Real Weddings: A Royal Affair at Tijara Fort Palace

Living Through a Pandemic

"Nitin and I are best friends first. During the course of the pandemic, we have engaged in a bunch of indoor activities together—learning the guitar, sketching, making candles, doing yoga etc. With the situation gradually improving, we have had the opportunity to escape for weekend getaways, or work remotely from different parts of the Pacific Northwest in the US. We also indulge in romantic evening walks every day."

A Piece of Advice

"Make sure that you prioritise what matters most to you—decor, food, makeup, sustainability, clothes—and focus to get that sorted well ahead of time. It's completely alright if your partner and you aren't on the same page. Do not fight over the little things, it's not worth it. On another note, avoid being influenced or overwhelmed by what you see on the internet. A wedding is not a competition and there isn't any right or wrong way of doing things. Don't push to 'fit in'. Last but certainly not the least, enjoy."

Inputs by Sabah Sheikh, Creative Director at Atisuto Events

"Like most contemporary brides, Ami desired personalisation in terms of decor. Fortunately, our wavelengths matched with respect to aesthetic, and we instantly hit it off. Tijara is a beautiful run-down fort that was chosen to host the occasion. We were looking to keep the vintage, rustic vibe alive, building on the decor around this mood."

"To begin with, Ami’s haldi holi event was an all-white canvas, to which holi colours added a vibrant pop. We prefer the decor to be more interactive and inclusive, thereby we urged the guests to play with holi colours at this function. Moving on to the sangeet, we created a 'love in ruins' garden that was made with everlasting dried decor and ruined materials. The idea and inspiration behind this was to look for beauty in the ordinary. Lastly, for the vows ceremony, we covered the entire flooring with fragrant flowers and candles and ensured that a space special to the couple was established. The ceremony was breathtakingly beautiful, as guests overlooked down at the couple from the balcony above."

The Royal Affair

"Our celebration in Rajasthan was our destination wedding party. It was an intimate event with solely 150 guests in attendance—those who'd traveled from different continents to bless us on our big day! The festivities kick-started with the mehendi and sangeet function, followed by the haldi holi function and the reception where we said our vows to each other." 

A Tale of Two Continents

"Our wedding celebrations spanned across Kerala, Mumbai, Rajasthan and California—over the course of a month, to manage the social circles of both families involved. This, thereby, allowed us the flexibility to *really* define what we wanted out of each gathering, at a given point in time. Due to my demanding professional life and the distance across continents, I began planning the wedding a year in advance. Multiple excel sheets, a couple short trips to India and constant encouragement from my parents to do things my way helped me achieve the wedding of my dreams." 

Taking the Plunge

"Funnily enough, the thought of getting hitched came to me in November 2018, during a work trip to India. Nitin and I had been together for a while and our parents knew each other socially as well. However, no one took the first step. Being a modern day woman I thought, why not? While I was in the country, I took some time out to window-shop bridal ensembles. I set my eyes upon an outfit and instantly fell in love with it. Next thing I knew I was video calling my mother and Nitin. I said, and I quote, "I have decided I will get married next December." And that's how it all began!"

Surprise, Surprise!

"The night before the wedding celebrations in Rajasthan, little did I know that Nitin had something special in store for me! He took me for a long stroll before our pre-wedding dinner and went down on his knees, in the presence of my family and close friends. It was absolutely magical. Besides, the decor setting done by Atisuto Events was splendid, making the moment all the more memorable—a rustic tunnel made out of branches and foliage, adorned with twinkling ferry lights."

Today, Tomorrow, Forever...

"Nitin and I met back in 2010, in Mumbai, while preparing for the GMAT examination. He had just returned from Australia and I thought why not prank him? Believe it or not, that was the very first interaction we had. When he ended up performing exceedingly well in class, I was left with no choice but to be a little less overbearing. Over time, we grew close and joined hands in business. Without necessarily having to spell 'I love you', we had each other's back through and through. The rest...well, it's history."