Malvika and Pranay, Aashyana Lakhanpal, Goa

Malvika and Pranay’s prenatal connection lead them to post-nuptial bliss! The duo recently tied the knot in Goa and had Weddingsutra Favorite WhatKnot preserve the memory of their wedding celebrations in stunning photographs. The bride shares with us the highlights of their big day.

How We Met
“Pranay and I technically shared a connection even before we were born. Our mothers, while they were pregnant, used to live in Mumbai and would take the local train together to reach work. We have both lived in Mumbai, Singapore, and London, thanks to their jobs! We spent the first 19 years of our lives pretending to hate each other, but I must admit, we always knew something was up. It took a bit of alcohol, but we started dating part way through university. Since then it has been a fun six years.”

Proposal
“Pranay proposed to me just as we were gearing up to buy a home together. We went back to where we had our first date. He made me believe it was the proposal, waited for me to be disappointed, and of course angry, and popped the question in our living room. Romance and pointless fighting are our sweet spots.”

Wedding Venue
“We knew that we wanted an intimate venue for our wedding. It needed to feel like it was happening in our home, but with good weather and the beach outside. Aashyana Lakhanpal fit all the requirements. They call themselves a villa and not a hotel. They are a beachfront property, with luscious gardens, and accommodation for 50 people and event capacity for 125. The decor was modern, with an Indian touch. Between the two pools, a Zen garden, a yoga pavilion and of course the beach, we had lots of venues to choose from for each event.”

Wedding Planning
“Our wedding planner was Florance Flora Celebration, led by Vedika Goel. She fully understood our aesthetic sense and added her personal touch as well. As a result, our decor was exactly what we had envisioned. Our wedding invitations were designed by Pranay and me. We wanted everything to be focused on travel, so we conceptualized our cards around the look of a boarding pass. All the invitations had the meaning and significance of the various events at the back so that friends who were unfamiliar with Indian marriage customs could have a better understanding. We added luggage tags and personalized each with a message for our loved ones. After having tried a few makeup artists in Goa, I realized I preferred doing my hair and makeup. It meant several trips to Sephora and watching a lot of YouTube videos, but the outcome was exactly what I wanted. For brides who like the minimal look, I couldn’t recommend this approach more. Our wedding photographers were WhatKnot. We found them via a friend whose wedding pictures we saw on Facebook and loved how they captured the key moments. After meeting Aditya for a cup of coffee, we knew he and his team were right for us. Not only were they were super flexible, but they also made sure they captured all the right moments.”

Wedding Functions

Mehndi
“Our first event was a poolside mehndi function, with colorful drapes, decorative hanging accents, and marigold blooms. We served chaat and beer and had a traditional Punjabi folk singer singing mehndi songs. As each family member entered, the folk singer dedicated a song to them and got everyone dancing.” 

Sangeet
“Our sangeet took place the same evening for which we moved to the back garden near the pool. Our closest friends put together a very personal script and dances for us, and even included our grandmothers in the performances! Later the dance floor opened up with plenty of cocktails going around. The smoke machine and lighting created the perfect atmosphere. I wore a Payal Singhal lehenga for this function. The blouse with its tassels packed the right amount of fun. I accessorized it with earrings from Minerali and bangles from Sabyasachi. Overall, I minimized the use of gold at the wedding. I did my hair in modern waves, and for my makeup, I created purple smokey eyes with a nude lip. Pranay wore an navy kurta and dhoti outfit from Ensemble along with a yellow bandi jacket.”

Kalyanam
“The next morning we had our ‘Kalyanam’ (Malayali wedding ceremony), where all the attendees were dressed in white. The event took place in the small Zen garden in the backyard. The decor was simple with just banana leaves, yellow marigolds, and coconuts. Although this was the simplest event, with minimal decor, it was certainly my favorite. Pranay loved that a part of the ceremony where I had to touch his feet! We served a traditional ‘sadhya’ (Malayalam feast) for our lunch in the living room, on banana leaves with no cutlery. We all wore traditional Malayali clothes which my mother-in-law arranged from Kasavukada. My saree had deers on the border, which was an ode to our home in Richmond, near a park with lots of deers. All the jewellery I wore were heirloom pieces. My necklace was from my great-grandmother, bangles from my grandmother and earrings from my mother. My hair was simply straightened and pinned half up, and I just applied a little eyeliner on my lids.”

Pheras
“We held our Punjabi Lavan phere in the evening of the same day as the Kalyanam ceremony. Pranay came in an auto with his baraat and mixed his own playlist for the event. It was a sweaty but fun affair. He reached the ‘varmala’ (garlanding ceremony) location on the beach in time for sunset while I arrived with my friends, under a ‘phoolon ki chaadar’ (floral canopy) with dangling pink lotuses. Our song for the ‘varmala’ was Mangalyam from the movie ‘Saathiya’ which fit the atmosphere perfectly. The pheras took place after dinner, in the verandah of the house. The idea of getting married in a home really stuck with us. Our mandap was decorated with tuberoses, diyas and kaleeras. The seating for loved ones was all around our mandap, making it a very intimate affair. Our priest was great and he translated the entire ceremony in English. I wore a Dolly J Chikankari lehenga, with a floral blouse and peach dupatta. My necklace and earrings were from Anita Dongre’s Silver Collection. I wore my mother’s wedding ‘maang tikka’ (forehead ornament) from Jammu. Since Jammu is my father’s hometown, the piece held a lot of significance. My kaleeras and longer necklace were purchased from local shops there. My ‘chooda’ (bridal bangles) came from my maternal grandmother’s hometown of Jalandhar. My best friend helped me put my hair up in a messy bun, once I had curled it. We draped it with traditional floral garlands. I did a simple brown eye, with pink lips. Pranay wore a sherwani from Dhruvesh, along with a stole from Ensemble and a necklace from Minerali. He found his turban at the last minute while strolling around in Ghatkopar.”

Reception
“The next morning we had a beach reception which was hosted outside a beach hut. We had the seating planned where all the tables were named after meaningful places from our childhood. The setup itself was all white, with drapes, and table centerpieces and pictures of us. We had games and speeches, and the highlight of the event was a game where our guests voted for “Who is most likely to” using paddle boards with our faces. The dance floor opened after sunset, and the music entertained guests till late in the evening. The shots bar was a busy spot through the night! I wore a crochet top and skirt from Arpita Mehta with earrings from Anthropologie. My makeup included a bronze finish and bold red lips. My hair was styled in beach waves, and I accessorized with a floral crown. Pranay wore a simple white shirt from Shantanu and Nikhil, with a pair of printed trousers.”

Advice For Couples
“For girls who may get a bit overwhelmed by makeup artists and hairstylists, I recommend doing your hair and makeup. For me, it took a few months of YouTube watching and of course multiple practice sessions, but it was all worth the effort. You can buy plenty of beautiful jewellery without necessarily investing in gold. Minerali and Anita Dongre are excellent places to shop for lovely jewellery. Lastly, your wedding is all about having fun! You can get caught up in the moment, but remember that all the people you love are in one place helps.”

The Wedding Makers
Venues: Aashyana Lakhanpal, Goa
Wedding Planner: Florance Flora Celebration
Groom’s Outfits: Ensemble (Sangeet), Kasavukada (Kalyanam), Dhruvesh (Pheras), Anthropologie (Reception)
Bride’s Outfits: Payal Singhal (Sangeet), Kasavukada (Kalyanam), Dolly J (Pheras), Arpita Mehta (Reception)
Jewellery: Minerali, Sabyasachi, Anita Dongre, Anthropologie

Photography: WhatKnot

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