From Friendship to Forever: Nitika and Sachin's love story and destiny

Nitika Sharma likes to joke that Sachin Pankhania spent years “hiding in plain sight.” She grew up in India and later moved to London, while he was a UK native with a knack for turning colleagues into friends. Eight years ago, work brought them into each other’s orbit and a quiet, easy friendship took root.

Sachin, though, always carried a quiet hope for something more. “I always hoped it might turn into something,” he admits. Years passed, until one day a message from him changed everything. The friendship shifted, almost imperceptibly, into love.

Friends to soulmates

When it came time to marry, the pair wanted a celebration that reflected that mix of destiny and effort, a day that felt as natural as the path that had brought them together. They chose Yas Links Golf Club in Abu Dhabi, a Mediterranean-inspired venue where the sea seems to fold into the sky.

“It felt like the perfect blend of beauty and serenity,” Nitika says. The couple worked with Ikigaii Planners, who helped turn the sprawling greens and calm waters into a scene of understated romance.

A simple, elegant mandap stood against the water, its drapes moving gently in the breeze. Fairy lights and candles cast a soft glow for the evening reception, turning the golf club into something out of a dream.

Nature, of course, had its own plans. “It was extra windy that day,” Nitika recalls, laughing. The gusts threatened the carefully designed setup, but Ikigaii’s team moved with quiet precision. “They worked tirelessly to make sure everything looked flawless,” she says.

By the time Nitika and Sachin walked into the mandap, any stress had melted away. “Seeing all our loved ones smiling back at us still makes us emotional,” Sachin says. “That moment is burned into our hearts.”

Celebration of character

Their wedding wardrobe carried the same balance of tradition and modern elegance. Nitika wore a detailed lehenga that felt both timeless and personal. Sachin chose a classic sherwani, the perfect complement to her look.

“We wanted the décor to be understated so the venue’s natural charm could shine,” Nitika explains. Ikigaii Planners kept the focus on the couple and the setting, soft candlelight, fairy lights overhead, and the hush of water just beyond the mandap.

The wedding was just one piece of a weekend full of character. There was a riot of colour at the Lady Sangeet, a serene pithi ceremony, a laidback boat party that captured their shared love of the sea and finally the romantic wedding itself.

“Each event had its own character,” Nitika says. “It all felt so personal to us.” Even when the weather surprised them, the planners’ calm kept the mood buoyant. “Guests never knew about the hiccups,” Sachin adds. “That attention to detail gave us the freedom to truly enjoy ourselves.”

For Nitika and Sachin, happily ever after isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about the quiet bond that grew from friendship into love and now anchors their marriage. “Being each other’s best friend first, building a life full of laughter, respect, and family, that’s what matters,” Nitika says.

Their advice to other couples is simple and earned: choose a planner you trust and then let go. “Weddings go by so quickly,” she says. “Soak in every second, because those memories are forever.”