Kamya and Nikhil, Bengaluru

Surrounded by nature’s bounty, Kameshwari Chandra and Nikhil Kumar’s fusion wedding was a simple yet beautiful event that honored Tamil, Telugu, and North Indian traditions. Hosted at the breathtaking and plush Taj West End in Bengaluru and photographed by WeddingSutra Favorite – Sam & Ekta who used their creativity to capture stunning stills that conveyed every emotion, this wedding was a cheery affair from the start to finish.

How They Met
Kamya shares, “Strangely, Nikhil and I first met each other on FaceTime. It was my boss of all people who is responsible for connecting us, albeit professionally, as she wanted me to co-author a paper with him. Although we were strangers, we became unusually close virtually, and eventually, we met in person a few months later while I was visiting Bangalore for some work. Together, we dealt with a lot of changes as I adjusted to my new job in India, his dad and my mom got hospitalized and Nikhil started his own fintech API Company named Setu. Later, I switched jobs again and in the midst of this all, we decided to tie the knot fearing that we may get too busy again!”

Proposal
To pop the big question to Kamya, Nikhil chose a trip down memory lane as he went down on one knee at the gardens of The Leela Palace, Bengaluru where the duo had first met in person.

Wedding Venue
Smitten from the first visit itself, the couple wasted no time in selecting the lush Taj West End, Bengaluru as their wedding venue. Describing what drew her to the property, Kamya shares, “When we first visited the property, it was almost as if we’d entered a hidden historic hill station that was designed keeping intimate weddings in mind. Each space vibed with us perfectly, from the majestic Raintree for the Mehendi, the pondside forest enclave for the wedding, to the poolside pergola that was perfect for our first dance. Furthermore, the staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating as they catered to our needs. We can’t thank them enough for all the efforts they put in to make our big day perfect!”

Wedding Planning

Knowing how important it is to have a skilled photographer on the squad in order to capture precious memories to last a lifetime, Kamya and Nikhil roped in photographers Sam & Ekta. Happy bride Kamya shares, “They became kind, patient, and trusted overall wedding advisors — they answered so many questions for us through the journey. They make your family laugh and feel comfortable enough to get the right ‘real’ portraits. They made people who missed the COVID wedding feel like they were there by capturing every candid moment. More importantly, when those who attended saw the candids we relived the wedding from a new perspective — we saw expressions of ourselves we didn’t know we made, and saw moments of the wedding we missed or didn’t know happened. It was incredible to see emotions captured in the time capsule of their images. Plus, of course, they made us look hotter than we ever have (or ever will) and took some technically flawless shots. They think deeply about what you want from wedding photos now, 5 years from now, and 10 years from now and strive to give you all of it. If you’re looking for a team that has built a personal philosophy on what good wedding photography is and lives it every day, this is the team you want! We know we wouldn’t have had it any other way :)”

Kamya goes on to add, “With Rohan and Aparna setting the tone of the wedding with regal invites, Nilma leading creative direction to transform the spaces, Shilka from Amanati Events as the superwoman orchestrator, and Ralph Daniels pulling together distinct and elegant bridal looks, the wedding felt like a beautiful dream in the middle of COVID.”

Adding to the team were planners Amanati Events LLP, decorators With Love Nilma, invitation designers Rohan and Aparna Wedding Invitations and Paper Loves Pixel along with makeup artist Ralph Daniels.

Weddings Functions

Haldi
Kamya recollects, “This was a traditional South Indian ceremony that signified the transformation of a woman into a bride. To mark this occasion, we chose ‘Yellow’ by Coldplay to be played in the background as I made my entry. After being gifted with bangles and made thoroughly messy thanks to a boisterous haldi session, both of us enjoyed the Mangala Snanam which entailed us to be doused in cold water.”

High Tea and Mehendi
“Owing to the fact that high tea in Victorian England was always accompanied by games, we gave it our twist with a hilarious NiKammo themed round of Mad Libs with the help of our friend Aarushi Jain who also runs a Digital Escape Room. The game consisted of everyone suggesting an unrealistic number of children that we would have and to accompany the festivities we spread out a mixture of desi chaat and traditional English tea snacks. Furthermore, the menu was a parody of our favorite movies.
In the end, my three bridesmaids and I surprised Nikhil with a live mashup performance on a guitar which eventually led to an impromptu jamming session.”

Sangeet

Eschewing the traditional practice of hosting performances, the duo kept the Sangeet simple and fun with a high-spirited party where they both took the dance floor by storm along with their loved ones.

Wedding
“Following an enchanted forest theme, the wedding was adorned with blue and purple-hued flowers, brass temple bells, and lamps along with rustic wooden pillars that supported the mandap. We combined Tamil, Telugu, and North Indian wedding rituals to orchestrate a wedding that appealed to both our families’ senses. After my entry under the phoolon ki chadar we held the Oonjal ceremony on the swing in front of the pond while my aunts sang songs around me. After that, my uncles and other father-figures of the family carried me in a basket to the wedding mandap as per Telugu tradition.”, shares Kamya.

Reception

“Since the reception was held on the 24th of December, we chose a Christmas theme for the event. Decorated with a Christmas tree and serving copious amounts of mulled wine, it was a cozy celebration where my mom surprised everyone with a stunning piano performance where she played ‘Can’t Help Falling in With You’.”, recollects the enthused bride.

Advice For Couples
“At first, it can be hard to reconcile with a small wedding due to COVID -19 but I would highly advise focusing on the positive aspects of everything. Throughout the wedding, we made full use of technology by showcasing speeches on Zoom during the reception. Furthermore, bridesmaid boxes and invitation favors were sent in advance so that people would have tokens of the wedding even if they couldn’t make it. No ceremony had more than 30 people and we ensured this by splitting up the guests evenly throughout ceremonies.”

“Furthermore, I would also advise you to be the CEO of your wedding and not a ‘one-woman army’ who takes on all the tasks. Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event and getting stressed over the smallest details can spoil this special phase. Instead, make sure you have complete clarity on your vision and focus on hiring a team that you can trust blindly. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the magic!”, advises Kamya.

The Wedding Makers
Venue: Taj West End, Bengaluru
Wedding Planner: Amanati Events LLP
Décor: With Love Nilma
Groom’s Outfits: Muhammed Omair (High Tea and Mehendi, Reception), 108 Bespoke (Sangeet, Wedding)
Bride’s Outfits: Gray and Green Store (Haldi), Gulabo (High Tea and Mehendi), Anita Dongre (Sangeet), Angadi Heritage (Wedding), Kresha Bajaj (Reception)
Jewelry: Mortantra (Haldi, Wedding)
Makeup and Hairstyling: Ralph Daniels
Wedding Invitations: Rohan and Aparna Invitations, Paper Loves Pixel
Photography: Sam & Ekta

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