Khatidja married Anuj Kale in Istanbul, Turkey on 15th September 2014.
She says: “Anuj and I met in New York. Our first date was at Veniero’s Bakery, a local East Village landmark on a Sunday afternoon. We ended up having an 8 hour first date, which was a blast!
After a whirlwind 18 month Manhattan romance, Anuj proposed in Barcelona’s Park Güell. He tried to time popping the question with the sunset, but it was an overcast afternoon. After an hour’s walk uphill, he ended up proposing immediately. In a stunned daze I repeated “yes” over and over again.
Since Anuj is from New Jersey and I’m from Kenya, we decided to have a destination wedding so it would be on ‘neutral’ ground. We had a checklist for the perfect venue: and when my sister suggested Istanbul, it became our clear choice.”
THE SANGEET
“The venue for the Sangeet was Nomads, a stunning venue complete with cushions and atmospheric lighting. We had a dinner and cabaret show with belly dancers before the party.
Our DJ was gifted at mixing our playlist, which ranged from 90’s American R&B and hip hop and Bollywood and Turkish dance hits.
The atmosphere of Nomads lent itself perfectly to a party as loud and boisterous as our Sangeet.”
PLANNING
“Anuj and I are very particular. Our guest’s experience was the paramount priority and we worked very well together to create a day that we would cherish forever.
I’m detail oriented and managed Fidan and vendors directly. Our wedding venue Cubuklu 29 had a selection of trusted wedding suppliers, so sorting out the DJ, videographer and caterer was simple once we’d booked the venue.”
THE CEREMONY
“The day began with us transporting more than 100 guests to the venue via a 90min boat trip along the Bosphorus. I was in my curlers for the whole boat ride since Anuj and I were changing into our outfits at the venue.
The ceremonies were timed to take place as the sun set over the Bosphorus. We had a Hindu ceremony performed by a priest, as well as a recitation of Quranic verses read by my brother-in-law.
Anuj found a Hindu priest that could explain the rituals to the guests. He was perfect; very charming and engaging.”
THE WEDDING VENUE
“The wedding and reception, Cubuklu 29, was a stunning outdoor space on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. We wanted a venue that didn’t need much work to make it look spectacular and Cubuklu 29 already had planters, torches, and a beautiful reflecting pool.
We arranged floating flower arrangements on the pool in perfectly straight lines while the tables were decorated with a simple mix of gold, mirror, and white flowers.
The custom-made mandap was beautifully dressed in gorgeous green foliage and behind it was the magnificent Bosphorus River.”
CATERING
The food, catered by our wedding venue Cubuklu 29, was out of this world. We chose Western-Turkish fusion which included truffle risotto and roast lamb.
PHOTOGRAPHY
"Zurihsia Studios have a gift for zooming in and capturing those emotional moments amongst the chaos of a wedding. They fully caught the essence and spirit of our Big Day."
THE BRIDE: Khatidja Ajania, 33
THE GROOM: Anuj Kale, 34
MARRIED: 15th September 2014
VENUE: Cubuklu 29, Istanbul, Turkey
PHOTOGRAPHY: Zurihsia Studios, www.zurihsia.com, +44(0)7786 433 907