This Modern Muslim Wedding Broke Every Rule With Community Table Vows and Champagne Toasts

Weddings have always been about honouring age-old traditions, be it playful rituals or long-standing customary traditions that have their roots deep in our history, but as time evolves, couples have begun reimagining their weddings and inventing their own traditions. And it was the same for Akhil and Yasmin.

Their wedding wasn’t just a huge list of boxes to be ticked or a script that they had to follow. It was about celebrating their love and creating moments that felt like them and their relationship-fun, fearless and unapologetically modern.

Not A Love At First Sight Story

Hosted at Magnolia by Jade, their wedding unfolded under a lush monsoon sky, with fairylights twinkling alongside disco balls as the two exchanged their vows across one long table. Champagne toasts filled the air on the wedding day. Captured in intimate frames by 1Plus1 Studio, it became a love story for the books.

Theirs wasn’t a “love at first sight” story but one that was rather real and simpler as they met in the backseat of their office cab for the first time. Yasmin had just joined the team, and Akhil had greeted her with a sleepy, casual “hey” at first. “I had just come back from a holiday, jumped in, and there was Yas, quietly sitting in the back. I gave her a casual ‘Hey,’ because that’s the full extent of my charm at 8 AM. Later, I found out she was new to the team and, thanks to us living close by, we became cabmates.” Akhil revealed.

It was all group lunches and office banter initially but during a quiet Diwali week when everyone had gone home and the office had emptied, they found themselves alone and spending more time together-working side by side, sharing lunches, and rides home. “Somewhere in between all that, the vibe shifted.”

But the moment Akhil realised that Yasmin was the person for him was in the middle of a cab ride one night. “I was joking about being a vampire because of how cold my hands are. Without thinking, I put my palm on her face to prove it. For a brief second, we just looked at each other, and it felt like the world had paused. That’s when I knew,” Akhil recalled how he realised that Yasmin and he shared something special.

Romantic Gestures That Will Stay Forever

Yasmin recalled the most romantic gesture that held her heart. It wasn’t flowers or candlelight but the vows she had written on the morning of their wedding. “Before the wedding, we were constantly surrounded by friends, dance practices, and late-night hangouts, basically zero ‘quiet time’” she remembered the hectic schedule the two of them had before the wedding. “It felt like my whole journey with him, our first meeting, the laughter, the fights we thought were the end of the world, and the decisions that shaped our lives were flashing in front of me like a highlight reel. So I poured it all into a vow: a thank-you for six beautiful years, a promise that we’re a family now, and a funny little pact that in 30 years we’ll “recreate our wedding” just to embarrass our kids. Looking back, that vow is probably the most romantic thing I’ve ever done for him, equal parts heartfelt and slightly mischievous, just like our story,” she reiterated, while Akhil's romance has always been in the little gestures.

But one moment that stood out for him was when, on Yasmin’s birthday trip to Kerala, he played her favourite song on the keyboard for her in a quiet farmhouse. “I’d secretly been learning her favourite song on the keyboard, which was tricky since we live together, I had to practice without her noticing. Somehow, I managed to sneak the keyboard into the car, hide it under our luggage, and keep it a surprise until the big day. On her birthday, in a quiet farmhouse surrounded by greenery, I pulled it out and played the song for her. The look on her face made all those sneaky late-night practice sessions worth it,” he revealed.

Not Just One But A Thousand Proposals

Their engagement wasn’t a cinematic proposal or orchestrated surprise. It was a reflection of the years that they had spent together and the moments they had shared. “We’d been living together for over five years, and somewhere between surviving lockdowns, cooking questionable meals, and travelling across countries, we both just knew,” the couple shared.

“In a way, every trip we took together was like a mini-proposal. Whether it was snorkelling in the Maldives or Hiking Volcanoes in Java, each of those moments was us saying, without the words, ‘Yep, you’re my person.’So instead of a single proposal, we had hundreds of tiny ones woven into our everyday life. We skipped the grand gesture and went straight to the good part: planning the wedding.”

By the time the couple told their families, their relationship had become common knowledge to them. “There was no big surprise announcement because by then, we were already so close with each other’s families. From going on trips together to spending weekends at each other’s homes, it honestly felt like we’d become one big, blended family long before the wedding was on the horizon.”

So, the official announcement of their wedding did not come as a shock to their families but more like a relief. “It was more like, ‘Finally! We were wondering when you’d make it official.”

When asked if there were any cultural clashes at their weddings, they shared that it wasn’t so much a cultural clash as it was a vibe clash. “Yas wanted warm, glowing fairy lights, lanterns, soft golden hues blending into the trees. I, on the other hand, had visions of disco balls, neon shimmer, and a dance floor straight out of a retro club. After a few rounds of playful debates (and some dramatic Pinterest boards), we did the obvious thing. We fused them both. The result? A ‘disco fairy glow in the garden’ that feels perfect to us.” Akhil revealed that the couple reiterated that they always wanted something playful and relaxed.

“When we first started planning, we knew we didn’t want a very formal, traditional wedding. What we really dreamed of was an intimate celebration with our closest friends on a day that felt relaxed, fun, and full of laughter. We always imagined it during the monsoon, when everything is lush green, the air is fresh with a soft breeze, and the evenings turn magical with warm lights.”

A Relaxed Wedding Amidst Nature

The couple shared that they wanted a wedding with no rush or complaints or any kind of strict rules but only laughter and pure joy. “We wanted our first dance to be playful and filled with joy, followed by lots of dancing, stories, and spontaneous moments. The whole idea was to keep it informal and just go with the flow, while creating a romantic story we could one day tell our kids that weddings can be celebrated in a simple, beautiful, love-filled way, too. More than anything, we envisioned it as a chance to celebrate the six years we’ve shared and to cheer for all the years ahead.”

However, talking about their dance and dance rehearsal, Akhil went on to reveal a little incident that created a little panic during the dance rehearsals on the day of the wedding with the couple’s best friends. “We realised the group had suddenly disappeared. Panic set in, only to discover them happily playing cricket in a nearby field while we were stressing about hair, outfits, and timing. Yas’s reaction was priceless-equal parts furious choreographer and big sister rounding up her kids. Safe to say, we got everyone back in line eventually.”

The couple also shared that the wedding venue, Magnolia by Jade, was an instant favourite because it felt like the perfect canvas for the wedding that they had envisioned, with an open sky, lush greenery and a space that felt alive to create the ideal environment. “The wide, open lawn gave us the freedom to turn our wedding into more than just a ceremony; it became a playground. We imagined dancing under a blanket of stars, playing games on the grass with our friends, and eventually ending the night by jumping into the pool together.” 

“Our wedding aesthetic was the 90s prom glow in a midnight garden with neon lights, mirror-ball sparkle and lush greenery,” the couple further added as they shared what inspired their wedding aesthetic. “We’re fusing the nostalgia of a classic ’90s prom: neon signage, checkerboard floor, shimmering disco balls, with our love of open, leafy spaces. The theme blends two things that define us as a couple: our love of dancing until the DJ’s last track and our need to be surrounded by nature’s calm.”

Ruby Red Wedding Aesthetic

They had centred their wedding around rich ruby red to match the venue’s natural greens and the silver of the disco balls. The dress code for the guests was black with the red popping out like fire. “Red is the universal colour of passion and commitment, so wearing it feels like wrapping the day itself in a love letter.”

Talking about their wedding outfits, Akhil stated that he wanted something bold, sophisticated and a little bit daring. “The moment I saw Damson Idris at the 2025 Met Gala in that full red suit with flared trousers, I knew that was the vibe. It was unapologetically confident, and I thought, ‘That’s exactly how I want to feel on my wedding day’. I went the bespoke route to get it right, down to the flare, the deep shade of red, and the sharp tailoring. Thankfully, it came out exactly as I imagined: a statement piece that still felt timeless.” While Yasmin, a little nervous about trying red for the first time, had no clue where to start. 

“The funniest part was the fabric hunt. Akhil and I spent an entire week bitterly roaming Commercial Street. At one point, he was literally draping every shade of red fabric over himself like a saree seller, just to see which one matched my skin tone. That was our version of haute couture research!” The only idea that Yasmin had in mind for her wedding dress was that the dress must have a slit. “That was my only non-negotiable. From there, I turned to my unlikely designer ChatGPT. I threw in all my half-baked ideas, shared my picture with height and weight, and it generated sample images like a virtual fashion show. I picked the one I liked most, and that’s how my dress was born. Honestly, it was equal parts technology, trial-and-error, and Akhil playing dress-up in the middle of the street,” Yasmin recalled.

Unique ensembles would always have unique elements that would make it to the bride and groom’s favourites list, and it was the same for Akhil and Yasmin. “What I loved most about my suit were the flared trousers. They gave the whole look a bold, retro edge while still feeling sharp and modern. It was that one detail that made the outfit feel completely mine. Confident, stylish, and ready for the dance floor,” Akhil shared as Yasmin rounded back to the slit that she loved the most in her wedding ensemble. “That's where the whole idea started! And honestly, what made it special was the story behind it: roaming Commercial Street with Akhil, his funny fabric trials, and even ChatGPT helping me design. It wasn’t just a dress; it was a memory.”

A Stand-Out Moment

A wedding is an unforgettable experience for every couple, but even during the ceremonies, there are moments that make for the core memories for the bride and groom and Akhil and Yasmin shared that there were two such moments during their wedding functions as well, that stood out above everything else. “The first was our dance. We had practised it so many times in the weeks leading up to the wedding, laughing through missed steps and dramatic spins. So, when the music finally played and we moved together to one of our favourite songs, it felt effortless, like the rehearsal had melted away and it was just us, completely in sync. It was magical,” they shared. 

“The 2nd moment that stays etched in our hearts came after all the noise had quieted. Most of the guests had left, the music had faded, and a soft drizzle started falling. Under the stars, we sat by the pool sharing a quiet dinner, just the two of us. It felt like a huge weight had lifted, like we’d just accomplished something awesome together. Then, almost instinctively, we slipped into the pool in our wedding outfits, laughing and holding on to each other. It was pure magic, our private little exhale after a day full of energy and love.”

While the entire wedding had taken place exactly how the two had planned, when asked if there was something they would have done differently, they shared that they would have booked the venue for one more day, just to hang out with their friends. “The wedding party went by at lightning speed, and some of our friends had travelled such long distances. We barely got to sit down, hear all the funny stories, and catch up on the little scandals that happened behind the scenes!”

“The best advice we can give is to figure out what you, as a couple, really want for your wedding. Whether that’s having toasts, trying something unconventional, or keeping things super simple. Don’t get too lost in what’s ‘supposed to happen. And most importantly, remember to have fun,” the couple advised other couples that even though it is easy to forget to have fun in the middle of schedules and checklists, it is the most important part of your wedding day. “If you let yourself enjoy the day with your people, it’ll turn into the most legendary night you’ll never forget”

1Plus1 Studio and The Modern Muslim Wedding

For Manvi Gandotra, Founder of 1Plus1 Studio, Akhil and Yasmin’s wedding was all about holding space for contrast between bold aesthetics and soft emotions, between high fashion styling and unfiltered intimacy. “They were the only ones in striking ruby red, while every guest arrived dressed in black. That contrast gave us a strong visual foundation. We used a lot of negative space, directional light, reflections, and symmetry to bring out that drama but always made sure it never overpowered the warmth.” 

What stood out the most at the wedding for Manvi was how effortlessly the couple had brought their individual personalities into every detail of the wedding. “Nothing felt borrowed or performative. It was all them. From their fun activities to the dance, they pulled the entire room into their world. Their aesthetic choices were bold and fashion-forward, but not ever-styled, and that is what we tried to capture. Not just what they looked like but what it felt like to be a part of their world.”