Sahitya + Vamsi
Taj Faluknama Palace, HyderabadThe Nizams of Miami
June 2019
Indian fashion and its rich splendour, history and even the movies have a deep impact on South Asian brides who have a fantasy of creating photos that make them look like bejewelled Indian queen. Sahitya Reddy, a doctor from Miami (now practises in New York) and her groom Vamsi Kantamaneni are a fashion-crazy couple and unapologetically so. A Sanjay Leela Bhansali-like soul got into them to craft their engagement shoot photos in true Nizami royalty style. They flew down to India multiple times, just to find the perfect venue to fulfil their dream. And a dream it was.
The Taj Faluknama Palace in Hyderabad, an ultimate name in Deccan luxury, was zeroed in. They decided to wear the Padmaavat designers, Rimple and Harpreet Narula. Imagine the grandeur and ambition. In fact, ambition is not a negative word for Sahitya and Vamsi. Both were decked up in uncut diamonds, Hyderabadi pearls and Columbian emeralds. Sahitya played begum jaan to Vamsi, her to-be-groom. The couple blew up these portraits of their engagement at their grand wedding in Miami. The ‘Nizams of Miami’ was a surreal and out of the world experience, a royal feast for the eyes and soul.
As featured on South Asian Brides and Wed Me Good
PERSONAL SHOPPER & STYLIST :
Bridelan, India
VENUE :
Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad
PHOTOGRAPHY :
Naman Verma, Delhi
VIDEOGRAPHY :
House on the Clouds, Bangalore
GROOM’S WARDROBE :
Rimple and Harpreet Narula, India; Ralph Lauren, New York
BRIDE’S WARDROBE :
Rimple and Harpreet Narula, India; Ralph Lauren, New York; Delhi Vintage Co, India; Gauri and Nainika at Ensemble, India; Jade by Monica and Karishma, India
JEWELLERY :
Mangatrai Neeraj, Hyderabad; Akoya Jewels, Hyderabad
MAKEUP & HAIR :
Bhavani Kumar, Bangalore
“Seriously my mother laughed at me when I explained the concept of this photoshoot. Next came her words of caution, “Don’t get your hopes too high. It’s impossible to pull this kind of a thing, even in India.”
Sahitya Reddy, Bride
Kind words
‘I am Sahitya Reddy, bride-to-be, an ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon from New York. I googled ‘stylist in Mumbai’ and chanced upon Bridelan’s aesthetic-driven minimalistic Instagram. A couple of emails down, Bridelan founder Nisha Kundnani and I got down to serious talking. “I want a Vogue editorial kind of shoot. Is it possible?” I asked. Nisha replied, ‘Yes’. Only in my wildest dreams did I think I could do a Nizam-styled photoshoot to this level of grandeur and opulence. She did the impossible and made it an unbelievable reality despite the odds. (It’s hard to get her time). But when she’s yours, she’s super committed.
Outside the styling talent and connections Bridelan has in the fashion and bridal industry, they are humble and hard working folks. Nisha and her team is a sheer delight to work with and went above and beyond to make sure I was stress-free and enjoying my moment of playing dress-up. My fiancé and I had to pinch ourselves because it was all so surreal. Shooting in India, in the city of our parents’ heritage, this was not the kind of India we had dreamt of. This was high fashion and super luxe. Bridelan is a true treasure. We can’t wait to shoot with them again!’
Are you visiting India and want to fulfil the fantasy of being styled in high-end editorial fashion? We would love to help turn your dream into reality.
