Shuchi and Anirudha

Shuchi Dey and Anirudha Khatod may not have prepared too many visions or expectations for what their big day would be like, but they knew they would experience every moment together. The feeling of walking down the aisle, facing the sunset, the gorgeous view of the venue, and the warmth from their guests, planners, and vendors alike made it an unforgettable moment.

Before you tied the knot, how did you envision your dream wedding? Which parts of that vision made it into the big day?

Both of us never really had too many visions or expectations for what our big day would be like. The one thing that we both wanted to ensure was that we made it as memorable and personal for all of the people who were coming all the way to be there to celebrate us. The biggest thing for both of us is that we also wanted a beach wedding. We wanted a mandap facing the water on the beach because we both love water and tropical vacations, so this was a big part of our vision that made it to the day. Our planners, Kushil and Anita aunty from Milestones and Memories, went above and beyond to make the vision come to life with all the other integral teams and departments that were involved. We will never forget the feeling of walking down the aisle facing the sunset. It was truly magical!

What made you decide to celebrate your wedding in Thailand, and why did this particular venue feel like the one?

Shuchi actually is Bangkok born-and-raised so it was a special thing for her to have her wedding in Thailand. As mentioned previously, since both of us wanted a beach wedding, Thailand was naturally the first choice because of the scenic locations and also the fact that it would have been easily accessible to the majority of our family in India and abroad. We wanted to have the wedding in Phuket or Khao Lak because they are up-and-coming locations where a lot of big Indian weddings happen. We ended up going with Angsana Laguna Phuket. We knew almost immediately when we did the walk-through of the property because of how stunning it is. With the lagoon running through the property, the lush trees and natural surroundings, as well as the traditional Thai-style villas, it was an experience of a lifetime for us and our guests. The team at Angsana were incredible, and so co-operative. They truly went above and beyond to make it the most hospitable and memorable experience for us all.

Was there a special moment that felt uniquely Thai during your celebration — perhaps through music, décor, or the welcome experience?

The welcome celebration stood out as being a uniquely Thai experience. The traditional Thai dancers did an amazing job of involving all our guests upon their arrival, and passed along beautiful and fragrant orchid garlands, while the Angsana team prepared refreshing butterfly pea coolers for guests to sip on. All in all, it was a truly Thai welcome. The fact that it rained throughout all three days was also an unforeseen but truly Thai monsoon experience!

Looking back, which moments from the wedding truly stayed with you?

There are too many moments that stood out, but overall, just the family-like dynamic that we had with the whole Milestones and Memories team made the whole event feel effortless and truly personal for us and for all of our guests. Despite all the weather setbacks, everything ended up happening so smoothly and exceeding all of our expectations in every way. We will always cherish the memories and the relationships that we gained through the experience. Thank you so much once again to Khushil and Anita aunty, and to every one of the staff members at Angsana, as well as all the vendors who were a part of the wedding throughout, who made it that much more fun for our guests and us.

Did you have any theme(s) for your wedding event?

We had a pastel theme for our wedding day. We specifically chose white and light pink as our color motifs for the decorations well so that all the bright colors that our guests were wearing would pop, and the effect of the sunset in the background would show up beautifully against our decorations in the photos!

Why would you recommend Thailand as a wedding destination for other couples?

We would 100% recommend Thailand as a wedding destination because it is known for its hospitality and its stunning natural beauty, which together make a strong foundation for a special celebration like this. Moreover, there are some amazing wedding planners (like Milestones and Memories) who are incredibly experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to executing Indian weddings, so they are equipped to make it the event of a lifetime for you!

Give us a fun anecdote from your wedding.

One thing we learnt is not to be afraid of the rain! It truly is a good luck sign, because even though at times it may have felt like things were going wrong because of it, the last-minute changes we were forced to make to our locations and event flows ended up being the best thing for us and for our guests in hindsight!