Vrinda Makhija and Rahul Sharma, The Thane Club
Vrinda and Rahul’s intimate wedding at the Thane Club was an ode to their teenage romance!
A girl-power proposal led to a self-planned wedding – which makes sense since the groom is a professional event planner and the bride, a make-up artist. Their DIY celebrations were as grand and glamorous as you’d expect.
How we Met
“We were only 16 when we met. Our first meeting was brief but when we met again, we connected at a deeper level. We were great friends for a few months and eventually it evolved into a beautiful courtship that spanned a few years. We’re poles apart but agree on everything.”
Proposal story
“I was expecting a proposal from Rahul but I also wanted to give him a special surprise on his birthday. That evening, I organized for rose petals to be strewn across the floor of my building terrace and made a heart in the centre with lit candles. I called him over and played him a video montage of pictures of us together with words of love as captions. I then went down on one knee and proposed to him! He was stunned but he instantly said ‘Yes!’”
Wedding Venue
“We hosted our wedding in Thane because that’s where we’re from. We chose Thane Club as the venue because it is well located and beautifully maintained.”
Wedding Planning
“Being an event manager himself, Rahul carefully curated each theme for the wedding functions. He made sure we were completely involved in every aspect of planning from from designing our e-invites to having a black tie engagement. Everything was delegated and executed flawlessly by him.”
Wedding Invites
“We didn’t want to print hundreds of wedding cards and spend weeks distributing them to everyone. We live in the digital age and wanted something fun and creative for our wedding invites. Therefore, we self-designed our e-vites for both the functions and they reflected our personalities.”
Wedding Makeup
“I’m a professional makeup artist and have been a part of the most important day of many brides’ lives so I had already envisioned how nerve wracking this could be! Even though my family and friends advised me against doing my own makeup, I listened to my heart and decided to go for it. I find makeup application to be therapeutic and was utterly surprised by the end results. People even complimented me for my engagement and wedding looks so I guess it turned out well!”
Wedding Functions
Engagement
“Our engagement was hosted at the Mini Punjab lakeside hall in Powai. We had a ‘black tie’ event so all the girls wore gowns and the boys, tuxedos. It was a private affair with only close friends and family attending the event. We had a special cake from Love Sugar Dough (LSD) which depicted our love story. Rahul wore a classic black tuxedo with a bow tie and I wore a gown by Sujata and Sanjay which made me look like a princess.”
Wedding and Reception
“The wedding was performed according to traditional Hindu Arya Samaj customs with few Sindhi and Punjabi touches. We wanted a very simple wedding to commemorate our holy union. I wore an antique gold lehenga and blouse with a marsala dupatta. I later changed into a halter blouse with a cape for the reception. Rahul looked regal in a wine Jodhpur jacket with a Patiala salwar.”
Advice for to- be married couples
“Have a rock solid team of core people you can rely on. It could be anyone from your friends to your college roommate. Always delegate responsibilities as it makes execution faster! It is important to enjoy every single moment and let go of the things that are not in your control. These few days are too precious to be spent getting worried. Remember, it is about the two of you and the beautiful journey you are beginning together!”
The Wedding Makers
Wedding Venue- Mini Punjab’s lakeside, Powai (Engagement); The Thane Club (Wedding)
Makeup- Team Vrinda Makhija
Cake- Love Sugar Dough, Bandra
Bride’s outfit- Sujata & Sanjay, Bandra
Hairstyling- Mahafrin Buhariwala
Photographer & Videographer- Akshay Sansare (Engagement); Jodi Clickers (Wedding)
