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Hasina Jeelani profile imageHasina Jeelani & Hasina Khatib

Through our ‘Real Bride’ series, we trace the stories of new brides, right from the time they met their partners to how they planned their wedding outfits

Held in the lap of Kashmir’s natural bounty, this wedding is straight out of a Bollywood movie

Through our ‘Real Bride’ series, we trace the stories of new brides, right from the time they met their partners to how they planned their wedding outfits

There might come a time in some people’s lives where the mundaneness of the everyday is pleasantly interrupted by a fairytale romance. For Raj Khandwala and Simran Sablok, the fact that their names aligned with those of the protagonists of Bollywood epic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), was the first clue that Cupid had special plans for them. After a chance meeting through a mutual friend at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Mumbai, the duo embarked on a meaningful relationship of five years before Khandwala popped the question during a romantic getaway in Capri, Italy. Having chosen to live up to their cinematic namesakes, Sablok takes us through the planning of their theatrical wedding in Kashmir:

For Raj Khandwala and Simran Sablok, the fact that their names aligned with those of the protagonists of Bollywood epic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), was the first clue that Cupid had special plans for them

For Raj Khandwala and Simran Sablok, the fact that their names aligned with those of the protagonists of Bollywood epic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), was the first clue that Cupid had special plans for them

Finding paradise 

Choosing May to get married was a deliberate choice because it’s not in the midst of the wedding season. Raj had this strong pull towards having a summer wedding in Kashmir and people justifiably thought he was a bit crazy since he’d never been there before. I was slightly skeptical as well but when we did our first recce, we were blown away by the natural beauty and how warm the people were. We wanted our wedding to be true to us, where our guests could relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and nice weather. There were many challenges that came with this [choice of location], but we worked closely with our wedding planners, Tailor Made Experiences, who made the whole process a breeze.

An intimate dholki

We chose the ITC Heevan in Srinagar because it has a quaint, old-world charm that we both loved. For the decor, Raj and I went on a little adventure to Srinagar’s warehouses to find unique items. We stumbled upon some beautiful vintage furniture, Kashmiri carpets and other decor pieces that added a touch of timelessness to the evening.

For my outfit, I drew inspiration from my Pakistani-Punjabi heritage and went with a traditional red lehenga designed by Lahore-based Kamiar Rokni, who is known for his heritage bridal designs. To complete the look, I wore heirloom jewellery that has been passed down in our family for more than six decades. Our mehendi night had a traditional Sufi performance by Shafi Sopori, a well-known Sufi musician in Kashmir. It started raining unexpectedly, but Sopori’s soulful voice and music made the night even more magical.

A grand welcome

Our welcome lunch took place at The Lalit Grand Palace in Srinagar. Since we wanted to capture the essence of the beautiful gardens—Le Jardin Du Shalimar—we opted for a Mediterranean garden theme. The decor featured fresh florals and personalised tablecloths to create a relaxed atmosphere.

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"We wanted our wedding to be true to us, where our guests could relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and nice weather," says Sablok

Sablok worked with her designer to create her wedding outfit—a mixed-media lehenga featuring Mughal motifs, landscapes and wall textures with a starburst tulle veil, lending a modern twist to the ensemble

Sablok worked with her designer to create her wedding outfit—a mixed-media lehenga featuring Mughal motifs, landscapes and wall textures with a starburst tulle veil, lending a modern twist to the ensemble

For my outfit, I chose a Zimmerman dress while Raj rocked a kurta with ‘DDLJ’ emblazoned on the back, especially made by designer Agrima Batra. This playful touch got everyone in the Bollywood spirit, and the lush surroundings of the gardens was the perfect backdrop to welcome our guests.

Of sangeets and sundowners

The wedding festivities then moved to the Taj Vivanta in Srinagar. The sangeet was timed to coincide with the sunset, overlooking the Dal Lake and the snow-capped mountain peaks of Gulmarg. It had a Persian-inspired theme, and the music featured a blend of Punjabi folk and techno by Hari & Sukhmani who created an electric atmosphere. For the outfits, I opted for a comfortable yet elegant ivory silver sharara and jacket by Zain Hashmi, while Raj chose a cutwork sherwani by Ishan Kevin Vaide. 

For the sangeet sundowner, the bride opted for a comfortable yet elegant ivory silver sharara and jacket by Zain Hashmi

For the sangeet sundowner, the bride opted for a comfortable yet elegant ivory silver sharara and jacket by Zain Hashmi

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"When I started searching for bridal outfits last year, nothing really excited me or matched my vision. That’s when I turned to designer Ishan Kevin Vaide," says Sablok

The decor was meticulously designed to match the Persian theme, right down to the food, with walnuts, dates and fruit seamlessly integrated into the setting. We also had a curated counter for hot beverages to keep everyone warm as the temperatures dropped significantly at night. 

Happily ever after

Imagine this: everywhere you looked, there were blue skies, snow-capped mountains, lush green hills, majestic Chinar trees, and the serene Dal Lake—it felt like the baraat was happening amidst the clouds. As the grand palace doors opened, I walked out to the mesmerising tunes of ‘Ik Onkar’ and ‘Theme de Camille’ which made for a transcendental experience.

Sablok's bridal outfit included a  dupatta that drew inspiration from the tulips of Kashmir and was adorned with a Mughal-inspired cutwork border and as a special touch, the designer discreetly inscribed ‘Raj Simran’ in the Devanagari script inside—an exquisite keepsake

Sablok's bridal outfit included a dupatta that drew inspiration from the tulips of Kashmir and was adorned with a Mughal-inspired cutwork border and as a special touch, the designer discreetly inscribed ‘Raj Simran’ in the Devanagari script inside—an exquisite keepsake

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"I walked out to the mesmerising tunes of ‘Ik Onkar’ and ‘Theme de Camille’ which made for a transcendental experience," says Sablok

When I started searching for bridal outfits last year, nothing really excited me or matched my vision. That’s when I turned to designer Ishan Kevin Vaide. Together, we delved into the world of medieval Mughal art and architecture, studying art history books for unique references. These were then blended with his modern aesthetic and love for baroque. The result was a standout sculpted metal lace blouse inspired by the graceful motion of aquatic plants. We paired it with a mixed-media lehenga featuring Mughal motifs, landscapes and wall textures. The dupatta drew inspiration from the tulips of Kashmir and was adorned with a Mughal-inspired cutwork border. And as a special touch, he discreetly inscribed ‘Raj Simran’ in the Devanagari script inside—an exquisite keepsake. To complete the look, we added a starburst tulle veil, lending a modern twist to the ensemble.

The grand finale

My love for Japan inspired us to set up a saké bar at the reception, which turned out to be a big hit since the temperature dropped.  We used Japanese lanterns and even went to antique Japanese stores in Australia to collect some lamps and artwork for the bar. The menu featured blow-torched sushi, sashimi, nigiri and teppanyaki. For the after-party, we transformed the darbar hall into a modern Art deco-inspired party, giving our guests the perfect space to dance the night away.

The scene for their wedding had blue skies, snow-capped mountains, lush green hills, majestic Chinar trees, and the serene Dal Lake

The scene for their wedding had blue skies, snow-capped mountains, lush green hills, majestic Chinar trees, and the serene Dal Lake

Inspired by Audrey Hepburn, Sablok wore a gown with Art Nouveau-style embroidery, featuring crystals against an ombre backdrop transitioning from cool purple to pink

Inspired by Audrey Hepburn, Sablok wore a gown with Art Nouveau-style embroidery, featuring crystals against an ombre backdrop transitioning from cool purple to pink

I’ve always admired actor Audrey Hepburn and so for the reception, I drew inspiration from a look she sported at a French film festival in the late 1960s. I shared the reference with Kevin and asked him to infuse his aesthetic, modernise it and align it with my love for pink. The result was a gown with Art Nouveau-style embroidery, featuring crystals against an ombre backdrop transitioning from cool purple to pink. It was even a nod to the Barbiecore trend, and it felt like I was entering my very own once-in-a-lifetime gala when paired with a voluminous pink robe. 

Rolling with the punches

Our wedding was initially supposed to be a sundowner affair and we had the timing down pat for romantic shots at sunset against the stunning Kashmir valley. But the baraat unexpectedly stretched for over five hours and we missed out on those photos we had in mind. However, the team of photographers and videographers at Raabta worked their magic and made our night wedding look just as enchanting. It goes to show that sometimes, even when things don’t go as planned, you do end up with beautiful memories.

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