Destination weddings are the most amazing affairs ever! They are chill and intimate and give an opportunity to the guests and the couple to spend some quality time with each other. This especially is very favourable when everyone belongs to different countries and cultures altogether. To be quite honest, destination weddings have so many other benefits which most people rarely realize! This was the main reason why Rashi and Maurits decided to host a ‘Dutch-Indian’ destination wedding in Bangkok. Their wedding was a gorgeous pink-themed affair and we just cannot tell you how much we love the pictures clicked by 1Plus1 Studio. We bet once you see them, you’ll be awestruck too!
Who can tell her wedding story best other than the bride herself? Here’s handing over to the beautiful Rashi to tell her tale in her own way…
Maurits and I met in in the picturesque town of Pondicherry at a rooftop party. We had both moved there for our jobs. We hit it off immediately and after a few years of being together, entered into a long distance relationship. We even started our handbag brand ‘Raff’ together, which is when we got to know each other even better. Luckily, Maurits proposed while we were vacationing in Vietnam. A year later we tied the knot in Bangkok on the 16th January 2017.
The invitations were illustrated by my friend and graphic designer Asha Das. They were beautifully customized and even had our love story written on it! I was so happy with the idea that I got them locally printed and wax stamped each envelope!
We had always wished for a destination wedding which was a small and intimate affair. We chose Bangkok, as the city’s vibe matched us as a couple, besides we love the lifestyle! Thai food is one of our favourite cuisines and the hospitality is truly unmatched. It was also an easy destination for our guests (Indian and Dutch) to reach without any visa hassles. We also made sure that most of our vendors were found locally, which in turn, saved us a lot in travel costs! It was a very practical choice. The riverside and the skyline at the Royal Orchid Sheraton just made everything even more magical.
Don’t you love the subtle mandap decor?
Being a designer myself, the looks for the wedding were very important to me. My style is minimal and classic with a twist and I think it showed in all the outfits. I also did not want to spend way too much on them as I knew I will not wear them enough to justify the cost. I believe that the outfits don’t have to cost a lakh or more to look good. It should just reflect your personal style, fit your body type and make you feel like a million bucks. I chose solid colours for the pool party, cocktail and reception with interesting cuts and silhouettes that complemented my body frame. My wedding lehenga was designed by my favourite designer, Rehane, who I have been going to since I was 15! She knows my style in and out and even custom made the gorgeous mint and pink lehenga with white pearl embroidery, which was perfect for a day wedding! I am not a fan of gold and wanted something different from the regular bridal wear and I must say, she nailed it! It also matched with Maurits’ minimal and clean cream sherwani which he wore with a pink safa.
The bride’s getting ready shot is a must have in every wedding album, and this stunning one knows this well!
How adorable do the Dutch baraatis look dancing in coordinated outfits? Awesome, right?
Now this is some serious swag, entering your wedding on a vintage bicycle! #swaggergoals
The bride entered under a chaadar of Thai flowers. How cool! Check out some more equally unique bridal entry ideas here.
As it was a Dutch-Indian wedding, I had full reigns and freedom on all the events and details. We had no restrictions and had more than a year to plan everything we ever wanted. Our main goal was to get all the people we love in one place so that we could not only celebrate our union but also party like there’s no tomorrow!. We focused more on having fun and not much about rituals, so even our parents could enjoy their time. We also did not want to spend too much on the wedding, and therefore sourced most things locally and included a lot of DIY in our wedding arrangements.
That smile, though! Just proves that happy brides are the prettiest!
The rituals were limited to the Hindu wedding ceremony. My favourite part was the baraat, where 35 Dutch guests danced to dhol beats (which I had no idea was happening!) and the groomsmen wore matching orange kurtas. It was amazing to see all of this on video later and was a wonderful surprise. Maurits entered on a vintage bicycle, which is a nod to his home country, Netherlands.
We explained all the wedding rituals and the 7 vows on a card and made them into fans. The Dutch guests (and some Indians!) really like reading and knowing more about it.
Our planners, Wizkim, went above and beyond with our decor at the wedding ceremony. Everything was colour coded to our outfits to match with the ceremony that took place at sunset. The garlands and phoolon ki chadar were made with Thai flowers and was special to us as we wanted to incorporate some Thai details on our decor arrangement as well. All of this made for some amazing pictures, which Manvi did a great job with!
All in all, we wanted an intimate wedding where we could spend some quality time, party with our guests and remember the memories forever. How often does it happen that everyone you care and love in the world are all under one roof!? We definitely took advantage of that and had the time of our lives.
