Harsh & Vaishakhi Goa : ‘When bench partners turned life partners!’

“There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment.”― Sarah Dessen

Vaishakhi and Harsh could have never imagined the time and place from where it would all begin for them. Nobody does when they’re in high school! Treading a decade long path from being bench partners to life partners their journey has been anything but phenomenal! Their love stood the test of time, distance and innumerable ups and downs that confronted them over ten long years. To hear it her own words, Vaishakhi recounts, “ We met in high school. Harsh was my annoying bench partner and soon we became best friends. We started dating when we were studying in the USA. We always had a long-distance relationship so after completing around 10 years of our relationship, we decided to get married.”  

Guess annoying bench partners can turn out absolute charmers too! Stories of high school romance blossoming into marriage are indeed truly heart-melting and very filmy

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The Proposal

Vaishakhi and Harsh’s story lives up to our filmy tag and you’ll know why. Harsh pranked his lady love into meeting him at a hotel with common friends, only to go down on his knees! Vaishakhi narrates, “Harsh proposed to me at the Taj in Bekal. He told me that one of his friends had some free nights at Taj so we should all go. But none of our friends landed up being there. He had planned one of the most romantic evenings that anyone can think of – with all my favourite food to the T.”

The Wedding

And this dreamy couple had no less than a dreamy finale in one of the most happening places in the country- Goa! Vaishakhi and Harsh opted for a destination wedding amidst the picturesque promenade of Grand Hyatt Goa. Keeping it fun and festive with all their near and dear ones in attendance, the functions in Goa kickstarted with the mehendi, followed by the cocktail party and finally the wedding.

A major highlight for all their events was the decor. The brainchild behind the look and feel, Aash Studios created unique and spirited settings for each of their functions. The mehendi decor was a vibrant paradise of colourful drapes, traditional mats, floral embellishments and gorgeous lights. The cocktail set-up was all about finesse and sophistication and had a classy feel to it. For the marriage, a floral mandap amidst the breathtaking backdrop of serene beach waters was prepared. The pastel theme looked magical and made for super stunning frames!  

For the mehendi, the bride looked pretty in a gorgeous yellow lehenga. Harsh’s white kurta-churidar coupled with a stunning overcoat jacket complimented it. The cocktail saw Vaishakhi dazzle in a beautiful white Gaurav Gupta creation. Harsh nailed it with a black bandhgala jacket and trouser. For the d-day, the bride looked elegant in an Anamika Khanna pastel lehenga whereas the groom donned a smart white brocade sherwani.

Talking about the wedding prep, choosing vendors and her looks, Vaishakhi says, “ For the wedding planner, I was always keen on Aash Studio as Aashna herself had gotten married at the same property. For my wedding outfits – for the mehendi, I always wanted something fun because it was in Goa and also because a lot of guests would be arriving straight from the airport. I fell in love with this lehenga at the Shades Studio in Ahmedabad and Keyur & Pooja worked out the blouse and cape according to what I had in mind. For the cocktail, I fell in love with Gaurav Gupta’s showstopper piece when I saw Dipa Khosla walk down the ramp in it. It took me a while to convince my family because this outfit was white and a little modern, but I always wanted the feel of a cocktail rather than a sangeet as there were no dances. For the wedding, I always wanted something that would not be replicated and one of a kind. I have always been a fan of Anamika, so this was a no brainer. We flew down to Calcutta for the outfit and they made it right to my expectations! For the jewellery, I worked with our family jeweller for over a year, collecting the pieces and putting each one together! I chose Tanvi & Deepa for my make up & hair as they have helped in creating simple but magical looks in the past for my family and we were very comfortable working with them. Also, they are just lovely to work with!”

About the Photographer

Helming the lens for all their events was the talented crew of Studio Beunique. They did complete justice to Goa’s milieu coupled with the mesmerizing decor themes and captured brilliant pictures. The couple recount having a positive experience and a lovely time with the team. 

The Dream Team

-Photographer – Studio Beunique

-Bridal Wear – Saksha & Kinni, Punit Balana, Shades by Keyur & Pooja, Gaurav Gupta, Anamika Khanna

-Groomswear – Arjun Kilachand, Govinda Mehta

-Makeup artist – Tanvi Chemburkar, Deepa 

-Wedding planner/decorator – Aash Studio