Nupur Sanon and Stebin Ben’s three-day wedding festivities in Udaipur, culminated on January 11 with traditional pheras. The couple, who hosted a grand reception in Mumbai yesterday, spoke exclusively to us about their wedding celebrations. Excerpts...

Nupur: We blend our cultures beautifully. I’m a Hindu Punjabi and Stebin comes from a Christian background, so our wedding reflected both worlds. We had all the traditional rituals - haldi, mehendi, pheras, sangeet and cocktail, along with a Christian ceremony and vows.

Stebin: The three-day celebration was intentionally intimate, with only our closest friends and family, just people who’ve genuinely been part of our journey and witnessed our love story over the past five years.

Nupur: Before the wedding, whenever we found time in Mumbai between work commitments, we were rehearsing dances with friends, siblings and parents. It was all very organic and fun, with impromptu dhol nights that made the lead-up to the wedding incredibly special.

Stebin: Our vows were about choosing each other forever, celebrating love, commitment, and togetherness. What made it truly special was having our closest family and friends speak about us and share stories during the ceremony.

Nupur: We wrote our own personalized vows. Interestingly, I’ve never attended a Christian wedding before, the first one I experienced was my own!

Stebin: What mattered most was celebrating with our families and closest people. We wanted to honour every ritual properly, without rushing, and truly enjoy our wedding.

Nupur: That’s why we chose to step away from Mumbai and celebrate in Udaipur from January 9 to 11. It gave us privacy, space, and a strong cultural connect. I love Rajasthan, and we wanted the experience to feel calm, present, and joyful, not overwhelming.

Stebin: I had actually performed at this property years ago for someone else’s wedding. At the time, I never imagined that I’d one day be getting married here myself. It truly feels like life has come full circle.

Nupur: About three years ago, Stebin was performing at this very venue for another wedding. I hadn’t even seen the property then, but he called me from there and casually said, “I think I want to get married here someday.” And now, here we are - getting married at the same place. It really does feel full circle.

Nupur: Oh yes! Proper ladki-wale performances. We’ve rehearsed properly. Kriti and I danced together. Varun Sharma and Kriti also did a super fun performance. Two of my closest friends, Risha and Moni, joined in and it was all very organic and joyful.

Stebin: Sonu Sir performed of course. Also, Sukhbir – he has that absolute Punjabi vibe and is one of the finest Punjabi performers. We also had a Qawwali night. There were a few more singers joining in, and some surprise performances. Honestly, it wasn’t just about performances — all of us were dancing, celebrating, and performing together. It’s very participative.

Nupur: The first person I told about Stebin was my sister (Kriti Sanon). We’re five years apart but extremely close, we are like best friends. At that time, Stebin had just started professionally, so there wasn’t much to show career-wise. I spoke more about him as a person. I made her listen to his voice, and she immediately said he had a magical voice and immense talent. A few months later, I told my mother. Initially, she was a little unsure, like most mothers, cautious about seriousness and the future. That’s when my sister stepped in and told her, “I’ve met Stebin. I’ve heard him. He’s extremely talented and hardworking.” That confidence changed everything. And honestly, Stebin leaves a great impression when he meets people, so from there on, everything just fell into place.

Stebin: We don’t really believe in the traditional reception format — sitting on a couch, people coming and congratulating. There was no stage, no formal seating. I clearly told the decor team that. Think of it more as a celebration party for our film-industry friends — people who couldn’t travel to Udaipur. It’s our first big party as husband and wife, meeting people with that tag, relaxed and happy. It was a completely different crowd and vibe — and honestly, probably the most relaxed night of all the celebrations.