Intro
Culture, love and celebration of an eternity – Saily Lad and Shantanu Powle’s culturally rich wedding ceremonies embarked on the fresh and regal elements of the finest Maharashtrian traditions intertwined beautifully for the gorgeous couple and their historic wedding décor.
“My mom and I always dreamt of a grand and royal wedding. Both of us always fantasised the idea of having a larger-than-life, dreamy and elegant wedding and even gathered pictures and mood boards inspired by multiple weddings and authentic Maharashtrian traditions, over the years. Our culture is extremely important to us and we wanted to incorporate that through intricate details. We wanted everyone to feel as though they were witnessing a grand Maratha wedding, like the ones you only read about in history books.” shares Saily while speaking about her vision for the wedding.
The couple met in an arranged-marriage setting initially but the love and affection they share could make one think they’ve known each other for years.
Talking about one of the most unique cultural incorporations, wedding photographer Shrey, co-founder of Knotting Bells shares, “Saily and Shantanu’s wedding has to be one that will stay with us forever. We see a lot of big fat weddings with modern elements but this traditional Maharashtrian wedding decor was a one-of-a-kind experience and left us completely mesmerised. Both Saily and Shantanu are such great people and throughout the ceremonies, we all developed a very warm, family-like bond and that is something we will always cherish”
The traditional Maharashtrian Wedding was captured gloriously by Knotting Bells
The celebrations kicked off with an eclectic decor for the bride’s Mehndi ceremony that took place at her villa in Goa, including close family members and friends. Following this, they had an elaborate and grand sundowner mehndi at The W, a hotel in Goa, that included a star-studded guest list and a beautiful musical performance by Harshdeep Kaur. Painting the space with bright colours and a holi-inspired decor, the couple whisked into full party mode for their Haldi. The Haldi was ground at Saily’s villa in Goa before the event, making it special for both the families. The space included a floral backdrop with yellow fabrics tied for the roofing along with large lavender flowers adding a touch of quirky elements. “If you look at the pictures, you will instantly feel the delightful and vibrant energy. The entire space was decked up in lavender and yellow and capturing these spontaneous moments and the couple being their goofy selves was amazing.” adds Shrey.
Heading into an epic Cocktail Night, the duo dived into a dance evening with all the guests for an exhilarating Sangeet. Dressed just out of a fairytale, Saily looked like the dreamiest bride standing alongside her charming husband-to-be. As everyone danced through the night celebrating the new beginning for the lovely couple, it was time to enter into the most special setup – The wedding mandap!
The wedding venue exhibited a glamourous setup replicating the Shanivar Wada which is the palace of Peshwas in Pune. “The wedding day has to be the most beautiful of all. Each detail was so well thought of and the pictures translate that with equal spark.” shares Shrey. He further adds, “One of the most surreal moments was Saily getting ready with a very special customised silk shawl called Shela, hand embroidered for her. Right from her outfit to this shela and all the decor elements, each aspect felt like we were witnessing a Royal wedding.”
Both Saily and Shantanu had curated a unique look for themselves. The guests too had worn navarees and pagdis which made it look like a truly royal wedding. Saily’s customised green velvet Shela with hand embroidered details was something one does not get to see every day making it the highlight of the wedding. Soon, the baraat reached the wedding venue with dhols, lazim and traditional dances marking the groom’s big entry. At this point, the bride arrives and starts to walk down the aisle to greet Shantanu and through the pictures, one can sense the grandeur as the bride and groom get closer for the final reveal.
“The main ceremony saw the couple in their purest form. Saily was at her best goofy self while Shantanu was equally overjoyed. Their chemistry lit up the entire space and everyone was having such a great time. Their natural and candid conversation caught on camera is a testimony to the pure love the couple share with each other and I think that is something that gives me chills even today.” adds Shrey.
“I am so so glad for everything and everyone at our wedding. My father Prasad Lad has been an exceptional support in executing this dream wedding and everyone from the event decor to the exceptional photography by Knotting Bells has made our special day eternal. Shrey and his team have become like family after all the time spent through the ceremonies and we are in awe of all the gorgeous clicks they have captured for us.” shares Shaily.
The couple concluded their traditional Maharashtrian wedding with a glamorous wedding reception held at The W hotel.
With one of the most unique concepts and a royal Maratha theme, Saily and Shantanu’s wedding is something that will always stay in everyone’s hearts for the unending beauty of the culturally rich Maharashtrian additions and the purest love this beautiful couple share.