Manya and Harsha, Chennai

Manya and Harsha’s Telugu wedding was an ode to tradition, spectacular design and larger-than-life elements. Designed by WeddingSutra Favorite – The Wedding Experience, this union flaunted events that made jaws drop with enchanting setups and standout themes.

Wedding Planning
The decor team from The Wedding Experience shares, “We executed end-to-end decor across five events. In addition, the spaces used to host a few of the events were owned by the couple’s family. Consequently, maximising the utilisation of the given spaces was a must.

The brief was straightforward, emphasising grandeur, unconventional use of colours, and thematic distinction across five events. The event was held over six consecutive days across three spaces, and with each event intricately conceptualized, turn-around times were extra critical. Preparatory work began six months prior with fabricating, customizing, and making-to-order elements used across the five events.”

Wedding Functions
Engagement
The decor team shares, “Taking inspiration from the flower-rich valleys of Kashmir, the concept was to build mountains of flowers in a lavender palette flowing over them like lava. Essentially, a lavender Coulee. And, where there are flowers, there also are birds! Interspersed with greens, this concept also featured corners with bird cages and hummingbirds flying out towards the flowers. A rose gold mirrored walkway aisle in the centre was added at the couple’s request. Additionally, a photo booth comprising a central daisy garden gave one a taste of what was to come.”

Mehndi
Inspired by new-age Indian designer Masaba Gupta, the mehndi was quirky and colourful. The team shares, “Quirky fabric prints, stained glass elements, and lounge corners that resembled design studios were a part of the event’s decor. Hosted on the ground in front of the couple’s family home, we had to first level the ground – an effort that took us two days.

The bridal backdrop was a series of quirky Masaba prints flanked by custom chequered shelves with each shelf space housing custom-made glass props with florals. Two carts with goodies such as bindis, potli bags, and other trinkets dispersed these favours to the guests. At the centre of the venue was a printed tiled dance floor for impromptu performances.

Bridal Shower
The team shares, “Hosted within the same tent as the mehndi, for the bridal shower we created a Chettinad house that one sees in the Karaikudi region. This was symbolic of the bride’s entry into a new house. With a 7-hour overnight turnaround, the space was transformed from a contemporary to a traditional house in the blink of an eye. The bridal backdrop had an original Chettinad door in the center flanked by authentic Chettinad windows. Kanjivaram silk fabric adorned the ceiling with 5000+ traditional palm leaf thoranams hanging under them. The floor was a printed sheet of Athangudi tiles while 16 original Chettinad pillars were placed from floor to ceiling at marked intervals. The walls of the tent were completely masked with an off-white and terracotta textured finish as in Chettinad houses and additionally paneled with wooden ‘jaalis’. Next to the walls, a divan seating arrangement was planned along with original Chettinad teak and rosewood furniture as coffee tables with brass props, statues, and florals. 120 wooden cross-back chairs added to the authentic feel of a bridal shower done at a Chettinad home.”

Sangeet
Glitz and glam were the need of the hour and the decor team delivered! Giving us specific details on how they made it all happen, the team says, “It was a modest indoor setup in midnight blue and silver. The statement piece was a geometric 28-foot diagonal triangle ceiling, made specifically for the evening. Within this ceiling were squares with silver sequin hangings alongside an array of mini neon bars that would vibe to the music and lights around. A 48ft LED wall was the entire backdrop giving full liberty to mix and match the setting on the stage for each performance evening. The stage also doubled up as the dance floor for the night!”

Wedding
On the big day, the design team knocked it out of the park with opulent traditional decor. The team recollects, “We started by levelling the land and laying fresh grass along with an additional layer of wooden platforms with vinyl masking. The palace mandap and backdrop were fabricated over six months, featuring a single statement dome. This entire mandap was engineered to be free-standing and support an additional 2 tonnes of weight from over 8,000+ garland hangings. The setup had to be fixed using cranes and pulleys. The mandap backdrop had a mural of Meenakshi Sundareswarar embossed with semi-precious stones, a Tree of Life and Sheesh Mahal-inspired mirror work. One entered the wedding space through a walkway tunnel, flanked by high swans, mirrored tables, and tuberose arrangements placed under a thousand danglers. Walking through this mirrored walkway, one could see the stage setup and palace facade in all its glory under the lights in the night. This regal ambience was further amplified as the bride and groom entered in palanquins with royal dancers and fireworks.

The Wedding Makers
Venue: The Leela Palace Chennai (Sangeet)
Décor: The Wedding Experience
Caterers: Madhampatty Pakashala
Groom’s Outfits: Bmore
Bride’s Outfits: Rekha Misra
Makeup: Rachel B Singh
Choreography: Illusion Dance Studio
Wedding Invitations: Lotus Exclusive Invitation
Photography: Memory Lanes Productions

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