Inside Sanya Bimal and Hriday Chawla’s Deeply Personal Corbett Wedding

Some love stories simply take shape like they were always meant to be. Two people meeting and falling in love, as if their stars had aligned perfectly, and both complemented each other like missing pieces of each other. And Sanya Bimal and Hriday Chawla’s story is exactly that. What began as an innocent college friendship with a hidden spark grew into something deeper, spanning 11 years and countries from India to Hong Kong to Germany.

The couple had first met on the very first day of law school back in 2014. “We sat two desks apart, before our very first lecture, and almost instantly knew that there was a spark like never before. What we didn’t know that fateful morning was that in the next 11 years, we would span countries, from India to Hong Kong to Germany.  Today, both of us are practising lawyers at international law firms in Munich, still carrying that same spark that flew 11 years ago in a classroom.”

Their first date was every bit as exciting as the beginning of a love story. It was easy and exciting. “Lots of smiles, nervous laughs, and that fluttery feeling you get when everything just clicks. We went home happy, a little giddy, and already hoping for a second date.”

The couple revealed that they knew almost immediately that they were the ones for each other. “There was an instant spark, which instead of fading, grew stronger and deeper with time.”

The couple reminisced that their favourite memory from their early days was their time in law school. “The trips we took together, studying together, partying together.”

One thing that makes a love story even more special is how a proposal happens. Sanya shares, “On the morning of 17 June 2024 (a date he chose because he feels the number 8 has brought him luck, since my birthday adds to 8), Hriday brought me to one of the most picturesque and lush rice terraces in Ubud, Bali, under the guise of a 'romantic breakfast'. In the early morning air, with the sun gently peeping through the palm trees, he went down on one knee and asked me to marry him. He had even gone to the extent of ensuring that the place remains private and free of tourists. With just us two, endless nature around them (and a surreptitiously hidden photographer), I said yes. Something in that air was magical. Two days later, Hriday had one more surprise. He flew in their closest friends and family to join us in Bali, knowing how much it meant to me to celebrate with the people I love most.”

Sanya said that their relationship was a perfect balance of friendship and love, full of laughter, mutual respect, constant support, and growing together while still having fun every step of the way. “We are each other's biggest cheerleaders.”

Talking about the most romantic thing the couple has done for each other, Sanya shared that it was the everyday care and thoughtfulness, rather than any one grand moment. “The small, consistent ways we show up for each other that feel most romantic to us. With that said, Hriday's proposal was so thoughtfully and romantically planned.” 

Everybody has big plans for their wedding, a vision that outlines the kind of atmosphere they want on their big day and for Sanya and Hriday, they were very clear from the start that their wedding needed to be deeply personal and a true reflection of who they are, not something driven by Instagram trends. “We envisioned an intimate celebration with our closest people, set in the middle of nature, which we both love. Every element had meaning and intention, and we reimagined many old rituals to reflect our beliefs and values. It was important for the day to feel authentic, soulful, and truly us.”

Talking about what influenced their wedding style and aesthetic, Sanya added, “Our deep love and respect for nature influenced our wedding style and aesthetic. We found perfect partners in DB and Spaces, who were our planners and designers. Dakshita, Manav, Eifa and their team brought our vision to fruition and, in fact, made it better.”

A venue is the foundation for any wedding plan. Sanya revealed how they chose theirs, “It was important for us to have our wedding in India so that our grandmothers could easily and conveniently be a part of our special days.”

“We tied the knot at Taj Corbett Resort & Spa. As a wildlife photography enthusiast, Corbett has always been a very special place to me; it's where I have always felt most still and calm,” shared Hriday. “The gorgeous property tucked away in nature along the Kosi River made it the ideal setting for our nuptials.”

Their outfits for their big day were well thought out. Sanya shared that she spent over a year working closely with designers to create custom looks for Haldi, Sangeet, and Wedding; pieces envisioned as sentimental keepsakes and heirloom couture, each designed to be one-of-one.

She shared that for their Welcome Dinner, the bride’s ensemble was custom-tailored by Sau Lee, a Hong Kong-based designer and the groom wore a bespoke double-breasted suit.

Their Haldi fits included a custom Itrh for the bride and Salil Bhatia for the groom. Meanwhile, the sangeet fits were custom Monisha Jaising for Sanya and a custom Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna for Hriday.

Their wedding ensembles had to stand out, so Sanya revealed her bridal outfit was a custom Tarun Tahiliani, while Hriday’s was a custom Seema Gujral.

For the reception, the bride wore a Tarun Tahiliani, and the groom donned a bespoke Suit supply.

Sanya pondered if there was a particular ceremony that was especially meaningful to them. “Every ceremony was thought through and special to us. We really cherish the Kosi Aarti, Invoking Nature’s Blessing. One of the most meaningful elements was the Kosi Aarti, a traditional ritual to honour the nature gods. Performed before the pheras, it created a serene moment of grounding and connection. Being in the heart of Corbett, surrounded by wilderness, made this ritual feel even more powerful and personal.”

She further added that they wanted their ceremonies to celebrate equality and partnership. “We intentionally chose not to include traditions such as bidaai or archaic vows, aligning the wedding with our personal values. Other rituals included me tying a black-bead bracelet on Hriday when he tied the mangalsutra, symbolising mutual protection and commitment. During the sindoor ritual, I placed a tilak on him, turning it into a shared act rather than a one-sided tradition.”

That was not all. The couple also wanted to honour and support the local community. “We donated sweaters and winter essentials to 150 students in the nearby village of Kumaon, an act that grounded the celebration in gratitude and social responsibility.”

She also revealed that their wedding was rooted in their culture, but they eliminated archaic traditions which did not resonate with them. “I am half Gujrati, so we had Dandiya for the Haldi. Hriday is Sindhi/Punjabi, so we had an intimate Chunni ceremony. Along with my own engagement ring, I wore the engagement ring of my mother, nani and dadi for the wedding to seek their blessings,” Sanya added.

Every wedding has moments that more often than not come as a surprise. While some of them might be planned, there are always those unplanned ones. Sanya shared, “We planned a few heartfelt surprises. Personal notes and moments for our closest people, spontaneous music and dancing, and little experiential touches that reflected our journey. Nothing over the top, just warm, joyful surprises that made the celebration feel intimate, fun, and unforgettable.”

She mentioned, “We had wedding photographs of all the married guests, which made everyone very emotional. We also had blessings from heaven with photographs of our grandparents who are watching out for us from heaven. And we had napkins in all events, which had small notes from our dating days.”

The couple also had their personal vows, which they described as beautiful, intimate, very emotional and deeply personal.

When asked if they would have done anything differently. Sanya shared, “Cliched as it may sound, but we genuinely feel that our wedding was perfect. Right from weather to guest list to dances to planning to decor to music and to hospitality, food and the entire experience. Big thanks to DB and Spaces, Taj Corbett, and the entire vendor team. Our guests even went for safaris and had great tiger sightings, which is rare. All in all, it was perfect.”

The couple, while concluding, advised the other couples, “Remain true to your vision. Keep it personal, intentional, and meaningful and most importantly, don’t let social media trends influence what should truly reflect you as a couple.”