Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Esha Deol - Bharat Takhtani Wedding Photos

Well, Esha Deol finally got married to her beau Bharat Takhlani, after her mother Hema Malini decided that it was time she settled down. I saw the photos of the Esha Deol and Bharat Takhlani wedding in the news, and was really impressed with the outfits selected by Esha Deol for her sangeet, mehendi and other marriage ceremonies. I thought I'd write this post about the wedding arrangements, outfits, decor and other services, which would help couples planning to get married in the near future.

This article has photos and information about all the wedding outfits worn by the couple for their various wedding functions, as well as details about wedding jewellery, decor and guests who were invited. Read on for more about the Esha Deol-Bharat Takhlani wedding, one of the greatest Indian filmy weddings of our time.


Esha Deol’s Engagement

Esha Deol got engaged Bharat Takhlani (her businessman boyfriend) on the romantic date of 14th February 2012. This private ceremony was held at Hema Malini’s bungalow in Juhu. It was attended by close friends from Bollywood, such as Jaya Bachan.


For the engagement, Esha Deol wore a pink sari with green designs, together with minimalist jewellery to highlight her sparkling diamond engagement ring. Her fiancé Bharat Takhtani was casually dressed in a white shirt, white jacket and cream trousers, as you can see from the above photo.



Invitation Card for Esha Deol's Wedding

Esha Deol's wedding invitation card came in a golden and cream metal dabba with a beautifully designed matching paper bag. Inside the dabba are the simple cards for the various wedding functions, together with paintings of Radha and Krishna (painted by an American artist), and motichoor ladoos with dry fruits (cheapest sweets ever).


The wedding invitation has been jointly given by Dharmendra and Hema Malini, whose names are printed together on the card, together with the names of Dharmendra's late parents (dada and dadi of Esha Deol).

Esha Deol's wedding card was designed by Multi Creation, one of the invitation card makers hired by the rich and famous of Mumbai. The box in which the cards are placed is reusable, and has a design of a lotus, om/swastik signs, and the couple's initials (E and B) entwined together.



Esha Deol's Wedding Sangeet


The wedding sangeet of Esha Deol and Bharat Takhlani was held on June 25th, at the Hotel Lalit Intercontinental in Andheri in Mumbai. It was attended by around 200 guests, which included Bollywood stars like Ritesh and Genelia (who recently got married), Riya and Raima Sen, Zayed Khan, and cousin-brother Abhay Deol. Esha Deol’s father Dharmendra did not attend the sangeet ceremony, and neither did the Deol half-brothers (Bobby and Sunny).

For Esha Deol’s Sangeet, the wedding venue was decorated in a red-and-black scheme, with a retro 70s touch (for example, there were glittering disco balls hanging down from the ceiling).


For the sangeet, Esha Deol wore a beautiful orange/red lehenga-choli with indigo designs and gold zari work. It was designed by leading fashion designer Rocky S. Her fiancé Bharat Takhlani wore a shining blue velvet sherwani, with gold embroidery, designed by Simone Khambatta (one of his close friends). Click on the photo to view a bigger image, which will show embroidery details.

Esha Deol’s sangeet party, like other Bollywood sangeets, also featured family dance acts put up by family members and friends, this included:
  • A dance by Esha, Ahana and Karan (Mani Ratnam’s assistant).
  • A dance by Hema Malini (Esha’s mother) to her hit Dream Girl song. This special dance also had side dancers. Hema Malini was wearing a peach sari designed by Neeta Lulla
  • Dances by Esha Deol to Tauba Tauba and Dhoom Macha De.
  • Bharat Takhtani danced to Jumma Chumma and Maa Da Ladla Bigad Gaya (from Dostana).

Esha Deol’s Mehendi Function 


The mehendi function of Esha Deol was held in Hema Malini's bungalow on June 27th (Wednesday morning), and was attended by around 150 women. The décor at Esha Deol’s mehendi ceremony was traditional South Indian, with the mehendi venue decorated with diyas, flowers and agarbatti sticks. The mehendi designs of Esha Deol and Bharat were done by famous Bollywood Mehendi artist Veena, with her team of mehendi professionals doing the designs for the other ladies present at the ceremony.

After the mehendi ceremony, Bharat’s family gave Esha gold bangles that were specially selected by his family for the occassion.

 
Esha Deol's mehendi function was followed by a mehendi celebratory party in the evening at The Royalty Club, in Bandra, Mumbai. This party was attended by a range of high profile guests, which included Bollywood actresses who are friends of Hema Malini, Esha Deol and her sister Ahana. For the mehendi celebratory party, Esha Deol wore a mango-coloured ghagra-choli designed by Neeta Lulla. Her fiancé Bharat Takhlani wore a yellow and light brown kurta pajama set, with an embroidered waistcoat. The party had Punjabi nagadas and DJ music.



Esha Deol and Bharat Takhlani’s ISKCON Wedding 

The wedding of Esha Deol and Bharat Takhlani was held at 7.30 in the morning on June 29th (Friday) at the ISKCON temple (Hare Rama Hare Krishna temple) in Juhu. Only close family members were invited to this traditional South-Indian event at the temple's Padma Palace. Esha Deol's marriage function included ceremonies such as Mangala Snanan, Kashi Yaatrai, Maalai Matral, Oonjal, Kanyadanam/Kannigadhaanam, Muhurtum, Saptapadi and Sammandhi Mariyathai.

For the wedding ceremony, the ISKCON temple was decorated in a traditional red-gold scheme, with a canopy decorated with marigold, mogra and roses. The pillars of the mandap were wrapped in matching silk drapes with garlands of flowers. At the entrance of Esha Deol’s wedding venue were plantain trees, while the doorways was lined with mango leaves and pallikais (small clay pots), in typical south Indian style.


For the wedding ceremony, Esha Deol wore a traditional red silk Kanjeevaram sari with heavy South Indian wedding jewellery. This red and gold wedding sari was designed by Neeta Lulla, after combining three kanchivaram sarees purchased in Tamil Nadu. Bharat Takhlani, on the other hand, was not dressed like a traditional south Indian groom (shirtless, with a lungi) for the wedding. Instead, he wore a white sherwani with heavy zari work, in his trademark glittering style. He also wore a maroon and orange wedding turban designed by Neeta Lulla.

Dharmendra was present to give away the bride, dressed in a simple jacket and shirt. Bobby and Sunny did not turn up for the wedding. Other guests present at Esha Deol's wedding ceremony were Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek (who had not invited the Deols for the Abhi-Ash wedding, yet shamelessly turned up), Vyjayantimala, Vinod Khanna, Fardeen Khan, Nita Ambani and Subroto Roy.

During the wedding ceremony, light vegetarian snacks were served together with coconut water and watermelon juice. After the functions were over, a vegetarian lunch was served on the temple premises.



Esha Deol’s Wedding Reception 

The wedding reception of Esha Deol and Bharat Takhlani was held on June 30th (Saturday) at Hotel Lalit, a five-star hotel in Mumbai. It was attended by more than a thousand guests, comprising Hema Malini and Dharmendra’s contacts from politics, business and the film industy (both Bollywood and South Indian).

The décor for Esha Deol’s wedding reception was distinctly European, with a white colour scheme. This included white roses, white curtains and scented candles. The dishes that were served by the wedding caterers were specially selected by Esha Deol and Shilarna Vaz (a chef, and close friend of the bride). The wedding reception menu included Indian dishes (both Punjabi and South Indian), as well as Thai, Chinese and Continental cuisine.

For the wedding reception, Esha wore a light pink corset blouse, with a mermaid-cut lehenga designed by Rocky S. The wedding outfit was embellished with Swarovski crystals, for a really royal look. Wedding jewellery included a diamond and emerald necklace and earrings set. Her groom Bharat wore a suave dark grey tuxedo and white shirt, designed by his friend Simone Khambatta.

Some of the guests who attended Esha Deol's wedding reception were Salman Khan (surprisingly dressed in a black suit), Kajol, Vidya Balan, Sushmita Sen, Raj Thackeray, LK Advani, Zayed Khan, Dilip Kumar, Rekha and Madhuri Dixit.

After a week of partying, Esha Deol and Bharat Takhlani left for a month long honeymoon to a secret location.

Profile of the Couple:

Esha Deol is a 30-year old Bollywood actress who was born in Mumbai on 2nd November 1981 (Scorpio). Her father is Dharmendra Singh Deol (A Punjabi Sikh Bollywood actor), while her mother is Hema Malini (a Tamil Hindu Bollywood actress), both of whom converted to Islam to marry. Esha Deol has one younger sister – Ahana, and two half brothers – Sunny and Bobby. She attended Mithibai College in Mumbai, and was once selected for the Indian national women’s soccer team.

Bharat Takhani is a Sindhi businessman (a diamond merchant), who is based in Bandra in Mumbai. He and Esha have known each other for many years.

Other Celebrity Marriages

Saturday, June 09, 2012

Kareena Kapoor - Saif Ali Khan Wedding Photos

Well, the long awaited marriage of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan has finally been announced, and we will be putting up photos of the wedding functions as they happen. Along with the wedding photos, we will also give you in-depth details about the wedding outfits and wedding jewellery worn by the couple, as well as information about the wedding catering, wedding venues and floral decorations.


Kareena Kapoor - Saif Ali Khan Engagement

Prior to the wedding, Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan would have an engagement ceremony, the details of which have been kept secret.

Wedding Invitation Card

Here is a photo of Saifeena's wedding invitation card, which was distributed by Sharmila Tagore. It has the Pataudi crest and emblem on the top.

Wedding Invitation Card of Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor

As you can see the wedding invitation card is plain and simple, with a white background. It has been sent out to 'erstwhile' royals in India, for the 'dawaat-e-waalima' party, which is a reception, held after a wedding.

Saif Ali Khan - Kareena Kapoor Sangeet Ceremony

This ceremony was held at Kareena Kapoor's Bandra residence on 14th October, 2012.

- For news and photos of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan's Sangeet Ceremony, click here.

- For news and photos of mehendi function of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, click here.

- For news and photos of registered court marriage and vow-exchanging ceremony of Saifeena, click here.

- For news and photos of Bebo and Saifu's Delhi wedding reception and walima, click here.


Kareena Kapoor - Saif Ali Khan Marriage

According to Sharmila Tagore, mother of the groom, the marriage functions will be held on October 16, 2012. The wedding venue is expected to be the Pataudi ancestral home, and the marriage ceremony will only be attended by family members and close friends of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan. According to sources, the wedding is being kept a quiet low-key affair, because Saif Ali Khan’s father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, passed away quite recently.


For her wedding, Kareeena Kapoor is expected to don a Rs. 40 lakh necklace, designed by traditional wedding jewellery designers, Kruti Jewellers. In fact, many wedding jewellery pieces for Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan’s wedding are expected to be designed by these Rajkot-based jewellers.

According to Pradeep Kansara, owner of Kruti jewellers, Kareena Kapoor’s wedding necklace would be crafted from about 400 grams of gold, and would extend to her waist in an elaborate royal-themed design. It would be embellished with diamonds and other precious stones, and would take more than two months to craft.

The jewellery designer emphasised that such jewellery sets were only made for royal weddings. As Kareena Kapoor is marrying a ‘titular’ nawab, she would obviously want to wear a royal wedding necklace, and look like a 'maharani' at her royal wedding.


Kareena Kapoor - Saif Ali Khan Reception

A small reception will follow the marriage of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, which will most probably be held at a wedding venue in or near Mumbai. This wedding reception is expected to be attended by Saif and Kareena’s Bollywood friends, as well as bigwigs from the political and financial sectors.


Kareena Kapoor - Saif Ali Khan Honeymoon

No honeymoon is expected immediately after the marriage of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, as Kareena has lots of films pending, and has assured her directors that she would not be taking any leaves. This includes Madhur Bhandarkar’s ‘Heroine’, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Ram Leela’.

Kareena Kapoor would continue working as an actress after her marriage, just like her future mother-in-law Sharmila Tagore. She is expected to do about two films a year.


Profile of the Couple

Saif Ali Khan is a 42-year-old Bollywood actor, who was born on 16th August, 1970. His father was late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (a cricketer and titular Nawab of Pataudi), while his mother is Sharmila Tagore (a Bengali Bollywood actress). He has two sisters, Soha Ali Khan (a film actress) and Saba Ali Khan. Saif Ali Khan was previously married to Amrita Singh (another Bollwood actress) from 1991 to 2004, and has two children with her (son Ibrahim and daughter Sara). Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh had divorced in 2004.


Thirty-two year old Kareena Kapoor is ten years younger than Saif Ali Khan. She was born on 21st September 1980 in Mumbai to Randhir Kapoor (a Punjabi Bollywood actor) and Babita Shivdasani (a Sindhi Bollywood actress). She has one elder sister, Karishma Kapoor, who is also a Bollywood actress. Kareena Kapoor studied at Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai, before attending Welham Girls Boarding School in Dehradun. She later studied commerce for two years at Mithibai College in Mumbai, before leaving it to dabble first in micro-computers at Harvard University, and then in Law at the Government Law College in Mumbai. She later joined an acting institute in Andheri, and soon became a Bollywood actress.

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor started dating in October 2007, soon after getting close on the sets of one of their films (Tashan).

Other Celebrity Marriages

Friday, June 08, 2012

Lisa Ray - Jason Dehni Wedding Photos


If you are looking for awesome photos of the Lisa Ray - Jason Dehni wedding, then keep checking this space. We will be putting up pictures as well as insider information, about all the wedding functions, as they happen.

View the latest photos and news of Lisa Ray's wedding ceremony, reception, sangeet and mehendi, here

Lisa Ray - Jason Dehni Engagement

Lisa Ray got engaged to Jason Dehni (banking executive and management consultant) on 31st January 2012 in Napa Valley, California. Soon after, she posted the news on her Twitter profile, along with this photo of her engagement ring.

photos of lisa ray and jason dehni with her engagement ring


Lisa Ray- Jason Dehni Mehendi and Sangeet

The mehendi and sangeet of the Lisa Ray – Jason Dehni wedding is scheduled to be held a few days before the marriage functions. These events are expected to be hosted by Nina and Koni, who are close friends of Lisa Ray.


Lisa Ray- Jason Dehni Marriage 

This event is scheduled to be held on October 20th 2012 in Napa Valley, California, USA. It is expected to be a marriage ceremony with a combination of Indian and Western rituals/traditions. According to sources, this date has been chosen because of its auspiciousness, as it marks the beginning of Durga Puja in India.

Lisa Ray and Jason Dehni have hired local wedding planner Sarah Gazzagh to organize their wedding. She will be in charge of wedding catering, floral arrangements, entertainment acts, and venue decoration for all the pre and post marriage events. The wedding menu will be prepared by Chef Bruce Riezenmen, who is renowned for his lip-smacking delicacies. It will include Indian dishes, Lebanese dishes and International dishes, all prepared with fresh, locally available ingredients.

Lisa Ray’s wedding dress will be designed by Wendell Rodricks. According to sources, the wedding dress will be simple and comfortable, with a few sparkling embellishments. Lisa was specific about what she didn’t want in a wedding dress, namely, frills and bows. She also said she wanted a dress that she could easily dance in.

Previously, Wendell Rodricks had designed a beautiful white gown for Lisa Ray, which she had worn for the red carpet premiere of ‘Water’ at the Toronto Film Festival in 2005. This dress had fetched her the title of ‘Best Dressed Female Star’, along with Hollywood star Johnny Depp (who was voted as Best Dressed Male Star). So, it’s no wonder that she has chosen Wendell Rodricks to design her wedding dress.

After their wedding reception, Lisa Ray and Jason Dehni are expected to fly off to Bora Bora for their honeymoon.

Profile of the Couple

Lisa Ray: This Arian was born on 4th April 1972 in Toronto, Canada, to a Polish mother and a Hindu Bengali father. She was a good student at school, completing five years of high school in four years. At the age of 16, Lisa Ray was spotted by a modelling agent in a crowd, while she was holidaying in India with her family. She soon began her modelling career, and later went on to act in films, both Bollywood and International.

She was diagnosed with blood cancer in 2009, but successfully fought the illness. In 2010, she announced that she was cancer-free, following a stem-cell transplant. She is currently host of the reality cooking show, ‘Top Chef Canada’.

Jason Dehni: This Virgo is currently Vice President (International Wealth Management) at ScotiaBank, where he has been working since 2003.  He has a BA (Political Science and Economics) from the University of Toronto, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is also the co-founder of a charitable organization called ‘Artbound’, which works to raise money for building schools and sustainable villages.

Lisa Ray was introduced to Jason Dehni by Seamus O’Regan (a Canadian media personality), whom she met during a radio interview. Seamus is the honorary chair of Artbound, the charity co-founded by Jason Dehni. Lisa’s father approves of Jason, and both families have celebrated festivals together.

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