The Bride Who Wove Heritage Into High Fashion
Two destinations, one love story, and a dazzling trousseau of natural diamonds that not only shone, but spoke of Aishwarya and Aalesh Avlani’s forever
Some love stories start with a swipe, others with a spark—and for Aishwarya and Aalesh Avlani, it was the latter. The couple’s journey began at someone else’s wedding, but little did they know they’d soon be planning their own. “We met at a wedding and spent the whole night laughing. It was electric,” recalls Aishwarya. However, like all great love stories, theirs wasn’t without its twists. “It felt like a magical connection, but at the time, neither of us was ready for a relationship.” A few months later, fate stepped in, and they bumped into each other again. “Six years later, here we are,” she laughs. And it’s clear from the glow in her voice that this love story is one for the ages.
From that first spark to six years of love and shared adventures, their relationship was built on quiet, profound moments: from weekend horse-riding lessons during the lockdown to the simple, meaningful routine of family dinners at her home. For Aishwarya, these moments weren’t ordinary—they were defining. “That’s when I knew he was my person,” she says, her voice soft with conviction.
Pinning Down the Perfect Vision
Aishwarya is no stranger to creating visuals that resonate. As the co-founder of a design and marketing agency and a content creator, her eye for detail and her love for storytelling shone through in every aspect of her wedding. The celebrations were split between the lush beaches of Phuket and the elegance of Mumbai, with each event encapsulating a unique vibe. And as a bride who wore multiple hats—designer, storyteller, and curator—Aishwarya found her perfect match in natural diamonds that mirrored her multifaceted style. They were as versatile as her wedding vision and as enduring as her love story, with their brilliance and rarity making them priceless for life’s most special moments.
In Phuket, the couple wanted to embrace an easy-breezy, fun aesthetic. Think wild tribal chic for the pool party and sparkle-studded sangeet celebrations. “For the pool party, I drew inspiration from Kareena Kapoor’s fierce energy in the movie Asoka—bold kajal, bralettes, and all. For the sangeet, it was all about the unexpected! While the norm called for twirling in a lehenga, I chose dancing the night out in six yards of glitz and glam instead,” says Aishwarya. The Mumbai functions, however, were where they wanted to lean into tradition and timeless elegance. “I wanted the contrasts to stand out,” she says. “Phuket was playful, Mumbai was rooted.” And this ethos became the cornerstone of her wedding planning—a delicate balance of creativity, heritage, and individuality.
And so, the wedding unfolded across two distinct locations, each with its own vibe, but with Aishwarya’s signature stamp on every detail. From Phuket’s breezy, sun-kissed shores to Mumbai’s dazzle, every detail, every outfit, and every piece of jewellery told a story. But beneath the surface of the aesthetics lay a deep, personal connection to heritage, love, and authenticity, with her natural diamonds becoming emotional markers of this most significant milestone. “They’re rare and meaningful, and they hold their beauty forever, making for perfect future heirlooms.”
How Natural Diamonds Became Her Style Muse
Some brides design a trousseau, others craft a narrative—and for Aishwarya, her wedding wardrobe wasn’t just a collection of outfits, but a story told through diamonds. Timeless yet trendy, cool yet rooted, her natural diamond pieces effortlessly flowed across her wedding’s distinct aesthetics, making just the case for why natural diamonds are the ultimate wardrobe staples. They’re classic enough to echo tradition, but versatile enough to feel current with every look.
Each piece she chose reflected her ability to balance heritage with haute couture. The Victorian diamond set she wore for her lagan lakhvanu wasn’t just an heirloom; it was a testament to diamonds’ timelessness. Made in the 1960s and passed down from her grandmother, the necklace’s intricate craftsmanship and vintage charm felt like a nod to eras past. Yet when paired with her outfit, it looked anything but dated. “That’s the thing about natural diamonds—they always stay relevant,” Aishwarya explains. “The necklace may have been my grandmother’s, but when I styled it with my lehenga, it felt fresh, almost bespoke.”
But Aishwarya wasn’t just leaning on natural diamonds for sentimentality; she was leveraging their styling potential. For her sangeet, she swapped the vintage allure of the Victorian necklace for the bold glamour of a diamond and ruby necklace. Paired with a champagne-hued Tarun Tahiliani sari, the look was a lesson in contemporary chic, proving how natural diamonds let you experiment without losing that sense of sophistication.
For her beach wedding, Aishwarya pared it back, but kept the drama in the details. A pair of shoulder-grazing diamond earrings and a sleek tennis bracelet complemented her minimalist mermaid-cut gown, adding just the right amount of sparkle to the understated silhouette. “Diamonds can do both—they can be the showstopper while staying simple,” she says. “That’s why they became my go-to styling tool—no matter the outfit or the occasion, they always felt right.”
For her pheras, Aishwarya opted for a pastel pink lehenga paired with a striking set crafted with Russian emeralds and Syndicate Polkis—an unpolished and uncut form of natural diamonds—from Popley Eternal by Mr Suraj Popley. “This look—subtle yet statement-making—made me feel like the bride,” she shares. Even the décor was seamlessly tied into the vision. “We designed the wedding décor to complement our outfits and jewellery,” explains Aishwarya. With cascading crystals, soft pink and white florals, and pops of green, all set under a chandelier-lit mandap, the setting became a poetic backdrop that enhanced the elegance of the moment.
What truly set natural diamonds apart for Aishwarya was their ability to unify every moment of her wedding journey. They weren’t just about looking good—they were about feeling connected. “Every piece had a purpose,” she reflects. The Victorian necklace was her something old, the sangeet jewels were her something sparkling, the beach wedding diamonds were her something personal, and the set she wore for pheras was her something special.
The Custom Touches That Set the Tone
The wedding was personal, full of nods to Aishwarya and Avlani’s shared history and passions. From the wildlife-inspired invites designed by her best friend (complete with tigers and butterflies) to the custom-made t-shirts for the baaraatis inspired by her now-husband’s favourite football team, every detail reflected their personalities. Even the bride’s beloved dog was part of the festivities, all decked up in a matching sunflower collar for the haldi event and a pink scarf for the pheras. These little moments weren’t just quirky touches—they were a reflection of the couple’s love, creativity, and shared sense of humour. “It was these little touches that made the wedding feel personal,” she explains. “I wanted our guests to walk away feeling like they’d experienced something unique, something that truly represented us.”
The Spark That Lives On
As a bride who seamlessly blended Pinterest inspiration with personal meaning, Aishwarya has one piece of advice for brides-to-be: “Go for the kind of sparkle that outlasts the after-party.” For her, this meant choosing natural diamonds—jewels that are endlessly versatile. “They’re like the little black dress of jewellery—always in style, always adaptable,” she quips. Her tip? “Find pieces that feel like an extension of you, ones you can pair with everything from a cocktail sari to a white wedding gown. If you can picture yourself rocking them at 30 and 60, you’ve nailed it.” When it comes to picking out future heirlooms, her advice is to “invest in at least one diamond set without any other stones—something classic and timeless, ensuring it can be passed down through generations.”
Each moment—be it wild or wistful—felt like a page out of her carefully curated vision, with natural diamonds shining as the ultimate storytellers. Because at the end of the day, a wedding isn’t just about what glitters—it’s about what lingers.
