For Akshaya Garsund, wedding planning didn’t begin with a fixed picture in her mind. She grew up imagining little moments the way most girls do, but when it was finally her turn, she wanted to make choices she genuinely connected with. She didn’t want an outfit chosen because tradition demanded it or a colour picked because everyone else wore it. She walked in with an open mind, but one moment changed everything for her.
“I had come with no definitive thought for colour,” Akshaya said. “I always knew I would look good in pink, so I tried a red lehenga first, then an orange. The third outfit was a pastel pink lehenga, and the minute I stepped out, my mom and boyfriend just kept staring at me with stars in their eyes. That look on their faces… I think that sealed it for me.”
That pastel pink became more than just her outfit. It became her theme. Her inspiration. Her vision.
“The lehenga itself gave me the idea for my wedding theme, a fairytale wedding with pastel colours, lots of flowers, and hints of gold,” she shared. And that’s exactly what she created.
The Decor & Photography That Felt Like Extensions of Her Thoughts
The décor reflected her soft, pastel-inspired mood, fresh florals, warm golds, scenic pathways, and fairytale details that tied back to her KALKI lehenga. Everything was captured beautifully, from emotions and honesty, turning every moment into a memory she could relive again and again.
Events That Represented Her Life & Personality
Each ceremony carried a piece of her story.
“My Mehendi was at home, very cosy, very homely, filled with singing and dancing,” she said. It set the tone for intimacy and comfort.
The Haldi was more vibrant, held at the resort, following a colourful theme and ending with a fun water Holi.
Their Sangeet was incredibly personal. “Sangeet was Irish-themed since we’ve been living in Ireland for the last eight years. We wanted that part of our life to be included in the wedding. Everyone had to wear black, and I wore a champagne-gold corset gown,” she said.
The Varmala brought her pastel dream fully to life. She wore her KALKI lehenga in a setting that felt like the visual extension of her first fitting, whimsical, floral, and glowing.
The midnight wedding honoured her husband’s North Indian tradition. But the couple added their own layers to it. They wore Maharashtrian attire to honour Akshaya’s roots, creating a ceremony that felt beautifully blended.
One of the strongest choices Akshaya made was about the rituals.
“I chose not to have kanyadaan or gotra daan. I wanted our wedding to only include rituals that represent the union of bride and groom, not customs that talk about daughters leaving their homes. These ideas don’t fit my beliefs, and my husband and I were on the same page from the start,” she said.
Where Their Story Really Began
Akshaya’s love story didn’t begin with sparks. It began quietly, almost unintentionally.
“We were in the same class for a year and a half, and I still never noticed him,” she laughed. Their real beginning happened during a carrom competition when they were paired as a team.
“We lost the game, but I guess we won in the game of life. He got the queen, and I got him as the cover.”
From college, their journey took them to Ireland, where they studied, worked, grew, and built an entire life together. After eight years abroad, they were finally ready to get married, and wanted the wedding to reflect their reality, their values, and the moments they had lived.
A Getaway Wedding Close to Home
The wedding took place in Mumbai, where both are from, but they chose a resort just half an hour away for a two-night, three-day celebration. It felt like a getaway without being far from home.
A Bridal Journey Built on Personal Truth
What makes Akshaya’s wedding so memorable is how deeply personal every decision was. She didn’t follow trends or traditions blindly. She trusted her instincts, allowed her personality to guide her, and built a celebration that didn’t just look beautiful; it felt honest.
Her pastel pink lehenga may have been her third trial that day, but it became the foundation of everything that followed. It helped her imagine her décor, her theme, her colours, and her fairytale.
Sometimes, a bride doesn’t choose the outfit.
Sometimes, the outfit chooses her.
For Akshaya, that moment happened the instant she stepped out of the trial room, and the rest of her wedding unfolded from there.
