Akanksha + Akhil
Kerala, IndiaParadise Found
December 2020
Instagram’s reach is something people don’t tell you enough about. When India’s lockdown got partially lifted in June 2020 we reached out to our audience via Insta stories, empathising with them about not to panic and rely on us for their wedding shopping virtually. Akanksha Pandey from Trivandrum, Kerala took a screenshot of one such story and called us, asking specifically for the “relationship manager of your brand.” But she didn’t realise she was actually talking to Nisha Kundnani, Bridelan founder. Both did not expect that this one phone call will transform into a beautiful association that will involve endless zoom calls to find the most unique wedding heirloom, hands-me-down wedding sari.
A stylist’s job is to gauge your personal style and help you refine the language of your look. With Akanksha and our other brides of 2020, Zoom and Facetime video calls were all we had, an unfortunate replacement of the tactile experience of shopping particularly in a heritage-rich country like India. Akanksha’s wedding is long over but we still laugh about how we had fussed over the right kind of light to see her wedding sari options. Akanksha is a rare bride. She was extremely trusting but would not settle for anything less even though her big wedding plans were reduced to only immediate family. It was her wedding look that meant the most to her, just like her marriage to Akhil does.
As featured on Wedmegood
PERSONAL SHOPPER AND WARDROBE STYLIST :
Bridelan, India
PHOTOGRAPHY :
Ibtida, Bangalore
VIDEOGRAPHY :
George Sabu, Chennai
BRIDAL WARDROBE :
Turquoise Sari: Raw Mango, Delhi
Red Bridal Sari : Swati & Sunaina, Kolkata
FINE JEWELLERY :
Umrao Jewels, Jaipur
ACRYLIC SIGN :
Green Mango Kraft, Bangalore
INVITATIONS & STATIONERY :
Kiana Invitations, Bangalore
PLANNING/COORDINATION :
Eve Experience, Kerala
HAIR & MAKE UP :
Eshwar Log, Mumbai
“In India we celebrate the commonality of major differences
We are a land of belonging rather than of blood”
Shashi Tharoor,
Author and MP,
Thiruvananthapuram
“Akanksha and I are like a bar of wasabi chocolate.
Because when you mix wasabi and chocolate, you create the most
brilliant combination in the world which includes all five tastes:
salt, sweet, bitter, sour and even umami.”
Akhil Sharma, groom
Akanksha picked uncut diamonds polki jewellery with tourmalines.
We virtually traversed every possible jeweller in the country,
especially in Jaipur to find and fall in love with jewellery
that will be a keepsake.
The highlight of her look was this heritage basra pearls nath
that made her eyes look like poetry.
“All human ideas of beauty stem from nature.
So, we picked a venue surrounded in timeless abundance.
Our ceremonies were nestled amidst tropical forests, lush waterfalls,
the mighty ocean and calming backwaters.”
Akanksha Pandey, bride
KIND WORDS:
Planning a wedding is a project of a lifetime. And no one imagines celebrating one of the happiest days of their life in the midst of a global pandemic. I chanced upon Bridelan on Instagram, but as soon as Nisha and I got talking I knew that all my worries of trials, planning and decisions were going to be eased. The word ‘stylist’ is far too uni-dimensional to describe the kind of expertise, creativity, care and genuine attention to detail that Nisha brings to the table. Passionate and involved, she has the knack for putting herself in your shoes, while giving you the professional, no-nonsense help you need to put together everything.
Our shopping was extraordinary though most of it was virtual and I would’ve been in an analysis-paralysis had it not been for Nisha and her vast experience that guided me. She thought of details that even I overlooked. So, if you’re looking for a support system, a friend who can help you refine your special day look no further! I always tell Nisha, that in the middle of such a testing time for humanity, Bridelan for me, was a gift from the Universe.
Crafting elegant styles with a contemporary Indian language. Services, personal shoppers, fashion stylists and luxury consultants for South Asian weddings.
