Aushima Sawhney and Sanjeev Saluja Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa, Thailand

Beach wedding in Rayong
Aushima and Sanjeev, are both from Bangkok; they were looking for a unique beach side property which was driving distance from their city, a newer property which had not seen Indian weddings. For the bride who had attended many destination weddings in Thailand, the newly-launched Rayong Marriott was like a breath of fresh air. As soon as she stepped in, she fell in love it, and was confident it had all the elements to make it a perfect destination for her wedding.

Moroccan theme Welcome Dinner
The welcome dinner decor was inspired by Morocco and had Middle Eastern elements incorporated into the overall look. Moroccan tents were set up with lanterns where guests could enjoy some flavored shisha and an oversized bar was created using traditional Moroccan patterns, which was the focal point of the evening. Velvet overlays in electric blue adorned the tables, where floral centerpieces made primarily from orchids, roses, carnations and statices were placed. The primary colors used for the welcome dinner were shades of blues, greens and purples, with a touch of red. The couple entered the venue with fire dancers dancing to their favorite Arabic tunes.

Mehendi by the pool side
Aushima and Sanjeev selected the stunning pool by the sea at the Marriott with the ocean forming a beautiful natural backdrop. Since the wedding took place in February, under the blazing Thailand sun, some bright beach side cabanas were created where guests could enjoy their lunch and activities, and still be involved in the festivities. For the mehendi, the bride wanted something more traditional, so a whimsical Indian theme was chosen where bird cages and kaleeras were used, along with fabrics, umbrellas and flowers in different hues of pinks, oranges and yellows. The flowers used were carnations, roses, orchids and marigolds. Aushima wore a Patiala style maangtika, inspired by her great grandfather, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who was well known for his extensive collection of jewellery. This matched perfectly with her necklace and earrings given to her by her in-laws. Her yellow outfit was designed by Nidhi Tholia, the Jaipur based designer who is very well known for her use of vibrant colors and traditional work

Dramatic mandap for the Wedding

The couple opted for a not-so-traditional, more fun, 'crisscross mandap' made from all white fresh flowers including white orchids, roses, chrysanthemums and carnations. In the middle of the mandap, an oversized chandelier made from beaten metal, gold beads, and crystals, all handmade by local artisans in Thailand, was added. The overall look was very dramatic and the colors of the bride, groom and family stood out even more against the white mandap.

Wedding Wear and Jewellery

True to her traditional Patiala heritage, part of her wedding day attire included a phulkari chunni, which was given to her by her aunt. Her wedding outfit was also done by Nidhi Tholia from Jaipur. Aushima wanted to add a fun twist to it, so Nidhi designed a beautiful light turquoise belt to go with it.

For Aushima, as far as jewellery is concerned, the bigger the better! Her years in Bollywood may have inspired her towards more bling (she was in a few movies, music videos and a reality show). For the wedding she chose a traditional polki set that was made by her family jeweler in Jaipur. The groom's creativity made him come up with his own outfits. Sanjeev was inspired by several contemporary designs, and his outfits were created by Ritu Tandan from Oscara, in Delhi.

Wedding Planner- Pink Palki http://www.PinkPalki.com

Photograph courtesy-Pohotoiam Photography http://www.photoiam.com/