Neha and Vaibhav, Kolkata
The first one to take place at this beautiful temple, their big day was a silver screen-worthy celebration.
Neha and Vaibhav’s journey together began in college after they forged a friendship so strong that all it took was a single date, after five years of not being in touch, to revive their special bond. Meeting over coffee, they instantly knew that they could keep the conversation alive for the rest of their lives. To document all the precious moments from their big day, the duo got WeddingSutra Favourite – Framed by RG, on board. Here, the bride shares photographs, taking us through the details of the wedding.
How We Met
“Vaibhav and I were in the same social circle at Christ University, Bangalore. We were both nerdy and our friendship thrived over books, coffee, long conversations and studying. While everyone, including the professors, felt that we shared chemistry, the reality was that we were just friends. Vaibhav was keen on taking things further but I feared commitment at that time and chose to keep things the way they were.
As we graduated from college, our careers and further studies took center stage. However, as luck would have it, we reconnected after five years at a familiar cafe in Kolkata. The nostalgia of the past and excitement of the present contributed to a date that lasted four hours.”
Wedding Venue
“We decided to get married in Kolkata and a good venue was our prime concern. We settled on the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. The newly-constructed temple exudes timeless grandeur and it felt like the perfect place to wed for an auspicious start. We were the first couple that was marrying there so it took us some time to convince the authorities. It really felt special when everything fell into place and we feel so fortunate that this worked out so well.”
Wedding Planning
“We knew our wedding was going to be a splendid affair and wanted to ensure that everything captured in the pictures did justice to its magnificence. We met the team at Framed by RG and were instantly at ease for their wavelength and thought process aligned with ours. They were a breeze to work with and made sure that all the details were well taken care of.”
Wedding Functions
Haldi
“The color yellow along with white dictated the cheery mood of our haldi. Drapes in both these colors decked the spaces and I chose to take the color scheme a notch further by dressing up in this hue. I wore a yellow lehnga that featured work using golden beads. I matched this with floral jewellery crafted using blooms in white and peach which brought a youthful appeal to the look.”
Sangeet
“Our sangeet saw a larger-than-life setup and all the dances took place on a grand stage with multiple spotlights, smoke machines and a backdrop made of LED panels. The setting looked beautiful but what was even better were the performances by our loved ones. For this function, I selected a pink lehenga complete with intricate embroidery along with a white dupatta. Vaibhav, on the other hand, was dapper in a navy blue chequered suit.”
Wedding
“Watching our wedding come to life was an overwhelming experience. The venue that we chose was spectacular. To further its traditional charm, we made use of lots of yellow marigolds and red roses that wonderfully contrasted with the imposing yet muted exteriors.
“Vaibhav arrived at the venue like a king, with the men holding red velvet umbrellas on either side of him. As he waited, I made my entrance on a palki that was made to look like a peacock. Girls dressed in lehengas danced as they walked along the sides. The varmala exchange was followed by the pheras. We could hardly contain our joy as we were blessed by the head priest, beginning a new chapter in our lives.
Since the mood of the event was so traditional, I chose we wear red, the color that is characteristic of an Indian bride. My lehenga was designed by Sabyasachi and Vaibhav complemented my ensemble by teaming his white dhoti and sherwani with a red dupatta and safaa.”
The Wedding Makers
Venue: BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Wedding Planner: Bhavna Hemani
Bride’s Outfits: Sabyasachi
Jewellery: BC Jain Jewellers
Makeup: Don Hsiao
Photography: Framed by RG
