Charvi and Runal, Taj Lands End, Mumbai

Charvi, a chirpy bride who loves planning, wed easygoing Runal, who loves spontaneity. WeddingSutra Favorite – Vivaah Wedding Décor Stylist, expertly executed the magical decor, while another WeddingSutra Favorite – WhatKnot, captured the special moments during the celebrations at Taj Lands End, Mumbai. Bride Charvi shares the highlights.

How They Met
“We met at work. He was the assistant manager and my senior and I was a consultant. We would see each other every day and probably even liked each other but we never spoke.

It was during our company offsite at Silvassa that we finally got to talking. After a few drinks we ended up spending the night walking on the streets and talking about everything under the sun. That was the beginning of our relationship.”

The Proposal
“We didn’t really need a particular moment to realize that we had each found ‘the one’. We knew that we were both really happy and comfortable with each other. With time, we just knew that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. That is why we didn’t have any cliched proposal or a single moment when we realized that we wanted to get married.”

Wedding Planning
“My wedding planner and I had a clear vision on how we wanted the decor and event flow to be. All we had to do was find the right vendors to execute each task at a reasonable cost.

“We had about six months to plan and each weekend was lined up with meetings with different vendors, negotiating prices or going to Crawford Market to see wedding paraphernalia. I had such a blast planning every event to the last detail. I wanted Runal and I, as well as our families and friends, to enjoy our wedding to the fullest. All the efforts paid off as everything turned out to be beautiful. The entire week of wedding festivities was ONE BIG PARTY that people could not stop raving out! We all still have the wedding hangover!”

The WhatKnot team was beyond amazing! Everyone was extremely professional; they were a pleasure to work with. They captured all the beautiful moments from the events. We are just delighted by the fantastic video and photos.”

Wedding Functions

Dhol Function
“Being Punjabi, I have always loved the idea of a dhol being played with everyone getting together and dancing like there is no tomorrow. Runal planned this event especially for me. He knew that this would be the perfect way to start the wedding celebrations and I’d get to let my hair down and enjoy myself!”

The dhol function was a close-knit affair with immediate family and close friends enjoying the Punjabi-themed celebration. Held on an open terrace, this function was the perfect start to the festivities.

Mehndi
“My mehndi function was an intimate and super-chilled event. I got my mehndi done in our suite, while both Runal and my close friends laughed, danced and enjoyed drinks. This event has a special place in my heart because I wore my mom’s bridal lehenga skirt paired with a raw silk shirt for a fusion look.”

Cocktail and Engagement
“The cocktail event started with our first dance as a couple, followed by a quick engagement ceremony and a few toasts by close friends – this was definitely not PG rated!

The first hour of the night was probably the only sober one. The party transitioned from a formal event to a crazy cocktail party that went on till 4 am. It was filled with mad dancing, people falling and tons of drunken stories. Over two dozen glasses broke! Most people even forgot to have dinner!”

Mehndi and Sangeet
“We meticulously planned for this function: the dance performances, the Punjabi boliyan, the vibrant decor, the mehendi favors (potlis and bangles) – every little detail was planned. The end result was a surreal affair. The decor was eclectic and colorful, creating just the right ambience. The decor was exceptionally executed by Vivaah Wedding Décor Stylist. Hands down it was the most fun event of them all.

Haldi and Chooda
“My haldi functions were held at the Malabar banquet hall at Taj Land’s End. Runal’s was organized at his home. The event on both sides was wild and a lot of fun, with everyone getting smeared with tons of haldi.

The chooda event started with a small prayer followed by a short ceremony. The kaleera breaking ritual was interesting as it fell on my cousin sister as well as on my best friend. The funny thing was that the same cousin got engaged a few days after the ceremony!”

Wedding
“The baraat saw a lot of dancing, drinking and, of course, dhols! The varmala and pheras were beautiful and touching. The mandap was set up at the poolside lawn of Taj Land’s End, against the gorgeous backdrop of the sea. It was dreamy and surreal.

During the ceremony, my sisters and friends were busy trying to steal Runal’s shoes for joota chupai. Right in the middle of the pheras, we saw a shoe fly in the air which led to the bride squad running towards it!

Another incident during the pheras was when our friends started throwing flowers instead of petals – that really hurt! It even hit the pandit a couple of times but thankfully he took it well and laughed about it.”

Reception
“Our reception was held at the lower lawns of the same venue. It was quite a short and quick event with barely an hour of us being on the stage. We made our entry to one of our favorite songs, Perfect by Ed Sheeran. It was a beautiful moment and I think it was then that it hit us that we were finally married.”

Advice For Couples
“Even if you can plan your wedding on your own, I would advise you to get a wedding planner because you and your family will actually get time to enjoy the wedding instead of running around. Having a wedding planner was a blessing and it made the entire process so much more enjoyable. Also, don’t be a bridezilla or groomzilla! Just enjoy the process instead of being stressed because the wedding planning process will be one of the best times of your life and you’ll miss it once it’s over.”

The Wedding Makers
Venues: Blue Sea Banquets (Cocktail and Engagement), Taj Lands End, Mumbai (Haldi, Chooda Ceremony, Wedding, Reception)
Wedding Planner: Neki Shah
Décor: Vivaah Wedding Décor Stylist
Bride’s Outfits: House of Indya (Silk Shirt, Mehndi), Dolly J Studio (Cocktail and Engagement), Anita Dongre (Mehendi, Sangeet and Wedding), Label Nitika (Haldi), JADE by Monica and Karishma (Reception)
Jewellery: Tanishq (Cocktail, Engagement, Mehendi, Sangeet), Kalyan Jewellers (Wedding, Reception), Azotiique by Varun Raheja (Wedding)
Kaleere: Floral Art by Srishti (Mehendi), Azotiique by Varun Raheja
Makeup Artist: Doll You Up by S (Cocktail, Engagement, Wedding, Reception)
Hairstylist: Anita (Cocktail, Engagement, Mehendi, Sangeet), Shagufta (Wedding, Reception)
Mehendi: Hansa Gajra
Phoolon Ka Chaadar and Varmalas: Floral Art by Srishti
Entertainment: Mark Parakh (Reception)
Wedding Invitations: Mahee Creation
Cake: Love Sugar Dough (Engagement)

Photography: WhatKnot

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