Puppy love to promises: The beautiful bond of Drishti and Sunny

By the time Drishti Israni Parnani began walking down the aisle to marry Sunny Parnani, the spotlight had already been stolen by their fur baby, Niyana, who was trotting ahead in a matching outfit, carrying their wedding rings. “She was our emotional anchor, our ring bearer, and our love mascot,” laughs Drishti, still glowing from the November 2024 nuptials. “And honestly? She stole the show.”

But that’s not how this story began. Drishti, Mumbai-born and Dubai-based since 2016, is all sparkle and high energy, the kind of person who hosts house parties and remembers everyone’s name. Sunny, born and raised in Dubai, is the exact opposite: introverted, quiet, not one for crowds. “So naturally,” Drishti quips, “he showed up at my house party as a complete stranger and when he was paired with me for a game, he promptly forgot my name.”

What followed, though, was the stuff of movie screenplays. “He messaged the next day to apologise, and that one message turned into days of endless conversation,” she recalls. “Sneaky glances became long chats, long chats became silly banter, and eventually we were just spending hours doing everything, and nothing, together.” From strangers to friends to business partners (together, they co-founded PR agency Not So Subtle) to spouses, their bond grew into something “beautifully balanced, effortless, honest and real.”

Goa, glitz, and grandma’s LOVE

The couple tied the knot at Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia, a lush, beachside resort chosen not just for its breezy vibe but its pet-friendliness. “Our top non-negotiable was having Niyana and Bruno, my mom’s dog, be part of our big day,” says Drishti. “This was the only venue that ticked every box. Within two hours of visiting, we booked it.”

Then came the multi-day celebration, each event as distinctive as the couple.

• The mehendi (henna) ceremony was held in a beach shack: “Goan boho vibes, breezy and relaxed.”

• The haldi ritual used a turmeric paste lovingly mixed by Drishti’s grandmother. “Sunny, Niyana, and I all wore matching outfits that I designed myself.”

• The engagement was a Sufi-inspired Nawabi night, where guests wore flower garlands in their hair and Nawabi-style headgear. “Sunny looked like royalty, I wore a Rococo-style sharara kurta, and a live Sufi band tied it all together.”

• Ghari Pooja, a Sindhi ritual on the wedding morning, pulsed with tradition, “the music, the ladas, the vibe, it was all so rooted and beautiful.”

• The wedding ceremony took place at sunset. Drishti wore a lehenga by Bharti & Aashna, a Delhi-based designer duo, while Sunny donned a classically embroidered sherwani. Her bridal chadar (a kind ofcanopy traditionally made from flowers) was equally poignant; it was her mother’s own bridal dupatta (scarf).

Hidden charms and movie dreams

Then came the reception and sangeet music ceremony, a full-blown Bollywood production. “It was a glam night where every family performance had a narrative, every song was a Shah Rukh Khan classic, because Sunny is the biggest Bollywood buff,” she says. “We even had scripted dialogues between performances to tell our story. I remember thinking, ‘This is our movie. This is our magic.’”

From customised rituals to a logo that subtly featured an ‘N’ for Niyana, nothing about the wedding was generic. “Even our décor had a tribute to the movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,” Drishti reveals. “We built a photo wall at our mandap featuring wedding pictures of our parents, grandparents, and siblings. It was like a quiet prayer, wishing our marriage the same strength and joy as theirs.”

But the true showstoppers? “Our dogs flew in, Niyana from Dubai, Bruno from Mumbai, and were a part of everything. We wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Real love, real talk

Post-wedding life, for Drishti and Sunny, isn’t about the grand gestures. It’s about “keeping the laughter alive,” binging Bollywood movies with Niyana curled between them, making plans together, and building a home “that feels like us.”

Despite being opposites in many ways, they are bound by shared core values of loyalty, honesty, and a deep-rooted affection. “We’re each other’s biggest hype squad,” says Drishti. “If I had to sum us up in one line, it would be: In a world of noise, you are my quiet. In a crowd, you are my always.”

And her advice to couples preparing for their big day? “Be present. The outfits, the playlist, even the food, they’ll fade. But the feeling of having everyone you love in one place? That stays. Laugh loud, cry freely, dance like no one’s watching, and hug your people longer. And if you have furry family, involve them. Because nothing says forever quite like a wagging tail at the ceremony.”