A Dreamy Indo-Pak Wedding With Just 70 Guests
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Let's just admit something first up- we are absolutely in love with the gorgeousness that this wedding was! Want to know the most special thing about it- apart from the bride's stunning grey outfit and that minimalist, floral mandap, you mean? The absolutely kitschy, Pinterest worthy Mehendi decor and the amount of love- it is surreal! Shot by Joem Aldea Weddings, this Indo-Pak wedding in Mauritius had just 70 guests and truckloads of absolutely mesmerizing ideas for you and I to make mental notes of!
Meet Minal & Shaz
"It all started with a chance encounter, I guess it always does!," shares Minal.
"It was 2008, second year university in Toronto, when we got introduced at a get together and decided to meet over coffee. The first months of 'getting to know' was caught between a fascination of wanting to explore more of our similarities in culture and on the other hand, knowing that we were going down a difficult path. The damage was already done though and by early 2009, we were inseparable.
I moved to Dubai to be with my parents after finishing my undergrad but Shaz and I were determined to make it work despite the distance and 8-hour time difference. Dubai's ban on video calls sure did not make long distance easy, but fortunately he managed to visit a couple times a year.
After 5 years of long distance, we decided to be closer together to be each-others pillars to take things to the next level which is when Shaz took the leap of faith and moved over to Dubai. A full decade later, we are both really happy to say our parents came together in celebration. Being married is still a pinch-me moment. We are so thankful for the incredible family and friends that acted as our support system through this chapter," pens an overwhelmed Minal.
The Haldi
The Mehendi
The Wedding
From The Bride
"A lot of weddings these days are just big parties and I do believe that sometimes the actual reason of the wedding is lost. For us, this moment represented years of our incredible journey so the vision was just pure Happiness. We kept it very intimate 70 of our closest friends and family (as you can imagine, for a Desi wedding, this is more like a tea party than a wedding :)) and I wanted them to be really present at every occasion and leave feeling like they were a part of a really special moment with us.
We narrowed down Mauritius as a location for its temperate weather and stunning views. My vision for all the occasions was that they feel modern and refreshing as a reflection of our relationship, but also deep rooted in our shared rich culture and traditions. The hotel we decided on was LUX* Grand Gaube which was the total embodiment of my vision, the motto being "lighter and brighter"- perfection! I honestly would blindly recommend this hotel to ANY couple looking for a wedding in Mauritius, each venue is so unique, the food is delicious, and the staff are EXTRAORDINARY. Lovena Ramen in particular, the Events Manager was my right hand and I really don't know what I would have done without her. The only thing is their sound restrictions after 11 PM which could be a deal breaker for some, but I was happy for my guests to get a good nights rest to enjoy the next day festivities.
For each of the events, my mom and I were keen to only enhance the beauty of each unique venue the hotel had to offer rather than having huge productions of stages and lighting etc. Each occasion was led by different florals i.e our Mehndi was called "Dancing Marigolds" and the wedding ceremony "Blooming Bougainvillaeas" which was the predominant decor.
Marry Go Round coordinated our entire wedding. During all the planning, she was really on it and came back with timely suggestions. I would recommend her if you already have a very CLEAR vision of what you want. I created the concept for each event and she had to see to the execution. I was not happy with her third party suppliers and in hindsight, the hotel itself would have been able to carry out this role and have a trusted list of suppliers that would have been up to standards.
My Mom and I conceptualized the wedding ourselves, taking care of the decor and entertainment, along with the preparing the giveaways for my bridesmaids. Joem Aldea Weddings were my videographer and photographer, who are based out of Dubai and I absolutely adore them. They covered both, my wedding in Mauritius and the reception in Dubai. Jeftin James, our DJ, who we also flew out from Dubai, became family to us and played a great mix of top 40, arabic, and Bollywood to cater to all crowds.
My vision for myself was to NOT be a bridezilla, a bit difficult when you are planning everything and calling the shots! While there were a few mishaps here and there, it was overshadowed with the overall feeling of everyone's love, joy, and true presence in every moment," shares an overjoyed Minal.
Vendors: Venue: LUX* Grand Gaube, Mauritius Planner: Marry-go-round Photographer: Joem Aldea Weddings DJ: Jeftin James Bridal Outfit: Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Wedding) Bridal Jewellery: Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas