A Californian Love Story!
- August 18, 2020
- By Katha Weddings
- 4 Comments
For that one glimpse – ‘the daughter looking pretty in her wedding outfit, standing next to Mr. Right’ is all of love & pride especially felt only by the mother. A thousand miles from Aditi, Sharmila could not rest until she saw the coming together of Nilanjan and her daughter Aditi. A story of two strangers that started with a casual online chat and later spun into fun meet-ups in the heart of California eventually leading to tying of the knot – this is their story!
Of course, both the parents were more than elated and then started the wedding preparations for a chic and classy Bengali Wedding in Bangalore! A meticulous planner as she is, Sharmila was on her toes as soon as the youngsters had announced their decision. Since, the wedding was a three day event, Sharmila was looking for a perfect location for the family to stay and bond over the pious traditions. The spacious, nature-clad Miraya Greens fitted the bill perfectly. Next to-do was to hand-pick the ‘right’ wedding event planner to make it a dream wedding for her daughter. Sharmila had already spoken to five wedding planners but did not want to settle until she was convinced. This is when she emailed ‘Katha Weddings’ and was moved by the warm response from them. What followed was a complete understanding of her expectations and a promise to deliver the best experience keeping the Bengali traditions intact.
Day 1: Mehendi & Sangeet (23rd February, 2020)
The first day started with a splash of yellow and orange colours! The guests were welcomed by a floral arch of vibrant marigolds and fabric draped in elegance. Right next to the arch were brass Uruli (brass vessels) decorated with marigold.
Image Courtesy : Google
The guests were then led to the lawn through a pathway that was adorned with Rangoli made of marigold garlands followed by colourful umbrellas and earthen pots.
The centre of the lawn buzzed with the Mehendi artists as they waited for the beautiful bride to arrive to the lush and sprightly setting. To stay true to the colour theme, the canopy was delightfully decorated with yellow and orange fabric and bright tassels. Matching bolsters were also aesthetically thrown on the Divaans.
For the Sangeet, the other side of the lawn was transformed into a stunning stage with an equally vibrant backdrop made with a combination of Rajasthani themed motifs, fresh flowers and leaves. If you ask the bride and the groom, they would have stories to tell about the stage!
Behind the stage and around the lawn, the trees and bamboos had bulbs with fairy lights slung with lanterns, to provide the final touch to the dreamy evening.
The guests also enjoyed the evening snapping some happy moments at the colourful floral photo booth and dancing to the beats.
Throughout all the days, the welcome lawn was brightly lit with fairy lights and the entrance to the guest rooms was also decorated with flower petals!
Day 2: Ashirwad & family gathering (24th February, 2020)
The second day was all about families bonding and spending quality time together. The first half of the day was all about Ashirwad ceremony where elders of the family blessed the couple as they embarked on their life as a wedded couple. The theme of the evening was blue and relaxing! A gazebo with fairy lights adorned the center of the lawn. The stage was set with royal blue pleated velvet backdrop and an adorable floral butterfly. On each of its side, trees ornamented with candles were lined up.
Day 3: Haldi & Wedding (25th February, 2020)
As the colour of haldi, so was the theme of the morning that beamed with vibrancy! The gazebos were beautifully decorated with yellow chiffon fabric.
At the entrance of the wedding, stood the beautiful arch with white orchids hanging blissfully from the top and welcoming guests with its fragrance! The pillars of the arch housed white candles and to the left of the arch, absolutely adorable cut-outs of the Bengali groom and bride gleamed happily at the guests.
Not far from the arch, a floral butterfly with the initials of the groom and bride made way into the pathway that was lined with glass cylinders filled with candles. The complete lawn was lit up with fairy lights clusters
This finally led to the ethereal Mandap which was an orchestration of rich shimmery gold drapes, floral garlands and earthen pots! From the ceiling of the circular Mandap, pious white tuberose and lotus buds hung gracefully while red roses surrounded the rim. The feet of the arch were beautified by brass deepams (traditional lamps) and earthen pots with garlands of white Aster (Shevanti) flowers.
The complete place was beautifully lit and guests walked around chatting animatedly in the open air setting. When the groom entered on horseback to the sound of dhol (drums), he couldn’t help but dance along with the baraat(procession)!
This was followed by the fun Varmala (garland) exchange between the couple! As the groom and bride were lifted high up by their friends for the garland exchange ceremony, fun and laughter spilled around and everyone celebrated this moment heartily!
Under the clear skies and the delicately embellished Mandap, several commitments were made by the couple and finally sworn to love each other till eternity
After the wedding rituals, the guests congratulated the newlyweds and then headed towards a glorious Bengali dinner! Nothing can be sweeter than the Bengali sweets at dinner, right?
Reception Party (6th March, 2020)
After days of celebration with family and friends, the formal reception party was arranged at Lalit Ashok Banquet Hall where the bride and groom enjoyed a classy evening.
A circular floral ornamented welcome board brightened the entrance
On the stage, three interlocked hexagonal floral structures with hanging red tea lights and an ivory white sofa graced the center. On both sides of these structures, floral arrangements were placed to bring completeness to the simple yet exquisite setup.
The dinner tables were also lit with red velvet center pieces packed with candles!
When we asked Sharmila to narrate her experience of the wedding she had dreamed of for her daughter, a proud smile flashed across her face. “I wanted a classy, colourful and traditional Bengali wedding and I just got that. More than anything, I was looking for someone reliable to take care of everything and with Katha, I had my peace of mind! All the guests were filled with compliments and they loved the food too. You know food is a critical part of a Bengali wedding. Our weddings are remembered by the food we serve and the food here was delicious!”
She further added about the delivery of the team by saying, “I wanted all the days to look and feel different as we had lots of guests from the country and abroad and the same people were staying for all the days. Though I finalized the designs, execution was done perfectly. Right from the Mehendi artists to the Dholwala- all the vendors were professional and trustworthy. I could ask Katha even the smallest knick-knacks that come by default into a wedding and she ensured all things were in place!”
Katha however mentioned that it was the clear and precise requirements from Sharmila that helped the ‘Katha Weddings’ team to plan accurately. Sharmila was always open to suggestions and her kindness was evident when she met Katha people every time.
When asked about how she feels about the Bidaai (parting) of her daughter, she speaks with a smile, “My girl is not leaving me, and she is stepping into another milestone in her life. She is happy and so is the family for her!” As we took in these beautiful words of wisdom from an incredible mother, the team at Katha Weddings beamed with delight.
Could we agree more?
Madhusmita Borah
Creative Writer, Katha Weddings
