Part I: Before the Beginning
They weren’t strangers. Their story didn’t start in a dramatic moment or a sudden confession. It started in quiet familiarity. In India, long before the wedding hashtags and save-the-dates, they already knew of each other—shared spaces, social overlaps, a few conversations, a few smiles.
But life has its own timeline. At that point, they were simply part of the same story without being each other’s chapter—yet.
Part II: Two Tickets, One Journey
When both decided to pursue their master’s degrees in the U.S., fate handed them a shared boarding pass. Same destination. Same ambition. And a second chance at meeting—but this time, truly.
In a foreign land, amid class schedules, subway maps, and midnight cravings for home-cooked food, they began to orbit each other. Slowly at first. It was the kind of closeness that grows in whispers—not declarations. They were always just there for each other—whether that meant exchanging notes, sharing a coffee, or offering comfort after an exhausting week.
There was no defining moment when it shifted from friendship to something deeper. It just did. Quietly. Completely.
Part III: America Made Them A Team
The U.S. wasn’t just where they studied—it was where they built a life, together.
They navigated cultural shocks, career fairs, first job interviews, Thanksgiving dinners, and weekends spent in IKEA aisles building a tiny world of their own. They figured out adulthood, hand in hand, piece by piece.
From long walks in snowy cities to birthdays celebrated in rented apartments, from Netflix marathons to wedding invitations slowly arriving from their circle—they grew up as partners. It wasn’t fireworks and fairytales. It was loyalty. Comfort. A love that felt like exhale.
Part IV: A Proposal Built on Memory, Not Surprise
When he proposed, it wasn’t a surprise—and that’s what made it so beautiful.
It wasn’t about suspense or spectacle. It was about everything they’d already lived through. Every small moment had quietly led to this. He asked, she smiled, and the answer was already known. Of course, it was yes.
Their engagement shoot reflected that mood: calm, intimate, and filled with laughter that comes only when someone knows your soul like second nature.
Part V: The Decision to Get Married Their Way
By the time they began planning their wedding, they’d already spent a decade writing their own rules. So it only made sense that their celebration would break from convention and reflect them.
Bodrum was chosen not because it was trendy, but because it felt like the perfect canvas—raw, beautiful, sun-kissed, and vast. A coastal town that had all the elements they loved: blue skies, ocean breeze, historical charm, and room for everyone they loved to breathe, be, and celebrate.
Part VI: Planning in Paradise
The days leading up to the wedding were filled with more than logistics. The couple turned planning into a pre-celebration. They explored flower markets with their mothers, shared midnight kebabs with cousins, and walked hand-in-hand through Bodrum’s old town lanes between planner calls.
Even in the chaos of organizing, they found their rhythm. There were playlist debates, haldi outfit trials, forgotten deliveries, and last-minute laughter over Turkish tea. But it never felt stressful—because they were doing it together.
And their families? The truest support system. Every moment spent figuring out details became another memory—one more snapshot in a love story already rich with layers.
Part VII: The Bride Who Wore Her Story
When she first saw the lehenga at KALKI, it wasn’t about the fabric, the colour, or even the cut. It was about a feeling.
It was the first time she had seen a piece of clothing that felt like it understood her. Bold but graceful. Modern but rooted. A little delicate, a little defiant. Just like her.
When she stepped into it on the wedding day, it wasn’t about looking like a bride. It was about being one—with every thread of that lehenga carrying a part of her story.
Part VIII: The Ceremony That Felt Like Home
Their wedding ceremony wasn’t grand for the sake of grandeur. It was grounded in meaning.
Under the late afternoon Bodrum sun, surrounded by people who had walked every step with them, they said their vows. Not in perfect Sanskrit or poetic declarations, but in small looks, hand squeezes, and teary smiles.
The mandap overlooked the sea. The breeze played with her dupatta. He tucked a strand of her hair away mid-ritual. Their parents sat close, holding hands like they had waited years for this moment. And maybe they had.
It was sacred. Not because of the rituals, but because of the love that pulsed through every second.
Part IX: A Celebration, Not a Performance
The rest of the weekend unfolded like a sun-drenched dream. The sangeet was less of a show and more of a celebration. Their friends danced like no one was watching. Their families mixed cultures, languages, and cocktail recipes.
The haldi was a riot of yellow, laughter, and organic turmeric chaos. The Mehendi happened on a breezy terrace with playlists that swung between Bollywood throwbacks and Turkish folk tunes. The bride danced barefoot. The groom watched her like he was seeing the stars for the first time.
Every detail—the candles, the florals, the food, the music—was curated with intention. But it was the people who made it unforgettable.
Part X: A Love Meant to Last, Because It Already Has
This wasn’t a story about falling in love. It was about staying in love. About choosing each other, over and over, for a decade. About building something sturdy before setting it on fire with celebration.
And that’s what made every hug tighter. Every speech more emotional. Every moment more alive.
Their wedding in Bodrum wasn’t the beginning of their story. It was the most beautiful pause in the middle of it—so they could look around, take it all in, and say:
We made it. And we’re just getting started.
