Real Weddings: From 300 to 20 Guests, a Lockdown Wedding to Remember

1 of 20

How did the two of you meet?

"Our beginning was similar to that of many others; we were introduced by a mutual family friend. I was working in Amsterdam while Atif was in Kolkata. However, what began with awkward and sweet phone conversations soon culminated into three meetings over dinner, and breakfast and brunch in Amsterdam. Atif flew down from Kolkata to meet me and somewhere between apple pies overlooking the canals of the city and hours of conversation, we decided to take a leap of faith."

2 of 20

Was there a formal proposal?

"I so wish there was an exciting story to tell! Once the two of us decided to get married, we next met directly at our engagement party in Kolkata, surrounded by our families and loved ones. Well, a proposal once we were already engaged would have been a bit silly, right?"

3 of 20

Any anecdote or memorable moments from your wedding that you'd like to share?

"Honestly, there are so many! Braving a wedding amid numerous lockdowns ensured that... Although, the most memorable one of them all was when my mother received a call from our florist, informing her that Patna was going into a lockdown, yet again. He wanted to confirm whether we were planning to go ahead with the celebrations, and the immediate sense of panic and fear that gripped me, left me in a pool of tears. The prospect of not being able to marry Atif on the day made it all the more certain that he was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

4 of 20

Any piece of advice for brides-to-be?

"At the end of the day, it's important that you remind yourself that it’s all about you and your partner. My wedding that was initially meant to have 300 guests over multiple functions morphed into an intimate affair with just 20 family members in my grandparents’ home. We set up a live stream for all our near and dear ones and felt their presence in our hearts. Even with all the downsizing, I would solely change one thing- my father-in-law was unable to travel and I wish he could've graced us with his presence and blessings on the day. Barring that, it was just about Atif and I."

"Another cardinal piece of advice that I'd like to offer to all couples is that you must pick the perfect support system to get you through the day. Get the right photographer and makeup artist on board, one who can bring your vision to life. Good for me, I was fortunate that both Karan Sidhu and Jasmeet Kapany took things up a notch and made my dream wedding nothing short of a reality. While Jasmeet made me feel like a princess, Karan’s lens found art where others saw none. The emotions and love that he managed to capture in every frame gave us a boatload of memories we'll cherish for a lifetime."

5 of 20

How are you and your partner spending time during the pandemic?

"We are staying at home and are usually immersed in heavily contested matches of carrom, UNO and rummy. We also take time out to go on long drives and ice-cream, along with spending quality time with the most 'paw'dorable member of my new family; our dog Buddy."