Sustainable Wedding, Pratha and Sushant, Mumbai | February 2020
She doesn't like eating veggies but wants pasta with all possible vegetables, my first memory of meeting with our bride Pratha. I clearly remember the pasta because it tells you the type of person she is. If something is right or should be done, she will go an extra mile for it! Also, this was what this wedding stood for- " At least do the least bit you can. If you look around you will get an alternative that is healthier, sustainable and has less carbon footprint. You gotta start somewhere!". Pratha herself is from the photography industry so we both have a clearer idea of how important the wedding day is for a couple, they want everything to be pitch perfect because that is THE DAY. But Pratha and Sushant were very clear on their idea of celebration, their #sushikaparatha had to be a green, eco-friendly sustainable wedding. Their decor had more of greens and all of which will later go for manure, plastic bottles replaced with glass bottles. Clothes for the wedding were stitched for increased sustainability. There were strict instructions of no single-use-plastic to be part of anything remotely related to the wedding.
Day 1 started with a Greh-Shanti pooja at Pratha and Sushant's new home. It started with house-warming pooja followed by Haldi, next in line was Mehendi. Pratha has two dogs who were the highlight of the day and easily stole the show!
The next day was Sangeet at Gallops, Mahalaxmi where both their families just danced their heart out. There were a few performances and some impromptu dancing. The amount of effort that was taken at every step to make it a green wedding was evident in small ways like with small placards placed on tables with messages about the why/how/what about environment or like replacing single-use cups with a reusable one.
And then the wedding day arrived. Sushant was getting ready at MIG Club and Pratha was all gearing up in MCA Lawns which was also the venue. They chose this venue because all the decor could later be used as a manure was an option at this place. These two had their priorities very clear since the very beginning and it is commendable!
After all the wedding chaos now was the time for booze and party, their cocktail was at Taj, Santacruz. Theirs was a romance that blossomed in the office so how this 'sushi on thali' and 'flying paratha' became #sushikaparatha was revealed by Sushant's boss in his toast to this couple.
Going back to day one when I met both of them, after a few initial conversations about this wedding we swiftly moved to photography discussions which ended with having a beer with Pratha's friends. There is an innate pressure when you are covering a photographer's wedding but we were glad as we got full freedom to experiment. Also, we built a very organic friendship out of this wedding. Thank you Pratha and Sushant for believing in us and all love from Gaatha to you both!
