US-based Gurmehak Brar’s quest for finding the perfect bridal lehenga led her on an elaborate shopping trip across New Delhi, where she almost gave up on her dream ensemble before she landed at Anamika Khanna’s atelier. Having always envisioned herself as a pastel bride, she chanced upon a peach-pink lehenga set embellished with delicate gold embroidery. “There was this timeless quality that drew me to it, and it was just apt for the daytime anand karaj wedding we had planned,” she shares, referring to her intimate farmhouse-style celebration in Chandigarh.
For the Princess of Faridkot, Punjab (whose father is HH Raja Amarinder Singh Brar), as she is sometimes referred to, having her nuptials with longtime sweetheart Ishaan Vijh in their hometown of Chandigarh just felt like the right choice. It’s where the couple first met, while they were studying in college, both pursuing their undergraduate degrees—she, choosing to specialise in chemical engineering, while Vijh undertook computer engineering. They later went on to complete their master’s degrees in the US.
“Things were set in motion when we introduced our families to each other. They hit it off, and our roka ceremony quickly followed this. The next eleven months were spent immersing ourselves in wedding planning, albeit from the US,” she reveals.
Coming from different religious backgrounds—Brar is sikh while Vijh is hindu—it was important for the duo to embrace both their customs and cultures. They incorporated different elements into their celebrations, from having an anand karaj wedding ceremony to the traditional varmala, as well as weaving in the sindoor and the mangal sutra rituals. Brar recalls a particular moment, when she greeted Ishaan with a heartfelt ‘Sat Sri Akal’ at the wedding ceremony. “I think the reality of this brand new chapter in our lives hit, and the deeply spiritual journey we were both embarking on,” she says.
The couple’s request to their planners, Dreamzkrraft, was to keep the mood board for their events sophisticated and regal, with themed celebrations like a Sufi night actualised by Wadali Brothers; a cheery garden setting for the haldi that was held in the backyard of her family home; a mehendi evening inspired by the lively markets of Marrakech, and the anand karaj ceremony set in a sprawling farmhouse, drawing inspiration from Kashmiri design aesthetics.
