The Love Story
From being childhood friends to sealing the deal with a wedding with several meaningful touches, Sonam and Neil’s relationship have come a full circle. “Although Neil and I we were in school together, nothing happened until 7-8 years after our graduation. Three years later, we got engaged,” shares Sonam. “After our wedding got postponed twice due to the pandemic, I simply wanted my wedding in April 2022 to simply be breath-taking and sacred.”
The Makeup
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration with an Indian influencer, the Charlotte Tilbury team was flown in from London for the bride’s makeup for all the events, courtesy of Nykaa. “Instead of an OTT bridal look, I went for soft romantic makeup for the pheras.”
The Haldi
“The haldi ceremony was held at the spa area at Chalet Zermatt Peak. It was the most colourful occasion. The theme for the pre-wedding event was delicate and traditional. We had lots of yellow blooms, which were accented with silver vases and butterflies. Neil and I opted for Sabyasachi creations. Neil wore a navy blue kurta and I chose a velvet robe that featured large floral motifs. I matched the emerald robe with silver jewellery from Amrapali, along with Kolhapuri heels from Aprajita Toor.”
The Hindu Pheras
April 5 was the big day. “The wedding was hosted at Gornergrat, which is at a height of 2,222 metres. The brief I gave my planners, Tehiya Narvel Events, is that I wanted my wedding to be out of this world. And it was… with Matterhorn as the backdrop and thousands of gypsies and roses that were flown in from Italy, Holland and South Africa.” The couple wore custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla outfits. “I always wanted an all-white lehenga. My blouse was crystal-embedded and the lehenga had resham work as patterns inspired by underwater life because Neil and I both love the Maldives.”
The Rehearsal Dinner
“Gold and goregous was the theme for the dinner,” reveals Sonam. The bride wore a custom black Versace lehenga with gold Versace Medusa print, along with emerald jewellery by L Sunderdas Zaveri. The lehenga was enhanced with zari embroidery and crystals on the blouse and band of the skirt. “It was a really special outfit, which matched the vibe of the evening. We also did Versace-inspired tableware, complemented with lots of metallic touches, flowers and lace.” The highlight was the speeches by friends and family. “It was very emotional,” says Sonam.
The Bride: Sonam Babani
The Groom: Neil Sanghvi
Photography: David Bastianoni Studio
Venue: Zermatt, Switzerland