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Spread over six days, three different venues and flaunting larger-than-life design themes – this royal wedding was an opulent celebration!
Wedding Planning - Feb 13, 2023
Taking almost a year to plan and spanning six days, Sania Mulk, daughter of Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk founder of Mulk Holdings and hailing from the aristocratic family of Nawabs of Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh and Bilal Khalid Ahmed’s wedding is what dreams are made of! Conceptualised and planned by WeddingSutra Favorite – Vivaah Celebrations this union will take your breath away with its grandeur.
Rahul Kumar from Vivaah Celebrations shares, “Almost 12 months in the making, over 1000 guests, 6 days of celebrations at 6 unique venues, more than 100 international artists and an illustrious guest list – Sania and Bilal’s wedding celebrations, were, safe to say, absolutely amazing.”
Coming with over a decade’s worth of experience when it comes to orchestrating weddings, team Vivaah Celebrations was led by Rahul Kumar who left nothing to chance! He shares, “With over 40 operations executives, 50 fabricators, 12 florists, 30 chefs, 20 different menus, and many spectacular performing artists, this 6-day wedding celebration was indeed an extravaganza witnessed by over 1,000 guests attending from various parts of the world.
Kickstarting the celebrations and piquing the guests’ curiosity was the royal invitation box that was sent to them. The invitation was housed in a turquoise box with an intricate gold design. Plus, a fairytale-like book with local delicacies from the royal kitchens delighted the taste buds.”
The first event in the line-up was a welcome dinner at the bride’s opulent residence. Rahul shares, “The welcome dinner was ‘Chandni-Raat’ themed and the guests were dressed in silver and white hues to stay in sync with the theme of the evening. Hosted at The Mulk Residence in Al Barari in Dubai, the bride’s family welcomed Bilal and his family with a rose petal shower. On the other hand, Sania made an entry with her bridesmaids with glimmering LED balloons. A dancing fountain show also kept the guests entertained.
The following day was dedicated to the Manjay ceremony where the bride and groom are slathered with turmeric. After this ceremony, the couple doesn’t step out of their respective houses. For Sania, this ceremony was hosted at her home with a ‘Sheesh Mahal’ theme. Sania entered under a floral chaadar into the garden while her close relatives bestowed her with gifts and showered her with flower petals. Equipped with a rickshaw photo booth and a clay bangle-making counter, the guests had an engaging time at the event as they enjoyed a lavish breakfast spread.”
After the home-based ceremonies, it was time to step up the glamor for which the couple moved to a glamorous venue to celebrate their mehndi and sangeet bash. Taking a cue from 1001 Arabian Nights and Agrabah Bazaar, the venue was decorated with an ‘Aladdin’ theme. Walkways adorned with Moroccan lamps adorned the entrance while a souk area filled with knick-knacks piqued their curiosity. Hostesses dressed in white gowns bestowed them with pouches filled with coins that could be used to purchase baubles from the souk carts that contained handmade accessories, diaries, pens, jewellery boxes, etc. A violinist also played enthralling tunes while a Turkish Ice Cream cart captured the kids’ attention!”
To elevate the experience, we also had a gorgeous violinist at a height playing her beautiful tunes. On the other side, our famous Turkish Ice Cream cart had kids giggling to his tricks and parents enjoying this picture-perfect sight while having their ice cream. It definitely looked like the Agrabah Bazaar straight out of Aladdin. On the decor front, the furnishings were upholstered in vibrant hues while the dinner tables were decorated with Moroccan centerpieces. Celebrity emcees Gauhar Khan and Yasir Hussain entertained the guests and kickstarted the sangeet and mehndi rituals. The groom’s sisters carried gold thalis filled with mehndi after which Bilal entered accompanied by an LED Drum Band, SFX, and his groomsmen. Sania meanwhile entered on an abra (a royal boat) with twelve boats behind her equipped with dancers in costumes. After the couple had made their entries, Pakistani celebrities Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoori also arrived to wish the to-be-weds.
After this, the sangeet performances began with the couple’s loved ones in high spirits as they enjoyed mocktails and danced to their favorite tunes. The guests also relished Arabic delicacies and Parisian desserts.
For the big day, all stops were pulled as the team left nothing to chance in their quest for perfection. Rahul shares, “The wedding began with ‘The Royal Mughal Baraat Raat’ which took a cue from Mughal times. The guests were welcomed by over 50 soldiers who were lined up along the driveway as their cars Asateer Tent at Atlantis, the Palm. Hostesses greeted the incoming guests with the traditional ‘salaam’ and everyone was in awe once they walked into the venue. Decked up with hundreds of fresh roses, the decor was inspired by royal Mughal palaces and flaunted a colour palette of gold and red. Handcrafted water fountains were strategically placed on each side and their tinkling sounds added an aura of dreaminess to the venue. Custom-made furniture and designer tableware graced the dinner tables. Elite members of the UAE Royal family, like His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan were also part of the prestigious guest list. Pakistani actress Sara Loren performed gracefully and the evening progressed into a ring exchange between the couple. Closing the night was star singer Ali Zafar who serenaded everyone with his enchanting tunes.”
After the glamorous wedding, the Walima evening was just as beautiful with detailed tables, centrepieces, floral arrangements and fairy lights that synced perfectly with the ‘Night under the Stars’ theme of the event. Bringing the night to an end was a stunning firework display, a cake-cutting ceremony and the couple’s first dance as a married couple.
The Wedding Makers
Venues: Fort Island at Madinat Jumeirah (Mehndi and Sangeet), Atlantis, The Palm (Wedding), The Ritz-Carlton Dubai (Walima)
Wedding Planner: Vivaah Celebrations
Decor: JAM Wedding Planner
Caterers: Madinat Jumeirah (Mehndi and Sangeet), Ladurée (Mehndi and Sangeet)
DJ: DJ Gautam (Mehndi and Sangeet), DJ Sash (Walima)
Emcee: MC Shobhna Anand (Welcome Dinner), Gauhar Khan (Mehndi and Sangeet, Wedding), Yasir Hussain (Mehndi and Sangeet, Wedding)
Choreography: DANS (Mehndi and Sangeet), Sara Loren (Wedding), Ali Zafar (Wedding)
Stationery: VC Creatives
Photography: Michael J Scott Productions, Delhi Velvet, Linda K.
