Delhi, India Indian Engagement by Design Aqua Studio

Good morning, ladies! If you were looking for inspiration, you've come to the right place, because Kiren & Mayank's engagement ceremony is one for the books! If you've been following us for quite a while, you already know how much we love sharing inspiring wedding celebrations with you. However, there is something else that we love as well, and those are the engagements! There is something special about engagement ceremonies that always caught our attention and hit us hard in the feels! Maybe is because they mark the start of a lifetime love story, or because of the emotional speeches, or perhaps it is because of all the love, happiness, and surprises that surrounds these type of events! We still can't make up our minds! But there is something that we know! And that is the fact that Kiren & Mayank's engagement has all the things mentioned before, and a little more! So let's check it out! The first surprise that we have for you is that we are taking you on a trip to India, and more specifically to the Panchshila Rendezvous in Delhi! So get ready to be part of this fantastic event that started with an elegant and fun-loving photoshoot carried out by the talented team from Design Aqua Studio. Both our lovebirds looked ravishing and had an imposing and captivating presence in front of the camera that we love! Through each shot, you feel a little closer to this lovely couple, and you can tell that their love is so pure and charming that it brightens up your day! If you want to take a closer look at this fantastic and romantic moment, head into our gallery for more! You are not going to regret it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
I met Mayank in a pretty unconventional way. We came across each other's profile on Instagram by sheer luck, I found his messages to be quite witty and intellectual. He seemed genuine and we did hit it off really well! I dare say we fell in love without meeting each other in person and were in a long-distance relationship since 2015.  He did request to meet me but I declined, I informed him that I will only meet him if he was serious about this relationship and felt the same the following year. We eventually met in Delhi on the 19/01/16 and it was just like a scene out of a Bollywood movie! Being a hopeless romantic, I instantly knew he's the one and I actually relocated from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (my homeland) to Dublin, Ireland just to be with him! Coincidentally, we got engaged 3 years later in Delhi, on the exact date we first met.. 19/01/19

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
He dedicated a song to me and sung it beautifully..and then he got on his knees and proposed amidst our family and friends. He made sure the ring was designed according to my liking and spared no expense in getting me the engagement ring I've always desired

Tell us how you went about planning your wedding, and your overall experience with the Venues, Hair & Makeup, Outfits, Decor Theme, and all of the other important details.
We are currently residing in Dublin, Ireland but decided to travel to India for an intimate destination engagement ceremony in Delhi purely out of nostalgia since we planned our first meeting in this city on the 19/01/2016 - almost 9 months after dating online! We got engaged on the very same day three years later.

It was an amazing experience for us and our guests that flew down from different parts of the world. It also was my family's second visit to India after 20 odd years but they enjoyed the local culture while helping us plan our engagement ceremony in the time span of three days! We wanted a venue that was very different from what we are accustomed to back home and the event planners (Vineet & Aakanksha) did an amazing job in making our vision a reality within limited time. We requested for a fusion of old Indian feel and Morrocan theme..and decided to have our ceremony on a rooftop in South Delhi, and that too during winter! Thank heavens for the good heating, scrumptious Indian cuisine and the free flow of the best whiskeys to keep the guest warm and upbeat!

I shortlisted the makeup artist, Misha Vig who was nominated as top 10 MUA by WeddingSutra after viewing her work on Instagram. I was happy with the makeup done and didn't require a touch-up but the hairdo that was done by her assistant barely lasted an hour and was quite a mess. Lesson learned I shall definitely get a trial done prior to the wedding.

Unlike most groom's that dress to match their brides, my fiance had his outfit custom made from Zoop men as he was certain of the look he wanted for himself. After that, we decided to find an outfit for me that would compliment his as well. We ended up wearing a contrasting colour, his being black with gold trimmings and mine was pale pink with gold embroidery. I chose to wear a polki set with red beads to match the Dupatta for the ' Chunni Ceremony' and Mayank had a red pocket square as well.

The gift trays from my side of the family had a Malaysian theme. Souvenirs, sweets and materials/outfits that were Malaysian specialty were included in the trays for Mayank's Family, while Mayank's family gave boxes of mouth-watering authentic Indian sweets as door gifts.

I requested for Belgian chocolate with strawberries cake with a specific design topped with exact replicas of the both of us on it - same outfits, mine had a stethoscope and a crown since I'm a doctor by profession and a former Malaysian Beauty Queen. My fiance, Mayank's had a laptop in one hand and a dumbbell in the other depicting his profession and passion. There was a road sign showing the countries we came from, India and Malaysia and the country we are currently living in.. Ireland. Anu Gupta from Eclairs did a great job executing it.

I also requested for a personalized henna design/art that included our hobbies, profession, hashtag, his surname and my beloved country, Malaysia. My mom surprised us by getting our nicknames written with henna on her hands as well. Our engagement rings were designed by us from scratch since we had a clear idea of what we wanted and did not want to compromise on the quality of the Solitaire- after all, we will be wearing it for the rest of our lives!

I hired the well-known Design Aqua Studio for Photography and cinematography. Priyanka and the team were friendly and professional. I shall let the pictures speak for themselves. I am still waiting for the engagement trailer and it has been almost 8 months since we got engaged!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
To be honest, I was very confused since the sky was the limit when it came to choices in Delhi. I had limited time on my hands and I wasn't sure which would look the best on me. The more outfits I tried and the more perplexed I got! I had bright colours in mind, I was looking for coral, red, or gold shades.

Eventually, I gave up and Mayank offered to select my outfit since his attire was already purchased. The only thing I was certain of was that I wanted it to be a lehenga with an Indo-western touch to it. To my surprise, he selected a pale pink lehenga with intricate gold embroidery on it. I was skeptical at first, but as soon as I wore it... I realized that he made a perfect choice! He does have good taste, after all, he chose me as his life partner ;) I got the blouse made into an off-shoulder and it was delivered to me on the morning of the engagement ceremony... Phew!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
We didn't have much time to plan in-person since everything was done in a time span of three days! but I did enjoy the shopping spree in Delhi with my family... We were a tourist in an unknown city that had so many beautiful outfits and accessories... We just couldn't stop ourselves from purchasing as many as we could/ our baggage allowance permitted!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guest enjoyed the fact that it was a laid back destination engagement that had all of them putting their dancing shoes on! They also loved the fact that they were able to go sightseeing and explore India. Accommodation and transportation were provided which made it easier for them. Many of our guest also liked the fact that we had a Pre-engagement dinner, where we hired henna artists to apply henna for the ladies while our family took turns to show off their talent in singing and a post-engagement gathering held the next day to thank and bid farewell to those that traveled from far to attend our engagement ceremony.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
1. The proposal during the engagement ceremony, I found it very cute and I can't help but smile every time I think about it.
2. My mom getting our nicknames written with henna on her hands and surprising us both with it
3. My mom giving me the gold bangles that my beloved late grandmother left behind for me... So, that I have her blessings with me on this special day...that did make me feel very emotional.
4. My younger brother surprising me with diamond jewelry set that he purchased with his own salary... I was so touched.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
An engagement/wedding is a union of two individuals committing their love and loyalty towards each other in the presence of their family and friends. Its not a staged performance, things might not go as per your plan.. despite that, cherish and enjoy the event. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you are married to the one you love!

- Always get a makeup and hairdo trial prior to the wedding.. try not to skip that and have a pre-decided look in mind! Also, communicate with your vendors and use picture references if needed to share the idea you have in mind... I find that easier compared to explaining it to them verbally

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
Greetings,

We got engaged on the 19/01/19 and would like to share our unique tale, from the unconventional way we came across each other on Instagram, right up to planning a destination engagement in India within a limited period of time.

''My fiance, Mayank Kapoor and I got engaged on the 19/01/19 in Delhi, India. We will be tying the knot on 02/02/2020 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We came across each other's profile on Instagram by sheer luck, fell in love without meeting each other in person and were in a long-distance relationship since 2015. We are currently residing in Dublin, Ireland but decided to travel to India for an intimate destination engagement ceremony in Delhi purely out of nostalgia since we planned our first meeting in this city on the 19/01/2016 - almost 9 months after dating online! We got engaged on the very same day three years later.

It was an amazing experience for us and our guests that flew down from different parts of the world. It also was my family's second visit to India after 20 odd years but they enjoyed the local culture while helping us plan our engagement ceremony in the time span of three days! We wanted a venue that was very different to what we are accustomed to back home and the event planners did an amazing job in making our vision a reality within a limited time. We requested for a fusion of old Indian feel and Morrocan theme..and decided to have our ceremony on the rooftop during winter! Thank heavens for the good heating, scrumptious Indian cuisine and the free flow of the best whiskeys to keep the guest warm and upbeat!

My outfit was selected by my fiance and I was pleasantly surprised by his splendid taste. I requested for belgian chocolate with strawberries cake with a specific design topped with exact replicas of the both of us on it - same outfits, mine had a stethoscope and a crown since I'm a doctor by profession and a former Malaysian Beauty Queen. My fiance, Mayank's had a laptop in one hand and a dumbbell in the other depicting his profession and passion. Anu Gupta from Eclairs did a great job executing it. I also requested for a personalized henna design/art that included our hobbies, profession, hashtag, his surname, and my beloved country. My mom surprised us by getting our nicknames written with henna on her hands as well. Our engagement rings were designed by us from scratch as well since we had a clear idea of what we wanted and did not want to compromise on the quality of the Solitaire- after all, we will be wearing it for the rest of our lives!

Planning an engagement within 3 days in an unknown country was no easy feat.. but browsing through local wedding websites/ Instagram accounts did help us to finalize the vendors to pull this off. We kept the ceremony small and invited around 150 guests... We had a pre-engagement,a day before and post engagement party, a day after as well since everyone was on a vacation and in the mood to celebrate. We are glad to share that we did let loose and dance the night away with our loved ones!

My Favourite moments :
1. Mayank getting on his knees and asking for my hand in marriage (like duh!)
2. Mayank singing a romantic song for me.
3. My mother caught on cam while saying a little prayer for us during the ring ceremony
4. Receiving my late Nanimaa's gold bangles as her blessings and for me to not feel the absence of her presence
5. My mom giving an emotional speech and giving me a way to Mayank's mom and grandmother (picture included)
6.Mayank's parents adorning me with a chunni as a symbol of acceptance and love.
7.Candid pictures of Mayank tugging at my dupatta real hard..haha

Everyone's fav moment: Me struggling to speak in Hindi! Giggles...

This love story is just starting, so stay close to take a look at the outcome!