venue
“We spent months trying to find a location that had Indian architecture and modern interiors. We looked at hotels and properties in Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer. While we found several stunning properties, Suryagarh took our breath away. The simple yet stunning architecture, coupled with the tastefully done interior, was just what we wanted.”
Wedding Planning
“Steven, my family and I took on the task of planning the entire wedding, down to the last detail! Everything from the table layouts and setups and travel plans for guests to designing the invitation, welcome gifts and wedding favors was completed in about 8 months of hectic fun.”
Wedding Functions
Haldi
The festivities kicked off with the haldi ceremony on the first morning. Every one look bright and joyful in hues of yellow, and the ceremony was filled with blessings, love and laughter. We enjoyed every minute of it. The groom enjoyed the ritual in a yellow kurta as everyone smeared him in turmeric paste. The bride looked radiant in a yellow saree with ‘mukaish’ work.”
Scottish Wedding
The first evening saw the traditional Scottish wedding. Anushka says, “Even though the wedding was held over 4,000 miles away from Scotland, we wanted to bring aspects of Scottish tradition and decor to the venue. Steven’s family brought traditional Scottish purple thistles for my bouquet and the wedding cake, as well as reels of tartan ribbons to up the Scottish quotient in the decorations. There were so many joyous and special moments such as the memorable walk down the aisle. Also, Steven and I were married by Steven’s father, who officiated the wedding. The exchanging of vows and rings was followed by heartwarming speeches and insanely chaotic but fun dancing! To our surprise, many of our family and friends sported the traditional Scottish kilt, which was perfect when it came to the Scottish Ceilidh dancing later in the evening. Delicious food, lots of alcohol, dancing and fun – it was a magical night, we couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect!”
Mehndi
The mehendi took place the morning after the Scottish wedding, with delightful dancers, qawwali singers and vibrant decor. Anushka’s maternal aunts and uncles made her wear her ‘chooda’ and toe rings, while her cousin had written personalized songs for the couple, which everyone sang together. She wore a bright yellow and silver lehenga while Steven donned an embroidered kurta.
Baraat and Sangeet
For this occasion, the entire groom’s side sported Indian attire, embracing the traditions and fun elements of an Indian wedding. Everyone in their kurtas, lehengas, sarees and colorful safas and dupattas danced their hearts out at the baraat and the sangeet!
“We wanted to keep the Indian wedding elegant and simple, so we stuck to a color palette of gold, orange and a hint of pink to match our attire. Both I and Steven dressed in hues of ivory and blush. His sherwani was from Forte in Shahpur Jat, while mine was designed by Sachin and Priyanka from Delhi 6 in Chandni Chowk; both from New Delhi.”
Advice For Couples
“We would highly recommend having a wedding planner. We did it all on our own and, while it was a lot of fun, it was also really hectic and stressful. It was hard to switch off and let go when the day arrived. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself as much as you can. Lastly, if yours is an outdoor venue, always have a back up venue or arrangement on hand in case of any last-minute climatic emergencies.”
The Wedding Makers
Venue: Suryagarh Jaisalmer
Groom’s Outfits: Kilt Society (Scottish Wedding), Forte (Baraat)
Bride’s Outfits: Bride and Beautiful (Scottish Wedding), Delhi 6 (Mehndi and Baraat)
Makeup artist: Varsha Thapa
Photography and Videography: Gautam Khullar Photography
