Colourful Sikh Wedding in the heart of Sydney: Tia + Gagan
When we first came across delightful Sydney couple, Tia and Gagan’s wedding photographs and videos on Instagram, we loved their spirit and energy, so much to the point that we were the ones to reach out to them for a wedding feature.
Their weeklong celebration was certainly the talk of the town with an epic sangeet, traditional and colourful Sikh wedding ceremony, followed by a grand reception, all held in the suburbs of Sydney.
Tia and Gagan first met each other during Bhangra practice over 8 years ago and as they say the rest was history.
It’s no secret that this fun loving couple was made for each other. Just watch their engagement announcement video for proof!
Both Tia and Gagan looked like a real-life Bollywood celeb couple at all occasions and we cannot wait for you to check out their galleries below for inspiration for your own wedding day!
Tia shares all the details below.
She Said Yes
Forgive us for not thinking that this is the classic Bollywood love story tale, but it goes something like this.
“We met through Bhangra over eight years ago. Gagan was part of an all-boys Bhangra team, and I had mutual friends in that team. The team needed a girl for a part of one of their performances, and asked me to join. Our mutual friend was supposed to pick me up for practice, but last minute pulled out and sent Gagan instead. We talked during the whole car ride.”
Tia and Gagan began wedding planning mid-2017 after announcing their engagement in style, by creating a custom mix of Bhangra tunes to reflect the story of how they met.
They marked the occasion to family and friends with a choreographed routine and had the video produced professionally.
Gagan was every bit the dashing groom and made the proposal feel extra special for Tia.
“A few months after our traditional ceremony, Gagan told me that he wanted to accompany me to his work Christmas party. That evening, he had gifted me a ‘promise’ ring as he stated that there were some delays with the official engagement ring.
On the pretence of a “work event,” he took me to Blues Point Reserve overlooking Sydney Harbour and the city, where he had an elaborate proposal set-up. He told me that I would not need the promise ring for the remainder of the night and had organised for a slideshow to screen against a brick wall on the harbour featuring photos of our last seven years together.”
In true gentleman style, Gagan got down on bended knee and proposed in front of a giant illuminated “Marry Me” sign.
The Wedding
Tia and Gagan’s wedding was personalised, reflecting all aspects of their relationship and that meant including their family and friends in everything.
“We did not want an OTT lavish affair, we wanted something that we could celebrate with our family and friends.”
Their wedding was held in March of 2018 at the Parklea Gurudwara in the western suburbs of Sydney.
“Ideally, we wanted the wedding to be held either in Autumn or Spring and we looked up until May but everything was booked out!”
Tia describes their wedding style as being “personal, sentimental and heartfelt.”
The couple had been together for 7 years before tying the knot and wanted the wedding to be a celebration of their relationship thus far.
“We tried to add personal touches wherever we could, be it giving a nod to my late grandparents through decor or outfit colours, or listening ten times over to songs to make sure the lyrics were perfect for our first dance.”
Traditions and values were equally important for the couple. Both families were supportive by guiding Tia and Gagan throughout the entire wedding journey. Tia had nothing but high praise for her mother who was instrumental in keeping things on track. She was also extremely grateful for everyone involved, from the vendors to friends and everyone else who helped tie everything together to make their wedding so memorable.
“The thank you list is too long! Our family, our friends, our guests, all of our vendors and to everyone who came together to make our wedding happen and turn it in to a celebration. All these people will have a special place in our heart for their contributions and love during the most special time in our lives!”
Memorable Moments
Tia and Gagan’s colourful wedding had so many memorable moments including a McDonalds run!
“The whole experience was memorable! There were little quirks throughout the day, such as my bride tribe serving me morning tea in the bridal room to sneaking a glance at Gagan as the entered with the baraat. Also, after the doli, Gagan took me to McDonalds en route to his house because I was dehydrating from the crying!”
Style Me Pretty
This stylish couple knew what they wanted from the outset. Through the guidance of their family members and via Instagram and Pinterest, Tia and Gagan spent a few months sourcing fashion designers to help them achieve their vision. In the end, they specify that it came down to trust.
“I knew from day one that I wanted a sharara with crop blouse in bright, contrasting colours for my Sangeet and for the wedding, pink and peach tones to complement the season. As for the reception, I wanted to achieve the glamorous old-world Bollywood sort of vibe. I did a lot of scrolling on Instagram, looking up various designers whose worked I like, and a lot of sketching and piecing together various inspiration I’d gathered to help my designers get a clear idea of my vision.”
The shopping experience was quite smooth with both of them opting for online and local designers. Tia explains that her trousseau was created over the span of a few months as opposed to Gagan’s, which was done through the click of a mouse and a Skype call with the store in India. Tia also ordered her custom-made jewellery pieces online and she was more than impressed.
The bridal party were all dressed to the nines in matching outfits.
“I had two bridesmaids in matching outfits, and then a tribe of about 8 to 10 of my closest friends. It was absolutely incredible having those girls by my side as they went above and beyond to make me feel so special and provide me with the love and support and strength.
On the wedding day my bridesmaids wore maroon, which was a nod to my late grandfather’s favourite turban colour and it also tied in well with the colour scheme of the Gurudwara. The bride tribe were dressed in pink, orange and red.
The groom’s party were all in blue with burnt orange coloured ties and turbans and a “ladkewaale” brooch.
Time Of Our Lives
Tia reflects on her time during the wedding as being truly an eventful time.
“You invest so much time and energy and you honestly don’t realise until you go through it, how much effort is involved during the whole process. Of course we were exhausted but pushed through. Date nights were replaced with meetings and discussions, but it was so worth it. To see it all come together, a true reflection of our relationship, it was just so special. The best part was having our friends tell us afterwards that they could feel the love throughout the wedding festivities, and the wedding was so “Gagan and Tia.” You learn a lot about your partner, and it helps shape you as a couple as well.”
After a colourful wedding extravaganza, the two jetted off to Mexico and Bahamas for their honeymoon.
“We chose somewhere warm and sunny and the Bahamas was a bucket-list dream of mine since the age of 10! I wanted to stay at the Atlantis Resort, and Gagan helped make that a reality! Mexico was incredible too with the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure.”
A Word Of Advice
Last but not least, we love this beautiful piece of advice for future couples.
“Don’t forget why you’re doing this. The end goal isn’t the wedding, but more so about getting to start your lives together. Your forever starts after the festivities. One of the best pieces of advice that we received was “enjoy your events, and don’t let your wedding pass by in a blur.” Remember to take a step back just before each event, and let yourself be in the moment and remember that it is your celebration.”
Thanks Tia and Gagan for sharing your beautiful wedding with us.
Remember, if you’re a maharani bride and want to feature your wedding celebration with The Maharani Diaries contact us here.
SUPPLIERS
Pre-wedding Photography – SIDD RISHI and THE PONDS PHOTOGRAPHY // Wedding Photography – ROLLING CANVAS // Pre-wedding and same day edit Videography – TS PRODUCTIONS // Wedding Videography – ROLLING CANVAS // Sangeet Venue – SAPPHIRE FUNCTION CENTRE // Wedding Venue – PARKLEA GURUDWARA // Reception – MACQUARIE PARADISO // Catering – BILLU’S and SAPPHIRE FUNCTION CENTRE // Décor/Florals – A ROYAALE EVENT (Tia’s Sangeet) and DÉCOR-A-SHAAN // Stationery – APPY COUPLE // DJ – DJ VINNY and DJ MOOCHMAN // Transport – SODHI’S WEDDING CARS // Bride’s outfits – SONIA VARANDANI (Sangeet and Wedding Day) and SILK & SPARKLE (Reception) // Bride’s jewellery – MODERN DAY RANI // Bride’s shoes – TAUR SHOP // Hair and Makeup – SANA // Mehndi Artist – ARORA MEHNDI // Groom’s suits – POLITIX and MANYAVAR (Wedding Day) and FERRARI FORMALWEAR (Reception) // Rings – ROLAND EIGNER // Bridesmaids and Groomsmen outfits – FROM INDIA
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