Hitched, again! Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic shake a leg at their dreamy white Udaipur wedding

 Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya and his wife Natasa Stankovic on Tuesday

renewed their wedding vows in a dreamy white wedding held in Udaipur,

Rajasthan.

The dreamy palace wedding, which was held as per Christian rituals, was

attended by Pandya and Stankovic's family members and close friends.

The couple had earlier tied the nuptial knot during the pandemic phase,

‘which was more of a hush-hush affair on May 31, 2020. The two were blessed

‘with a boy Agastya in July 2020.

Pandya and Stankovic shared pictures from their surreal wedding on i

Instagram with the caption: "We celebrated Valentine's Day on this island of 3

love by renewing the vows we took three years ago. We are truly blessed to 1

have our family and friends with us to celebrate our love.”

The wedding was held in Five Star Hotel Raffles, situated in the middle of

Udai Sagar Lake in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The couple arrived in the city on

February 13 along with their son and family members.

It was a lacey affair for the beautiful bride who looked elegant in her white

‘wedding gown with a thigh-high slit. For his big day, Pandya kept it sleek

dressed in black suit paired with rimless sunglasses.

Keeping the theme of the wedding in mind, the bridesmaid also kept it subtle

but elegant with their light tone peace coloured dresses. As per reports, the

couple has been meaning to exchange vows in a ceremony surrounded by

family and friends as the two had gotten married in a court due to the Covid-

19 pandemic.

The social media is currently flooded with pictures and videos from the

couple's wedding. As per a video shared by an Instagram account of a

paparazzi, we see Stankovic and Pandya having a blast the two walk down the

aisle together, dancing and cheering with their friends and family following

the trail.

Talking about the guestlist, several members from Team India attended

Pandya-Stankovic's wedding.

OYO boss Ritesh Agarwal ties the knot with fiancee Geetansha; Softbank CEO, Paytm boss attend reception

 The newlyweds hosted a wedding reception at the Taj Palace in New Delhi. Several bigshots of the business and startup world were in attendance. (Source: Instagram/weddingz.in)

Ritesh Agarwal, the founder, and CEO of cheap hotel franchise OYO, tied the knot with his fiancee, Geetansha Sood, on March 7.

The newlyweds hosted a wedding reception at the Taj Palace in New Delhi. Several bigshots of the business and startup world were in attendance. The guest list included names such as Softbank Group founder Masayoshi Son and Vijay Shekhar Sharma the founder of the digital payments app Paytm. Other bigwigs such as Lenskart CEO Peyush also attended the wedding. Union minister Prahlad Singh Patel also attended the wedding and posed for selfies with the duo.

Several pictures from the event have gone viral on social media. In one picture both Agarwal and his wife can be seen touching the feet of Masayoshi, to seek his blessings.

riresh wedding 2

The Paytm boss shared some pictures from the wedding. Taking to Twitter, he drooped some candid selfies of himself posing with Masayoshi and wrote, “Ultimate joy today, seeing Masa smiling, happy, and enjoying his India trip. Everyone of us had tons of gratitude for his belief and support given to our startups," he wrote.

Softbank has been one of the most prominent investors in the Indian startup ecosystem and is said to have spent almost $15 billion. Multiple unicorn startups such as OYO, Lenskart, Ola, etc were the benefactors of such investments, during their early stages.

Last month, Agarwal hit headlines when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his wife and fiance and invited him to his wedding.

OYO specialises in affordable yet hygienic accommodations. Currently, it operates all over India, across 800 cities.

Wedding trends we want to see in 2023

 There is nothing more dynamic, consistent and booming – as much as the wedding business. Even more so after the pandemic. In a culture where tradition, celebrations and gatherings are given so much importance – weddings take supreme precedence. 

Over the years, this celebration of love has mutated in many ways. From molding rituals with new-age beliefs and traditions, personalized wishes of the bride and groom being reflected throughout, the advent of social media adding that extra pizazz and so much more.

Today, we’re here to take you through a deep dive into what exactly will reign supremacy over the wedding season in 2023. Having managed social media for multiple weddings, and understanding the nitty gritties of making a wedding ‘worth every tag’ – we’re here to summarize Wedding Trends we’d love to see in 2023!

Wedding Minimalism

We’ve all heard the term – ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding’ – but after Alia Bhatt’s super intimate ‘Balcony Wedding’ we’re rethinking what we know. The lack of ‘show-sha’ and focus on just the couple and their D-day just makes it so refreshing. 

Having just your close friends and family, decor that blends into the theme of subtle and simplistic add ons is what is truly making people take notice and consider choosing that path for their own wedding.

We truly believe that going minimalistic will be the next big thing that brides and grooms will chase after. 

Sustainable Weddings

Although in the west, it is not uncommon to see couples trying to be sustainable – by giving extra food to the soup kitchen, having recyclable cutlery etc – this trend is something we most definitely want to see in India as well.

What are some tips to have a sustainable wedding?

Choose a venue that’s environmentally friendly. Look for venues that have green initiatives in place, like solar panels or water conservation efforts. Plant-based menu has a smaller environmental footprint than meat-based options, so this is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Use eco-friendly decor made from sustainable materials, like bamboo or recycled paper, and consider using potted plants or flowers instead of cut ones to reduce waste. Consider using recycled paper for the wedding invitations and other stationary or alternatively opt for digital invitations to reduce waste. Consider making a donation to an environmental charity in lieu of favors. This is a great way to give back and make your wedding even more meaningful. There are so many ways to make your wedding more sustainable, there’s really no reason not to consider at least a few of them!

Tech-Focused Concepts 

While AI and tech is slowly but steadily taking over the world, why should weddings be left behind? Couples are choosing to have interesting concepts in the space of tech take over their wedding. We strongly believe that what will make weddings stand out in 2023 – is how they experiment and give their attendees a different experience. 

Couples may incorporate interactive video displays or projection mapping into their ceremony and reception. They can also utilize virtual reality-based programs to give guests a taste of the event before attending. Wedding websites and apps have already become prevalent and stand to become a ‘must-have’ for most couples.

Wedding Registry

Among other things, a wedding is also the chance for the friends & family of the bride and groom to extend their blessings for a great life ahead. More often than not however they might be a little confused about what they gift – and in the case buy those common ones like household wares, vouchers or everyone’s favorite – crockery! 

Although not uncommon in the west, the whole idea of having a wedding registry is now very much arriving in India as well. A wedding gift registry is a way for the couples to create a list of gifts they would like to receive on their wedding, things that they need or actually want instead of receiving gifts that would be kept in a cupboard or re-gifted.

There is a great amount of convenience attached to this concept and now there are various online platforms that manage all the logistics and deliver the gift to the couple as well! 

Wedding Day Social Media Managers

The world today has increasingly become digital-first, and given that fact weddings are most definitely keeping up with the trend. The basic structure of how one views a wedding has undergone a major paradigm shift. The bride and groom these days seek very strongly to be able to share tidbits of their big day with their close friends and family and the rest of the world – on social media.

Right from on-site live coverage, to photos and reels posted within less than 24 hours of the function – social media is taking over weddings in a huge way.

Overall, we can’t wait to watch how engaged couples of 2023 put their own unique spin on wedding traditions and create new must-haves for future couples. The Shaadi Industry has always had the best, and the most to offer and we can’t wait to see how it grows and transforms in 2023!

To Budget Your Wedding & Cut Out All Those Unnecessary Expenses 4 min read

Highlights

Well, at the time when most of our favourite Bollywood stars are getting married to their sweethearts, giving us major couple goals, they are also inspiring us with different ideas on how to plan a wedding

there are some who prefer a low-key affair with only their close ones, saving big on budget

Well, at the time when most of our favourite Bollywood stars are getting married to their sweethearts, giving us major couple goals, they are also inspiring us with different ideas on how to plan a wedding. While most of them opt for destination weddings, there are some who prefer a low-key affair with only their close ones, saving big on budget. 

In this week's edition of #It's Time series, we have also come up with a few ideas for you if you are planning to get married soon and do not want to spend unnecessarily on the event.  

1. Make Your Home The Venue For All Pre-Wedding Ceremonies

2. If Possible, Try To Choose A Weekday

3. Go For Local Vendors

4. Think Twice When Finalising The Menu

5. Try If You Can Book The Wedding Venue For The Reception As Well

6. Keep Track Of Everything You Spend Money On

7. Try To Save On That Wedding Outfit & Shoes

8. The Invitations

1. Make Your Home The Venue For All Pre-Wedding Ceremonies

All the pre-wedding events, like haldi, mehandi, and sangeet ceremonies, don't have to be extravagant or expensive. Just invite your closest friends and relatives for all those ceremonies.    

2. If Possible, Try To Choose A Weekday 

Some venues charge a weekend wedding fee. So choose the date wisely and in advance. So choose the date wisely and in advance. Also, the season has an impact; for example, summer is the main wedding season, with spring a close second.

3. Go For Local Vendors

Be it a 'mehandi wala,' 'tent wala,' 'band wala,' or 'phool wala,' always go for a local vendor for those little things as their accommodation and transportation will be from your pocket only.

4. Think Twice When Finalising The Menu

Wedding food is a touchy subject. Following venue hire, the next largest expense is food and beverage. We don't think you should cut corners on catering. But you could, however, limit the amount of food and wine you provide. We have a tendency to go overboard with our food and drink, so consult the caterer and opt for the basic food and beverage package.

5. Try If You Can Book The Wedding Venue For The Reception As Well

Another significant wedding expenditure is venue rental. When you include vendors, friends, and family members in your travel expenses, you have a major quandary if you're trying to save money. That is why choosing a single location to hold all of your gatherings may benefit you. Plan your budget and determine which venues can provide you with the finest offers on all the ceremonies.

6. Keep Track Of Everything You Spend Money On

Whatever and wherever you are booking, keep compiling it on a notepad or a spreadsheet. This will help you analyse what you have spent and how much you are left with. The bottom line for every event is money. To organise a grand celebration, you must have enough money to plan the wedding of your dreams. While you are considering your budget, rule out any contributors to your wedding, whether they are your parents or another guardian.

7. Try To Save On That Wedding Outfit & Shoes

We know that it will be your special day, and you have dreamed of it since childhood. However, do not overspend on an outfit that you will only wear once or twice. Go for something that is under budget and can be used in other ways later. The same is true for the footwear you will be wearing and buying only to pair it up with your wedding outfit. We are not saying that you should not buy anything new for your special day, but just try not to run after branded stuff that you will only be wearing for one event. 

8. The Invitations

Last but surely not least, the invitations: remember that we have numerous events to cover in an Indian wedding, which means there is a lot of information to include on the invites! Why not make a video invitation, which is going viral these days? Have your formal invitation as cards for a few, but you should save money by sending video invites to all those who are not near but dear. It doesn't have to cost anything, which is the best part! If you need help making one, there are many editing apps accessible.

With all the above ideas, you and your partner can minimise those hidden expenditures. So relax and enjoy planning!