All The Feels

Maahi Shah takes a deeper look at the big little moments in a bride's life as she prepares for her wedding day

Indian weddings come with the promise of over-the-top shenanigans, of fleeting moments that will touch your heart forever, of bearing witness to something akin to magic. An occasion where there’s something for everyone. For the bride, the months leading up to the big day comprise a whirlwind of emotions—from the near-ecstatic feeling when the groom-to-be goes down on one knee in a declaration of his love to planning and bringing to life every intricate detail of her dream wedding.

ELLE India spoke to brides—both recent and those-to-be— about their emotional experiences and moments of epiphany in the lead-up to their weddings.

Not just fun & games

Weddings would be incomplete without the rollercoaster of emotions—fights to be laughed at in hindsight and conversations that make you feel closer to your loved ones. “I don't even know what word to use—crazy feels like an understatement,” says YouTuber and bride-to-be Aaliyah Kashyap. “Indian weddings are like a week-long festival that you’re planning. I knew a lot would go into it, but I didn't expect how much it takes out of you.” Kashyap, who got engaged to her boyfriend of three years, Shane Gregoire, in August last year, is (almost) all set for her wedding this December. “Now, with about three months to go, it’s all starting to feel real,” she says.