They first crossed paths as strangers at a mutual friend’s celebration, hitting it off instantly. What began as a chance encounter, sparked a lifelong connection. Prarthnaa and Akhil Pruthi spent that entire first evening inseparable, laying the foundation for a bond that would soon span distances. For two years, they navigated a long-distance relationship between Mumbai and Delhi, both making time from their busy schedules—Akhil working in pharmaceuticals and Prarthnaa running a textile exports business.
Countless flights and a surprise proposal in Vienna, turned into their forever. Since the two share a love for the ocean, they chose the Baba Beach Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, for their three-day destination wedding. The functions were vibrant with a tropical Mehendi and a Desi Disco-Chique Sangeet—all inspired by their love for electronic music, ending with a sunrise after-party that finally ended at 6 am!
Prarthnaa and Akhil trace their romantic journey with Manifest, from the question he popped in Vienna to the totally fun wedding celebrations by the sea, with a few quiet moments together, reminding them of the deep love that brought them here.
Your love story actually begins at another wedding. What was that like, and when did you realise there was something special between you?
Prarthnaa: We met at a mutual friend’s wedding. Akhil saw me and came up to me, and we were pretty much inseparable from that moment onwards! There wasn’t really one particular moment when we realised something was special. It just felt right almost immediately. Everything was so easy and natural, and I think we both knew quite early on that this was something different.
Being in different cities, what kept the relationship strong across cities and distance?
Akhil: We were between Mumbai and Delhi for almost two years, which obviously came with its challenges. But I think the distance also made us really appreciate the time we had together. We were constantly travelling to see each other, talking about everything and finding ways to be involved in each other’s everyday lives. More than anything, I think what made it work was that we genuinely became best friends. Even when we weren’t physically together, we always felt like we were part of each other’s lives.
Tell us about the Rome and Vienna holiday that turned into a proposal. How did Akhil manage to keep it a secret?
Prarthnaa: The funniest part is that I genuinely had absolutely no idea! Akhil is usually terrible at keeping things from me, and I can almost always tell when he’s hiding something. But he was so incredibly casual about the entire trip that I didn’t suspect a thing.
We were holidaying in Rome and Vienna, and he surprised me with a proposal in Vienna, with the exact ring I’d always dreamed of. What made it even more surprising was that he’d previously convinced me that getting that particular ring wasn’t possible. So, I really wasn’t expecting it!
Billy Joel's Vienna has always been a song I loved, but after the proposal it took on a completely different meaning. There’s something so beautiful about the message of the song, about slowing down and enjoying where you are rather than constantly rushing towards what’s next.
Akhil, you chose Prarthnaa’s dream ring. What made that detail particularly meaningful?
Akhil: Prarthnaa was very particular about the ring she wanted, so I knew exactly what her dream ring looked like! I’d actually told her that getting that particular ring wasn’t possible, which worked out perfectly because she stopped expecting it. Being able to surprise her with the exact ring she had always wanted, especially when she had absolutely no idea a proposal was coming, made the whole moment even more special.
What made you both decide on Hua Hin, Thailand, for your wedding?
Prarthnaa: We both love the ocean and knew we wanted a destination wedding that felt like a holiday for everyone, rather than just a series of wedding functions.
Hua Hin had exactly the atmosphere we were looking for. We wanted our friends and family to be able to switch off, spend time together, and enjoy themselves. The idea was always to make the entire weekend feel like one big celebration rather than something overly formal.
Was there a particular moment at Baba Beach Club when you knew you’d found your wedding venue?
Akhil: I think it was more about how the place made us feel than any one particular moment. Baba Beach Club just felt so us. It had this wonderful, relaxed energy; the ocean was right there, and everything felt very natural.
The staff were also incredibly kind and welcoming, which made such a difference. We could immediately picture ourselves celebrating there with all our favourite people. It just felt right, and we knew we’d found our place.
You both share a love for the ocean. How did that influence wedding design, décor, and celebrations?
Prarthnaa: The ocean was such a big part of why we chose the venue, so we really wanted to embrace it rather than compete with it.
We wanted the décor to complement the surroundings and let the natural beauty of the place speak for itself. Whether it was the colorful Mehendi against the sea or the wedding ceremony with the ocean behind us, the setting became such an important part of the celebrations. I think being by the water also brought this lovely sense of ease to the entire weekend, which was exactly what we wanted.
How many days was the wedding spread over, and did it also make for a destination holiday or break for your family and friends?
Prarthnaa: Our wedding was spread across three days, and we really wanted it to feel like a holiday for everyone.
One of the nicest things about having a destination wedding was getting to spend so much uninterrupted time with our family and friends. It wasn’t just about the functions. It was the breakfasts together, bumping into people by the pool, the conversations between events, and all those little moments that you don’t necessarily plan for. I think those moments are what make destination weddings so special.
How would you describe the overall aesthetic of the wedding?
Prarthnaa: I think the best way to describe it would be colourful, playful, romantic, and a little unconventional.
We didn’t want every function to look or feel the same. Each celebration had its own personality, but everything was tied together by the setting and the overall feeling we wanted to create. We wanted it to be beautiful, of course, but more importantly, we wanted it to feel like us. Nothing too stiff or formal. Just a lot of colour, music, love, and people having a genuinely good time.
What was the Desi Disco-Chique Sangeet evening like?
Prarthnaa: We wanted the Sangeet to be all about dancing. No formalities, no unnecessary fuss, just us and our favourite people having the best time to kick off the wedding weekend!
Akhil and I both love electronic music and have travelled around the world attending music festivals, so we really wanted to bring a little of that energy into one of our wedding functions. The idea was to have something that felt like a proper party, where everyone could let loose, dance, and just enjoy themselves. It was the perfect way to start the celebrations.
Take us into the Tropical Mehendi function.
Prarthnaa: The Mehendi was actually my favourite function of the entire wedding! There was just so much love and joy in the air. The colourful décor against the backdrop of the ocean was absolutely beautiful, and the whole afternoon had this wonderfully happy, infectious energy.
We wanted it to be a little chaotic, in the best possible way, because isn’t that what family is? Everyone laughing, talking over each other, dancing, and just being together. It felt so full of life, and I think that’s exactly why I loved it so much.
The Haldi was designed as an intimate celebration bringing both families together. What are all the moments from it that stand out?
Prarthnaa: We wanted the Haldi to be really simple, intimate, and easy-going. After all the excitement of the previous functions, we thought it would be nice to have something a little more relaxed.
Of course, that didn’t last very long!
Akhil’s friends absolutely did not spare him, and things got chaotic very quickly, which was honestly the best part. We’d also kept pichkaris and water balloons for everyone to play with, so it turned into this really fun, carefree afternoon. It was exactly the kind of happy chaos we wanted, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Coming to the main wedding, what was it like getting married with the ocean as your backdrop?
Prarthnaa: What I remember most about the wedding isn’t actually the décor or even the ocean, as beautiful as it all was. It’s how I felt standing there with Akhil.
I remember being so incredibly present in that moment that I barely noticed all the guests around us. For those few moments, it really did feel like it was just the two of us.
There was this overwhelming feeling of happiness and excitement, knowing that our lives were about to change and change for the better. I think that’s the feeling I’ll always remember most.
Did you have a wedding after-party?
Akhil: Oh, we definitely did! And it was quite an insane one.
We partied until about 6 in the morning. One of our friends DJed and mixed music for us, which made it even more special because it felt so personal.
We both love music and dancing, so there was really no better way for us to end the wedding. Everyone was completely in the moment, and none of us wanted the night to end.
Looking back, what was your favourite moment each across the entire three-day celebration?
Prarthnaa: I think my favourite part of the entire wedding was actually something that happened away from all the celebrations.
Before the wedding, Akhil and I made a little promise to each other that we would spend 30 minutes alone together before and after every function.
Weddings can be so overwhelming, and it’s incredibly easy to get caught up in everything that’s happening around you. We wanted to make sure that, in the middle of all the excitement, we didn’t forget what the weekend was really about.
Those little moments together, just the two of us, talking about everything that had happened and taking it all in, ended up being some of my most treasured memories.
I think it was our way of reminding each other that, beyond the celebrations, the clothes, the décor, and everything else, the most important thing was that we were getting to marry each other.