Barbie and Pratik, AVANI Hua Hin Resorts and Villas, Thailand

Pratik and Barbie met each other through their families and instantly hit it off at the first meeting itself. Their three-day wedding in Thailand was planned by WeddingSutra Favourite – Krish Events and included interesting themes catering to all age groups. Bride Barbie takes us through the planning and memories here.

How We Met
“Though Pratik and I hail from different cities, our maternal families are settled in Kolkata, and you can guess the drill after that! Instantly, the network between common friends and family got activated with someone getting feedback on each of us. All of this including the matching of our horoscopes sounds like a detective film! Slowly, our film progressed with every dot joining in our favor! We first met along with our parents at JW Marriott in Kolkata. With questions pouring in like fireworks from the families, Pratik and I felt the need to understand each other alone. We agreed to meet at a quaint cafe, and our conversation ran so deep that we didn’t realize when the minutes turned into hours. After our dinner, we spent our time talking about our likes, differences, and flexibility. It wasn’t easy to make a lifelong decision, but we heard our inner voice saying a, ‘Yes!’ and then there was no turning back! We got engaged on March 19, 2018, in Ranchi and wed on July 10, 2018, in Thailand.”

Wedding Venue
“I always dreamt of getting married in culturally rich places that exuded royal charm. While destinations like Jodhpur and Udaipur were on my list, Pratik wanted a beach wedding. With the weather conditions in Rajasthan being unsuitable in July, we shortlisted a few properties in Thailand and Kerala. After long discussions with hotel teams, we zeroed down on AVANI Hua Hin Resorts & Villas in Thailand as our wedding venue. When we saw the sunset from their beautiful beachfront with the rolling waves, we knew we had found the perfect place. The location was ideal for hosting a sundowner that we had always wanted. The property also had splendid indoor and outdoor venues like lush green gardens that proved to be a beautiful venue for our dream wedding!”

Wedding Planning, Decor & Theme
“We trusted Krish Events to plan our wedding and to work with Krishna was an amazing experience. She is rightly known as the ‘Lagan Lady of Thailand’! Her entire team worked with enthusiasm and effort to make any request possible. While they strived for the perfect wedding, the dreamy settings were assembled by Fascinate by Jessy and our remarkable wedding photos were taken by Anoop.Photography.”

Wedding Functions

Mehndi – ‘The Marigold Morning’
“Our three-day wedding affair started with my mehndi celebrations which we called ‘The Marigold Morning.’ The dress code for this function was ‘Hues of Yellow.’ I picked my lehenga from Onaya in Kolkata, and Pratik opted for a jacket-style kurta by designer Surbhi Pansari. As the theme suggests, the decor shone brightly with the most beautiful member of the sunflower family – marigolds! We invited Riya Bhattacharya, a finalist on the Singing reality show ‘Om Shanti Om’ to perform and her voice and talent impressed all.”

Welcome Dinner – ‘The Yin Yang Night’
“A few things that Pratik and I share a great fascination towards are, the aisle, entrance, and vows of a Christian wedding. Now a wedding is one of the most precious experiences which we will share, so we wanted to live our dreams to the fullest. With the black and white themed Yin Yang dinner, we did exactly that! I chose a gown by Eshaani Jayaswal for the night, and Pratik looked suave in his suit by Sashi Vangapalli. We walked down the aisle and took our vows in front of friends and family. After that, guests enjoyed an Alcazar Show and a special performance by Yashraj Kapil, winner of the reality show ‘Sitaron Ko Choona Hai.’”

For the Elders – ‘Umrao Jaan Dance Night’
“We wanted to host a special event for the elders, and planned an ‘Umrao Jaan Dance Night.’ The melodious songs and unforgettable lyrics transported everyone back to the 90s. We invited two special artists, Ruth Lawrence and Lily Tapadar who brightened up the event with many dance performances and also made all our guests dance to their beats.”

Bachelors After Party – ‘The Game Over Night’
“At one end of the resort, we had the elders dancing to the 90’s tunes at the ‘Umrao Jaan Night.’ And at the other end, we hosted a loud Bachelors After Party which we called ‘The Game Over Night’ at the Blue Biscuit Club for the youngsters. Suraj Wahengbam designed my outfit for the night, and Pratik picked his outfit from Sujeeth Vasant’s Fort St. George, the bespoke couturier. ”

Pool Party – ‘The Gamcha Party’
“The second day began with an action-packed pool party with a ‘Checks and Plaids’ (akin to the print of the ‘gamcha’ which is a thin cotton towel) theme. While I self-designed my outfit for the function, Pratik chose his from Sujeeth Vasant’s Fort St. George. To make the event fun, we arranged small games for the guests, put up a Dunk Tank, organized a rain dance, and also had a special Aqua Zumba instructor for all the fitness freaks! Oh, wait! How can I forget the highlight of the event? We had a Tug of War between both sides of the families inside the pool which turned out to be the highlight of this event.”

Sangeet – ‘The Victorian Night’
“The theme for our sangeet was ‘The Victorian Night’ and the dress code was tuxedos for men, and frills or ruffles for women. The night started with ‘tikka’ (pre-wedding ritual where vermilion is applied to the groom’s forehead) ceremony and was then followed by lots of dancing. I wore a Niharika Kamani creation for the night, and Pratik picked his suit from Fort St. George. Everyone from both sides of our families had become so well connected by then that our energy knew no bounds. With top Bollywood hits blasting through the speakers, the merrymaking on the dancefloor went on with great gusto. The Night ended with our special guest artist – actress and singer, Dhrriti Saharan who gave us even more reason to the dance the night away.”

Bhaat – Mayra in Bandhini
“In Marwari families, the maternal uncles of the bride and groom play a very important role in the wedding festivities and revelries. They are there to support their sisters who are the mothers of the bride and groom. The ‘Bhaat’ is a ceremony held to make the entire family proud. I picked an outfit from Gaurav & Nitesh for this event, and Pratik wore a Sashi Vangapalli ensemble. The special artist we invited for this event was Maruti Mohata who is a specialist in Mayra music.”

Wedding
“Our big day was truly a solid affair! Pratik and I dressed in regal outfits by Sabyasachi. He made his entry with a royal baarat, and I entered walking under a ‘phoolon ka chadar’ (floral canopy)! The ‘varmala’ (garlanding ceremony) was followed by bright and colorful fireworks, but nothing outshone the beauty of the night sky under the light of which we began a new chapter of our lives together.”

Advice for Couples
“Your wedding is your once in a lifetime moment, so don’t leave any stone unturned to get yourself the day you’ve always dreamt about. Live that dream to the fullest and create memories that you and your spouse will cherish forever.”

Barbie Pratik | Same Day Edit | Avani Hua Hin Resort & Villas | Anoop.Studio from Anoop.Studio on Vimeo.

The Wedding Makers
Venues: AVANI Hua Hin Resorts & Villas, Thailand
Wedding Planner: Krish Events
Decor & Florist: Fascinate by Jessy, Bangkok
Caterers: Munna Maharaj Catering Services, Kolkata; AVANI Hua Hin Resorts and Villas
Groom’s Outfits: Surbhi Pansari, Kolkata (The Marigold Morning), Sashi Vangapalli, Hyderabad (The Ying Yang Night, Mayra in Bandhini), Sujeeth Vasant – Fort St. George (Game Over Party, The Gamcha Party, The Victorian Night), Sabyasachi (Wedding)
Bride’s Outfits: Onaya, Kolkata (The Marigold Morning), Eshaani Jayaswal, Kolkata (The Ying Yang Night), Suraj Wahengbam, Manipur (Game Over Party), Self- Designed (The Gamcha Party), Niharika Kamani, Kolkata (The Victorian Night), Gaurav & Nitesh, Kolkata (Mayra in Bandhini), Sabyasachi (Wedding)
Makeup Artist: Bianca Louzado and Team
Entertainment: Riya Bhattacharya (The Marigold Morning), Yashraj Kapil (The Ying Yang Night), Ruth Lawrence and Lily Tapadar (Umrao Jaan Night), Dhrriti Saharan (The Victorian Night), Maruti Mohata, (Mayra in Bandhini)
Wedding Invitations, Social Branding and Theme Curator: Nikita Kala

Photography and Videography: Anoop.Photography

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