From Behind The Lens To Centre Stage: Vishal And Nikki’s Wedding Ceremony

After capturing countless iconic moments for couples over the years with his camera lens, Vishal Punjabi (of The Wedding Filmer) has found his Happy Ever After with fiancée Nikki. The two got married in an intimate new age and non-religious ceremony in London’s Marylebone Townhall with about 20 of their closest friends and family members in attendance.

One cannot imagine Indian weddings without immediately thinking about The Wedding Filmer. Whether it’s the sequence from Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (2013) that launched a thousand Pinterest boards or it’s the now-viral video from Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra’s wedding set to a happier version of the song ‘Ranjha’ from their movie Shershaah (2021), it all goes back to The Wedding Filmer and the genius behind the lens Vishal Punjabi. So it’s only fitting that his love story, too, ends up being something that seems straight out of a Karan Johar movie.

The wedding videographer met his dentist wife at her sister's wedding, which he was tasked with filming. "It felt like every energy and force in the universe was bringing us together,” recalls Vishal, “The first time I saw her, I was trying to park a car, and she came over to help me. Parking in London is always a challenge for me, and at that moment, a breeze blew, and ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ was playing on Sunshine Radio. It was pure magic. A few hours later, I found myself feeding her parathas because she had mehndi on her hands, and her sisters, playing the perfect wingmen, helping us connect. It truly felt like a scene from a movie.”

He describes the moment he knew Nikki was The One saying, “It was during the wedding when I was taking a photograph of her with her family. As I looked through the lens, I found myself smiling and feeling deeply emotional. I could see myself within that family, feeling like I fit in perfectly, like I was home, and that I truly belonged. This feeling only grew stronger over time as we worked on our relationship. We both made efforts to nurture our bond and seeing her commitment and dedication made me realize that she was indeed The One.”

Post the couple’s intimate London wedding ceremony, the party moved to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel where they held a reception for their loved ones and hosted the cake-cutting ceremony.

On his favourite part of the entire day, Vishal says, “The favourite part about my wedding is hard to describe because I loved every part of that day. But I got really emotional when she walked in."

"I've seen many, many brides walk in over my time, but never would I imagine something so beautiful could happen to me. She took my breath away when she walked in, and I couldn't hold back the tears—they were of pure joy. It's a very rare and profound feeling, and I finally understand what every groom goes through when he sees his bride walk in. It was a moment that I will cherish forever.”

While Vishal has been instrumental in capturing the memorable moments of many couples over the years, being on the other side of the lens this time around was an experience rooted in his trust and belief in Team Wedding Filmer.

“It was important to both of us that I didn't feel like I was at work,” he says, “I trusted my crew completely and let them decide how to film it. They are wonderful people, and I surrounded myself with those I love. Our photographer, Rahul Khona, was amazing and made us feel at ease without making us pose. My best man and cinematographer, Raj, and the rest of the crew had my back, making everything work out perfectly.”

While the couple has planned another ceremony in a few months to follow Indian rituals and customs, Vishal cannot wait to start their life together, “Now, I'm looking forward to choosing her every day, building a life together, and shuffling between London and Mumbai to create two homes. I've also discovered that now that I'm romantically complete, both of us can focus all our energy on creating a beautiful world for each other.”

We’re not crying, you are!

Image credits: The Wedding Filmer