It all began with Saksham’s parents spotting a pretty girl on the table right next to theirs while they were out for dinner with their friends. As it turned out, their friends knew her, and all of them chatted about how she would be a great match for Saksham!

In fact, Saksham himself could not deny the fact as they showed her Facebook profile to him. He sent her a message on Facebook, to which she didn’t reply for days at a stretch. While Saksham felt she was ignoring him, it had simply landed in her ‘other messages’ folder. The day Rishika finally happened to open that folder, the two got talking, and decided to meet up for dinner.

On their first date, an unsure and skeptical Rishika asked her father to wait outside in the car while she met “this guy” for a maximum of an hour. Four hours later, her dad had been calling her from outside while she was deep in conversation with her future husband.

Five blissful months of courtship later, Saksham popped the question she said a happy “YES”

The Pre-Wedding Shoot

An old airport in Indore was our location for the first shot of their pre-wedding shoot. Right from a popping yellow aircraft to a gorgeously lit boat, colourful smoke bombs to gleaming balloons, and a dreamy tent adorned with fairy lights – every element was symbolic of their relationship – bright, playful and carefree.

The Engagement

Their engagement in Indore was a celebration like none other! Donning ensembles by Sulakshana Monga and Emporio Armani, the gorgeous couple was on cloud nine – quite literally! They occupied centre stage, 15 feet high, in the midst of celebratory fireworks that lit up the sky till as far as the eyes could see.

The Mehendi

The festivities in Jaipur kickstarted with a vibrant mehndi. The rooftop of the Fairmont hotel was decked with lots of quirky elements, such as pineapples made using marigolds, chandeliers created with pom-pom strings, kitschy umbrellas, dreamcatchers made with ethnic print fabrics and more.

Both Rishika and Saksham opted for gorgeous hues of pastel green for the event - while Saksham donned a Shantanu & Nikhil drape kurta with a Nehru jacket, Rishika looked resplendent in a full length embroidered jacket with a lehenga by Dolly J.

The Sangeet

The ambience of their sangeet ceremony had a vibe of a surreal gamut of romance and glamour. Intricate elements like candles, flowers and hanging lights lifted the aesthetics a notch higher.

The gigantic ‘Book of Love’ photo-booth with their story beautifully written on one side stood out amongst many other remarkable details. The highlight of the sangeet, however, was Saksham’s entrance on a life-size motorcycle prop which was harnessed and attached to a rope. The entry was unexpected, quirky and out of the box and grabbed all eyeballs that evening!

The beautiful couple, dressed in outfits from Shantanu & Nikhil and Matsya, posed for some portraits in the midst of gleaming incandescence after an evening of fun filled performances.

Rishika’s Haldi

Rishika’s Haldi was a close knit ceremony with only her immediate family and friends present. The ambience of the event was traditional, with Rajasthani dholak players adding to the festivity. Yellows, whites and greens were the theme of the evening with a beautifully adorned floral swing on the side.

The Brunch

Wooden furniture, lots of baby’s breath flowers, jute bags and white paper elements lent a relaxed, western touch to the evening. Activities like chocolate making and block printing kept the guests occupied while singer Suryaveer and his band, ‘Ehsaas’ enthralled the audience with a wide range of classic numbers. A white Manish Malhotra crop top with a trail skirt was Rishika’s pick for this function while Saksham complemented her with a wine blazer and white trousers.

Varmala & Reception

The couple decided to do things differently for their wedding, so they hosted a grand reception the night before their pheras, coupled with a breathtaking varmala ceremony. The theme of the evening was inspired by a regal garden, with lots of red roses and lush green foliage adorning every inch of the venue. Adding to the floral setting were cascading red drapes and gleaming chandeliers to set the right mood. Rishika looked every bit the regal bride in her red Sabyasachi lehenga, and Saksham opted for an embroidered sherwani from Shantanu & Nikhil.

The Wedding Ceremony

The sparkling poolside of Fairmont Jaipur played the perfect host to the couple’s nuptial ceremony. The traditional setup consisted of beautiful summer hues and fresh flowers, coupled with a floral, dome shaped mandap with cascades of fresh flowers hanging from atop.

The well known folk singers from Rajasthan, Chugga Khan and Manganiyars, lent an earthen touch to the evening with their soulful singing. Rishika looked lovely in a peach and red lehenga while Saksham wore a brocade sherwani by Sabyasachi.

The Cocktail Party

Their Morocco themed cocktail party was held at the Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur. One of the most interesting aspects of this night was the 300 meter route to the fort.

The couple wanted to make things entertaining for their guests, and so, all along the route, a lineup of stand-out elements like a red carpet lady, fire stunt artists, violin players etc. kept the guests wondering what was in store for them ahead.

A power packed performance by Rishika’s personal favourites, Salim–Sulaiman added another layer of zing to the festive ambience. For this glamorous evening, Saksham looked suave in a Nivedita Saboo tuxedo while Rishika picked a blue Gaurav Gupta gown.

Post Wedding Rituals

After the wedding, Saksham’s family organised an intimate ceremony of post wedding rituals in the lush environs of their garden in Indore. With pastel hues adorning the backyard, complete with wooden decks laden with their wedding pictures, the setting was a perfect welcome for the new bride.

Wearing a striking red outfit by Anita Dongre, Rishika looked every bit a gorgeous Indian bride as they all played some fun games like untie the thread, find the ring and neem chadi.

Indore Reception

Their second reception at The Grand Bhagwati Palace, Indore was specially hosted for their guests who were unable to make it to the wedding in Jaipur. The Dreamzkraft team did a splendid job to make the hotel’s facade look like a palace, complete with intricate white floral décor, a dazzling ceiling of string lights and massive crystal chandeliers.

Credits

Venues : Fairmont Jaipur (Mehendi, Reception, and Pheras), Le Méridien Jaipur Resort & Spa (Sangeet and Pool Side Lunch), Jaigarh Fort (Cocktail Party), The Grand Bhagwati Palace, Indore (Reception)

Wedding Planner : Swishin’ Events

Decor: Dreamzkraft

Bride’s Outfits : Dolly J (Mehndi), Matsya (Sangeet), Manish Malhotra (Pool Side Lunch), Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Reception), Gaurav Gupta (Cocktail Party)

Groom’s Outfits : Shantanu & Nikhil (Mehndi, Sangeet, and Reception), Sabyasachi (Wedding), Nivedita Saboo (Cocktail Party)

Makeup Artist : Shayli Naik

Entertainment : Suryaveer - Ehsaas band (Poolside Lunch), Threeory (Reception), Chugga Khan and Manganiyars (Pheras), Salim–Sulaiman (Cocktail Party), The Royal Int'l Symphony (Reception Indore)

Enchanted Ever After