Royal Orchid Sheraton, Bangkok: An Indo-Dutch Destination Wedding In Thailand

Destination Weddings are all the rage this season. Picturesque locales, intimate ceremonies and the couple get to spend more time with the guests are some of the many reasons people go for it. Many a times the couple prefers it because they have a special connection to the place. We witnessed one such grand ceremony in the breathtaking locales of Bangkok at the Royal Orchid Sheraton as Rashi and Maurits tied the knot in this Indo Dutch wedding.

Maurits and Rashi met at a roof top party in the quaint town of Pondicherry where they had both moved for their jobs. There was an instant connection and the two immediately hit it off. After a few years of courtship and launching a handbag brand called ‘Raff” together in the process, Maurits proposed while the two were vacationing in Vietnam.

The two decided upon a destination wedding because they wanted it to be an intimate affair and as the city’s vibe and lifestyle represented their personalities, they zeroed on Bangkok. Both share a love for Thai cuisine and its unmatched hospitality. Also, it was easier travel for both the bride’s side flying in from India and the groom’s side flying in from the Netherlands. The riverside and the skyline at the Royal Orchid Sheraton gave the event a magical touch. As she is a designer herself, Rashi ensured that she left no stone unturned in choosing the perfect outfit and jewelry for the event. Her style was minimal and classy with a quirky twist. She firmly believes that you don’t have to spend a million bucks to look like it and that the outfits you wear should be a reflection of your individuality and personal style. For the cocktail pool party she wore solid colors with interesting cuts and silhouettes. The gorgeous mint and pink lehenga with pearl embellishments thatshe wore on the D-Day was custom made for her by her favorite designer Rehane. The groom complimented her attire in a clean cream sherwani accentuated by a pink safa.

Almost a year’s planning went into the planning and the couple ensured that everyone had a lot of fun as this was the main focus of the wedding rather than the rituals. The rituals were mainly limited to Hindu wedding ceremony. The best part was the baraat where all the Dutch guests taped their feet to dhol beats and the entire atmosphere smelled of enthusiasm. Maurits entered the venue on a vintage bicycle as a tribute to his home country Netherlands. The entire venue was color coded to match the bride and groom’s outfits by the wedding planers Wizkim and the ceremony took place at sunset. To add a Thai touch to the event, the garlands and the phoolon ki chaadar were made up of Thai flowers. We enjoyed a lot clicking pictures against this amazing backdrop.

The detailing wasn’t just restricted to the décor. Even the wedding invites illustrated by the bride’s graphic designer friend Asha Das were personal to the couple’s story and were locally printed and each envelope was wax stamped. The wedding rituals and the seven vows were written on cards and made into fans to explain them to the Dutch guests. Even the gift bags were made up of personalized paper and contained goodies such as a hangover kit, personalized shot glasses, personalized Kitkat covers and other Thai and Indian themed items.

This Indo Dutch wedding photoshoot left us with many fond memories that we’ll cherish over time.

Christian Wedding, Spain: A Gorgeous White Wedding In Madrid

Love knows no borders, no language and no religion. And weddings are proof that happiness is possible, only if you lean into it, create it and evolve with it. A wedding that’s most special to our hearts is here, one that makes us believe that anything is possible only if you set your sights on it - this quaint and simple one I  had the opportunity to photograph in Madrid (Spain), the city that took away our breath. 

Right from the simple white wedding dress to the gay abandon the couple came with, the twinkling eyes of the loved ones as they walked down the aisle to the lavender-infused bridal bouquet - so much to take in. What caught my eye was the blushing bride all wrapped up in love and crushed satin with bright purple heels and a flower crown that’s more than just an accessory - it added sparkle to her personality. 

First things first - it was a beautiful rustic venue Fianca Najaraya, in a barn of sorts and held just 50 chairs, overlooking the green plains. The hues were green and earthy - with succulents and wildflowers strewn about carelessly, but in a beautiful organised way. The colours were gently set against the sunlight streaming in, and you could just smell the air, in all it’s summery glory.

I must say, small things stood out for me - the smells, the bright light, the subtle sighs and the sweet smiles. Overlooking the valley, this one’s all about earthy elements colluding with contemporary decor - the simplicity in this wedding added so much charm.

If there were a few things I learnt from this wedding, it’s these:

 

  1. That simplicity and effortlessness can make any wedding the most beautiful one. 

  2. Music is not just an accessory, it’s the life of the party and we must give it more time and effort as we size up the wedding

  3. When it comes weddings: size matters. Fewer people can mean a more personal celebration. 

 

The intimacy in this wedding just blew my mind. Small, controlled, real bunch of loved ones that really made all the difference. As I walked away from this beautiful Madrid wedding, I could only look back at the culture and what makes this beautiful union better - the way the families enjoyed and cherished music and food, things we completely take for granted!
Lessons learnt, armed with ideas, we set out on our way! 

Galle Face Hotel, Colombo: Hindu-Christian Destination Wedding in Sri Lanka

It’s hard not to love our work when it involves traveling to different cities in the world  and making memories, one wedding at a time! Meet Tina and Kumara, a gorgeous and generous couple, who celebrated their union in Sri Lanka. Hailing from different religious backgrounds, they tied their knot as per both Hindu and Catholic rituals, and surely made us believe that the best things can happen twice!

With the dresses ready, bouquets bought, families stepped in, thrilled bridesmaids and Groomsmen, and I do chanted, the couple had a church wedding in the morning which was followed by the Hindu wedding. It was a huge treat for us to travel to Colombo, Sri Lanka (one of our favourite places in the world) and shoot their picture perfect wedding. Sonali, from Weddings By Sonali , turned an already amazing venue -  Galle Face Hotel  into a visual spectacle. This wedding will undoubtedly give you wedding goals!

Thank you, Tina and Kumara, for welcoming us into your beautiful celebration and trusting us with your memories .

We’re so happy for you guys!


Radisson Blu, Alibaug: A Destination Wedding Of Two Foodies

It was our first wedding shoot in Radisson Blu Alibaug and little did we know that reaching the venue from Bangalore would mean taking a Cab, Plane, Auto, Ferry and a Bus! Maybe we should have used the Mumbai local just to add it to this exciting list ;) And just like the journey, the wedding of Shaili & Mahesh ((What a fun couple!) has been incredible.

If there is one word that defines the two of them ,it is that they are “Foodies”. They were very clear from the start that their dream wedding would be a culinary experience for all the guests travelling from all parts of the world, that they would never forget, including us! Their beautiful wedding was planned around the food and F5 Weddings played a major role in making their dream a reality.

Two events that we have never shot before and were a highlight for us were -

Day 1 - Masterchef Event

Based on the popular TV Series , the venue was converted into a Masterchef Kitchen and the guests were divided up into teams. Each team had to pick a table which had a basket on with various mystery ingredients inside. Braais were set up, mini cooking and frying stations and even a pantry was created. Teams needed to make two dishes, one that the chef taught them right there and the other one on their own were tasted by the “judges” (Shaili & Mahesh :) ) The teams went out of their way to make such creative dishes. It was a lovely idea for the guests to mingle and have fun :)

DAY 2 - Mehndi with Hot Sauce

This is where the tastebuds were put to test and the friends and family took up the hot sauce challenge where every round involved eating one small dollop of hot sauce with nachos without spitting or eating anything else. With every round the sauce got more spicy and more fun !

Their wedding was beautifully unique, and a decidedly unconventional celebration of life, love, food, friends and family.

Click here for our Destination Wedding Locations in India Guide.