Bombay Bubble » Wed

{Part 4} Happily Ever After

anushka — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 21:37:44 +0000

It’s been a while since I posted the last post in my wedding series, mainly because we were in beautiful, sunny Italy on our honeymoon. If you haven’t read them yet, the first part in the series is all about me getting ready on the morning of the wedding, the second part talks about the ceremony, vows and the crazy fun photo shoot that followerd on the streets of Manchester and the third part focused on our intimate family meal and the surprise visit to the set of Coronation Street.

However, a wedding just wouldn’t be the same without an open bar and drinking till we dropped, would it? Here’s how the last part of our magical day went down:

{DETAILS}

After a bit of rest, a glass (ahem) of champagne and a much-needed touch-up to my now tousled hair and smeary makeup, our wedding photographer, Lucy and I decided to take advantage of the hotel’s beautiful, old-world charm for my bridal photo shoot.

We started on the wooden stairs, made our way up past some gorgeous vintage clocks, paused for dramatic effect with the massive chandelier and were just finishing up on a balcony Juliet would have been jealous of, when Lucy suggested we take a few pictures on the rooftop of the hotel.

What we didn’t realize, however, was that James and a few of his friends were already there celebrating the wedding with music and a few drinks before the party kicked in full swing. So I quickly finished up our pictures, grabbed some more champagne and did the rounds of the room with our first few guests.

Shortly after, we were joined by our moms and the rest of the wedding party staying at the hotel. The catering team passed around hors d’oeuvres and James and I greeted the rest of our guests and made sure they all had drinks.

Soon, the band we had booked for the evening, Champagne Skies showed up. We had seen them perform at a bar we were at about a month prior to the wedding and fell in love with their sound. We couldn’t believe how lucky we were when they happened to be available to perform on our special night!

Since we decided to skip the formalities of a first dance, speeches and a cake, there was nothing anyone wanted to do but get on the dancefloor and give it all they had possibly got while the band belted out classics we all new and loved.

I’m not sure if I was high on champagne, love, low energy reserves or the electricity in the room that night, but when James twirled me around in my massive sparkly dress, I had never felt happier, more beautiful, more in love or more alive.

In the end, when the band finished playing and somebody plugged in their iPod, the crowd moved on from champagne to jager bombs and everyone was craving Chinese food at about 2am, we decided to call it a magical, memorable night.

After thanking the absolutely lovely hotel staff, the band, the photographer and our wonderful, supportive friends and family for being there, we made our way back to our romantic hotel room, stared into each other’s eyes as I took off my dress and decided it was time – to eat ham and cheese sandwiches from room service in our pajamas and rip our wedding presents open like animals!

We couldn’t be more grateful for a day that was so incredibly ‘us’, for a family who supported our every little weird whim and fancy, for my best friends back in India who made me feel like they were with me the whole time even though they couldn’t be there, for people I had barely known welcoming my family into their hearts with open arms or for Tinder for bringing us together.

In case we haven’t said it enough already, thank you. A million times thank you. – Mr. and Mrs. Moore.

A Fairytale {In Print}

anushka — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 10:29:18 +0000

A very organized me usually prints out a calendar at the start of every month to pin on our little notice board, with all the important dates and events that month neatly marked out, so nobody misses out on plans. This month, however, I realized that it has already been three months since our wedding day and there’s only a month to go till our honeymoon! It’s surreal how time flies.

Since we have settled comfortably back into our routine of chores, work, blogging, the gym, walking Poppy and spending weekends with family and friends, the fact that this massive, amazing, life-altering event happened in our lives only recently tends to get a little bit lost.

And while gearing up for our honeymoon and sharing the Wedding Day blog series with you guys has really helped keep the magic of the Big Day alive, being featured in the Femina Wedding Times this month has completely re-fuelled my excitement for the wedding by prolonging the fairytale and letting us enjoy this wonderful, warm, fuzzy, sparkly feeling a little bit longer.

For those of you who couldn’t catch the article in the Femina Wedding Times supplement that came with the Times Of India on the 1st of June, here’s a look at the whole story we were featured in. I wish I knew about all these fantastic apps when I was planning my wedding!

So if you or anyone you know is planning the biggest day of their lives, be sure so take the load off them by sharing the link to this article so they can make the most of social media and maybe even ditch their wedding planner!

Thanks to the lovely Lynn Lobo and everyone else at FWT for the feature! Don’t forget to click through to enlarge and zoom for a thorough read!

{PICTURE CREDITS} Our Wedding Photos: Everthine Photo | Cover Photos: Copyright Bombay Bubble | All Other Photos: Femina Wedding Times

{Part 3} Expect The Unexpected

anushka — Mon, 25 May 2015 10:47:09 +0000

If you’ve been following my Wedding Series, you’ll know that I’ve taken you through every little part of my wedding day from the time I woke up that morning to get dressed, to when we said our vows and had our photo shoot on the streets of Manchester. However the next part of our day held a big surprise that makes me want to urge all brides to leave a little room for spontaneity on their big day! Read on to see what I mean.

When we last left off, we had just finished our wedding photo shoot as newlyweds and were walking to our next venue – the gorgeous restaurant, ‘Gusto’ in Deansgate, Manchester where our friends and family were waiting to share an intimate lunch with us as husband and wife.

Gusto has always been our favourite restaurant as a couple (seriously, we have tried every single one of its kind in Northern England and know what food and drinks we want without having to look at a menu). And while we’ve loved every single one, the one in Deansgate was just more special because it was very glamorous with a great deal of old world charm. It looked straight out of a scene on Mad Men!

We were led through a little door to a gorgeous private dining room within the restaurant which seated only twelve people – perfect for our little party of ten. As we walked through the doors, all our friends and family cheered as we took our seats. A waiter then congratulated us and brought out the champagne, which we were only too eager to get started on and skipped the elaborate toast!

We chatted animatedly about each person’s experience at the ceremony, our hilarious antics during the photo shoot and the parts of each other’s day that we happened to be absent for as the wait staff brought out appetizers, mains and dessert to each person’s liking from the menu we chose, accompanied by a few more bottles of champagne, of course.

.. .

Just as we were winding up our little luncheon, I looked over at my mom and noticed she was getting a bit emotional just taking everything in. She came over and gave me a hug and told me that I looked beautiful, that our wedding felt like a royal wedding to her and that this was the moment a mother waits for her whole life.

She then went on to say that I no longer belong to her, but to James, and so doesn’t have permission to shout at me anymore! (Which is very sweet, but a little untrue as she has done so and enjoyed it many times after! Believe me, some things will never change and your moms will still treat you like their babies even when you’re all grown up and settled down!)

Before we left, I huddled in the ladies room for a final few selfies with Nicola before we headed back to the hotel for a little break before the evening celebrations later.

I was just about to take off my dress (which was so heavy my arms hurt from holding it up whilst walking around all day!) and get into my pajamas when there was a knock on my door and an excited Eve burst through the door saying everyone was waiting for me outside and that I should hurry up and get ready for the big surprise!

At this point, I REALLY needed a nap, but refreshed my lipstick, perfume and hair before joining the others outside the hotel. Apparently, James’ brother Robert had spoken to the staff on the set of a tv show being filmed on the same street as our hotel, told them about the wedding and had managed to get us a private viewing of the set of Coronation Street – Britain’s most iconic television show!

Me not being from the UK and never having watched the show, didn’t really understand the gravity of the situation, but everyone else around me, James and his mom included, were ecstatic. The only way I could probably describe the show to you would be the British version of The Bold And The Beautiful, even though it’s been broadcasted since the 60s.

Our wedding day was beautiful and perfect than I could have ever dreamed of. But this added bonus really helped make the day just a tiny bit more special for James, and for that I will always be thankful.

The entire clan, led by a boderline cranky bride, then finally returned to our hotel rooms for a little rest and to get ready for the final part of our day – the part that required the most energy and excitement of all! Any guesses? Stay tuned for the last post in the wedding series coming up next week to see how we ended our big day!

{DETAILS}

{Part 2} Forever and a Day

anushka — Tue, 12 May 2015 14:23:10 +0000

In Part 1 of my Wedding Series, I shared with you all the magical moments of the morning of my big day – getting my hair and makeup done, zipping up my dress, receiving a surprise bunch of flowers and a love letter from James and grabbing my bouquet as I prepared to leave the hotel.

But where was the groom during all this, you ask? Well, after the Great Waistcoat Debacle of 2015, James, his brother, Robert and our wedding witness and friend, Richard all went to the hotel bar for a quick drink and then outside for some fresh air before they left for the registry office.

Once they arrived at the Manchester Registry Office, they were led to the Pankurtst Suite where they met up with James’ mother, her partner, Geoffrey, James’ brother’s girlfriend, Eve and James’ lovely grandmother. James was then asked a few last minute questions and was asked to check all of the details that would go on our marriage certificate and in their records.

In the meantime, I prepared to leave the hotel. Me being a rather fuss-free bride (and knowing just how short the distance from the hotel to the venue was), opted to not have a fancy car drive me to the venue. Instead, my mum, my friend Nicola and I hailed a cab ourselves outside our hotel. It must have been quite a sight – watching a girl squeeze herself wearing a massive, sparkly wedding dress into a cab on the busy streets of Manchester! Our cab driver couldn’t stop smiling!

The drive didn’t last very long, and within five minutes, we were at the Registry Office. A lady who worked at the registry office was waiting for me outside, smiling from ear to ear. My poor mom, however, was struggling with her handbag and my spare clutch and flats for later, all while trying to make sure my dress didn’t get dirty.

An Indian security guard at the registry office was watching and recognized her plight. He emptied out the plastic bag he kept his lunch in and offered it to her to put my clutch and shoes in! It was the kindest gesture ever, even if the bag did smell like thepla.

We were then led to a room resembling a backstage green room behind the Pankshurt Suite (where James and his family were waiting), since the bride and groom aren’t meant to see each other before the ceremony, even though ours was a completely non-religious one.

She asked me the same routine questions she asked James and had me check the same details, and told me that I could choose to go in whenever I was ready. A dozen or so selfies later, I gave her the thumbs up. I was ready to be married to my prince!

And just like that, they started to play ‘Here Comes The Bride’ as my mom walked me down the isle and everyone turned to look, including the smiling, happy face of my husband-to-be. The registrar then began his introduction to the ceremony while James whispered “You look really nice!” to me and I winked at him.

He then announced that Catherine, James’ mother had prepared a reading for us. The reading was absolutely beautiful, had everyone in tears and hit just the right note as it touched upon bits about long phone conversations and us dreaming and making plans, which is pretty much how we made it through the whole year of long distance before this day.

Shorty after, we were asked to repeat after the registrar our vows to one another, and then James’ brother, Robert presented us with our rings. With shaky hands from all the emotion of his mum’s reading and our vows, we slipped our rings on each other’s fingers and waited for the words everyone wanted to hear – “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride!”

And just like that Mr. and Mrs. Moore shared their first beautiful, magical, legitimate kiss of many! We then signed the necessary documents and then our witnesses and close friends, Richard and Nicola were invited up to sign as well. Once all the paperwork was tended to, we thanked the registry office staff and I complimented the registrar on his floral tie (like one does), we left the Pankhurst Suite hand in hand, to be showered in confetti by our friends and family outside.

It was surreal. The moment we had been hoping and dreaming of since our first few dates was finally here. All those hours on Skype were worth it, all those Pinterest boards planning our life together were finally coming to life. We couldn’t be happier or luckier.

After taking a moment to let it all sink in, I suddenly realized that I really needed to pee! I squeezed myself into the disabled toilet and insisted in lifting the dress myself, without any help from Nicola, Eve or my mum. It may have taken a lot longer than I anticipated but I managed to get away unscathed (ahem) or without toilet paper stuck to my heel. (I checked).

Once I made my way outside to where everyone was waiting, I changed into my flats as we prepared for the five minute walk to St. Anne’s Square where we planned to have our photo shoot with friends and family outside the Manchester Town Hall.

We were very fortunate that the weather had decided to be kind to us that day as well, since Manchester is known for being rainy, windy and cold. Luckily, it was warmer and sunnier than it had been in months, and I managed to get away with wearing only a light faux fur jacket outdoors. (PS James was not pleased about the jacket because it shed fur all over his suit and, well, pretty much everything else around me!)

But we were absolutely giddy with excitement and incredibly loved up (hence all the mushy kissing photos!) and once we finished pictures with our friends and family, they left us while James and I walked the streets of Manchester with our lovely photographer, Lucy, looking for the perfect spots for spontaneous shots.

It was definitely the most fun photo shoot I have ever been on (and I’ve been a part of a fair share) we got really goofy at one point and posed in phone booths. We even posed outside a beautiful old church, but had to run away when we heard the words ‘rest in peace’ and ‘funeral’ coming from inside! Thank goodness I was in flats!

We walked all around Deansgate and Spinningfields and were denied permission to shoot in the John Ryland’s library (boo!). We also shot outside the Manchester Courts (much to James’ confusion – he couldn’t imagine why I wanted to shoot outside where the criminals came out of court on the news).

When we thought we had about enough shots and were gearing up to finish, we sat down for a bit of a break, while Lucy snapped away anyway. At this point, we were stopped by a security guard outside the mall we were near because he thought we were shooting an ad campaign for commercial purposes as the dress looked couture! (I’m also going to pretend he said that we looked like models!)

After assuring him it was a real wedding, we wrapped up our shoot and walked to the next venue to join our friends and family for the next part of our big day. If you’re excited to know what it is, you should be! I can guarantee it is one of the most exciting, unusual things to happen at a wedding ever, so stay tuned for the third part in my wedding series, coming next week!

{DETAILS} Hair: Carl Gambrell | Makeup: Michel | Dress: Michelle Rodrigues | Bridal Bouquet: Flowercraft | Faux fur jacket: Boohoo (similar here) | Hotel: Great John St. Hotel, Manchester | Venue: Manchester Registry Office | Photography: Everthine Photo

{Part 1} Here Comes The Bride

anushka — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 21:29:24 +0000

On the morning of our wedding, I got a text from James wishing me a happy wedding day, and telling me that exactly a year ago, I had quit my job to plan the wedding we were meant to have in Bombay that October.

It was then that it hit me – the day that we had been hoping of, dreaming, planning and re-planning across two continents and almost two years was finally here! And even though it turned out to be completely different from the big wedding we had originally envisioned, it couldn’t have been more perfect, more intimate, or more ‘us’. Here’s how it all started:

My mom, the only guest from my family, flew down to Manchester for the wedding, and, along with James’ family, James and I, moved into the Great John St. Hotel – an absolutely gorgeous old building which used to be a school for little children back in the 1800′s. Mom and I shared a room the night before the wedding (as per tradition) and we couldn’t have asked for a better one – ours was spread across two floors, had a walk-in closet, a massive bathroom and a bathtub right near the bed!

I set my alarm for 8am, but instead, was woken up at 6am by manic messaging from friends and family back home (who apparently forgot about the five and a half hour time difference!) wishing me good luck and congratulating us in advance.

I took a little time out to hide in the closet before the chaos began and write James a love letter since we had decided not to read our own vows at the ceremony. I then helped mum pick out a few finishing touches to her outfit, showered, moisturized, called room service for some coffee and asked house cleaning to tidy up our room before everyone started to arrive shortly.

While I had asked my hair stylist, makeup artist and photographer to arrive at 9am, the absolutely lovely Michel, who I had met the week before at my home for a makeup trial, arrived a half hour early because she was so enthusiastic and didn’t want to miss a second of the festivities! (How great is she?)

Shortly after, just as the clock struck nine, my hair stylist, Carl and photographer, David arrived. Coffee was soon replaced with glasses of bubbly and the atmosphere was punctuated with giggles, excited chatter, camera clicks and the sound of blow dryers doing their thing.

However, then, as it always does, wedding day drama struck! James’ waistcoat which was meant to arrive that morning at 7 still hadn’t shown up. The groom would have get married in a two piece suit! Is that even a thing? Everyone was in a bit of a flap. The bride, predictably, more so than the rest.

But just when my wardrobe worries had reached their peak, there was a knock on my door and a busboy walked in with the most beautiful bunch of flowers and a love letter from James! Apparently we both had the same idea to write one other love letters to read on the morning of the wedding! Reading his letter really helped put me in a more positive mood and I couldn’t have felt happier to be walking down the aisle and be marrying this incredible boy.

I returned the busboy with my own letter for James and right after he left, there was another knock on my door. The lovely Natalie from the reception desk at the hotel swooped into my room and announced that I needn’t worry and that she would solve the vest issue! Sure enough, ten minutes later, James had his waistcoat on and everything was back on track. (I don’t know how she did it, but the woman is my hero!)

Speaking of heroes, a few minutes later, I was surrounded by three! My mom, my friend (and our wedding witness) Nicola and James’ mum Catherine who stopped by to wish me luck, give me a hug and give my mom a beautiful corsage to wear at the ceremony. I felt so happy and lucky to be in the company of all these lovely ladies on such a big day, that it really put me at ease knowing that my friends back home would know I was in the best hands possible, even though they couldn’t be there themselves.

Before I knew what, it was twenty minutes till we had to leave for the ceremony! My mum zipped up my dress, and as I walked out of the bathroom, it happened. That magical movie moment every girl dreams of. The one where you first step out in your dress on your wedding day with your hair and makeup done and everyone in the room gasps and gets teary. I felt like a princess!

My mom then helped me put my shoes on (it’s REALLY hard to bend over in a massive dress!), I tossed a few things I needed in my purse, did a last minute hair and makeup touch-up, grabbed my bouquet and prepared to slowly descend the stairs that led me to my Prince Charming.

I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful, perfect, magical morning. But as it turns out, it only got better, because the next part of my day, the part where we promised ourselves to one another forever…well, that deserves a whole story of its very own!

Photography: Copyright David Stubbs Photography | Everthine Photo

{#AskTheBride}

anushka — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 03:50:45 +0000

One of my favourite parts of doing what I do is getting to talk to my readers. It is such a wonderful feeling to be able to interact with people who genuinely connect with you and your work, and luckily for me, you feel the same way (aww!)

I’ve had readers write to be about their careers, style problems and blogging advice in the past, but most recently, I’ve been getting heaps of questions from friends, family and readers about my wedding day, long distance relationships, dating on Tinder and just general boy trouble. I thought this would be a nice way to address everyone’s concerns anonymously, so identities (and personal problems) remain a little secret between you and I, but at the same time, we can all learn from each other’s problems, since a lot of us are going through the same thing.

Now if only I could direct my relatives to this blog post! #sorted

{ THE WEDDING }

Q1. I thought you were already married! James proposed quite a while ago, I saw pictures of wedding dress fittings on Instagram and you’ve already moved to the UK. How come you’re not married yet?

A. Uh, nosy much? Just kidding! James and I originally planned to be married in Bombay in October. But due to visa issues the plan got pushed to December in the UK and then January. UK law states that in order to get married, you need to give the court official notice, then serve a 30 day notice period before you are allowed to marry. So I arrived here a month before the wedding to give notice. However, we soon realized that we needed a proof of residence to be able to give notice of our intent to marry. Since I didn’t have this yet, we had to delay our appointment significantly till the documentation came through. After this, my mum needed to apply for her visa to be able to attend the wedding, which took a fair bit of time as well. It has been quite a roller coaster ride, with me shuffling between our house in the day and James’ mum’s house at night where I sleep (because my mum is strict like that!).

Q2. What kind of wedding are you having? Is it going to be a big, fat Indian extravaganza with James riding in on a bejeweled elephant?

A. No. Big weddings with a vast amount of people that last for a number of days really scare me. I’m not very good with crowds and noise. Also, I feel like the couple tends to get lost at their own wedding sometimes, since it really tends to become about what everyone else thinks of it than about their love story. We toyed with the idea of having a large-ish white wedding, but with none of my friends and family able to attend all the way in the UK in January, it would be strange only having James’ friends and family there. So we have decided to keep things very small. Only immediate family. And since we are both not religious, we have opted for a registry office as opposed to a church.

Q3. Small and simple? Why would you have a small and simple wedding?

A. Another major deciding factor in our wedding planning was that James’ grandparents were nice enough to buy a second home around the same time, which they were willing to rent to us if we wanted it, so we wouldn’t have to stay with parents as newlyweds. We were so touched by their offer and decided to take them up on it. And since we felt so lucky to have gotten our first home at the same time, we decided to invest our money in our home and enjoy it every single day, rather than blowing it up on feeding lots of people in one really nice evening. It was a practical decision, and we knew that our wedding day would be special to us no matter how big or small it was.

Q4. Isn’t your dress a little OTT for a small registry office wedding?

A. Yeah it probably is, but that doesn’t phase me. I would say that when I had the dress made, it was when we were planning on having a larger wedding. However, that really isn’t true. A few years ago, I saw Olivia Wilde wearing this divine Marchesa gown at the Golden Globe Awards. I fell so madly in love with it, I swore that when I got married, I’d have the same dress made for me, but in white and gold and with sheer lace sleeves. I knew that nothing else would make me feel as special on my big day. So that is exactly what I plan to wear, even if the dress is bigger than the ceremony!

Q5. Do you have any plans for your honeymoon?

A. Yes, but not immediately as it is so cold in Europe at the moment and I am making a trip back to India a few weeks after the wedding. But when it starts to warm up, we plan on renting a car and driving around Italy for our honeymoon. If you’ve been and have any suggestions on where in Italy we should go, leave me a comment below! We’d love to check out your recommendations!

Q6. How did you two lovebirds meet?

A. We met on a dating app called Tinder! You can read our whole love story here.

Q7. When did you know James was ‘the one’?

A. It’s weird, but we had an instant connection. We knew on our second date that this was different from anything else we had ever experienced, and we wanted to see this through. There was a weird electricity when he held my hand, which I had never felt with anyone else. I remember going home to my mom after our third date and telling her I think I’ve found the one I want to spend my life with, which is unusual because I usually take things at a snail’s pace when I meet someone new. But this…this was special.

Q8. How does one find the perfect wedding outfit?

A. One signs up for Pinterest to look for inspiration. Also, keep an eye on red carpet fashion, movies, music videos, etc. You never know which celebrity’s gown could translate well into a wedding outfit. Follow wedding blogs and search for wedding-related hashtags on Instagram, you never know what may inspire you! Once you have a fair idea of what you’re looking for, take pictures in when you go to meet a designer, explain it to them and ask them to make you a sketch if possible, just to know that you are on the same page. Be actively involved in the process from start to finish by offering to come along to help select materials, etc. and never hesitate to ask for multiple fittings if you feel something isn’t sitting right. It isn’t worth being uncomfortable on your wedding day when you’re going to be paying them so much money. I always feel like a custom made gown is really the way to go when you’re a very particular person who knows exactly what she wants (like me!)
If you’re going down the ready made route, it is still a good idea to have a fair idea of what you want before you set out. Take recommendations from friends and family who have been married on who to visit and where they have had good experiences. Enjoy browsing the stores and be open minded! The sales person may offer you a piece that isn’t designer, but may be absolutely beautiful when you slip it on! Go on, give it a chance!

Q9. I’m having trouble finding someone in Bombay to make me a white wedding gown! Everyone here only specializes in Indian bridal wear. Who designed your gown?

A. I was lucky enough to have my dress designed by the lovely Michelle Rodrigues. Not only was she super patient, organized, lovely to be around and immensely talented, but her dresses didn’t break the bank and she wasn’t afraid of a challenge! I highly recommend her to everyone, not just brides, in case you want a dress made for an upcoming occasion.

Q10. Where is your wedding dress now? Are you afraid James might see it?

A. My wedding dress is in it’s protective plastic box, along with the shoes and bag that go with it. The plastic box has then been encased in a large, sealed cardboard carton with a pink heart-shaped post-it note on it reading: ‘Wedding Dress. Do not open!’ to avoid any ‘accidents’. This carton is currently in my kitchen because I am too lazy to move it.

Q11. What are your Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue?

A. I’m quite a chilled out bride and really haven’t bothered getting these things together. So for now, I would have to say that James is my Something Old (haha he is going to kill me!), the pearl necklace and my wedding ring will be my Something(s) New, I might use James’ Mum’s clutch as my Something Borrowed since this one is very white and clashes a little with my gold dress, and I will be my own Something Blue because it is SO cold here!

Q12. Is Poppy going to be in the wedding?

A. Sadly, no. And it breaks my heart because she really is like my firstborn child. However, since the registry office does not permit dogs on it’s premises, she will be staying with her cousins at her great-grandparents’ (James’ grandparents) house.

Q13. Did you ever have second thoughts about your marriage? Were you nervous about being half way across the world and leaving your friends and family behind?

A. Yes! Well, I never had second thoughts about wanting to be with James no matter where in the world he was. But the idea of moving away from my mom, friends and career terrified me. I’d just have random bouts of crying and panic attacks once every few weeks, but everyone was really supportive, and I eventually got used to the idea.

Q14. When did he pop the question? Did you know he was going to do it or was it a surprise?

A. I did know he was going to propose on my visit to the UK in June, because after that we wouldn’t be seeing each other till our wedding originally planned in October. However, I didn’t know when or where or how he would do it since I was there for a whole month. So that was a complete surprise!

Q15. How did your parents react to your relationship initially?

A. My mum was a little skeptical till she met James. When she did, she fell in love with him instantly (I’m pretty sure she likes him more than she likes me!) so we had her support right from the start. His family was very supportive as well – I absolutely adore them all! (Both our fathers are no more, but I know they would have loved and supported this union as well).

Q16. Where do you see yourself in ten years with James?

A. I don’t want to say anything about kids at the moment because the idea really makes me nervous me right now, but we will definitely have another dog to keep Poppy company and be living in London and I will hopefully hold a good position in a company or magazine I love, or will have started my own business. James will continue to do well at work and we will get away and travel together as often as we possibly can.

{ LOVE, DATING AND RELATIONSHIPS }

Q17. How do I go about navigating Tinder? Most boys I talk to on the app only seem to be interested in flings.

A. Tinder is really what you make of it. Don’t be afraid to be picky whilst choosing – it’s all about quality control! Once you’ve found someone you enjoy speaking to and feel comfortable with, ask him something like “So what made you join Tinder?” This should give you a fair idea of why he is here and what he is looking for right on the onset, so you don’t end up wasting time and learning later that he only wanted a hookup. If hooking up isn’t your thing, don’t be afraid to say so. When I agreed to meet James, it was at a bar in the hotel he was staying it, at which point I felt it absolutely necessary to make a joke but still make it clear that I wasn’t the kind of girl who would go upstairs with him (not like he expected it, but I wanted to make sure). There is no shame in saying you’re looking for something more substantial than a hookup. In fact, being clear about your intentions also makes sure you’re not leading the guy on and wasting his time, because that wouldn’t be fair to him or you. There could be a great guy out there who really does want a relationship, but you could be wasting time with ones who don’t.

Also, block anybody who asks if you are ‘DTF’ immediately! You’ll thank me if you Google it, trust me. #CreepAlert

Q18. When do you stop obsessing about the what-ifs and just give in to a relationship?

A. If you’re constantly thinking about the ifs and buts and trying to reason and rationalize things in your head, my best bet would be because you don’t feel entirely safe with him. I don’t mean physically safe, but perhaps you still don’t trust him completely yet. Or maybe you’ve had your heart broken before and are scared to let somebody else in. Totally understandable. We’ve all been there at some point. The thing is, you can do anything if you’re willing to risk falling flat on your face. Take a leap, if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. You’re a smart, independent woman capable of picking herself up and moving on if things don’t work out.

Also, think of it this way, with each person you are in a relationship with, you are one step closer to finding ‘the one’. It’s like refining a search when you’re browsing the internet. You start with a broad term and then use filters to get a specific result. In other words, sometimes, even the relationships that don’t work teach you about the qualities you want and don’t want in your next potential partner. So there’s really nothing to be afraid of. You are in control here, and this can go whichever way you decide it needs to go. it could be the worst thing that ever happens to you which you can spin into a positive, or the best thing that ever happened to you fullstop.

Q19. I’m not a fan of big weddings either. How do I convince my family to keep things small and not invite my father’s third cousin’s sister-in-law and her four children?

A. Tricky situation. Tell them you understand they have obligations and a reputation to uphold in society, but you are nervous about the wedding anyway, and that large amounts of people and all the attention on you makes you even more anxious. If this doesn’t work, try and strike a compromise by making the main wedding a very small, private affair for only family, and one of the other following events a big event where your parents can invite everyone they need to.

Q20. I am also in a long distance relationship and it is hard. How did you two get through it? Any tips on coming out successful?

A. Long distance relationships require a lot of patience and maturity, which is why most LDR’s in high school and college never work and thus, the concept has a bad reputation. (1) Have a common goal: What really helped get us through is that both of us were on the same page. We knew we wanted to be married almost as soon as we started dating, and that became a goal for us to work towards. It was insanely hard, but knowing there was an end and that it was only about a year or so away made it a lot more bearable. (2) Commitment: We sometimes canceled plans with friends on Friday nights to Skype and call if the other one needed it for a valid reason. (3) Trust: James and I both massively decreased / stopped hanging out with old crushes / exes and single friends of the opposite sex alone because we knew it would make the other person feel insecure, and while we still trusted the other wholeheartedly, nothing destroys a long distance relationship like insecurity and mistrust, which are really not worth introducing into your relationship for people that don’t matter much in your life anymore. (4) Space: Acknowledge that sometimes your partner just needs to do their own thing. Allow them time and space to do that or they will turn resentful. So be a little selfless and set aside your ‘need’ for a cute and cuddly Skype call tonight. Let him feel comfortable enough to ask you for space when he needs it. (5) Routine: Develop a routine for when you can call / Skype / text or things will get a little haphazard. Knowing he would call me on his way home from work every night left me free to do everything else I had to in the day, and also had me buzzing with excitement for the moment in the day when I could speak to him. (6) Co-ordinate schedules: If he wants to go out on a boy’s night this Saturday and lets you know at the last minute when you had a romantic movie date over Skype planned, it is not going to end well. Ask him to give you a little advance notice so you can plan a fun night out with your girls, instead of sitting home feeling resentful and wondering if he is talking to other women.

Q21. How do you manage your relationship problems, fights and arguments?

A. It’s funny, when we first started dating, I didn’t think we would ever have anything to fight about. But as it turns out, we are both very strong personalities with very fixed views on things. I think the only way to escape fights without serious emotional harm is to set ground rules. If there are certain words, phrases or personal issues that really upset you, express them to your partner on a normal day when you are not fighting, and explain why and how they upset you, and that you would appreciate if he never brought them up in anger. My standard rules of thumb during fights with anyone, friends and family included, are no name-calling, shaming, swearing, violence, ‘hitting below the belt’ with a personal issue or getting other people involved. Fight clean. I’m still figuring out the rest as I go along.

Q.22 Do you think things change after getting married / moving in together?

A. Technically we’ve not done either, but it definitely feels like we are married and YES they do! Especially because the last few trips we have made to be with one another were holidays when we were really relaxed and had nothing to do but pick new restaurants and bars to go to, organize fun dates and lounge around by the pool. However, in reality, while we still go out and do fun things now and then, we’re both pretty tired on the weekdays. Also, having a puppy in the house is like having a baby, so a lot of the things we do now revolve around her and the house, whereas before it would just be about us. Real life had to hit us at some point! We still take time to out on date nights, see our friends separately and together and to do things we love individually.

Q23. I feel like my long-term relationship is fizzling out and I don’t trust him as much as I used to. What should I do?

A. Sit down and have a think about why you no longer trust him as much. Has he been unfaithful to you? If so, I would suggest seriously considering ending things. Also, sometimes, when you’ve been with someone for a very long time, you both grow up at different speeds, and one ends up outgrowing the relationship before the other. Either way, if you feel like there is no magic or fizz left in your relationship and that you have tried and failed to revive it, and the trust has also gone now, it might be time to let go. You’re in a different phase of your life than you were in a few years ago, and it is time for you to have new, exciting experiences, rather than reliving the same ones over and over everyday.

Q24. I’m also an Indian girl with a partner from another country. How do I convince my parents that this is the real deal? That I am serious about him and want to spend my life with him?

A. Having your family be supportive is incredibly important, especially since you already have your fair share of issues being from entirely different cultures and being in a long distance relationship. Talk to them and make the understand that you know they only want the best for you, but they have raised you to be an independent, intelligent woman capable of making her own choices, and that it is a wonderful thing. They should be proud that their daughter wants to stand on her own two feet and they should trust your judgement of character. Explain to them that this isn’t just a fling, and that your partner has honorable intentions, and will be happy to say that to them himself whenever he can see them next. Also, explain that you have seen people marry perfectly ‘good’ Indian boys that their parents pick out for them, but those marriages don’t always work out either. Your chances of it not working out with him are as high as they would be with someone they chose for you. End the conversation on an emotional note – it doesn’t matter where a person is from. What matters is that he is a wonderful person who is willing to move mountains to make their daughter happy, just as they have strived to do for you since the minute you were born. It is time for them to pass the torch and they you really hope they will consider passing it on to your partner. The key is to be mature and firm in your approach, but emotional at the same time.

Q25. When is the right time to get cozy / comfortable in a relationship?

A. This is a very subjective question because it really depends on your individual level / definition of comfort. In my opinion, there is a certain beauty in discomfort. It keeps us on our toes. It makes us try harder. It makes us strive to know the answers to our questions. But sadly, it is so short-lived. Try and milk the honeymoon phase of your relationship for as long as you possibly can. 6-8 months would be great. After that, you get bitten by the comfort bug and it’s all about movie nights in your pajamas instead of a dinner date in a sexy dress and heels. No makeup and no gym become acceptable because you know he loves you anyway. Comfort is great, as long as it doesn’t equate to laziness and not making an effort.

{ ACCESSORY DETAILS }

Shoes: Bought in Dubai a year ago (similar here, here and here)| Bag: Esbeda (similar here, here and here) | Necklace: London Road (similar here, here and here) | Ring: Engagement present from James (similar here)

Thanks so much for sending in your questions and sharing your stories with me! You can continue to do so via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or by shooting me an email at bombaybubble@hotmail.com.

Beauty And The {Bridal Box}

anushka — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 22:01:49 +0000

While I happen to have my dress, shoe and bag situation in control for my big day, makeup is something that has eluded me. Which is funny considering I absolutely love makeup and wear it almost all the time, even if it is only a dab of concealer and a swipe of lipstick before I head out the door. With all the craziness demanding every spare second I possibly have before I leave, I just assumed I’d leave my wedding makeup to a professional, sit back and relax in a chair while she erases my stress lines and paints on my bridal glow.

But as my friends rightly pointed out to me, it is always good to have a basic idea of what you want your bridal makeup to look like before the actual day. In addition to hitting Pinterest for references, it is also a great idea to schedule a makeup rehearsal before your wedding so you know which products work best for you and avoid the ones that don’t (and the breakouts they bring with them!).

Also, weddings are joyous occasions and may be surrounded by tons of other functions if you’re having a big Indian wedding or celebratory dinners with friends and family who couldn’t make it to the ceremony, for which it is also absolutely necessary to have your makeup on-point.

With this idea in mind, I set aside an afternoon to visit the Clinique store to try out their new Bridal Trousseau service. The service, priced at Rs. 15,000, available on appointment and 100% customized to each unique bride, is exclusive to India and it’s exotic, world-renowned brides. It is available in select stores across Bombay, Gurgaon and Bangalore and is conducted by one of only eleven specialists in the world certified to perform the service.

The service began with a warm introduction and a heart congratulations from my Clinique Colour Specialist of the day. I started to relax as soon as she began to chat with me excitedly about the big day, the dress and the stress! Soon after, she brought out a tablet and asked me to do a quick quiz to see what products I would need based on by skin type, skin tone, stress levels and problem areas.

She then gently cleansed by skin of all makeup using their Liquid Facial Soap, exfoliated it with their Clarifying Lotion and nourished it with their Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator (one of my favourite products from the whole service -my skin felt so healthy, pampered and luxurious to touch after slathering a light layer on!)

She then prepped my skin for foundation using their Superprimer which gives your skin a smooth base that foundation just glides over. Soon, it was time for foundation. She used Clinique’s Even Better foundation with SPF on my skin and then concealed the area under the eyes with their All About Eyes concealer.

The best thing about the service is that not only do they apply the makeup for you, but they teach you how to apply the makeup as well. She did up one side of my face with foundation, and then patiently directed me while I used the brush to do the other side. With every area she finished at a time, I worked on the other and used her expert tips to master the look in case I needed to do it on my own.

She patted the whole base in place using their Even Better Compact Makeup, and before you know what, we were ready for some colour! She filled in my brows using their ‘Instalift’ pen and then set to work on my eyeshadow. We decided on a gold and brown smokey eye which she began working on using the Jenna’s Essentials shadow pallete, with a dab of Bountiful Beige (a beautiful, sandy gold) in the center for a pop.

She then lined my eyes using Clinique’s Brush On Cream Liner in ‘True Black’ on my top lid while I nervously tried to apply it to my other eye with shaky hands! Once finished, she moved on to the lower lashline and applied a thin line of brown shadow, which she then smudged and proceeded to apply a generous helping of Lash Power mascara to open up my eyes.

Shortly after, she moved on to my cheeks. This is where I fell head over heels in love with their delicious looking ‘Cheek Pops’. i thought about biting into them as she applied a light dusting of ‘Ginger Pop’ – a light peachy tone which wouldn’t draw attention away from the gold on my eyes or the red on my lips, to my cheekbones.

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And finally, she moved on to my favourite part – the lips. She lined them using a neutral lip pencil, then went over them in a sultry, sexy yet scrumptious shade of red called ‘Crimson’ from their ‘Soft Matte’ range. The colour will pop perfectly against my larger-than-life, ultra glam ivory and gold sequin wedding dress and wouldn’t dry my lips out in the winter chill! Win/win!

Till you have the time to visit the store and avail of the service for yourself, here are 5 great tips I learned at Cliniqe on Bridal Makeup:

1. When applying foundation, always use a brush for a less greasy finish and stroke the brush outward from your nose and then downward towards your jawline. This makes sure the little hairs on your face that you can barely see lie smoothly.

2. When applying liquid / gel liner with a brush, make very tiny, light strokes instead of long, strong ones.

3. Blusher should always be applied on the apples of your cheeks, and then upwards towards your ears (forming a ‘✔’ of sorts). This contours face and acts like a mini facelift.

4. Use the lightest touch ever while applying your makeup to ensure your skin isn’t pulled and tugged in the process. This can be achieved by holding your makeup brushes further back, almost at the ends.

5. The last thing you need on your wedding day is a zillion lipstick touch ups for photos. Play it smart by applying a lip liner in a similar colour before you swiple on your lipstick. This makes sure the colour stays on longer, and if it rubs off, you’re not left without any colour underneath.

She ended the 2.5hr service by spritzing me with a little fragrance. ‘Happy’ by Clinique was fresh, energetic and would have summed up my mood on the big day perfectly! She also handed me a face chart with the unique makeup look custom-designed for my wedding as well as a list of products for reference. And, like all brides, I was also presented with an absolutely breathtaking Bridal Trousseau Box housing my favourite products from the service, (within Rs. 15,000/-).

The boxes also make for great gifts for your bride-to-be best friends, so keep it in mind the next time someone from your posse is getting hitched. I had an absolutely amazing time and have a feeling I will be returning very soon to stock up on some of these products which I now can’t live without!

Make sure you’re following Clinique on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to receive updates about their drool-worthy products. I know I am!

Photography: Vinita Jeswani

Love In A {Hopeless Place}

anushka — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 13:37:20 +0000

I’m a sucker for a good love story. Call me a romantic, I always wanted to be able to go all misty-eyed whilst telling my imaginary children the story about how I met their father. However, even though it was an absolute fairytale romance when I met my fiance and it was everything I could have possibly hoped and wished for, I wasn’t greatly encouraged to tell the tale. And while I have tried to be as honest about it as I can to people I know who will understand and be open-minded and supportive, I sometimes still have to fib to a few conservative relatives, mainly of my grandmother’s generation, and say I met James through a common friend.

We were offered tremendous support by our mothers and friends, of course. But as a twenty-something Indian girl growing up with ‘inquisitive’ relatives and family friends, sharing that I had met James on Tinder (or that I was even on it to begin with) didn’t really seem like an option with people I knew were likely to judge. Not that most of them even knew what Tinder was. A year ago, when we had just joined, Tinder was still very new in India and it was particularly low on the promiscuity factor that it is now rather popular for.

The idea of meeting somebody online has always been somewhat frowned upon in Indian society. Sure, matrimonial websites may have changed that a little, but if you had found somebody to date without the sole purpose of being married and having parents involved right from the start, you mustn’t be doing things right, right? Wrong. I was raised to be a strong, independent well-educated woman who always has and always will make her own decisions. So why I would need my family to have the final say in the person I spend the rest of my life with was always a mystery to me. Of course, it is important for them to like him, trust him and know I am in safe hands. But as long as he is a good human being, where or how I met him shouldn’t matter.

I recently came across an interesting initiative by Jealous21 called the #ButtOut campaign and felt like it was just the attitude I needed to adopt to stop hiding the amazing love story I am so proud of from a few judgmental naysayers who really need to get a life anyway.

So butt out to everyone who says you can’t find love on Tinder! I’m sharing my story today as living, breathing proof!

After a few months of being single, I did what all girls do and had pretty much resigned to the idea that I would never find my one true love. I was convinced I was destined to die a spinster, or that I didn’t need a man and would go adopt children and raise them as a single mother.

However, a friend of mine played on my very short attention span and I was immediately distracted from being the next Angelina Jolie when she told me about Tinder and how she had met a couple of really nice boys on it. She gently suggested that such a huge part of my life was centered around social media anyway, and that there’s no reason my love life couldn’t be controlled through my phone. This concept appealed to me. She knew how to push my buttons (or double tap my screen, since it was 2013).

A few days later, I found a funny, goofy picture of a really cute guy in glasses with a heart drawn on his neck in permanent marker, and a very drunk photo-bomber in the background. I liked that it was an unconventional choice for a profile picture and thought that must mean he had a good sense of humour, so I immediately swiped right, only to discover that he had, too! It was a match!

We began talking and realized we had a very similar sense of humour and were texting incessantly, non-stop, back and forth till 4am every night for a week. When I was convinced he wasn’t a psycho killer and was actually funny, smart, sweet and responsible (bonus points that he loved dogs as much as I did!), we decided to meet up for a drink at the hotel he was staying at whilst in Bombay.

We had a wonderful first date, having talked about our families, friends and where and how we grew up. There wasn’t a single awkward silence and it felt so amazing that we made plans to meet up the next night after work, too.

We had the most amazing second date! I took him to my favourite restaurant for sangria and fondue. He held my hand across the table and it was absolutely electric! I had never felt anything like it before! We then went dancing and I fell even harder for his super geeky dance moves – the Lawn Mower and the Shopping Cart (which we now do together at social events after a couple of drinks)!

It felt so right that we threw caution to the wind and decided to meet the next night after work again, and the rest is history. We saw each other everyday for four weeks during his business trip and we went on photography dates and to little restaurants and bars all over the city. As luck would have it, work required him to stay for another three weeks, giving us ample time to decide that whatever this was, it felt right and was worth persuing. Something about this felt different, like it was somehow meant to be.

When he left, I was miserable. But we were both so strong in our resolve to make long distance work, that we made it through out first two and a half months of long distance. He then visited again in February to spend Valentine’s Day with me. I then made a trip in June with my mum to meet his family and he popped the question on the 7th of July on London’s iconic Millennium Bridge. It was the most beautiful, magical night of our lives!

A few months on, we have been granted our visa for me to move over and for our life together to officially begin. We’re getting married in January, have just gotten a house to call our very own and are planning a new addition to our little family. Don’t worry, it’s only a dog!

I am so thankful for all our good luck and the support we have received from everybody around us, and to the lovely people at Jealous21 for encouraging me to be brave, tell everyone else to #ButtOut and share my story! I can’t wait to keep you updated on this brand new journey. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts on Tinder, online dating or love in general, talk to me about it in the comments below.

Photography: Mehi Shah

Newspaper Article: Snigdha Ahuja for the Hindustan Times (HT Cafe Delhi | November 22, 2014)

A Little {Orange Surprise}

anushka — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 12:43:13 +0000

Being a bride-to-be is an incomparably special time. And while I shamelessly admit to enjoying every second of my friends ooh-ing and aah-ing over my ring, feeling like a princess at every wedding dress fitting and having my family actually offer to buy me presents, my excitement was elevated to a whole other level when a bright orange bag, a signature of only Hermès was delivered to my home last week.

To be honest, it couldn’t have come at a better time as we were in the process of making some pretty big decisions about the wedding that week, and I needed a little pick-me-up to relieve the stress.

I slowly untied the brown Hermès ribbon holding the two bag handles together, and dove for the little white envelope accompanying a happy orange box, just waiting to be opened.

Sealed within the envelope was a card with a little bird on it, addressed to me from Ashita, head of communications at Hermès. It read, “Dear Anushka, Congratulations on your engagement and your upcoming nuptials. We look forward to the international travels of Bombay Bubble!”

If that wasn’t sweet enough, I finally opened up the box to reveal four chevron striped drawstring bags, concealing four fragrances from their ‘Hermèssence’ range.

Poivre Samarcnade’ being a fiery pepper softened by smooth wood which was vibrant, tender and intriguing.

Ambre Narguilè was the honey of amber combined with oriental swirls which was sensual and enveloping.

Iris Ukiyoè (my favourite) was a lively and delicate interpretation of unsuspected iris flower scents and was nuanced, vivacious and unsuspected.

And the last one, Paprika Basil, had the ravishing power of Paprika and brasil wood, softened by iris, and was ardent, disarming and seductive.

I plan to spray these on my pulse points – on my wrists, behind my ears and behind my knees whenever I have another stressful week or need an extra dose of heaven to help get me through the day. These relaxing, sensual fragrances and a read through the A/W ’14 edition of the Hermès magazine, Le Monde D’Hermès was just the kind of downtime I needed to regroup, recover and regain fighting form for all the planning ahead!

Thank you so much, Ashita and team Hermès for spoiling me with this wonderful gift!

{Sanctuary} in the City

anushka — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 07:21:24 +0000

The wedding planning hasn’t even officially begun yet, and I already feel like I’ve reached breaking point. Who knew guest lists, party favours, flowers and dress fittings could take such a toll? Pinterest says these are supposed to be the fun parts of the process, and as happy as I feel, when I look in the mirror, stress, lack of sleep and unhealthy eating patterns have me lacking my bridal glow.

Luckily, when L’Occitane called and asked me to come visit their spa in Lower Parel, ‘Spa La Vie’, I managed to clear an afternoon for some much needed R and R. Who knows? These quiet, blissful moments may be the last bout of tranquility and me-time I get for the next couple of months.

L’Occitane’s reputation precedes itself, of course, so I knew I was in for a wonderful day. But when I walked through those glass doors, slipped off my sparkly flats and stepped into a pair of the spa’s bamboo slippers, I never wanted to leave!

I was personally greeted by the spa manager who offered me a detoxifying honey, ginger, lime and holy basil tea while I filled out a little form, letting them know of my health conditions, lifestyle choices, pressure preferences and body zones that needed working on, so that they could provide the ultimate customized experience.

Shortly after, he led me on a guided tour of the exquisitely decorated 8000sq ft spa, with boasted a mani/pedi section, a special section reserved for sparties, bridal and baby showers, luxurious couple rooms and spacious single rooms, fitted with in-built tubs and saunas. My room was tastefully furbished with candle votives, fresh flowers, soothing artwork and the special oils selected for my massage. I was presented with a bath robe, shower cap and disposables to wear by the senior spa technician, Manju, who was absolutely wonderful throughout my visit.

After adjusting the room temperature to my preference, prepping me with a relaxing foot soak in Lavender foaming gel and spritzing the massage table pillow with fragrance, she announced that she was ready to begin. The first procedure lasted 60mins and was a relaxing aromalogical massage using lavender, tea tree and germanium oil, the mixture of which smelled absolutely heavenly! The massage used Swedish, Chinese and Belanise acupressure techniques, where she worked on my legs, upper back and shoulders using firm but gentle pressure, like I had requested in the form I filled.

Once we were finished, we made our way to the Hammam room for an exciting new massage I couldn’t wait to try! I was told to spend some time detoxifying in the room’s private sauna (I never wanted to get out of there!) before Manju led me over to a warm marble massage table under five shower nozzles.

Hammam means shower and is a Turkish massage conducted on a warmed bed, while you lay under what felt like warm rain drops that fell from the heavens and washed away all your stress, anxiety and muscle tension. This massage was a lot lighter on the touch than the previous one and was carried out with Lavender foaming gel.

Once the treatment was finished, I had the choice of taking a regular shower, using L’Occitane’s shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. They were also kind enough to grant me a blow dryer so I wouldn’t walk out soggy.

On my way out, I filled in a feedback form and was more than happy to give them a five star rating on all accounts! Not once have I been to a spa that takes it’s customers’ every little need into account, and makes them feel like total VIP’s. The only point of improvement? It would be great if they had given us a little goodie bag with tiny samples of the products they used to keep as a memento. The only drawback? The location. It’s a little difficult to find so I’d suggest doing your research, opening Google maps and calling ahead for directions.

L’Occitane’s Spa La Vie has outlets all over India, which makes it the perfect spot for a bridal detox, couple’s massage, bridal or baby shower. Check out their brochure here. If you plan on visiting, make sure you follow them on Twitter or Facebook for updates on their latest treatments so you don’t miss out!