Kamakshi and Aakash, Jaipur

Kamakshi and Aakash’s wedding was a glorious affair with gorgeous decor put together beautifully by WeddingSutra Favorite – Desert Pearl Entertainment who planned, managed and executed the celebrations flawlessly. Another WeddingSutra Favorite Turmeric Ink blended indigenous designs with a contemporary style to create stunning wedding invites.

How We Met
College sweethearts Kamakshi and Aakash’s love story goes back to their university days in the US where they bonded over their love for Bollywood, books, food, friends, and family. A few years of friendship grew into something more, and after six years of dating, a long-distance relationship, countless Facetime calls and innumerable trips to see each other, they finally tied the knot.

The Proposal
“Aakash and I knew that we wanted to get married, but when it was finally time to pop the question, he wanted to make it special for us. He planned an elaborate set of surprises over a weekend in May when I was visiting him, but none of those surprises were leading to a proposal. He caught me when I was least expecting it, on an impromptu day trip at our favorite beach in San Francisco – Half Moon Bay. While we were walking, I noticed him stop, turn around and get down on one knee. It was a wonderful moment, one that I will cherish for years to come.”

Wedding Venue
Kamashi shared, “Aakash and I wanted an intimate wedding in a picturesque place and wanted to do it in India in a traditional way so our friends and family could join us. We weren’t able to go to India to pick our wedding venue, so we let our parents visit several places. Through many pictures and discussions, we found the JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa to be the most beautiful venue we came across in our search. The property is stunning, with its secluded luxury feel away from the hustle-bustle of Jaipur and Delhi along with its many outdoor spaces that we were able to use well, including the Sundarban Lawn, Hawa Mahal, and Poolside, it was the perfect choice. I always wanted an outdoor setting for my wedding, and we were able to do just that at the JW Marriott. The Events team at the hotel was accommodating during the planning process, and the Banquet team did a fabulous job with all the meals. The credit fully goes to our families and the amazing job they did in pulling this wedding off.”

Wedding Planning
The groom shared, “Niyati and Antriksh from Desert Pearl Entertainment were very good in managing the time difference with us when it came to planning a wedding from the US, and helped communicate and give us numerous options to make choices. They also brought our visions on how we wanted the events to life, and the events looked better than we had imagined.” The team at Turmeric Ink incorporated shades of blue with gold, hand-painted in intricate floral pattern on cream paper. The text beautifully calligraphed in gold ink was resplendent of their luxurious wedding celebrations.

Wedding Functions

Tilak
The couple started their wedding celebrations by bringing the two families together at Andaz Delhi before their wedding weekend. The festivities began with a small puja followed by the tilak ceremony where the Aakash and Kamakshi were showered with numerous gifts from their kin. The families then played Antakshari which was followed by dinner. The bride stole the limelight in blue lehenga which paired well with the groom’s blue kurta.

Mehndi
Their mehndi function included colorful decor and street food. Grooving to the tunes of Rajasthani folk songs played by a live band, the guests had a gala time. The couple booked renowned mehndi artists, had a bangle stall for all the ladies, and games like kite flying. They wanted to host the event outdoors, giving it a relaxed, festive vibe, designed to bring everyone together for the first wedding event. Kamakshi wore a yellow lehenga by Sushma Creations, and Aakash matched her in his orange kurta set and jacket by Rohit Bal.

Sangeet
The sangeet had a Bollywood theme, and included a red carpet entrance, decor focusing on sparkling lights and chandeliers, a blue palette creating a starry night effect which made the venue look enchanting. Their friends and family gave surprise performances which delighted the couple. Kamakshi recalls, “I also planned a surprise vocal duet with my mom to the song ‘Ghar More Pardesiya,’ which was a lot of fun to prepare, and Aakash and I surprised everyone with a medley dance to ‘Lamberghini’ and ‘Diliwali Girlfriend.'” The couple owned the night in color-coordinated blue outfits. Kamakshi picked a stunning creation by Reeti Arneja while the groom picked an Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla ensemble.

Haldi
The haldi ceremony held at the poolside started early in the morning. After applying turmeric paste to the groom by doing a hilarious dance to the song ‘Single Ladies,’ his friends tore his kurta and pushed him into the pool. The bride kept it subtle in a pastel blue and yellow lehenga by Chamee and Palak, while the groom wore a beige kurta for their haldi.

Wedding
“The wedding was essential to me, and I always wanted to wed at the Hawa Mahal Terrace at JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa from the minute I saw it the minute I saw it. We had it decorated elegantly in shades of maroon and peach and the use of white flowers, and the swing sets on the secluded terrace brought life to the venue.” Kamakshi entered for the sunset ceremony by walking under a floral canopy with her mother singing a song meant for brides that had been in her family for generations. “It was a special moment when I realized everything had come together and the wedding was finally happening. Aakash and I have sometimes joked that it would rain at our wedding, but when it did, we were taken by surprise. Despite the rain, we had a beautiful ceremony, and it meant a lot to us to have our loved ones with us.” Kamakshi wore a red lehenga by Vasansi Jaipur, while Aakash looked dapper in a Rohit Bal sherwani.

Reception
The couple had two receptions to conclude their grand wedding festivities. Their Jaipur reception was full of heartfelt speeches and lot of dancing. “We wanted this reception to follow a western style with proper seat arrangements and a center stage giving the event a different feel. We particularly enjoyed the moment where our friends planned an impromptu flash mob on ‘Macarena’.” The couple made a stunning entrance in a champagne-colored lehenga by Frontier Raas and a cobalt blue suit. Their Delhi reception was a few days later at the ITC Maurya, New Delhi. They went with a peach and white decor palette with beautiful use of flowers and mirrors near the entrance. The bride shared, “Aakash and I enjoyed wearing a tuxedo by Armani and a bottle green gown by Shantanu and Nikhil respectively for this particular event. I worked with my makeup artist Ridhi to create a modern look that was very different from my other functions and was delighted with the results. We particularly enjoyed having the chance to properly meet everyone at this event after the wedding craziness was over. The couple is still recovering from the exciting, whirlwind wedding that they had. Shortly after their nuptials, the college sweethearts went to the Maldives for a romantic honeymoon.

Advice for couples
“It is important to be on the same page with your wedding planner to make your dream wedding come true. Give focus to the decor as it instantly changes the look and feel of any function.”

Wedding Makers
Venues: Andaz Delhi – A Concept By Hyatt; JW Marriott Jaipur Resort & Spa; ITC Maurya, A Luxury Collection Hotel, New Delhi
Wedding Planner: Desert Pearl Entertainment
Groom’s Outfits: Rohit Bal (Mehndi), Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla (Sangeet), Rohit Bal (Wedding), Armani (Delhi Reception)
Bride’s Outfits: Sushma Creations (Mehndi), Reeti Arneja (Sangeet), Chamee and Palak (Haldi), Vasansi Jaipur (Wedding), Frontier Raas (Jaipur Reception), Shantanu and Nikhil (Delhi Reception)
Makeup and Hair: Jyoti Bhaya (Jaipur), Get Gorgeous with Ridhi (Delhi)
Invitations: Turmeric Ink, Paper Loves Pixel

Photographer: Twogether Studios

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