Aggarwal

Image posted on Instagram by Kajal Aggarwal.

Kajal Aggarwal and Gautam Kitchlu’s wedding was nothing short of a dreamy affair as the couple married at a plush hotel in Mumbai on October 30. Everything about the grand wedding made headlines as Kajal trended all throughout the week.

Ambika Gupta, a wedding designer from South India, is responsible for the beautiful decorations and planning every aspect of the celebration.

WHAT WAS THE THEME OF KAJAL’S WEDDING?

Kashmir to Kanyakumari was the theme of Kajal’s wedding. Speaking of the preparations, Ambika said that all protocols were in place since the event was organised in the wake of the novel coronavirus crisis.

“Kajal and her family were extremely particular about safety and we rigorously followed all protocols without compromising on the aesthetics and the keen eye for detail they wanted. We observed Covid-19 precautions as specified by the Maharashtra government. 60-70 guests and members of the crew who were present at the wedding had to go through health clearances beforehand,” Ambika said.

HOW WAS AMBIKA SELECTED FOR PLANNING KAJAL’S WEDDING?

It was Kajal’s sister Nisha who decided to assign the responsibility of planning the wedding to Ambika.

“It was completely serendipitous. Kajal’s sister Nisha took a brief look at my portfolio, and after a few calls and meetings, we were on,” Ambika said.

WHAT WAS KAJAL’S IDEA OF HER WEDDING?

“Not a flashy person herself, Kajal wanted her wedding to be understated but elegant. Keeping that in mind and noticing their roots in the respective cultural legacies that she and her husband share, I came up with the complete idea. During the question-answer round, Gautam told me that he is from Kashmir and hence I came up with the Kashmir to Kanyakumari theme and we brought it all to life in just over 35 days,” Ambika said.

HOW WAS KAJAL’S WEDDING PLANNED?

Inspired by diverse cultural references, Ambika designed the concept of a Brijwasi Krishna Bagh. It was a Radha and Krishna-themed puja held at Kajal’s home where the divine bond was depicted against a pastoral backdrop evoking Vrindavan with swings. A floral arch dotted with pink peonies, origami birds and brass bells hanging from trees were also installed. Peacock feathers and flutes were also there.

HALDI AND MEHENDI

For the Haldi and Mehendi celebrations, Soufflé S’il Vous Plaît, an otherwise tropical French bistro at Churchgate was transformed into a Kitsch Mandi as a tribute to the artisans of India affected by the coronavirus crisis.

“Kajal wore a specially handcrafted weave by Madhuraya Creations , which is an initiative to support weavers and revive traditional crafts. She has a soft spot for the unsung weavers of India and her wedding was the perfect opportunity to give back to them in some way,” Ambika said.

“We curated and designed a backdrop made of pettis