Dhvani and Samarth, Mumbai

From indifferent classmates to best friends – and then life partners, Dhvani and Samarth’s journey from a high school classroom to the wedding mandap makes for a charming love story. Here, bride Dhvani shares highlights of her romance and the wedding celebrations held in Mumbai which was beautifully captured by WeddingSutra Favorite –WhatKnot.

How We Met
“Samarth and I are high-school sweethearts, but we are by no means the ‘love at first sight’ kind of couple. The first time I saw Samarth, he was sitting with a pile of accountancy books and studying before our class had even started. I assumed he was a total nerd so I sat away from him. We had a few group projects together since we were in the same class. So, we ended up having a few random and casual conversations. The first time he actually ‘noticed’ me was at a hospital, not the most romantic place, where we both had gone to meet a mutual friend. We started talking casually after that, but within six months, we were up till 4 am chatting. Before we knew it, we were best friends, but we had no idea if we’d be compatible as a couple. So we started casually dating, and within the first six months itself, we experienced a long-distance relationship. We realized how we were imperfect individuals but the perfect couple together; and the picture of the ‘perfect companion’ we had was actually of each other. Even today, when we are away from each other, our love seems to grow stronger.”

Wedding Functions

Mehndi
The mehndi had a colorful theme with a focus on bright and quirky decor elements. Lots of flowers and fun bric-a-brac further enhanced the pop vibe and gave the venue a carnival vibe. Dhvani shares, “The theme for this function was ‘Punjabi mela,’ so we had ‘dhol walas’ (traditional drummers) who flew down from Delhi for the event. For my mehndi look, I chose a floral Anushree Reddy lehenga and opted for a toga, instead of a dupatta, to add an element of ease and fun. Samarth wore an outfit by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla which matched my outfit perfectly, even though we did not plan it that way.”

Wedding
“Samarth and I wanted an intimate wedding in the company of our closest friends and family, and that is exactly what we got. I don’t think either of us is the ‘dream wedding’ types or had an exact idea of what our wedding should be like. Our wedding will forever be right on top of our favorite memories. Keeping our venue in mind, we kept the decor elegant and understated. I had a rather difficult time deciding on my wedding outfit because I wanted something that matched my style and not just opt for a typical disco ball look just because I was a bride! The ivory Sabyasachi lehenga that I chose was something that instantly caught my fancy. The color was a rather risky choice for the typical ‘Gujju’ affair we were going to have. However, I found its color, cut and embellishments just perfect. Samarth took three days to finalize his looks. He decided on an ivory sherwani from Sabyasachi for the wedding and paired it with a shawl to complete the look.”

Cocktail Party
As the wedding ceremony ended, it was time to amp up the music and dance the night away at the cocktail party. The couple wanted an evening of subtle elegance with a big dose of glamor! So the decor included rich drapes and warm lighting with plays of light and sparkles. Dhvani shares, “For my cocktail party, I wore a blue Gaurav Gupta gown, which was classy and more importantly comfortable for a long night of partying.”

The Wedding Makers
Wedding Venues: NSCI, Mumbai, Jade Gardens (Mehndi), Zenith & Anais Suite, The St. Regis Mumbai (Cocktail Party)
Bride’s Outfits: Anushree Reddy (Mehndi), Sabyasachi (Wedding), Gaurav Gupta (Cocktail Party)
Groom’s Outfits: Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla (Mehndi), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Wedding)
Makeup & Hairstylist: Aafreen and Vidya Patkar (Cocktail), Disha Karia (Mehndi), Vishal Kadam and Vidya Patkar (Wedding)

Photography: WhatKnot

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