What is a dream proposal like? It's different for everybody. For some, it's candles, flowers, the scent of love in the air and that special ring. For some, it can be as simple as "Will you marry me?" But as we talk about this couple, Shwetambari & James, their proposal story is like something we've never heard before. It was not only about the love that they share but how they incorporated the sentiments attached with their family into the beginning of their journey of togetherness. A dream proposal seems like an understatement after knowing how theirs was. But before we unveil their proposal story to you, let's take you through their wedding which was a mix-platter of fun ceremonies, glamorous outfits, and spectacular decorations.

Hosted at the picturesque Umaid Bhawan Palace, this couple's wedding is packed with gobs of inspiration. Whether it's the bride's ever-so-stylish outfits, the unique polo-themed brunch, the larger-than-life mandap or the groom's dashing entry, every single detail that went into making this wedding is worth ogling over! Kudos to the ace teams of Divinity Weddings and Davar Decorators for turning their union into one magical affair and to Wedding Day by Atul for capturing their revelries in the truest essence.

James & Shwetambari's Wedding Fiesta at Umaid Bhawan

Intimate Mehendi

Shwetambari & James' wedding celebrations commenced with a chilled-out Mehendi ceremony. It was a close-knit ceremony with only close friends and family members in attendance. Which is why the decorations for the day were kept simple and sweet. Colourful & flowy drapes, edgy backdrops and vibrant seatings were the key decor highlights for this ceremony.

For this ceremony, Shwetambari wore a partly-embroidered yellow lehenga skirt and an easy-breezy crop top with extended sleeves. She did her hair in a half-tie pony hairdo and rounded off her look with pink lips and lightly-smudged eyes. Whereas, James opted for a basic white chikankari Kurta-pyjama and paired it with tan loafers.

Boisterous Welcome Lunch

The Mehndi ceremony was followed by a high-spirited welcome brunch at the luxe property of the Umaid Bhawan Palace. The poolside of the Bhawan was exquisitely trimmed in bright and colourful hues as the couple wanted to give a flavour of the typical Rajasthani culture to their guests (who had flown all their way from China, Mexico, US Spain etc. for the wedding). Canopy tents, comfy seatings and warm lighting were all incorporated for the lunch.

Shwetambari looked her casual best in a printed jacket style kurta with dhoti pants by Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla, James, on the other hand, looked all traditional in his blush pink & white kurta-pyjama set.

Dazzling Sangeet & Cocktail

For the Sangeet, the front lawn of the plush palace was set up with gorgeous lighting and of course the picturesque face of the Bhawan. Shwetambari and James didn't want their sangeet ceremony to be all about back-to-back performances by family & friends performances, so they got one of their favourite artists Jeffrey Iqbal on board instead and had him perform for them.

To match with the overall look and feel of the sangeet, Shwetambari was dressed in a glamorous red high-low hem ball gown by Tarun Tahiliani with loose bangs, red lips and smokey eyes. Complementing her just well, James wore a black raw silk achkan with white pants.

The Fun Polo Brunch & Match

The couple's polo brunch is indeed one of the most unique ceremonies we've spotted of late. The duo booked a legit polo ground in Jodhpur to host their event at and got their guests into the fun mood (by planning a polo match). That's not all! They even got Limoncello from Italy and had the team of the Wedding Bar Tenders make limoncello pops. The decorations for the brunch were inspired by Capri and the Italian Riviera with an English outlook. Fresh blooms & greens added to the beauty of this day.

Keeping her look light, airy and slightly retro, Shwetambari wore a knee-length tangerine off-shoulder dress for the brunch. We loved how a unique aqua-blue headgear further added a pop of colour to her appearance. James too looked effervescent in a pink bandhgala which he perfectly paired with a white shirt, cream pants and tan loafers.

Extravagant Wedding

With a beautifully lit up Umaid Bhawan as the wedding venue and spectacular decorations adding to its magic, Shwetambari & James' wedding day shenanigans were a sight to behold. The opulence of their wedding had us at first glance and so did their larger-than-life mandap.

Looking classy AF in an ivory sherwani by Tarun Tahiliani, James made a dhamakedaar groom entry on a ghodi. On the other hand, Shwetambari stunned us with her resplendent bridal look in a heavily embellished off-white & red lehenga by Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla. Donning a subtle and dewy makeup with a heavy polki jadau necklace, the bride looked like a dream while walking down the aisle under a phoolon ki chaadar.

Glitzy After Party

The soulful nuptials of Shwetambari and James were followed by a jazzy after party which was no less than a fun extravaganza. It had everyone grooving and literally enjoying their hearts out. The decor was kept all classic with beautiful indoor lighting and some vintage seatings. The ace team of Divinity weddings left no stone unturned to make their last night in Jodhpur one dreamy affair.

Dressed in a fringed crop top and an edgy skirt with open tresses, Shwetambari looked all fashionable and unmissably pretty.

Lavish Reception

After the exuberant wedding celebrations at the Umaid Bhawan, the couple hosted a grand reception at the St. Regis for which Shwetambari dressed herself in a dazzling blush pink Tarun Tahiliani creation with intriguing lacey details all over. Looking glamorous as ever, Shwetambari paired her stunning gown with a scintillating diamond necklace, matching maang tikka, soft smokey eyes and a gorgeous half-tie hairdo.

Davar Decorator's crew did a fabulous job and lent a voguish feel to their reception. That pretty backdrop done with infinity mirrors and lights was one steal-worthy element from their wedding. And it was none other than the bride herself who conceptualised it!

Spilling the beans about her Reception decor, the bride shares,

As a designer/artist I have been inspired by Yayoi Kusama and for the reception, I really wanted to pay Homage to the great artist. I showed Tanaz images of the traveling Kusama exhibit with the infinity mirrors and lights and asked her to create something spectacular – and she absolutely did! It was very different compared to what most receptions are like.

Further getting into the celebratory mood, the bride slipped into a sparkling off-shoulder metallic dress and shone like a star.

Shwetambari & James' Dreamy Proposal

I moved to New York from Mumbai around 15 yrs ago in order to pursue a career in fashion. Around 10 years ago I met James, a local New Yorker, through a common friend. After being good friends for 2 years we started dating. So, we have been really dating for the past 8 years and finally decided to move in together in 2017 and that's when he decided to propose. 

I was away on a cruise to the Baltics with my entire family for my uncle’s 60thbirthday and came back to our new apartment (no furniture just the New York skyline as a backdrop)to find James on one knee with his grandmother’s pre-world war 2engagement ring in one hand surrounded by candles and flowers! It was a very personal and private proposal – He made it impossible for me to say no!

The Bride's Experience with the Photographer- Weddings Day by Atul Pratap Chauhan

''Living etc. did a photo shoot of our Alibaug house and Atul was the photographer for that shoot. We spent the entire day and just really enjoyed his energy and his commitment to his work. We then met up with Atul in Delhi when we went for a family wedding and he spent 3 hours with my mother sister and me showing us pictures of the latest wedding he photographed. Once we saw those we knew he was the right man for the job.

Working with Atul and his team was a real pleasure and a great experience. The best part was that they were there to capture every moment of our wedding. What my family and I really liked about the team was the Attitude. They didn’t have any demands and were there form the crack of dawn to the wee hours of the night.''

WEDDING VENDORS

Wedding Photographer: Wedding Day by Atul Pratap Chauhan | Wedding Planner: Divinity Weddings | Wedding Locations: Umaid Bhawan Palace (Wedding, Mehendi, Welcome Brunch, Sangeet and After Party), St Regis (Reception), Polo Ground Jodhpur (Polo Brunch & Match) | Wedding Invites: Carmma Cards | Wedding Decorations: Davar Decorators | Bride's Outfits: Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla (Wedding day, Reception, Welcome Brunch), Tarun Tahiliani (Reception, Mehendi, Sangeet & Cocktail) , J MENDEL (Polo Brunch) | Groom's Outfits: Tarun Tahiliani (Wedding day) | Bride's Makeup and Hair: Kapil Bhalla and Shagufta | Bar Tenders: The Wedding Bartenders 

Isn't their dream-like palace wedding making your hearts flutter in awe? Share with us in the comments.

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