Karthik & Arushi Jodhpur : Moroccan sangeet and Tamil Kalyanam- this couple perfectly blended fun with traditions.

Set against the backdrop of royal palaces and Jodhpuri dunes, coupled with Moroccan accents and traditional Tamil rituals- this wedding was an exciting blend of cultures. 

About the love birds 

“Wherever you are, and whatever you do, be in love” – Rumi

This filmy story also began with a love-hate relationship. 

 The couple met each other approximately 6 years ago, and they did not end up talking to each other for the first 9 months. Little did they know that their love would blossom over a period of time and they would end up being together and getting hitched in such a beautiful location, amidst the dunes of Khimsar. 

Wedding Planning

“We had a select set of guests, the people closest to us from all parts of the world and we knew we wanted the right balance of mad fun with traditional ceremonies. Karthik’s Tamil and I come from Lucknow so we picked the best from both worlds.” 

Welcome carnival 

Karthik wore khaki pants with a pink shirt, paired with a printed bandhgala jacket. Arushi flaunted an elegant cold shoulder ombre blue dress. The carnival witnessed mad fun in terms of fun activities like beer pong, jenga, tug of war, etc. 

Moroccan-themed sangeet

Suspended bulbs, indigo table overlays, intimate seating arrangement, vintage Moroccan lamps as table centerpieces- all this set amidst the desert made up for an unconventional sangeet decor. 

Arushi looked every bit gorgeous in a heavily embellished orange and fuschia pink lehenga. Karthik wore a pink bandhgala sherwani, paired with gold dhoti pants. The couple set the stage on fire with some really great dance moves and their sizzling chemistry.

Rajasthani-inspired Mehendi ceremony

The couple had an intimate mehendi lunch and it turned out to be a Super-hit! The guests were seen playing beer pong, grooving to the tunes of the dhols, and enjoying the Rajasthani folk dance performances by professional dancers.

The couple was seen twinning in parrot green outfits- Arushi wore a green lehenga with gota patti work, paired with elegant floral jewellery, while Karthik sported a green bandhgala sherwani. 

The vibrant decor stole the show- with a decorated cycle-rickshaw, suspended embroidered parasols, and colourful cabanas. To beat the Jodhpur hear Thandai Spheres and Pan Caviars were served to guests. 

Dinner and Ring Engagement  

The couple received a grand welcome to the venue with fireworks! Karthik looked debonair in a crisp black tuxedo, while Arushi looked graceful and gorgeous in a black floor-length gown. The dinner was an elegant setup and decor was minimal yet stately. The function witnessed Karthik going down on his knee and proposing to his bride-to-be, speeches by close friends and family, and some singing performances. 

Tamil Kalyanam

The wedding was a traditional Tamil affair followed by an authentic Sadhya lunch in the middle of the desert. The wedding card was an eco-friendly one, wherein the wedding details were printed on a banana leaf. Innovative, wasn’t it?

The bride flaunted a blue and gold kanjeevaram saree, paired with matching bangles, gold jewellery and a stunning gold Poola Jada attached to her braid. Karthik wore a white Veshti (similar to a lungi), and an Angavastram (usually draped around the neck). 

Later, the bride wore an orange kanjeevaram saree with a gold blouse. She paired it with traditional gold jewellery and tied her hair in a neat bun, with a gajra wrapped around it. 

The wedding mandap was elegant and refreshing- with cascading bells and the pillars enveloped with orchids and foliage. 

Best moments: 

I can’t zero in on one favorite! Kanyadan on my dad’s lap, the toasts from the sitdown, my brother’s lifting me up for the Jaimala- all my favorite people being together for our happiness was just surreal! Everything is so perfectly etched in my memories. And for everything that’s not, I have the pictures from The Wedding Salad!

Wedding USP

“We tried adding a bit of us to all our events. For instance, the placemats on the sit-down table had a little thank you note hand-written from Karthik to my side of the family and from me to his folks. Since ours was a North Indian-South Indian wedding, we inked the Tamil wedding proceedings in English on a scroll in the shape of a banana leaf. The shot glasses we used had a little A&K logo and so did the bar.”

About the photographer

“The Wedding Salad- Their pictures do speak a 1000 words! Could not have been happier with this choice. Aayushi and her team are absolutely unmissable when you’re picking the perfect photographers for your wedding. They’ve given us beautiful shots of moments we’d want to freeze for a lifetime.”

About the planner

“Shaadi Squad is the happiest bunch managing the most difficult of locations and toughest of jobs with elan. They are the perfect calm you need to put all your worries to rest.”

About the decorator

“Atisuto Events’ work was absolutely stunning. Cannot thank them enough for doing complete  justice to the beautiful venue with their even better subtle and minimalist style of decor.”

About the invites

 Invitations from Atisuto Events and Studio Ex-Forma. The team did a fabulous job hand sketching the silhouette of the Fort on the invite and finishing it off with a watercolor finish.

Dream Team

Photographer- The Wedding Salad

Venue- ITC WelcomHotel Khimsar Fort and Dunes 

Bridal outfits:

Carnival- Sionnah Pret

Dinner Sitdown- Sionnah Couture 

Mehendi- Kalki

Haldi- Nazrana Chickan Boutique Lucknow

Wedding- Sundari Silks

Groom’s outfits:

Mehendi- Jinam

Sangeet- Manyavar

Makeup by- The Body Care & Cure, Lucknow 

Wedding invites- Studio Ex-Forma