Ilina Gupta and Dr. Nishant Shirodkar, Lohagarh Fort Resort and Spa, Rajasthan

Exuding traditional grandeur of a Rajasthani wedding, Ilina Gupta and Dr. Nishant Shirodkar’s wedding at Lohagarh Fort Resort and Spa was a breathtaking celebration. Surrounded by intricate Rajasthani architecture and lush greenery, the beauty of their union was amplified by the majesty of the venue that gave a fitting backdrop to each of their events and idyllic views of the Aravalli range.

How They Met
Nishant shares, “We met in the 11th standard while we were in the same junior college in Mumbai and enjoyed a good friendship for the two years we studied there. After much hesitation, I asked her out and after six months of courting, she said ‘yes!’ We started officially dating sometime during the summer vacations after the 12th standard. Our relationship thereafter just bloomed into the most wonderful experience of our lives. In the 8 years that we have been together since, we have braved long-distance dating, a pandemic, some hardships, and many more moments of happiness. Having conquered everything together, we decided it is time to get married, and so we got court married during the peak of the pandemic in 2021. We still wanted a big Indian wedding in a palace with all our family and friends present and we waited a full year before we went ahead with it.”

Wedding Venue
Nishant shares, “Ilina always wanted a big palace wedding. She envisioned this dream and planned everything to the last detail. And ofcourse we were all more than happy to help make her dream a reality. We did a lot of scouting to find the perfect venue which could accommodate the large guest list, but more importantly, a venue that fit the bill for a palace. Lohagarh Fort Resort and Spa was perfectly built for our vision. It is a beautifully designed venue and carefully thought out to accommodate weddings in particular. On our first visit, we were just amazed by the palatial vibes of the venue. Open spaces, beautiful rooms, grand architecture and greenery made it ideal for our June wedding.”

Wedding Planning
When hosting a wedding on such a grand scale, it is essential to be surrounded by a team that you can trust. Relying on their family and friends along with seasoned vendors, the couple had a fun time planning their Rajasthani wedding.

Weddings Functions
Mehendi
Accentuated by pink and orange hues, the mehndi was decorated with boho, earthy and traditional elements. A special seating area was crafted for the bride while the decor around her consisted of marigolds, earthen pots and pink drapes.

Tilak and Sangeet
Hosted under the stars, the sangeet was where glamour took the front seat. Equipped with a vast stage backed by an LED screen, the event had everyone grooving. And, to set the tone for the evening the couple entered, flanked by their friends who held up golden sparklers.

Tel, Haldi and Chaak
Combining the three essential rituals of a Rajasthani wedding together, Ilina and Nishant combined celebrations of tel, haldi and chaak. For this occasion, the venue was outdoors under the shade of majestic trees. As the women of the bride and groom’s families united together to celebrate the chaak they indulged in traditional dance. Later, the haldi was hosted in the same venue where the couple, who were seated in brass urlis, were showered with marigold petals.

Wedding
Nishant shares, “We decided to have a full traditional Rajasthani wedding, complete with all the rituals and midnight phere. We had always dreamt of such a wedding and our entire family enjoyed it to the hilt. It was a very novel wedding for my family especially as we hail from Goa and they had never witnessed such a wedding.”

Reception
The newlyweds decided to host the reception in Mumbai at a posh hotel where they mingled freely with their extended family and friends.

Advice For Couples
The couple shares, “Our wedding experience was a delightful one. The sheer scale of such a big event opens a lot of room for error, so the first piece of advice we would like to offer to couples is to get as much help as possible. If you’re keen on having a destination wedding, a wedding planner is essential to coordinate everything on the ground for you. In addition to this, probably the most important advice, have some people in your family, your best man/woman, siblings or friends, who can follow up, supervise and stay on top of the event team, photographers and other services persons. On the day of the function, the couple and their immediate family are super busy and you just can’t handle everything. Someone else has to make sure everything is happening as decided. Start your planning early, keep the local weather in mind, and lastly, enjoy the process because it is going to be one of the most memorable journeys of your life.”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Lohagarh Fort Resort, Rajasthan (Mehndi, Tilak and Sangeet; Tel, Haldi and Chaak; Wedding), The Leela, Mumbai (Reception)
Wedding Planner: Neha’s Evento
Groom’s Outfits: Manyavar (Mehndi), JadeBlue (Tilak and Sangeet, Haldi, Sajan Goth, Wedding), Kora by Nilesh Mitesh (Reception)
Bride’s Outfits: Zari Jaipur (Ganesh Pooja, Tilak and Sangeet), Pratap Sons (Haldi), Aari Tari (Mehndi, Bhaat and Sajan Goth, Wedding), Panghat (Reception)
Makeup: Makeup by Shriya Pardal Singh (Mehndi, Tilak and Sangeet; Tel, Haldi and Chaak; Wedding), Makeup by Vishita Soni (Reception)
Mehndi: Priyanka
Choreography: Vivek Swant (Sangeet), Nikhil Shetty (Sangeet)
Photography and Videography: Films Rajguru

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