Krishan Arora and Alisha Bhagat, who first met as acquaintances in Washington DC, describe themselves as poles apart, with few qualities in common.
“Here we are two years later after we first met, two individuals with completely different personality traits. While Krishan, who manages a global private equity fund, is well-planned, driven, logical and a go-getter, I am more spontaneous, lively and nurturing. He’s the yin to my yang,” shares Alisha, who has a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation (DPT) and is a practicing doctor in the field.
As the saying goes, love transcends barriers and in their case it took a few dates for sparks to fly, before the two US citizens of Indian origin realised they were meant to be partners for life. “What followed was a whirlwind romance across several cities and continents as both of us love to travel and what’s more, felt we loved it more in each other’s company,” adds Alisha.
It was this love for exploring new places and cultures that brought the two to Dubai. “And it was love at first sight. We both loved the city’s charm, cosmopolitan vibe and extraordinary infrastructure and agreed that Dubai is where we would like to start our journey together as a married couple. In fact earlier this year we got engaged here as well,” says Alisha.
After scouting for several beach resorts and hotels in the city, the couple zeroed in on the majestic Palazzo Versace for their nuptials on September 8, 2024. “The idea was for our wedding to be a Dolce Vita experience for our families that really focused on giving our guests a taste of luxury and refined elegance. Palazzo Versace was an ideal setting for what we had in mind,” the couple shares. They roped in Vivaah Weddings to plan their detailed, personalised wedding, spread over several events, from a fun-filled haldi, mehendi and sangeet, to a regal baraat and wedding ceremony paired with music and entertainment, and finally, an after-party that was a celebration like no other. And what was their favourite memory from the entire ceremony?
“The wedding and the reception,” says Krishan, “both the ceremonies were the epitome of elegance. Apart from stunning performances by various artists, we had a fantastic DJ, a harpist, a mentalist and mixologists crafting customised cocktails for these events and the impeccable décor for these ceremonies just added more sparkle.” For Alisha, the glam flowery fairytale phera ceremony was a dream come true. “I could not take my eyes off the oversized jaw-dropping crystal mandap, opulent chandeliers, and countless fresh, delicate white florals covering every inch of the room. It was purely magical,” she says.
It wasn’t just the décor that gave this fairytale wedding its enchanting feel, but their wedding wear was equally stunning too.
“Keeping in view the mood board for each of the events and our personal style, we chose traditional Indian attire with a modern twist for the pre-wedding ceremonies, while opting for Indo-Western modern looks for the welcome party and reception. For the wedding ceremony, we traded in the traditional red and opted for donned flirty pastels. The reception was the complete opposite. We picked outfits with bold colours, and a very sleek and modern style,” elaborates Alisha.
The wedding was speckled with grand gestures and intimate moments, each creating priceless memories for both Krishan and Alisha as they set out to start their married life together.
