Inside pictures from the Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal’s wedding

Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal’s intimate wedding on January 24 in Alibaug served as a warm reminder that true love can flourish even in the times of a raging pandemic.

The usual trappings like a massive red carpet call featuring a galaxy of Bollywood stars and lavish dos were missing, but the loved-up bride and groom lit up the room with their happy smiles. To say that their wedding celebrations were a muted affair is an understatement, but the first Bollywood wedding of 2021 proved that taking the plunge can be a drama-free, yet fun affair. We go inside the wedding and share intimate details about Dhawan and Dalal’s special day …

The bride and groom chose off-white instead of the traditional red and gold: Is off-white the new red among brides? Dhawan and Dalal may nod to that because they chose off-white as their primary colour for their traditional wedding outfits. While their trousseau was ethnic, heavily-embellished and traditional, their choice of colour for their trousseau was an interesting one. Even the most fashion-forward Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, who’s known to take sartorial risks on the red carpet, trod cautiously on her wedding day as she stuck to wearing a traditional red-coloured lehenga, but Dalal and Dhawan seemed to be in an experimental mode.

There were hardly any gold stamps either. Zardosi work and stone embellishments were the mainstay. Keeping it simple and classy seems to be their collective credo. Dalal as a bride exuded a relaxed vibe. Her loose curls instead of a tight up do made her look less severe.

She also wore white choodas [stacked bangles worn by brides] instead of those red ones. According to reports, designer Manish Malhotra — who was also one of the 50 guests who attended the wedding — designed Dhawan’s embellished tunic, while Dalal put her formal degree in fashion designing to good use and designed her own wedding outfit.

The bride’s make-up: Celebrity make-up artiste Namrata Soni was on call to make the bride look her best on her wedding day. Just like her choice of off-white lehenga – which could have easily looked washed out – Dalal chose to keep her make-up minimal too. While her eye make-up was relatively elaborate, her lips and cheeks sported a natural look. A video, posted by Soni, where Dalal is in a meditative mood before she walks down the aisle for her Punjabi wedding is now doing the rounds. Soni, who has worked with all major Bollywood actresses, seems to have sworn by the less-is-more make-up look for the bride.

Diamonds were the bride’s best friend: Instead of traditional yellow gold jewellery, Dalal chose diamond-studded neckalce with a statement emerald locket to dress up her off-white lehenga. Her maang-tikka (jewellery adorned on the head) was also peppered generously with diamonds. While she sported jewels that could feed a village for a month, there was no denying that Dalal didn’t pile on too many pieces and therefore didn’t look garish.

Dhawan’s humour is still intact: It’s evident that Varun Dhawan was no jittery groom at flight risk. Proof? His steam stream of inside pictures shows a happy, blissful groom. A few hours ago, his offical photographer posted a playful picture of him shirtless with turmeric paste smeared on him. His haldi ceremony — which is one of the many rituals that precede an Indian marriage — seems to have been a colourful affair with Dhawan having the most fun at his own wedding. It’s not often that you see the couple painting the town red or yellow in this case. “Haldi done right,” was the caption as fans saw an inside picture from the celebrations.

Friends by his side: His mates, including actress Zoa Morani, were also seen sporting T-shirts that read ‘Team Seenu’, ‘Team Humpty’ and ‘Team Ragu’, a nod to all the characters played by the actor.

Dhawan and Dalal are already the darling of the local press: There’s no denying that actor Dhawan is one of the most charming stars of Bollywood. He has an amazing rapport with the press and when news trickled in that he distributed sweets and dinner packets to the journalists/paparazzi camped outside the resort, we knew that he had earned extra brownie points for being a thoughtful host.

Videos of the two making a grand entry for a photo opportunity are already doing the rounds and there’s a scene in which Dhawan playfully warns the photographers to take it easy with Dalal that has won our hearts. Unlike Dhawan, Dalal prefers to keep a low-profile and has always distanced herself from the media. In the video of the two posing together, Dhawan is seen holding her hands protectively, literally shepherding her as flashbulbs went off on them.

Their date with Bollywood stars on February 2? Their Punjabi wedding ceremony did not have many star sightings, but all that is likely to be remedied soon. According to reports, Dhawan and Dalal will host a grand reception in Mumbai on February 2. Invites have already been sent out to Bollywood A-listers including Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Anil Kapoor.

While the pandemic continues to be a reality, we hear that the stars are going to put their best fashion foot forward. We also hear that Shah Rukh Khan opened his villa in Alibaug to host a few guests at the wedding, making him as good as family.

Dhawan’s ode to Dalal: Dhawan did not just look dapper as a groom, but he proved that he has a way with words too. While releasing an official picture of the two getting married, Dhawan wrote: “Life long love just became official .” Bollywood folklore has it that the two attended school together, but began dating much later. Four rejections from his amorous advances later, Dhawan has now put a ring on her.

“I actually met Natasha in the 6th standard. We were friends till 11-12th. We were very close friends. I remember seeing her for the first time. We went to Maneckji Cooper. It was on the basketball court that I saw her and I fell in love with her that day. That was it! She rejected me 3-4 times, but I didn’t give up hope,” Dhawan told Kareena Kapoor Khan on her chat show ‘What Women Want’. True to his words, he lived to tell his happily-ever-after tale.

Wishes pour in for the new couple: Top Bollywood producer and director Karan Johar, who launched Dhawan in Bollywood with 2012 hit Student Of The Year, was one among the fifty guests. His bond with the groom was underlined when he posted a heart-warming message for the groom. Dhawan had also assisted Johar while filming ‘My Name Is Khan’ with Shah Rukh Khan in 2010.

“I am filled with a multitude of emotions and memories as I write this post! I still remember meeting this kid in Goa! Long hair, big dreams in his eyes and a swag that was waiting to explode on celluloid … Almost assuming the role of a parent … that feeling today came alive in abundance as I saw him walk with his loved one around the holy fire of trust and commitment … My boy is all grown up,” posted Johar. Other actors including Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kiara Advani, Kubbra Sait, Arjun Kapoor have all sent their congratulatory tweets to the couple.