Certainly doesn’t seem like 7 years have passed since #SonamKiShaadi and #EverydayPhenomenal took over our Instagram feeds. Nevertheless, here we are! The marriage of Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Anand Ahuja on May 8, 2018, brought an end to a two-year long distance romance that resembled a contemporary fairytale and got them tied to rock-solid foundation of marriage.
Sonam’s amazing bridal trousseau, dance-offs, and an A-list guest list made their multi-event extravaganza go viral. The couple’s love truly has modest (although digital) roots, despite their extravagant “I Dos.” And Bridal Episode brings you all the details of their love story in this blog.
How Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja Met
The Mumbai-based actor and London-based entrepreneur’s love story began in 2016 on social media. Anand recaps the early days of their friendship: “We were chatting on Snapchat one night and she said, ‘Stop texting, just call me.’ And we spoke for two hours that night… Our friendship started over superficial things like vegan chocolates and sneakers but soon we were having deeper conversations.” Two months in, they met. Sonam chose London since Anand lived there and she had a fitting with designers Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo in the city before her Cannes appearance. Recalling her first date, she said, “I was apparently wearing the worst sneakers he had ever seen. I keep telling him that he fell in love with me despite my bad sneaker game… That day, walking and talking in London, I knew he was the love of my life. He apparently knew the first time we spoke on the phone… It was just so easy.” After two years, the duo decided to tie the knot.
The Mehendi
The star-studded May wedding of Sonam K. Ahuja and Anand S. Ahuja is still unforgettable. The celebrations took place over several days, starting with a private mehendi at her Juhu home and culminating in a lavish soirée at Sunteck, Signature Island, Bandra Kurla Complex.
On one occassion Sonam wore a lilac, peach, and white ensemble by Anuradha Vakil, while Anand was dressed in an onion pink jacket and white pants. Sonam’s henna was designed by artist Veena Nagda, styled by her sister Rhea Kapoor. Her opulent duplex hosted an all-white mehendi party with Jo Malone candles, white roses, and fresh mogra.
Sonam looked stunning on another occasion when she wore an ivory chikankari lehenga by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, complete with white and gold accents and jewels from her mother, Sunita Kapoor. The lehenga took more than eighteen months to make, and was emphasized with gold and silver zardozi, zari, pearls, Swarovski crystals, and tiny sequins.
The Anand Karaj
At the bride’s maternal aunt’s home in Bandra, Mumbai, the pair exchanged vows in accordance with Sikh customs, which included four laava pheras centered around the Sikhs’ holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. Under a red chaaddar, the bride’s brothers, Arjun and Harshvardhan Kapoor, escorted her down the aisle. The groom had to carry a sword as part of the Anand Karaj rites, much like Anand Ahuja did in the pictures.A large number of Bollywood superstars graced the event adding to the glitz and flair. Sonam Kapoor took everyone by delight when she arrived dressed like a traditional Punjabi bride in Anuradha Vakil’s red and gold lehenga. Lovely lotus patterns were featured on the lehenga and dupatta. An eye-catching multi-layered matha patti finished her ensemble. Raghavendra Rathore’s golden sherwani made Anand Ahuja look stylish. He paired his ensemble with a white and gold saafa and a jeweled sarpech from Amrapali.
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja’s sartorial legacy is anything but predictable. Tradition overruled trends when it came to selecting the most significant dress she would ever wear. She embodied all that a traditional bride should be, wearing a crimson and gold Anuradha Vakil lehenga. “I don’t know anyone who understands Indian garments, textiles, and embroidery as Anuradha does. I’d always tell her, ‘You are going to make my wedding lehenga. When—and if—I get married, you will.’ And I didn’t forget that,” said Sonam. The couturier took six months to make the bridal lehenga. Vakil created patterns based on the bride’s fondness of lotuses, which she had mentioned to the designer. “The embroidery was created using the kalabattu technique with real gold and silver threads, and the entire piece was centered around a stylized pattern of the flower,” Vakil said. Her ensemble was completed with a multi-stranded matha patti, matching earrings, and a Rajputana aad necklace paired with a guttapusalu necklace. For the event, Anand Ahuja opted for an ivory sherwani. He got a lotus-themed wedding ring tattooed on his finger to mark the momentous occasion.
Post-Wedding Lunch
The ceremony was followed by a lunch in which the actress looked radiant in her Anamika Khanna lehenga. Anand and Sonam’s first cake cutting as a married couple, her emotional bidaai ritual, were some of the most poignant moments from the event.
The Reception
Sonam wore an outstanding white and gray Anamika Khanna suit for the reception. The lehenga’s muted color scheme made it an unexpected choice when paired with an ivory cloak with a gorgeous golden border. She added more glitz with bright red lips and styled her hair straight and sleek with a center parting.
The groom’s choice of a black bandhgala achkan with eye-catching buttons matched his bride’s appearance. He added a variation to his ensemble by wearing white Nike sneakers with his outfit. She changed into a breezy white Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla chikankari kaftan dress later that evening.
The combination of traditional and modern themes at Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja’s wedding reflected their individual styles and close bond. Every aspect of their relationship, from its inception on the internet to its private, celebrity-filled festivities, was methodically planned and exquisitely carried out.
In addition to showcasing their love story, their wedding established a standard for contemporary nuptials that respect customs while valuing individuality and preferences. This is also what Bridal Episode stands for. It is our motto to give you the most Outstanding Services to make your own ‘Bridal Episode’ memorable.
The Wedding Makers:
Wedding Planner: Wedniksha
Decor: Rani Pink
Wedding Production & Execution: Aakar Events
Makeup Artist: Namrata Soni
Mehndi Artist: Veena Nagda
DJ: DJ AJ
Entertainers: Badshah, Sukhbir
Cocktails: The Wedding Bartenders Photography & Videography: Reels and Frames
