Saying I Do to simplicity

With subdued floral shades,private ceremonies and a guest-list limited to just family and close friends,are tinseltown celebrities taking a cue from the West?

With subdued floral shades,private ceremonies and a guest-list limited to just family and close friends,are tinseltown celebrities taking a cue from the West?

ree of vanity; well-planned,low-key weddings seem to be the latest trend followed by B-town celebrities. Gone are the times when filmi marriage ceremonies were incomplete without flashy décor,a thousand invitations and expensive designer clothes. Celebs are now shying away from lavish weddings. Kim Sharma,who tied the knot to Ali Punjabi,a businessman from Kenya was tight-lipped about her nuptials and so was Lara Dutta,who tied the knot with Mahesh Bhupathi at a Christian-style wedding at the Sunset Venue,Hotel Taj Aguada,Goa. Television actor Rajeev Khandelwal8217;s wedding to Manjiri Kamtikar,his girlfriend of two years,was a hush-hush affair too. The ceremony,which took place in the traditional Arya Samaj style,was held at Khimsar Fort in Jodhpur and the actor only invited family and close friends. 8220;Earlier a wedding offered celebs an opportunity to flaunt their wealth. But the present trend is about cutting down the scale of the wedding and choosing simple décor over flashy ones,8221; says Priti Sidhwani,wedding planner who planned the weddings of Lara-Mahesh and Neelam-Samir Soni.

Its personal
When Imran Khan got married to girlfriend Avantika Mallik at her Karjat farmhouse,the couple sent SMSes to the guests to avoid any appointments on their wedding day. The message stated that a formal invite would follow later.

Custom-made celebrations
The smaller the guest-list,the more personalised are the celebrations. Rajeev8217;s low-key wedding was lavishly and tastefully planned and he left no stone unturned as a host. After the wedding ceremony followed by Marwari and Maharashtrian customsa grand party was organised and the guests were treated to sumptuous Marwari,Rajasthani,Mughlai and Continental delicacies. Imran8217;s and Avantika8217;s registered marriage on January 10 this year,at the Mallik farmhouse,was followed by celebrations in Thailand. The couple exchanged vows at a beach resort amidst family and close friends,who had been specially flown for the event.

Simple,yet elegant
The setting at Lara-Mahesh8217;s wedding was simple and Victorian in keeping with the bride8217;s tastes. The make-shift enclosure was in blush pink adorned with lily flowers,candles,lanterns,ribbons and varying tapestry. The wedding was just a two-day affair. 8220;Lara ensured that the ribbons tied to the chairs were of raw silk. As for Neelam8217;s wedding it was a simple traditional affair. She wanted the décor to be minimalistic. Most of my celebrity clients are now insisting on low-key weddings. They are emphasising on the details and dont want to invite a lot of people,8221; says Priti.

The march down the aisle
After years of flashy,over-the-top bridal couture most of the gowns looked like they just came off the red carpet the trend is favouring the simple,elegant and chic dresses. For her registered marriage Lara wore a simple off-white sari from Ritu Kumar8217;s Falaknama collection. At her sangeet, the former Miss Universe kept it sweet and simple with a Manav Gangwani marigold and yellow lehenga embellished with Swarovski crystals,while Mahesh donned an ivory chikan kurta-pajama with a sunflower orange stole. The venue was decorated with fresh mogras for the sangeet. At her wedding Lara made a stunning bride in an simple off-white gown by Elie Saab.

Those special words
In the pursuit to make the day special,celebrities are opting for personalised wedding vows too. Bypassing the traditional Christian vows,Mahesh made the day special for his bride by penning his own vow which read,8221;Lara,you are my companion,partner and best friend. I promise to stick by you through hits and flops. I look forward to growing old with you.8221; Rajeevs invitations were printed in two colours: red and blue for the groom and the bride respectively. The brides card that was designed by her older sister read,8221;Before my lil sister becomes a Mrs,lets shower her with a few dances and lots of kisses8230;.8221;

anita.aikaraexpressindia.com