It’s not every day that a couple’s story involves Vogue India assisting Cupid to bring fated lovers together. But such was the case for newlyweds Julia Haydon and Aditya Chanrai. In 2016, Chanrai was working in Conde Nast India’s video department, producing a show called BFFs with Vogue. This is where he met model and actor Lisa Haydon Lalvani, who went on to introduce Chanrai to her sister. “The stars really aligned for the two of us to meet! We’ve been together ever since,” says the bride.
The Lagos-based couple decided to tie the knot after two years of lockdowns after Chanrai popped the big question during a weekend in Switzerland. For the wedding this June, they zeroed in on London as the wedding destination, the city where Chanrai grew up. Some of the British capital’s most iconic spots served as the venues for their various events. The wedding ceremony was hosted at The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge, starting with a traditional baraat through the streets of Belgravia. “This was a new experience for a lot of our overseas friends, and made them feel like an integral part of our special day,” says Haydon. This was followed by an Indian street food brunch, and a beautiful ceremony, with the ethereal mandap inspired by the English countryside. The sangeet at Rosewood London was deliberately scheduled after the wedding so that the couple could let loose as well. The highlight was a sak? bar right on the dance floor and a performance by Vyas Brothers.
It was the reception venue — the famous Natural History Museum — that was the wedding’s crowning glory. “Since the museum is open to the public until 6 p.m., we only had a couple of hours to set up,” reveals the bride. But seeing their friends and family from around the world come together on the dance floor under the iconic 82-feet blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling, was a moment for the books. “Walking down the magnificent stone staircase to the song We Were Young, sung by my brother-in-law Mahan was truly surreal,” adds the bride. The after-party moved to underground club B London, with Mahan on the DJ deck.
