Shefali has had a piece of our heart since we first came across her wedding pictures. The sumptuous outfits, effortless grace and endearing smile are some of the prominent bits that’ll keep you hooked to her snaps. We couldn’t help but feature her multiple times as well. And we aren’t stopping anytime soon. With great pleasure, we bring forth her entire wedding album.
Also, the bride was kind enough to share her love story, shopping escapades and vendor experiences. So this blog would be more like a conversation between her and other brides-to-be. There’s lots to take away from her story. Keep Scrolling!
How We Met:
“1148. That is how it all began, an impulse-driven phone call. We used to work at the same firm, but never crossed paths, except catch a few fleeting glimpses from a distance. This changed one fine Tuesday when his office extension rang, leading to a series of unexpected conversations. First date, OMG could this be it?!!,” describes Shefali of the perfect start to her fairytale story.
“Second date, Chirag tells me he is serving his notice period and will move to another city. What should have cut our love story short, took us back to how it all started. How poetic! After 7 months of long distance calls and airport goodbyes, I left the city I lived in for 20 years to be with him. We realized much later that a year before we actually met, I sat next to him during a 2-hour Town Hall – unaware that the man sitting to my left, secretly playing Pocket Tanks on his phone, was going to be my life partner. I met a man who always knows how to make me laugh! He is my ‘3S’ – sunshine, strength, and safe place,” she adds.
Mehendi:
Shefali and Chirag’s celebration of love begin with a colourful mehendi ceremony. Shefali looked all decked up in a pastel blue and hot pink outfit with hint of yellow. She further amped up her attire with a bandeau blouse and customised latkans. Chirag, on the other hand, wore an ivory kurta pyjama set with golden embroidery on it.
Sangeet:
Next up was the bustling Sangeet ceremony. It was time for everyone to relax, chill & party around and the same vibe can be felt through the pictures. Adding charm to the blissful saga was our fashionista bride Shefali. She frolicked around in a bright orange lehenga, teaming it up with minimal jewellery and puffy hairstyle Considering brides only wear dark or mellow tones for night events, her outfit was such a breath of fresh air. .
Haldi:
A fun and frolic Haldi ceremony was held on the day of the couple’s wedding. You can see everyone enjoyed lathering Shefali with bridal ubtan and being a good sport, she relished in the moment. For the ceremony, Shefali wore a yellow saree with a contrasting red blouse and Chirag was seen in a navy blue kurta pyjama set.
Bengali Phere:
Shefali is a Bengali, so the couple decided to have the main ceremony to be held as per her culture. She’s also the first Bengali bride we’re featuring and we couldn’t have had a better start. Shefali looked like a DIVA for her big day. Clad in traditional Bengali attire with silk saree, gold jewels and a mukut, she looked surreal in her bridal charm. Chirag, on the other hand, looked all dapper himself in a golden sherwani with red pyjama for the ceremony.
Reception:
Hosted outdoors, couple’s reception was a full-on decked up affair. For the event, Chirag wore an all-white sherwani with a dupatta that matched his bride’s outfit. Without a doubt, this was the ultimate showstopper look of Shefali. She wore a royal blue lehenga that was so intricately embroidered that we can’t keep our eyes off it. Although, we really think it was Shefali’s poise that made it look 10 times better. We think you’ll agree!
Shefali’s Hunt For The Perfect Outfits:
Although I spent months pouring over Pinterest, Instagram and blogs for wedding outfit inspiration, all my purchases were quite impulsive. I went shopping with my best friend with only one requirement in mind – bold, bright and beautiful. Two of my lehengas were from Shahpur Jat – a perfect riot of colors by Manvi Kapoor for mehendi, and for sangeet, a burnt-orange lehenga from Ikshita Choudhary which reflected my love for sunsets. I did not want to buy a red lehenga, so I chose a dark green reception lehenga from Asiana Couture (Payal Keyal) and went for a red pure Kanchipuram silk saree from RMKV (Chennai) for Phere. For haldi, I wanted something simple and personal, so I selected the fabric and had my saree stitched. My husband made all his outfit purchases after me so that we could coordinate. He believes in comfortable elegance, so he got his suit/sherwani custom-made from a boutique, Millionaire, in Mumbai.
How We Planned Our Bengali + Marwadi Wedding?
I am a ‘Three States’ person. Part Bengali, part TamBram, who lived in Delhi most of her life. My husband is a globe-trotter Marwadi, who has made pit stops across India, Japan and the US. Having stayed at metropolitan cities all our lives, we started looking for a small and charming place, that would allow us to host an intimate family affair and also give guests the opportunity to explore a new city. We chose Indore as it was Chirag’s ancestral home and also the midpoint for people traveling from all over the country.
Planning a multicultural wedding was no easy feat and we wanted to ensure a perfect blend of all traditions. Hence, the 3-day rollercoaster ride began with a Marwadi-style Mehendi, followed by a convivial Sangeet, intimate Haldi, Bengali Shaadi with a Tamil touch, and concluded at a simple outdoor reception. Before getting married, we were weary of all the customs and rituals we would have to follow, but we thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of it!
How we finalized the wedding venue?
The wedding venue was Jalsa Banquets and Resorts, Indore. We wanted a resort that was located away from the city’s hustle and bustle, yet was easily accessible from the airport. Jalsa gave us just that. We had the entire place, complete with its multiple halls, indoor pool and sprawling outdoor garden, to ourselves for 3 days. It was like a mini-vacation for our friends and family at a private, quaint and beautiful destination. We woke up to an amazing sunrise every morning, which set the tone for a great day ahead.
Make-Up Artist Review:
Makeup is a huge part of any bride’s look, be it subtle or glam, and a good artist is of utmost importance. After a lot of research, I went forward with Indore-based Estasbella Makeover. Surya did a great job, making sure the makeup accentuated my features. She created unique looks for each event (mehendi, Sangeet, phera, reception).
Vendors: Bride: Shefali Das || Groom : Chirag Garg || Makeup: Surya Singh Makeup || Outfit: Manvi Kapoor (Mehendi), Ikshita Choudhary (Sangeet), RMKV Chennai (Wedding), Payal Keyal (Reception)
