Rima Khullar & Tushar Chadha
SEASON: Summer
WEDDING: Punjabi, Hindu | LOCATION: Toronto, Canada
The pair first met during their undergrad year of university, but this love story began long before that. Tushar had seen a picture of Rima on Facebook through a mutual friend and he knew right away that she was the girl for him. Tushar eagerly awaited for his dream girl to start her first year. Then he tried everything he could to get her attention. He would walk in to class late in hopes of catching her gaze, join the same clubs as her and was determined to create as many opportunities to interact with Rima as possible. These “chance” encounters transitioned into MSN chats which eventually turned into deeper conversations and dates. When Rima and Tushar finally got together, they both realized how interconnected their lives were and it truly felt meant to be. They both grew up with similar upbringings, family origins and pride for their Toronto suburb of Scarborough. They understood one another perfectly. It was destined and from there on Rima tells Zardozi, “Getting together was an adventure and when life truly began.”
Rima and Tushar’s wedding was full of personal and handmade details with each element a demonstration of their love and commitment to one another. On a warm summer day, the Hindu ceremony was held on the very grounds they once walked hand-in-hand on dates – the Scarborough Bluffs.
Inspired by a soft palette and natural look, the décor for the wedding featured blush pink draping, rich greenery and florals. Vintage furniture defined the space, hosting antique vanities, Victorian era chairs and brass bar carts serving the couples favourite drink – Limca. Other personal details included handmade flower crowns for the flower girls, calligraphy signs made by the bride’s friend and pretty potted succulents as a take away for guests to remind them that love must continue to grow.
The surrounding scenery of the Guild Inn Estate, served as the backdrop and the couple used natural elements to define the look for this elegant Indian wedding. For a truly memorable feel, the couple had a soft flute playing in the background as guests were seated and as bride Rima walked down the aisle. Recounting the story to us, she smiles, remembering that in that moment she couldn’t contain her ear-to-ear grin because she was marrying Tushar and it all felt right. A truly emotional moment felt by all guests and the family could be caught exchanging looks of excitement for this moment they had all anticipated.
Staying true to their inherent personalities, the couple remained lighthearted throughout the ceremony – laughing, whispering and teasing one another. Family and friends were made to feel involved and important, adding to the heartfelt moments. Playful through to the end – the couple danced their way off the mandap with the bride wearing the hand painted “Just Married” leather Moto jacket seen in the Huffington Post and Brides Magazine.
“Our motivation behind all the DIY projects came from a desire to have personal touches, a tight decor budget and inspirational images found online. After realizing it wasn’t in our budget to buy or rent everything we wanted, we decided to make as much as possible. We hosted DIY nights, delegated tasks and leaned on the support of our family and friends to make it all happen.”
“My mom inspired my wedding style. I would always admire her wedding photos and appreciate how effortless and chic she looked even 30-years-ago. She stayed true to her personal style and didn’t overdo her look just because she was the bride. I tried to have the same attitude for my wedding and gravitated towards fits, colours and styles that made me feel comfortable and confident, despite what the bridal trend was at the time.”
“Of course it’s non-traditional to sport a leather jacket at a traditional Hindu ceremony, so there were some guests that seemed intrigued and interested with the whole look. But friends and family that know me well weren’t surprised to see me incorporate some element of my ‘everyday self’ for my wedding.” Rima on wearing the infamous Just Married travelling leather jacket.
RIMA
KHULLAR
TUSHAR
CHADHA
“Getting together was an adventure and when life truly began.”
Number Crunching
250
The total number of wedding guests
20
the percentage of budget allocated to clothing & jewelry
17
The number of DIY projects the bride took on
150
The total number of hours spent on DIY projects
20th
Bride to wear the “Just Married Jacket”
THE MUSIC
FIRST DANCE
“Only You” by 112 feat. Notorious BIG and Mase
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
“The moment when Rima walked down the aisle with a big smile on her face and the soft sounds of the Indian flute playing in the background. I was trembling in excitement (literally) and felt so much joy over finally to finally embracing my bride“
THE JUST MARRIED JACKET
“The leather moto jacket is part of my everyday wardrobe so when I stumbled across the “Just Married” version, I knew that I had to wear it for my big day. It was especially meaningful because the jacket represented me as my “everyday self”, and we wanted all of our wedding details to symbolize us as individuals, and as a couple. We wanted guests to feel as though they were truly attending our wedding and this jacket was just one part of the whole experience.”
ONE THING YOU LEARNT
From the Bride's Perspective
When choosing our vendors we focused on connection, energy and overall vibe. We tried not to get caught up with how popular they were on Instagram or how experienced they were with Indian weddings – but instead, we used style and overall aesthetic to guide our decision making.
The best piece of advice we received was to include our family into our wedding planning process but to remember you cannot please everyone. Not only does their involvement encourage new perspectives, it could also make the whole experience less isolating to do it on our own. Make decisions that you and your partner will be of proud to look back at.
From the Groom's Perspective
You can do your research, spend hours on DIY projects and create different contingency plans (especially with an outdoor wedding) but on the actual day, none of this matters. Your wedding festivities won’t be perfect. But the moment you see your bride walk towards you, will be perfect. Enjoy this moment.
VENDORS
Photography Lindsie Grey Photography Video Elle & Be Films Coordination Taj Raj Events
Venue The Guild Inn Estate, Apollo Convention Centre Décor Xclusive Designs DJ K-Square Experience Cake Sammy Cakes Henna Sonia’s Henna Art Baraat Musician Amar Sahiba Baraat Horse Ponies R Us Entertainment Sahil Khan Flute Hypnosia Calligraphy Bairavee Ranjit
Bride’s Fashion | Wedding Ceremony Abha Choudhary, Flaire Canada Accessories Tanishq, Nadri Shoes Jimmy Choo, Ted Baker Reception Monisha Jaising
Groom’s Fashion | Wedding Ceremony Study by Janak Reception House of Dalla Watch Larsson and Jennings Shoes House of Dalla
Beauty | Hair & Make-up Jen Evoy Makeup Studio Reception Hair Rachel Renna Fragrance Le Labo – Santal 33, Chloe