Neha and Hiren, The Zuri White Sands, Goa Resort & Casino

A peachy pink mandap on a beach, sunset pheras and beautiful decor marked the Goa wedding of UK-based Neha and Hiren whose families are based in India. The celebrations were meticulously planned by WeddingSutra Favorite – The Doli Diary which included standout decor and charming color palettes. Here, bride Neha shares some highlights of the festivities captured by WeddingSutra Favourite – Romesh Dhamija Productions.

How We Met
“Hiren and I met on the first day of university back in 2008. Both of us went to Manchester University and bumped into each other during registrations. For the next couple of months, we kept crossing each other’s paths until he picked up the courage to ask me out on a date! “

Proposal
“For my birthday, we decided to go for lunch. Halfway through the meal Hiren said he was not feeling well and left me at the table. When he had not returned even after 10 minutes, I started to wonder what had happened. Just then a waiter gave me an envelope and wished me ‘Happy Birthday’. When I enquired about Hiren he said he had left! I was told to open the envelope and follow the instructions inside. I basically had to solve the clues to find out my next destination. There was a telephone number to call if I was stuck. I called the number and to my surprise, the number was already saved on my phone as ‘Not Liam Neeson.’ It was a ‘Taken’-themed clues hunt! A voice told me to Google the clues which led me on a trail across London. I finally found myself in a Central London hotel where a lady led me to a room where Hiren was waiting with flowers. We hugged and started talking about our day. Just then, he asked me to wait, dropped down on one knee and asked me to marry him! We had been together for almost eight years and I had always gone on about wanting to have a proposal story and he gave me a great one!”

Wedding Venue
“We talked about a destination wedding and since our families are based in India, we decided that Goa was the perfect place for a holiday as well as a dream wedding. Once the destination was finalized, we spent a week scouring venues before picking The Zuri White Sands, Goa Resort & Casino.”

Wedding Planning
“We worked with The Doli Diary to plan our wedding and met Neha and Jinal when we flew to India for our first wedding planning trip. We were impressed with their professionalism and experience at the first meeting itself. They were so attentive, had great suggestions and made sure every detail of our wedding was the very best! I picked Bina Punjani Bridals to do my hair and makeup after a trial session since I felt at ease around them. They helped me research the looks I wanted and consulted with me on my outfits beforehand. Romesh Dhamija and his team were our wedding photographers and they did an amazing job capturing every single moment of our wedding and even managed to squeeze in a pre-wedding shoot on a very short schedule. Ryan was our DJ and he delivered beyond expectations. We genuinely couldn’t have found a better DJ if we tried as he was able to read the crowd and played the perfect music at every moment.”

Wedding Planning

Pool Party
“The pool party probably was the most surprising event as we went ahead with it only because it was declared a ‘must-have’ by our planners and also the hotel. The Zuri White Sands, Goa Resort & Casino has a separate pool which they reserved exclusively for us and it seemed silly not to take advantage of this. However, having never attended a wedding pool party we had no idea what to expect. We thought that it would be an excellent way for family members and friends from both sides to mingle and enjoy the beautiful weather and setting. Never did we imagine that everyone would jump into the pool and the event would run for hours later than anticipated!”

Sangeet
“After a quick outfit and makeup change, we were ready for our engagement-cum-sangeet event which was hosted at one of the hotel’s outdoor venues. The setup for these dual ceremonies was beautiful. I was quite uninvolved with the decor for this event and had discussed the color scheme with Jinal from The Doli Diary a week before the function date. We decided to go with lilac and mint as the color palette, and I did not specify how I wanted everything to look. The Doli Diary did such a spectacular job with planning and putting together even the smallest of details. I gave them very little input, and they created a dreamy backdrop for the engagement and sangeet.”

Haldi
“The next morning everyone had to refresh themselves after a night of partying and start the formal ceremonies stuff. I wanted a very simple but traditional look for this event. Hiren and I had our respective haldi ceremonies simultaneously in separate rooms. The planners and venue teams all had their work cut out, and they managed to keep both events running smoothly. The staff also ensured that everyone was getting food and drinks to keep cool in the hot weather.”

Wedding
“My wedding was one event that I had imagined about in great details. I knew exactly the look and feel that I wanted and had planned everything – including the colors of the turbans, aisle decor, and the mandap. I had seen pictures of what I wanted, but the reality was breathtaking and even better than what I had visualized! The peach and pink mandap was set up on the beach and was decorated with floral arrangements bordering the square canopy. Dreamy drapes were arranged around the four pillars and edged with floral garlands. The setting and the backdrop were so gorgeous that my best friend painted the scene as a wedding gift for us! I was over the moon about the way it all turned out.”

Reception
“I let The Doli Diary lead the planning for this event. I wanted an elegant vibe but wasn’t sure of how to execute it. The Doli Diary team’s skill is second to none when it comes to creating perfect settings based on a few suggestions. The colors used across the decor were gold, cream, and black. We had fairy lights leading our guests all the way to the venue. The word ‘Love’ was spelt out with marquee lights, and we also had a funky bar for cocktails. “

Advice To Couples
“Don’t argue with your partner – set aside dates when you are not allowed to discuss the wedding. Involve the family and assign tasks to other people. Enjoy the day and when the events start, learn to switch off!”

The Wedding Makers
Venue: The Zuri White Sands, Goa Resort & Casino
Wedding Planner: The Doli Diary
Bride’s Outfits: New Look (Pool Party), Mongas (Sangeet), Zarkaan (Wedding)
Groom’s Outfits: Zara Man and Next Man (Pool Party), Manyavar (Sangeet), House of Fraser (reception)
Makeup Artist: Bina Punjani Bridals
DJ: DJ Ryan

Photography: Romesh Dhamija Productions

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