While travelling through Jaipur, Nikhil Sabharwal planned what Harman Dev thought was a simple photoshoot across the city’s forts and palaces. “I had no idea it was setting the stage for something bigger,” she laughs. That evening, she walked into a dreamy, Bollywood-inspired scene with dimly-lit candles, flowers and her favourite song playing softly. “When Nikhil got down on one knee and held out the ring, it felt straight out of a film,” she says. “It was everything I had imagined and more.” The couple, based in Perth, Australia, met during medical school in Queensland, where what started as a friendship slowly turned into something more.
For their wedding, the couple chose Bali, with all events, except the Sikh ceremony, held at the Hilton Resort in Nusa Dua. The celebrations began with a combined haldi and mehendi, where a floral shower moment and a rangoli created by cousins added personal touches. “By the end of it, most of our friends were in the pool,” Dev recalls. “It set the mood for the days ahead.”
She opted for a sharara by Gopi Vaid paired with jewellery from Kanyaadhan by Dhirajaayushi, while Sabharwal wore a yellow Twamev kurta with soft pink and blue detailing. Later, for her mehendi, Dev changed into an aquamarine corset lehenga by Mahima Mahajan with an organza skirt and heavily embellished dupatta, styled with jewellery from Vintage Snob. Sabharwal complemented the look in a pink and ivory linen satin printed kurta set, also by Mahima Mahajan.
The next day was the sangeet, centred around a bright dance floor framed by string lights and whimsical hanging florals and umbrellas. Dev had her choora and kaleera ceremonies before the jaago, which began on the beach and turned into a lively poolside celebration. The entertainment for the night included fire dancers and a menu filled with fun additions like a fire paan station. It ended on a high note when Sabharwal was thrown into the pool by his friends, who promptly jumped in after him. For this function, Dev wore a custom chanderi lehenga by Abhinav Mishra, rich with mirror and zardozi work, paired with Amama Jewels. Sabharwal chose a custom navy raw silk indowestern jacket by Sammohan, intricately hand-embroidered with palm trees, peacocks and birds, layered over a tussar kurta and pants.
