Inside Akanksha and Krunal’s Love Story, Written by Fate and Celebrated Across Continents

In an era when love stories are written on dating apps and weddings are like concoctions, made best to fit tastes, with just the right blend of perfection and imperfections of both the partners, placed together to fit each other like missing pieces, Akanksha Bakshi and Krunal Pardiwala’s love story wasn’t a match made with astrological mathematics but one built over time. And fate played just the kind of cupid that the two needed. “I have always been a big believer in manifestation and in the idea that the universe has a way of aligning things when the time is right. Somewhere in my mind I had always envisioned the kind of partner and relationship I hoped for in my life. And then quite literally one day Krunal appeared in my life almost out of nowhere through mutual friends,” says Akanksha

What began as a simple introduction between the two, was quick to turn into long conversations and an ease that felt incredibly natural. “There was a sense of familiarity between us from the start. Looking back now, it truly feels like something I had quietly manifested for myself had finally found its way to me,” Akanksha noted

Krunal added, “From the moment we started spending time together I realised Akansha was someone very special. She has this incredible combination of warmth, ambition and passion for everything she does. Very early on I remember thinking that life with her would never be ordinary, and that feeling only grew stronger with time.” 

All About Little Moments

Falling in love is always a special feeling but it is those little moments and that little care that makes a relationship feel truly special and for Akanksha and Krunal, it was those romantic things that made their relationship stronger. Akanksha recounted, “One of the most magical moments of my life was when Krunal surprised me with a promise ring in Finland at Santa Claus Village. It was a deep winter and everything around us was blanketed in snow. The entire setting felt like something straight out of a fairytale. Under the soft glow of the lights and the quiet of that snowy evening he gave me the ring. It was intimate, unexpected and incredibly special.” Meanwhile Krunal shared that Akansha once planned the most beautiful Valentine’s evening for them in Jaipur. “She organised a private dinner on top of a fort overlooking the entire city. Watching the lights of Jaipur stretch out below us while we had dinner together made it one of the most romantic evenings I can remember.” 

Reminiscing the proposal, Krunal expressed, “I wanted the proposal to feel memorable and meaningful, so I planned it in Santorini during sunset. We were on a terrace overlooking the caldera, known for having one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. As the sky turned shades of gold and pink and the sun dipped into the horizon, surrounded by a few of our closest family and friends, I asked Akansha to marry me. It was a moment I will never forget.” Akanksha added, “Santorini at sunset already feels surreal, but that evening was on another level entirely. As the sky turned into this incredible palette of colours, Krunal surprised me with the proposal. Having our closest family and friends there made it deeply emotional. It felt like time paused for a moment and everything simply fell into place.”

She further added, “Our mothers were quietly in the loop from early on and were incredibly supportive of the relationship. Our siblings also knew fairly early. For everyone else the news unfolded naturally over time as Krunal and I became more certain about each other.” 

The first step to planning a wedding is for the couple to choose the planners who understand their needs and requirements just right, without overdoing anything. Akanksha and Krunal shared, “Our wedding planners were YOLO and it was a wonderful experience working with them. Planning a celebration of this scale requires enormous coordination. And they really understood the vision we had for the celebrations and helped bring it to life beautifully.”

The Customs That Made It a Whole

A wedding is made special with all the customs and traditions that are part of it. And some of the traditions that excited Akanksha and Krunal were the ones that they created themselves. “One of the most meaningful moments was the white wedding ceremony we had by the beach at The St. Regis. The vows Krunal and I wrote for each other were deeply personal and left quite a few people teary eyed. The entire ceremony was something we curated with the people who mean the most to us. Our closest friends introduced our story, my cousin officiated the ceremony, my childhood friends stood beside me, and Krunal’s closest friends stood with him. Every element felt intimate and meaningful,” recalled Akanksha.

Krunal added “Writing our vows and sharing them with the people closest to us made the ceremony incredibly emotional. Having friends and family be such an integral part of the ceremony made the moment feel very authentic.” 

Akanksha further went on to share some of the funny moments that they encountered, “One of the funniest moments happened a few days before the wedding at The St. Regis in Cairo. I was running around with the team obsessing over every tiny detail, fireworks timing, music cues, lighting transitions. In the middle of all that chaos someone turned around and noticed Krunal sitting completely relaxed while getting a head massage. That moment pretty much sums up our personalities.” 

Often the kind of wedding that a couple has is very different from the one that they envision but that wasn’t the case for this couple. “From the beginning we knew we wanted something truly unique, not just a wedding but an experience. Travel has always been a big part of our story, so choosing a destination that felt historic and cinematic was important.,” Akanksha shared, adding, “Cairo immediately felt right. It is a place where history has been written for thousands of years and celebrating our story there felt incredibly special.” 

“We wanted every event to feel immersive and memorable. Egypt gave us the scale and atmosphere to create something truly special for everyone who came to celebrate with us,” Krunal added.

The Dream Venue

One question that often lingers when it comes to a wedding is how the couple chooses their venue, For Akanksha and Krunal Cairo was the venue that was an immediate decision. “Cairo already carries centuries of history and grandeur, so every backdrop felt extraordinary. What made the celebrations special for us was how personal we made the details,” revealed Akanksha, “The line embroidered on my veil read ‘When the universe was ready, it wrote to us,’ which felt deeply personal to our story. My kaleeras also carried symbols reflecting our journey together including our wedding date and a pyramid motif inspired by the location. Each celebration felt like a different chapter of our story.” 

Akanksha further revealed who influenced their wedding style and aesthetic. “We were fortunate to sit with our designers and collaborate closely on every look. For the night at the pyramids I envisioned a modern day Cleopatra. Amit Aggarwal beautifully translated that vision into a sculptural contemporary look inspired by ancient Egypt. Krunal’s outfit also carried a modern pharaonic influence that complemented the setting perfectly.”

One of the best parts about a wedding are the bridal ensembles that always make or break the moment, for a bride as well as the groom. And for Akanksha and Krunal every detail of their ensemble carried meaning. Akanksha shared, “My veil carried the line “When the universe was ready, it wrote to us,” and my kaleeras had symbols representing our journey together. Those small personal elements made the outfits incredibly special to me.”

Meanwhile Krunal’s favourite look was his white ensemble. “It was curated by some of my closest friends and had a very classic, elegant aesthetic that truly felt like me. There was something timeless about it that made it very special.” 

The Unforgettable Moments

Talking about the most unforgettable moment from their wedding, Akanksha recalled, “Our Sangeet at the Pyramids of Giza was surreal. We joked that we probably woke a few mummies up that night because the party was so lively. But one of the most emotional moments for me was when my brother surprised me with a performance on the first night.” 

 Krunal added, “Seeing all our closest friends and family gathered from around the world was incredibly emotional. Watching everyone celebrate together and share that moment with us meant a lot.”

A wedding is a grand event for everyone who is a part of it but it is a rather personal event for the couple who are tying the knot with each other and there are often moments that are known only to them that become an unforgettable memory for the two. Akansha shared, “Much of the magic happened quietly behind the scenes because we wanted our guests to simply arrive in Cairo and enjoy the experience. There were surprises in the rooms, laser shows, immersive entrances and dramatic tunnel pathways leading into our Ace of Love and King of Hearts celebration. But my favourite moments were the quiet ones before each event when Krunal and I would take a few minutes together to hype each other up before entering the celebration.”

When asked if there was anything the two would have done differently, the couple said, “Looking back, we would not change anything. Even the chaotic moments became part of the story. The night before the celebrations began we reminded ourselves that we had done everything we could and from that moment onward we simply decided to enjoy the experience.” 

But one thing that they made sure to advise to other couples who are looking to get married soon, “Wedding planning can become overwhelming with many opinions around you. The most important thing is to remember that this is your story and your journey together. Stay grounded in that and focus on the moments that truly matter.”

Akanksha and Krunal pondered the one thing that their big day taught them about each other, “Planning the wedding reinforced how strong we are as a team. It taught us how naturally we support each other through every phase and how important it is to keep building a strong foundation together.”