The Pastel Dream

World Billiards champion Pankaj Advani and makeup artist Saniya Shadadpuri opted for a traditional-yet-modern celebration unique to them

ARTICLE BY : Nupur Sarvaiya

“Our mothers were the matchmakers,” reveals National award-winning Billiards and Snooker player, Pankaj Advani about his now-wife Saniya Shadadpuri, a celebrity makeup and hairstylist. “We were born in the same city (Pune), the same hospital and our grandmothers were neighbours. Our families have known each other for years. The duo first met in Bengaluru, when Shadadpuri was there on a professional assignment. After chatting for a few hours, both felt a spark. “When Pankaj came to Mumbai a week later, we picked from where we left off. Four months later we had our roka in Mumbai,” shares Shadadpuri.

The venue

The sprawling lawns of Gallops at Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai was the choice for venue for the sangeet sundowner held on January 5, 2021. The couple tied the knot at Dhan Pothohar Gurudwara in the city the next day.

The planning
“Although an intimate wedding, we roped in Mr Vikram Mehta of MPire Events to help us with different aspects of the wedding planning. His team did a very good job indeed! Because we had a long guest list and were very restricted due to the government cap, we had to divide the guests for the various functions.”

The wedding

“Everyone in my family has got married at this gurudwara, and since all are happily married for many years, I wanted to keep up the family tradition. And since Pankaj’s family is from Bengaluru, we added a South Indian touch to the lunch by hiring Muthuswamy Caterers. Their dosas, podi idlis and rava biscuits were out of the world,” the bride reveals. The couple’s heartfelt ceremony lasted for half an hour.

The décor
“We wanted to keep the décor subtle as it was a day event. The idea was to keep everything to be soothing to the eye and not loud, gaudy or OTT. So, we went with pastel tones including white, pink and peach palette and flowers.”

The outfits

In keeping with the understated theme, the couple went the pastel route for their outfits. Saniya Shadadpuri wore a blush lehenga, and Pankaj Advani complemented her in an ivory sherwani. Being a renowned makeup artist, the bride created her own beauty look for the big day.

The sangeet sundowner

The open-air green turf and nip in the air was the perfect setting for the evening that included a lot of dancing and good food. “A special mention to chef Mr Yajush Malik for pandering to our tastebuds with delicious fare. One of the funniest moments was when our families were striking poses for photos, and suddenly the staff switched off the lights as it had just passed the 11pm curfew.”