A tale of Two States..
May 17, 2020
Do you believe in coincidence?
When Aastha met Kaustubh at her organization’s annual retreat, hardly did she know that she would be meeting him again. Three months later, as she was sipping her coffee with a friend at a cosy cafe, there was Kaustubh too engaged in a friendly banter with his folks. A few months later, was an ‘invite’ on LinkedIn and a ‘like’ on Instagram, and our bride was already brimming with delight at this connection with Kaustubh again! Then started the long chats and calls that converted into fun and inquisitive dates and both Aastha and Kaustubh knew that they had found trust and love in each other.
After breaking the news to her North Indian Rajput family, Aastha could only hope that her beloved mother would also approve of him. In the casual meet up that followed, the charming Kaustubh not only won the heart of a mother but also proved to be a perfect gentleman unfolding the conversation to a family acceptance. Kaustubh’s South Indian Brahmin family, on the other hand, was dancing with joy that the unconventional lad was finally ready to tie the knot! And this was only the start to an epic wedding story between North and South! The first thing on our beautiful bride’s list was to block the venue and after numerous visits, the final stop was Templetree Leisure which resonated the most with what she had in mind. She was welcomed by the lush greenery and open lawns that were being decked up for the day’s wedding. This is when she met Katha Weddings who were overlooking the finer details of the decor. “When I saw Katha Weddings team working passionately at the drapes, I knew I had to approach them. After discussing my wedding ideas, I felt assured that they understood my style and would execute the proposal precisely. So, there was no looking back”, says Aastha
Day 1: Haldi and Sangeet (17th January, 2020)
The day started with a sprightly display of bright pink and yellow colours throughout the
venue to mark the beginning of an exciting journey. Right from the arch decorated with pink
drapes and yellow tassels at the entrance to the open lawn where the bride was seated, the
complete scene reverberated with vibrancy.
The Bridal Divan was decorated with customized cushions that beamed with Gota embroidered florals while the pink strings of Gerbera flowers and dark pink drapes formed a beautiful backdrop against the greenery around. Yellow fabric tassels also hung gleefully from branches and bushes around the lawn.
To match the energy of the evening, the stage was set with a dramatic fuchsia glittery pleated fabric backdrop and the lawn was laid with white chairs. After all, one would need to rest their feet post all the upbeat grooves and moves! As everyone danced, the ceiling of fairy lights above appeared like stars closer to earth! Undoubtedly, the evening spanned out to be a fairy lights affair!
The Wedding Mandap in the main lawn looked graceful in a seamless amalgamation of yellow, orange and white. While the pillars were beautifully draped with yellow and orange fabric, the banana saplings added a pinch of the South Indian touch to the whole setup!
Overlooking the ceremony was the beautiful made from coconut leaves. Additionally, the border of the Mandap was lined with garlands of yellow marigolds and aster flowers which spread a crisp aroma around. As the gorgeous bride and the cool groom exchanged vows, we could only look at them with awe!
In the background, yellow marigolds were strung from the white wall and flower chains were hung from bushes and trees in the lawn. The guests watched the rituals comfortably being seated in the Divans decorated with colour-coordinated bolsters. The complete surrounding made everyone feel the purity and grace of a temple wedding and we couldn’t agree more!
Keeping with the theme of the Mandap, the dining area was also set with yellow and orange ceiling drapery while the edges were embellished with hanging Toran with tuberose chains ending in antique small bells!
Right after the wedding, team Katha Weddings was on its feet prepping up for the Reception scheduled for the evening. And just in a couple of hours, the entire place was transformed from the brightly colored arrangement into a tranquil and chic orchestration of various elements.
At the entrance, a towering structure with criss-cross panel above exhibited a fine display of white gladioli bunches and tuberose garlands along with white orchids and different kinds of leaves such as ivy and murraya gave a dramatic contrast to the highly aromatic cream-colored flowers. The hanging bulbs just refined the look of the structure! The welcome board designed by Kaustubh was decorated with white flowers as well to sit with the other elements.
In the pathway, light and drapes intertwined to play a soft whiff of romance while the hanging bulbs added to the magic!
The stage looked ethereal with the beautiful replica of the structure at the entrance with the dark velvet green backdrop laid with ivy leaves. The fairy lights and the hanging bulbs lit up the place and all we needed was just some fairy dust to turn it to a fairytale!
Around the lawn, trees were decorated with fairy lights and round glass lantern were hung and the seating were arranged with round tables depending on the feel of the event.
Unlike a typical reception party, the newly-weds preferred to casually meet the guests rather than strike poses on stage. When the graceful Aastha walked hand-in-hand with the handsome Kaustubh, they convinced the world that they were meant for each other!
The dining area was embellished with cream coloured drapes and fairy lights and filled with well groomed round tables. The complete setup including the high-toned centre pieces only boasted of sophistication and elegance!
When we asked Aastha about the remedy should be used by future brides to keep stress at bay, she chirped, “Allocate a point of contact for each and everything. Connect the vendors with the co-ordinators from your family and friends and delegate the work specifically. Do NOT take it on yourself. Choose the vendors very carefully”. She also added from her experience, “In case something goes wrong, take it with a zest and do not sweat about it. Of course, preparations can be done before the wedding but do not let anything ruin your special days because you won’t remember the hiccups in the long run.”Katha Weddings leading the arrangements said, “Aastha was quite warm when she approached us and discussed about the arrangements in detail, was open to my suggestions and it all worked out wonderfully.”A happily wed Kaustubh narrates his experience, “The North Indian bride wanted a big fat fun Indian wedding the South Indian groom wanted the smallest sober wedding ever – in a court no less! (No surprises which way they swung ;) )The groom did his fair share of drama but they finally arrived at a conclusion to go with his to be bride. And as we constructed our wedding plans over a year, we arrived at the core of what we wanted – to be the most magical days of our lives with the closest friends, family and a fair share of Bollywood! “
Our new bride Aastha recalls, “Team Katha Weddings had everything arranged well before time and also kept updating me about the progress before every function. When I discussed the details with Katha Weddings, I knew I could trust her. The Haldi, the Sangeet, the Wedding and the Reception – a mix of cultures, traditions, rituals and people! Just when we thought an event couldn’t get any better – the next one just went up a notch. And while everyone told us that we wouldn’t really get to have fun, we won’t get what we want etc… We had the exact opposite experience! It was magical – the two most fun, memorable and eventful days of our lives (so far at least!). More than five months have passed and we still are in awe! I am so glad to have the entire team of Katha weddings arrange these best days of our lives!”
Madhusmita Borah Creative Writer, Katha Weddings
