The whirlwind romance of swimwear designer Shaleen (née Chhapkhanawala) and developer Rishad Khergamwala unfolds like a comforting novel, weaving through Parsi traditions in Mumbai to the sun-kissed shores of Phuket. From the heartfelt beach vows to a sangeet that danced its way into dawn, their wedding was a symphony of love and celebration—followed by a relaxing beach party to unwind.
Shaleen, the creative force behind Flawed by Shaleen, shares the delightful tale of how they met, nurtured by shared passions for adventure and of course, their plans for the future. With meticulous planning and a touch of spontaneity, the couple embarked on a year-long journey to create a magical wedding experience, where every detail became a treasured memory etched in time.
Brought to life by Magnificence Events, the new bride reveals her initial vision and reminisces the picture-perfect experience with HELLO!
HELLO!: Shaleen, congratulations on your wedding. Tell us how you both met and spare no details!
Shaleen Khergamwala: “Our families go way back, through my uncle, though I’m from Mumbai and Rishad’s from Bengaluru (he’s even babysat me when we were kids!). Our paths crossed again in Phuket for my uncle’s 50th birthday years later and we instantly hit it off. We talked non-stop, even during my university days in the UK. During my last year there, he asked me to be with him (smiles). Sometimes you just know, right? We share a love for water and adventure and travel. That’s how our story unfolds, full of simplicity and genuine connection.”
H!: And how is married life treating you?
SK: “The same, since I’ve been living with Rishad for the past three years! It’s really comforting. In fact, when people ask Rishad if anything has changed after marriage, his response is ‘Forever has a new meaning now, but apart from that, nothing has changed’. Everyone asked me whether I was ready to get married but I already felt like I was—I’m just having a party for you guys! (laughs)”
H!: Tell us about a special moment from your wedding…
SK: “Every detail is etched in my memory. The [exchange of] vows on the beach with our toes in the sand. Weather forecasts hinted at thunderstorms, but I insisted on the location; and right after Rishad and I finished our vows, it poured! I’ll never forget the pre-event butterflies, leading up to a moment when I looked into his eyes and suddenly felt like I could do it forever.”
H!: Walk us through the process of planning the wedding.
SK: “We got engaged on November 9, 2022, and married on November 19, the following year, giving us 12 months to make all the preparations. My best friend, who got married the year before, radiated happiness and pure excitement on her wedding day—qualities Iaspired to embody on mine. She said to me, ‘If you and your husband don’t relish your wedding day, what’s the point of it all?’ Taking her advice to heart, we dove into planning shortly after the engagement and thanks to my husband’s knack for Excel spreadsheets, everything fell into place two-three months ahead of the big day.”
H!: And what were your outfits of choice?
SK: “There were so many options but once I narrowed it down, the process was seamless; everyone I worked with exceeded my expectations. For the Parsi wedding, I wore a pre-draped saree from Label Naibah with a pair of Valentino heels gifted by my in-laws. For the beach vows, I wore a white gown by an American designer called Chic Nostalgia from The Bridal Showroom; it was simple but featured some beautiful 3D flower detailing. For the sangeet, I wore a lehenga from Monisha Jaising as her son is actually my best friend! She designed a one-of-a-kind piece for me, drawing inspiration from her Carnival collection.
My heels were customised by Crimzon, and my friend Tianna from Fringe by Tii upcycled all my old pairs of denim and the lehenga scraps to put together a mini skirt that I could wear with the blouse for the after-party. Another friend Sanaya Irani at Brushtler customised sneakers for us to change into. Netri Aggarwal worked with me to design a beautiful shiny gold-and-silver skirt for the beach party paired with a Flawed [by Shaleen] bikini and Crimzon’s custom tie-up gladiators.
Lastly, for the after-party, I opted for a mini, red Zara Umrigar dress, with a bow at the back with a pair of Sophia Webster heels that had an adorable heart detail.”
H!: Over the course of your wedding, when did you have the most fun?
SK: “Rishad hadn’t seen me in any of my outfits so after I got ready on the night of the sangeet, I walked out to see him standing on the bed dancing to ‘Kajra Re’! He also entered the function with a speaker in hand, playing ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’. He’s the most fun, overdramatic guy in the world. On the last night, we went back to our rooms at 6am and were woken up by our friends an hour later to have an after-party! Rishad and I went for a massage daily; it was like going on a long holiday with all our friends and family, having the best time together. Someone said this to me and it really struck a note: ‘You only get three times in life when everyone you love is around you. One is when you’re born and you don’t remember it, another is when you die and you’re not there to witness it and the third is at your wedding, when everyone is around, for you to remember’. We had all our friends and family fly in from all over the world to be a part of the celebration.”
H!: What was the story behind your proposal?
SK: “We’ve always known we wanted to get married despite the seven-year age gap and I never rushed him about proposing. I did mention that if he ever did do it, I wanted it to be a complete surprise and he nailed it! During our holiday in Norway, on the last day of our Orca freediving trip, he caught me off-guard with a proposal in the charming town of Skjervøy. The night before, I said to him, ‘Everyone keeps asking me if you’re going to propose here but you wouldn’t be so stupid to do it in a cold place where I’m wearing so many layers’. I was lured onto a boat for a supposed farewell lunch and while creating content for a fashion brand, the unexpected proposal left me in delightful shock for a good few minutes before I said yes. He then surprised me by extending the trip to Copenhagen and Berlin, which was lovely.”
H!: As an influencer, what are the challenges of sharing such private moments in your life with your followers?
SK: “I would put these moments up on my page regardless, whether I had 5,000 followers or 10,000; it’s something I like to do, so I don’t look at it as a job. Throughout the wedding, even though I worked with three designers on my looks, the first thing I mentioned to any brand was that I don’t want to focus on making content. I made sure that everyone around me was briefed on my deliverables and I asked them to get it done. I wanted to be in the moment.”
H!: On the other hand, Rishad is not on Instagram. How does it affect your role as an influencer?
SK: “He’s never had an Instagram account, though he scrolls through Facebook everyday! It’s never really affected me as an influencer because he’s willing to be a part of it—every now and then, he’ll look at my page and is very supportive. He pushes me to do as much as I can and is the backbone of it all.”
H!: What are your plans for the future?
SK: “We love travelling and are complete water babies. We’re adventure junkies that love spending time with our friends. We have similar morals and ways of life. That makes life really easy. He is the most hardworking guy I’ve ever met and his drive really inspires me to do more.”
Photos: Atmosphere Studios; Shaleen’s Make-Up: Kajol Paswwan Team; Shaleen’s Hair: Mossy Mos
This interview has been adapted for the web from our February 2024 issue. Grab your copy here.
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