This Dubai-Based Couple Met at a Wedding and Years Later Created Their Own in Azerbaijan

Pritika Kalra and Gautam Laungani first crossed paths in 2022 while working at a wedding. While our newly-minted bride was managing the artists, her now husband was behind the DJ console at the wedding. What began as a professional interaction soon grew into a friendship built on shared values, a love for travel, music and bringing people together. Four years later, the duo, both professionals from the events industry, found themselves planning the biggest production of their lives: their own wedding.

Choosing the road less travelled, they became the first couple to host an Indian destination wedding at Pik Palace Shahdag in Azerbaijan.

Set against breathtaking mountain views, the celebrations were all about immersive thoughtful guest experiences, heartfelt family traditions and a slew of unforgettable parties.

In conversation with Manifest, the newlyweds look back on their journey from colleagues to soulmates, the proposal that caught the bride completely by surprise, and the countless details that made their wedding one for the history books.

Manifest (M): How did your love story begin?

Pritika (P): We’ve known each other for about four years now. We actually met through work, as we’re both in the events industry. At the time, I was managing artists for a company producing a wedding, and Gautam was the DJ performing at the event. What started as a work interaction slowly turned into a friendship and, before we knew it, we were planning a wedding of our own.

M: What was your first date like?

P: Our first official date was at an Italian restaurant in Dubai. It was filled with endless giggles, shy moments, stolen glances, nervous hand holding and way too many cute photos. Looking back now, it was the beginning of something neither of us knew would become forever.

M: When did you realise you’d found ‘the one’?

Pritika & Gautam (G): It wasn’t an instant decision. The more we got to know each other, the more obvious it became that we shared the same outlook on life. Family has always been at the centre of everything for both of us, and we were raised with the same values—kindness, respect, loyalty and putting loved ones first. We also discovered how much we enjoyed the same things: travelling, hosting people, celebrating life, exploring different cultures and, of course, the occasional rave. More than anything, we realised we wanted to build the same kind of life together.

M: What’s one memory from your early days together that you’ll always cherish?

P & G: Attending EXIT Festival in Serbia. It was the first music festival for both of us, and experiencing it together with our closest friends made it incredibly special. Dancing to our favourite artists, exploring a new country and creating memories together perfectly captured who we are as a couple.

M: Tell us about the proposal.

P: Gautam managed to do the impossible, he completely surprised me. For months, he’d convinced me he wasn’t ready for marriage, while secretly planning the proposal for almost six months. My best friend Natalie was in on it too. I thought we were attending a Cartier sundowner iftaar, so I even rushed to buy a white dress the night before because I’d “forgotten” to plan an outfit.

Instead, Natalie took me to The Lana, sent me alone to the rooftop, and when the elevator doors opened, there he was waiting for me against the Dubai skyline at sunset.

I don’t remember much after that except walking towards him with the biggest smile and thinking, this is the easiest yes I’ll ever say.

M: How would you describe your relationship?

P: We’re best friends before anything else. I’m the planner who’s always thinking five steps ahead, while Gautam is spontaneous and somehow always finds a way to make me laugh. We challenge each other, support each other and, no matter how stressful life gets, we always end up laughing through it together.

M: What kind of wedding did you envision?

P & G: We always wanted an intimate wedding. Rather than simply hosting a celebration, we wanted to create an unforgettable experience where every guest felt like they were part of something special. 

M: What was the biggest challenge while planning?

P & G: Since ours was the first Indian destination wedding in Shahdag, there was no blueprint to follow. We flew in over 60 vendors from different countries while dealing with geopolitical uncertainty, flight cancellations and logistical challenges. Even sourcing authentic Indian ingredients required months of planning. Looking back, every obstacle pushed us to think creatively and made the final experience even more rewarding.

M: How involved were you in planning?

P & G: Completely. We handled everything from multiple site visits and vendor meetings to layouts, concepts, entertainment and guest experiences. By the time our planners came on board, almost every creative decision had already been made.

M: What inspired your wedding aesthetic?

P: Endless moodboards, global design inspiration and months of research. Most importantly, we wanted to enhance Shahdag’s natural beauty rather than overpower it. We wanted the wedding to feel elegant, immersive and timeless.

M: Why Azerbaijan?

P & G: We had two choices—follow the blueprint of destinations where hundreds of Indian weddings had already taken place or create something completely new. Shahdag immediately stole our hearts with its mountains, cooler weather and untouched beauty. The fact that it had never hosted an Indian destination wedding only made it more exciting.

M: Tell us about your wedding wardrobe.

P & G: Fashion was a huge part of expressing our personalities. We consciously avoided conventional choices, experimenting with unique silhouettes, unexpected colours and textures that reflected each celebration rather than simply following trends.

M: Which ceremony was the most meaningful?

P & G: Our Welcome Dinner. It introduced everyone to Azerbaijan through local culture, food and entertainment before unexpectedly turning into a Boiler Room-style after-party that lasted long into the night. It set the tone for the entire weekend.

M: Your wedding was filled with personalised details. Tell us about them.

P: If there was an opportunity to personalise something, we probably did! From custom UNO cards, welcome newsletters and hangover kits to bespoke perfumes, room drops, popcorn tubs and witty signage, almost everything our guests interacted with carried a personal touch. We wanted every detail to make people smile.

M: Were family traditions important to you?

P & G: Absolutely. Gautam’s Ghari Pooja and my Choora ceremony were deeply emotional moments. While we loved creating modern experiences, these rituals reminded us what the celebrations were truly about—family, heritage and blessings.

M: Were there any unexpected moments?

P: Definitely our Mehendi wake-up call! After everyone partied a little too hard at the Welcome Dinner, Gautam and I marched through the hotel with dhol players, a megaphone and bartenders carrying celebratory shots to wake everyone up. It became one of the funniest memories of the weekend.

M: What went through your mind when you saw each other at the altar?

P: The only thought I had was, we actually made it. There were moments when we genuinely didn’t know whether the wedding would happen because of the uncertainty in the region. So when I finally saw Gautam waiting for me, every challenge suddenly felt worth it. Then it started drizzling just as I walked down the aisle, and instead of worrying, I smiled. It felt like a blessing.

M: What’s your favourite memory from the wedding day?

P: During our pheras, it started raining. I worried everyone would leave, but Gautam simply asked me to turn around. Every single guest stayed seated under umbrellas and towels, smiling through the rain. We’ve never felt so loved.

M: What advice would you give couples planning their wedding?

P & G: Focus on creating experiences that genuinely reflect who you are rather than simply following trends. At the end of the day, people won’t remember every detail—they’ll remember how your wedding made them feel.

M: What are you looking forward to most in married life?

P & G: Travelling the world, building a family, supporting each other’s dreams and, most importantly, never losing the friendship that brought us here. If we can still laugh together years from now the way we do today, we’ll know we’ve done something right.