Filmmaker Shaad Ali of ‘Saathiya’ and ‘Bunty Aur Babli’ fame is tying the knot. He is marrying Stylist Aarti Patkar and the celebrations are at different beautiful homes next week- a friends bungalow in Khandala, Aarti’s heritage home in Bandra and Shaad’s terrace apartment in Juhu.

Shaad’s mother Subhashni Ali is a well-known women’s activist and former MP. His father is the eminent filmmaker-designer Muzaffar Ali from Kotwara. Shaad was earlier married to his childhood sweetheart Shazmeen, their stylish wedding took place in Lucknow in 2006. Aarti has always lived in Mumbai, with her parents in the colonial style bungalow at Turner Road built by her great-grandfather in the late 1920s. The family is from a Goa village called Pat, hence the family name Patkar.

Its Shaadi time at the Ambani home. Nayantara, Dhirubhai Ambani’s eldest grandchild is marrying Shamit Bhartia the grandson of KK Birla. The wedding is in Chennai where Nayantara’s parents Nina and Shyam Kothari live, and to celebrate the forthcoming union, the Ambanis are hosting a special evening on 5th January. The venue is Mukesh Ambani’s iconic home in Altamount Road, the invite from matriarch Kokilaben Ambani is in a blush shade and the dress code is ‘A touch of Romance’. It will be a more than a special evening for the Ambani family- Nayantara is Dhirubhai’s first grandchild to marry and the occasion may bring together siblings Anil and Mukesh, whose professional rivalry has made much news in the recent years.

1991. Tina and Anil Ambani at their marriage in Mumbai.

2011. Nita and Mukesh Ambani

A marriage that will link two of the biggest business families, the four day extravaganza in Chennai is expected to be the most well-attended wedding of 2013. The Kotharis have appointed Mumbai’s Percept D’Mark as the Wedding Planners. The post wedding reception is hosted by the Bhartias in Delhi on 21st January.

“My brother Ravi is getting married in mid-January”, Urvee Adhikari Vyas, the charming fashion designer and daughter of business baron Gautam Adhikari (of Sab TV) called to invite us. Ravi Adhikari is marrying his childhood sweetheart Rubaina, a Nutritionist. At a relaxed photo shoot at their home Adhikari Villa in Juhu, they spoke to us about their Wedding preps.

Ravi and Rubaina

Anjana and Gautam Adhikari tell us they toyed with the idea of a Destination Wedding but then decided on a home town wedding. “We considered Goa and Rajasthan, but finally decided on Mumbai, with the different functions at Hotel Novotel, Hilton and Taj Lands End.” Adds Urvee: “When I got married two years ago, the Wedding was managed by Erina and Natasha of Divinity Weddings, we’ve appointed them for Ravi’s wedding too, so co-ordination is quite a breeze, they know us well and we know them.” The groom-to-be adds: “Dad has decided on the budget, my sister and brother-in-law are taking care of the details so I’m relaxed because I have the least responsibility.” Karan Vyas, Urvee’s husband tells us: “The ladies in the house have taken most of the creative decisions, and I prefer it that way- logistics and co-ordination is more fun than deciding on colors or decor elements.” Ravi and his sister conclude: “And we have the sweetest mom, who says ‘Yes’ to whatever everyone decides on.”

Standing- Anjana & Gautam Adhikari with Ravi and Rubaina. Seated-Karan Vyas & Urvee with the to-be-weds.

Photographs Courtesy- Medhavi Kotecha
DKreate Photography
www.facebook.com/dkreate.photography

It’s a matrimonial alliance between two big builders from Pune. Ankita, daughter of construction magnate Rajesh Patil (of Kolte-Patil Builders) is marrying Rohan Lunkad whose family owns Lunkad Realty. The wedding celebrations are the majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace and the spectacular Meherangarh Fort on 5th and 6th February; the post-wedding reception is at the Patil home on 8th February.

Taj Umaid Bhavan Palace

The celebrations in Jodhpur include a traditional Rajasthani mela, a cricket match between the two families and an evening performance by singing sensation Shankar Mahadevan. The wedding is managed by Ahmedabad based Red Events and expected at the two day affair are a host of business luminaries and politicians from Maharashtra.

Rohan Lunkad works in his family business. Ankita’s passion lies in education, she runs Anisha Global, the school in Pune.

Paridhi, daughter of Cyril Shroff, the co-owner of one of India’s most influential law firms, weds Karan, the son of Shipping Tycoon Gautam Adani. And the venue for what is expected to be the Destination Wedding of the season is Grand Hyatt, Goa. While the affair in Goa is expected to be a power-packed celebration with business and legal luminaries, the post wedding reception at the Adani Shipping port town Mundra will be a giant celebration, with over 10,000 guests.

In 2011, Paridhi’s brother Rishabh married Saloni, from Jaipur’s renowned Surana Jewellers family, and the lavish wedding was held at the Jaigarh Fort. Karan Adani, a graduate of Purdue University, is Dr Priti and Gautam Adani’s elder son. He is the presently the Executive Director of Adani Ports and SEZ.

After Paridhi and Karan’s wedding celebrations are over on 13th February, the same venue plays host to another big wedding from 16th to 18th February. The Shah and Sheth alliance, Mumbai based Shahs of Everest Masala and the Sheth Builders.

Paridhi Shroff and Karan Adani

Its celebration time for the Husains and Palejwalas. Mahera, grand-daughter of celebrated artist MF Husain is marrying Mahir Paljewala and the celebrations commenced yesterday with an intimate and fun Mehendi at Blue Sea in Worli Sea Face. The Nikaah and Reception is at a Hotel in Juhu tomorrow.

Mahera, a hairstylist is the co-owner of Smashh, a salon in Khar. Groom Mahir works and lives in Kuwait.

Model and actress Lisa Haydon announced her engagement on Twitter. Her fiance Karan, a DJ by profession is the son of Society Darlings Deveika and Suresh Bhojwani. The groom-to-be announced the good news on his FB page. “I asked and she said YES!!!!! I’m the luckiest man in the world. Lisa and I got engaged last night!!! Love is all you need!!! We are one xxx”.

Born to an Indian father and Australian mother, Lisa Haydon was the face of Lakme Cosmetics. She moved to India in 2007, when she was 21 to pursue a career in modelling. Lisa and Karan have been seeing each other for long, and Mumbai is looking forward to the Shaadi. Will it be a destination wedding by the beach or a grand celebration in South Mumbai? We’re still guessing.

There’s more knotty news. Leggy model Carol Gracias tied the knot with long-time boyfriend Samuel Ziza. The wedding was a traditional Goan Catholic affair at Ashvem Beach, Goa. Samuel who earlier worked as a journalist, is from Paris. Samuel and Carol are business partners too, they run online venture WittyGift, that lets people express their love for family and friends by gifting them experiences wrapped in pretty boxes.

Two of Mumbai’s most talented Fashion Photographers said ‘I Do’ in February. R. Burman’s wedding in Kolkata was an elegant, grand celebration while Prasad Naik’s wedding in Mumbai was a simple affair. The Photographer and Fashion fraternity is now looking forward to the next shaadi celebration- US returned Fashion Photographer Sameer Parekh weds on March 16th in Colaba, Mumbai.

Three years after one of India’s richest business tycoons hosted his daughter’s wedding in Florence, the city with centuries of history and tradition is set to host a grand Indian wedding again. In April end,
over 400 Indians from different parts of the world, will be flying to Florence for the shaadi celebrations to mark the union of two prominent Marwari families, from Mumbai and Dubai. The three day celebrations will be held at legendary hotels like St Regis and Westin Excelsior while one function we hear is at the estate owned by Italys’ famed Corsini family.

Landmark hotels St Regis and Westin Excelsior will be some of the venues for the Big Indian Wedding in April

Ever year, almost 1,000 couples visit Florence for their dream destination wedding. While the Florence media may not write about many of the spectacular weddings taking place there, there was quite a buzz when the first Indian wedding took place between 4th and 6th June, 2010. News reports from Florence read: ‘Indian tycoon’s daughter marries at Maharajah style wedding’. ‘700 guests this weekend to attend wedding of super-rich Indian’. ‘Fairytale wedding in Florence for daughter of Indian tycoon’. The celebrations then included a welcome-luncheon at the lavish lawns of the Four Seasons hotel and a dinner at Palazzo Corsini, the magnificent palace overlooking the Arno River. The main wedding function was at Villa Le Rose, the luxurious villa owned by the Ferragamo family.

The spectacular lawns of the Four Seasons and Ville Le Rose, were the venues for the magnificent Indian Wedding which took place in 2010

Thanks to the big buzz back in India, Florence’s most prominent wedding specialists and venues were looking forward to welcoming many high profile wedding families. The 2013 wedding is expected to be an equally grand affair, but since many invitees were present at the previous wedding a lot is expected to be different too. The families currently in the middle of wedding planning are in talks with the best names in decor and food; all of them have been asked to keep it quiet and hush-hush. Quite obviously, this is expected to be the most magnificent Destination Wedding of 2013!

Rishi and Neetu Kapoor’s daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni may not get to plan her brother actor Ranbir’s shaadi very soon. But in a few months from now she will be busy with her brother-in-law’s wedding. Akshay Sahni, who is her husband Bharat’s younger brother is engaged to one of Pune’s most eligible singles- Aditi Kirloskar, the daughter of industrialists Atul and Aarti Kirloskar. The engagement was a low-key affair at the Kirloskar residence in Ganeshkhind Road, Pune last month. While the families have not announced the date yet we hear its most likely at a Palace Hotel in Rajasthan in November this year.

Riddhima and Bharat with Ranbir Kapoor

Akshay, like his brother Bharat is an alumnus of Modern School, Vasant Vihar after which he went on to pursue his higher studies at the University of Southern California. He now works in the family business of textiles. Aditi, a graduate from Northeastern University is known to be extremely media shy and a private person with a passion for creative endeavors- she is involved in the family business and dabbles in exquisite home design and decor.

Riddhima Kapoor and Bharat Sahni at their wedding reception. Bride-to-be Aditi Kirloskar

Industrialist Aloke Lohia

It is expected to be the most magnificent Shaadi of the year. The bride-to-be Aradhana is the daughter of Aloke Lohia, the richest Indian and six richest man in Thailand. Aradhana is marrying Kevin Sharma from Kuala Lumpur and expected at the three day celebrations are business tycoons from India, the couple’s family and friends from Thailand and Malaysia and close business associates of Aloke Lohia who is the Vice Chairman and Group CEO of Indorama Ventures PCL. The mega event is being orchestrated by the bride’s mother Suchitra Lohia in association with a prominent Wedding Planner from Delhi. Several other vendors from India including Entertainers and Makeup & Mehendi Artists are excitedly preparing for Destination Florence. The venues for the three day celebrations are the landmark St Regis and Westin Excelsior Hotels and the spectacular estate owned by Italy’s famed Corsini Family. The Lohias have roped in some of the most respected names in the food and floral business from Europe. The Catering is by a famed restaurant from Sorrento and the floral designer is a well-known name from France. With a mix of wedding specialists from India, Italy and France working behind the scenes, this is expected to be an all-new experience for all the wedding professionals.

Landmark hotels St Regis and Westin Excelsior, the venues for the Lohia wedding in Florence.

The last big Indian wedding to take place in Florence was in June 2010 when Industrialist Sajjan Jindal hosted his daughter’s marriage there. Since then a number of Florence based Wedding Planners and venues were looking forward to hosting big and colorful Indian weddings. On that account Florence may have been disappointed, because this is only the second big Indian wedding to take place there.

Villa Le Rose and the spectacular lawns of the Four Seasons, the venues for the Jindal Wedding which took place in 2010

Suchitra and Aloke Lohia have three children. Aradhana graduated from Babson College and was working as a Strategy and Planning Analyst in the family business in Thailand. Their younger son Yash recently joined the family business and youngest son Anuj is studying. Aradhana and Kevin’s engagement was an elegant river side soiree in Bangkok last year.

An Indian wedding is making big news in Florence. Aradhana, the daughter of Aloke Lohia of Thailand based Indorama Ventures is marrying Kuala Lumpur/ London based Kevin Sharma, and since last week hectic preparations have been going on in the city. According to a local newspaper, the city is excited about the wedding, but has been a little inconvenienced too thanks to the outdoor set-ups and elaborate arrangements. Over 500 guests from all the world are attending the celebrations which commenced on Thursday night and go on till Sunday. While most of the guests are staying at St Regis and Westin Excelsior, the different celebrations take place at four different venues- the Teatro della Pergola, Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Corsini and Ville Le Corti in San Casciano.

While some of the biggest names in decor and florals from France and Italy are involved with the wedding, a number of artists and wedding specialists have flown in from India. Actress Anushka Sharma arrives with her 5 member contingent to perform at the Sangeet, musical duo Vishal-Shekhar also perform at the Sangeet while noted devotional & playback singer Richa Sharma will sing at the main Wedding function. Ace Wedding Photographer Prakash Tilokani from Delhi is capturing the special moments while Mumbai’s Makeup Maestro Ojas Rajani will dress the bride who will be wearing stunning ensembles by ace couturiers Abu-Sandeep and Tarun Tahiliani.

Aloke Lohia, ranked by Forbes as the richest Indian in Thailand and eight richest man there, hosted Aradhana and Kevin’s grand engagement in Bangkok last year. This is the second time an Indian business baron’s daughter is getting married in Florence. In 2010, Sajjan and Sangita Jindal hosted their daughters marriage there. The Jindals who are close friends of the Lohias are back in Florence, but this time as wedding guests.

Actress Anushka Sharma

Remember Parker: He’s the guy played by Justin Timberlake in The Social Network. The founder of Napster and founding President of Facebook Sean Parker tied the knot with Alexandra Lenas, a New York based singer and song writer at the spectacular Ventana Inn in Big Sur, California. The bride wore an Elie Saab gown and the groom a fine ensemble selected by Academy Award-winning costume designer Ngila Dickson.

Just Married, The couple’s wedding cake in the forest setting

Wedding Details

- It was a lavish ceremony which according to reports cost over $10 million.

- The venues included two terraces that are used for weddings that offer ‘privacy and an uninterrupted 50-mile view of the Big Sur coastline to the South.

- The Napster creator, estimated to be worth $2 billion, spared no expense to create the most magical settings, and a landscaping firm built fake ruins, waterfalls, ponds and brides.

- Guests enjoyed cake from Napa Valley bakeshop Perfect Endings and danced to tunes by Loreena McKennitt and The Good The Bad & The Ginger.

- The flowers, reportedly worth $1 million, were designed by award-winning event designer Preston Bailey.

- Celebrity photographer Mark Seliger documented the big day.

- Among the 300 guests were Sting and his wife Trudie, Allison Williams, Emma Watson, and Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

Its celebration time at Hema Malini’s home. Ahana Deol, her younger daughter is getting engaged to Delhi businessman Vaibhav Vohra tonight, and the families have chosen to have a quiet at-home celebration with family and close friends at Hema Malini’s Juhu bungalow.

The low-profile Ahana made it clear some years ago that she was not interested in a bollywood career. After completing her graduation, she studied fashion, and was operating a small studio at her home, besides doing dance performances with her mother, and occasionally walking the ramp. According to friends this is a love cum arranged match. Ahana met Babson graduate Vaibhav some years ago, and her father veteran actor Dharmendra knows his family. Vaibhav works in his family business, a Logistics Management company named Continental Carriers.

Hema Malini’s elder daughter Esha Deol got married to Bandra-based Jeweller Bharat Takhtani last year. The shaadi was a grand, fun filled affair, the bollywood theme sangeet and white theme reception took place at The Lalit and the wedding was held as per South Indian traditions at the Isckon temple, Juhu. Ahana and Vaibhav’s wedding date and venue is not finalized yet, but may take place in Mumbai or Delhi later this year or early next year.

Ahana and her parents Hema Malini and Dharmendra at Esha’s temple wedding at Isckon, Juhu

Photographs Courtesy- DKreate Photography (for Discovery Events)

Last week, WeddingSutra caught up with the very beautiful Stuti from Kolkata who is engaged to Mumbai based industrialist Raghav Agarwalla. Their wedding is taking place at the Ayana Resort in Bali next month, and over an interview cum photo shoot at Raghav’s sprawling apartment in Colaba the to-be-weds spoke to us about how they met and their wedding plans. “Our meeting was set up in Mumbai by our parents” says 23-year-old Stuti who is the eldest daughter of Rajeev Jhawar, the MD of a Kolkata based business conglomerate. “Marriage was not on my mind, since I was planning to go back to the US to pursue my Masters, but my parents were very keen that I meet ‘the boy’ once, and so I agreed. Both our families were sitting across the living room, Raghav too, of course, but I spoke to everyone except him”. Adds Raghav: “Fortunately for us, our parents decided there should be one more breakfast meeting, and this was at a Hotel the next day. We got talking and figured we were quite comfortable with each other.” One meeting led to another, and the couple soon made up their mind, and their formal engagement took place at Four Seasons in March end; the same hotel where they had that crucial breakfast conversation.

Have wedding preparations kept the duo very busy? “This last month has been very hectic”, explains Stuti. “Raghav is a workaholic, but even then, he’s dedicated a lot of time for wedding work and has been an extremely patient groom-to-be.” While their parents and the Wedding Planners are taking care of most of the arrangements like the logistics, decor and hospitality, Stuti has specially focused on the creative aspects and so she spent a lot of time short-listing the photographers and filmmakers whose work she admires.. “I love photography— having studied it myself, plus I always enjoyed being behind the camera as much as being in front of it. Besides that it’s been the usual trousseau shopping and planning what to wear for which function, and doing up our new room. And of course planning for the big city shift, from Kolkata to Mumbai which I’m equally excited about.”

Stuti is wearing a shaded orange tiered tulle lehnga with metal embroidery and gota finish by Shehla Khan.
Jewellery- A diamond earring with pearls and stones by Jet Gems.
Raghav is wearing an ivory bandhgala by Studio Aboutir.

Stuti is wearing an ensemble by Sabah Arenja Vig- a pale peach silk lehenga with gold pita leaf motifs and accents in neon pink and pearls, teamed with an Aari pita choli and net dupatta.
Jewellery- an all diamond earring set by Jet Gems, necklace and bracelet from Popley’s platinum jewellery collection- necklace, a contemporary design of prong set diamonds, bracelet in sandblast finish & pave set diamonds.
Raghav is wearing a black khadi bandi by Studio Aboutir.

Stuti is wearing a neon pink silk lehenga with pita gold pop motifs and accents in peach and sea green, with a sequin sheet choli and shaded net dupatta, designed by Sabah Arenja Vig.
Jewellery- Kundan jewellery set with Burmese rubies and rose cut diamonds by Begani Jewels.
Raghav is wearing a black sherwani with red satin detailing on collar by Studio Aboutir.

Photographs by Shreya Sen
Makeup and Hair Styling by Ojas Rajani
Stuti’s Outfits- Shehlaa by Shehla Khan, Saa.n.she by Sabah Arenja Vig
Raghav’s Outfits- Studio Aboutir
Jewellery- Jet Gems, Popley Jewellers, Begani Jewels
Location- Agarwalla Residence, Colaba
Shoot managed by Tejal Karlekar and Shaan S Khanna

Anupam Mittal, 40 is getting married to ace model Anchal Kumar. The 3 day Destination Wedding is at The Fairmont, Jaipur after which is the Reception at Anchal’s home town Chandigarh. The celebrations commenced yesterday night with a Victorian theme dinner. The Mehendi and Pool Party took place this morning and the grand Sangeet is tonight. The nuptials take place tomorrow night and the Reception dinner is at the JW Marriott, Chandigarh on July 6th. For the white Victorian dinner Anchal wore a white gown by Mandira Wirk. For the Sangeet and Wedding, she is wearing an ensemble by her designer friend Manish Malhotra, and for the reception, a Sabyasachi lehenga. Anupam’s wear is by Arjun Khanna & Troy Costa.

Anchal and Anupam met through common friends and have been together for over seven years

The Wedding Cards designed by SIXOFUS design

‘Did Anupam find his match on Shaadi.com’, many fans asked us this question when we featured a picture of the handsome couple on www.facebook.com/weddingsutra. The answer is ‘No’ because Anupam and Anchal got to know each other through common friends and have been dating for quite sometime. So while the very successful dotcom entrepreneur who runs a matchmaking portal can be ‘relieved’ that he’s single no more, we wonder how many times he will have to answer the question ‘Did you meet Anchal on Shaadi.com’.

If Mumbai is talking about the Destination Wedding in Cannes this weekend (Mumbai’s Ria Dubash and NRI Kunal Grover), two more weddings are much awaited on the calendar of the city’s glitterati and socialites. Both the celebrations will be elegant affairs, put together by the uber stylish parents of the to-be-weds. Devika and Suresh Bhojwani’s son Karan is engaged to model/ actress Lisa Haydon, and the Beach wedding is at the Taj Holiday Village, Goa. Last month, Rita and Raja Dhody’s younger daughter Nadine got engaged to textile tycoon Niraj Jiwrajka of Alok Industries and the nuptials are in February 2014.

Ace Model Lisa Haydon and fiance Karan ‘Third Eye’ Bhojwani

While the Dhodys and Bhojwanis have opted for a Destination Wedding many of Mumbai’s most eligible are tying the knot in the city itself, at all-time favorite venues like Turf Club and Taj Mahal Palace. And while Amby Valley has always been a popular destination for those looking to host a super grand wedding near Mumbai, the newer venues in Alibaug, Lavassa and Lonavla are preferred for an intimate celebration. The mid-October wedding celebrations of Namrata Narang (from the Ambassador Hotels clan) are at different hotels in the city. In November, Sravanya Rao daughter of Worli based industrialists Rajyalakshmi and Dr Vijay Paparao is tying the knot with Aditya Pittie at the Taj Mahal Palace and the pre and post wedding celebrations are at The Palladium and Turf Club. Around the same time, Priyanka Khatri, the PR & Communications Head of a Film Production House is marrying Kunjan, the co-owner of White Owl Lounge at a SoBo Venue.

Left- Designer Nadine Dhody weds Niraj Jiwrajka in February 2014. Right- Ria Dubash and Kunal Grover are getting married in Cannes

A post on high profile weddings will be incomplete without a mention of the big, fat weddings. This season some of the grandest weddings are being hosted by the city’s top builders. The seven day wedding celebrations of Rahul Shah, scion of Sumer Group of Builders commence on November 14th, and over 4,000 guests are expected at the finale wedding cum reception at The Turf Club. And between 8th and 10th December, Bandra’s top builder is hosting his daughter’s wow wedding; two of the city’s biggest wedding décor companies have been roped to orchestrate the spectacular theme events at Taj Land’s End, Grand Hyatt and The Turf Club. Watch this space for more!

Ahaana, the younger daughter of actors Hema Malini and Dharmendra got engaged to Delhi boy Vaibhav Vohra in June this year. The engagement was a simple family affair at Hema Malini’s Juhu Bungalow. And like elder daughter Esha whose wedding was a grand affair at The Lalit in Andheri, Mumbai, Ahaana’s wedding in February 2014 will also be a big celebration at a Hotel in Andheri (East). While elder sister Esha had a love marriage with Bandra businessman Bharat Takhtani, it is an arranged match for Ahaana. Her father and Vaibhav’s father, Vipin Vohra the Chairman of Delhi based Continental Carriers have known each other for many years. A few months after Esha’s wedding in July 2012, when Ahaana was visiting Delhi, the fathers set up the meeting. According to friends, Mumbai girl Ahaana was initially hesitant to settle down in Delhi. But after a few meetings with Vaibhav, she was inclined to change her mind. Unlike elder sister Esha who made a foray into Bollywood, Ahaana has preferred to stay away from the limelight and has kept a low profile; she is trained in Odissi classical dance and performs regularly on stage with her mother and sister. She also dabbles in fashion designing.

Ahaana and Vaibhav

Hema Malini with son-in-law Bharat Takhtani and Vaibhav Vohra

After Ahaana and Vaibhav’s marriage was fixed, Hema Malini toyed with the possibility of a Destination Wedding in Amby Valley or Goa. But with their huge circle of friends in Mumbai, it was decided to host a home town wedding. Last year, our photo features on Esha Deol and Bharat Takhtani’s pre wedding Sangeet and temple wedding generated a lot of interest. So naturally, we are excited about the next celebration in the family, and are looking forward to sharing lots of updates with you.

It is that time of the year when some of the wealthiest businessmen set aside their work commitments and get busy with wedding preps of their loved ones. And it’s the busiest time for the country’s big names in the wedding planning and styling business, like Delhi’s E-Factor, Mumbai’s Seven Steps (Seventy EMG), Ahmedabad’s Red Events; and creative luminaries like Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla, Gurleen M Puri and Geeta Samuel.

The most-awaited social events of 2014 include Prince Lakshyaraj Singh’s (son of Shreeji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur) wedding in January. The engagement last week was a lavish affair, the traditional wedding ceremony will take place in the home town of bride Nivritti Kumar Deo after which the post-wedding celebrations will continue in Udaipur. The glitziest NRI wedding of 2014 is likely to be the one hosted by London-based Mahtanis; society is abuzz with chatter on the lavish celebration that is being put together by the bride’s mother, prominent socialite Rekha Mahtani. And in February all roads and private jets will head to Kathmandu for the wedding of Natisha Saraf and Karan Saraogi. Natisha is the daughter of construction magnate and Grand Hyatt Hotel owner Arun Saraf, and a host of industrialists, political heavy-weights and foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the three day celebrations.

Natisha Saraf and Karan Saraogi

And how can we not make a mention on the just-concluded weddings? A big Indian Wedding in Barcelona made headlines in Spain; Pramod Mittal’s daughter Srishti married Gulraj Behl last week and the venues for the celebrations included historic sites like Museo Nacional d’ Art de Catalunya, Maritime Museum and Arts Museum. While the Mittal family’s circle refer to the four day celebration as an exclusive and not hugely extravagant affair, some newspapers in Spain have reported that the cost of the wedding could have been more than what the bride’s uncle Laxmi Mittal spent for his daughter’s wedding in France. Back in Mumbai, top names in the city are attending the Jhunjhuwala wedding celebrations across different venues in Mumbai. Kunal, son of Raju Jhunjhunwala and nephew of Rakesh Jhunjunwala is marrying Niharika Agarwal. The sangeet on Sunday night was a scintillating affair and the wedding cum reception takes place tonight. And if there was a celebration with a ‘never seen before’ sight it was the reception hosted by London-based Grovers at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai. Karan Grover married Ria Dubash in Cannes, and while the celebration there was an exclusive affair with less than three hundred guests, over 1,000 guests attended the mega celebration at the Ballroom where SRK spent close to an hour mingling with the guests.

Big Indian Wedding in Barcelona- Shrishti Mitttal, daughter of Pramod Mittal married Gulraj Behl

Museo Nacional d’ Art de Catalunya, Barcelona

Niharika Agarwal and Kunal Jhunjhunwala

Sreesanth is tying the knot with his royal love- Bhuvaneshwari Kumari and the nuptials are tomorrow, 12^th December at the Guruvayur Temple near Kochi. On the same evening, there will be a Rajasthani style (Bhuvaneshwari is from Rajasthan) wedding cum reception at Le Meridien, Kochi. In a telephonic interview with WeddingSutra.com Sreesanth mentioned he is quite relaxed and stress-free: “I have a very efficient Wedding Planner, Hemal Bhagwat of Weddings by Mercury, and most of the other people in Kochi who are involved with the wedding know me well, so they don’t need to ask me much, so I am enjoying the build-up to the big day.” We asked the former Royal Rajasthan player what he always wanted for his wedding. “I always visualised my wedding to be a traditional, ritual rich affair; I wanted to get married at the Guruvayur Temple and since my wife-to-be is from Rajasthan our wedding incorporates both customs. The morning wedding is as per Kerala customs, and in the evening we are marrying as per Rajasthani traditions.” He adds: “Actually, I really didn’t have much to do for the wedding, except shop a bit- I bought clothes for two functions from Millionnaire in Juhu, and the other functions my parents-in-law gifted me traditional attire from Jaipur.”

Guruvayur Temple

Le Meridien, Kochi

Bhuvaneshwari (Nain) is the daughter of Hirendra Singh Shekhawa and Mukta Singh from Jaipur.  A jewellery designer by profession, she and Sreesanth met during a match in Rajasthan a few years ago, and have been seeing each other since. Their wedding was scheduled to take place next year, but both families decided not to delay it. A host of film-stars and politicos are attending the celebrations tomorrow, and the city’s who’s who are looking forward to the unique confluence of Kerala and Rajasthan in Kochi.

Actress Nisha Aggarwal, 26 is marrying businessman Karan Valecha on December 28 in Mumbai. It will be a quiet and intimate wedding for the actress who made her debut in a Telugu film and who is also known as the younger sister of popular actress Kajal Aggarwal. The function on December 28th will be a traditional Punjabi wedding for close friends and the large family circle. The next day, a grand reception takes place at a Hotel in the Western Suburbs where over 1,000 guests are expected.

Nisha, daughter of Suman Aggarwal a textile businessman was born and brought up in Churchgate and schooled at St Anne’s in Colaba. She pursued Hotel Management in Aurangabad and interned with the Taj Group of Hotels before moving to Hyderabad where her sister was an established Telugu film actress. Her debut film was ‘Yemaindi Ee Vela’ which was remade in Tamil as Ishtam. Nisha will be seen next in Telugu film ‘DK Bose’. In a recent interview she stated that she will continue pursuing her film career in Mumbai or Hyderabad depending on the offers she receives.

Nisha met Karan Valecha through a common friend over five years ago. A Business Management graduate, Karan began his career with an international financial firm and now works in his family business, Valecha Engineering Limited and Gold’s Gym, the fitness chain co-founded by his father Jagdish K Valecha.

Photo Courtesy- Joseph Radhik