Alekha Advani and Aadar Jain share the story of their chance romance, which led to a fairytale wedding

Alekha Advani and Aadar Jain went from being schoolmates to exchanging garlands, making a lifetime of cherished memories along the way. They share their love story with Brides Today. 

How they met 

“Aadar and I go back more than 20 years! We first met in 6th grade. We were desk partners, which—thinking back— feels like it was meant to be. It’s funny because not only were we classmates but also neighbours. Our families have known each other for 40-45 years, so we’ve been a part of each other’s lives in so many special ways. About two years ago, Aadar and I decided to reconnect on a deeper level. We’ve always been close friends, but somehow, we were in the same place mentally and felt it was the right time to explore a more meaningful connection, beyond the friendship we had shared for so long. It’s been such a beautiful journey, and I’m grateful for how our bond has grown stronger over time.” 

The next step 

“Shortly after we began dating, given the depth of our friendship and shared history, we knew we wanted to be with each other. After a year of dating, we decided to take that leap of faith and get engaged. We were just really happy to start our lives together, and our parents and families immediately gave us their blessings.” 

Leading up to the big day 

“Wedding planning was, of course, stressful and time consuming, but it was also a lot of fun. It was a wonderful opportunity for our families to interact more closely, for our siblings to get to know each other better, and for us to understand each other’s personalities and quirks. Aadar and I were both very hands-on throughout to bring our shared vision to life. I feel lucky because Aadar is just as—if not more—detail-oriented than I am! Above all, our families were incredibly supportive of everything we wanted to do and played a huge role in helping make our dream wedding come true.” 

Memories that will last a lifetime 

“There are so many special moments to cherish, not just from the wedding itself, but also from the pre-wedding festivities we had in Goa at my family’s resort, Caravela, where we exchanged our vows. The dances with Aadar’s family during our mehndi and sangeet were unforgettable. He even surprised me with an incredible performance! Garlanding Aadar during our varmala, holding his hand as we walked around the mandap… It all felt so magical yet so real.” 

My advice 

“The biggest takeaway was to not micromanage every little detail and truly enjoy each moment. Weddings are meant to be more fun than stressful. The wedding is for you, so I’d suggest delegating tasks and letting others handle the stressful stuff. That way, you can focus on soaking in every bit of the celebration.”

Wedding Photography: House on the Clouds Wedding Planning: Motwane Entertainment & Weddings LLP Décor: Afreen Wedding Services Bride’s Outfit: Sabyasachi Groom’s Outfit: Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Jewellery: Raniwala 1881 Hair & Makeup: Bianca Louzado Location: The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai.

This article originally appeared in Brides Today, Jan-March 2025 print edition.

Also read: The "blurry wedding photo" trend: Why couples are embracing the art of motion

Also read: A dream wedding in Bali: Saadhya Singampalli and Ashwin Reddy’s unforgettable three-day celebration