Why did Anushka make a oneday prewedding trip to Italy?

Don’t be stressed. Whatever happens, it will happen for the good. Everything will flow.’ hese words surely sound extremely comforting but you are unlikely to hear it from a bride-to-be. But that’s exactly what Anushka Sharma told her wedding planner, Saurabh Malhotra, when she landed in Italy for her much-talkedabout wedding with Indian cricket team captain, Virat Kohli.

“Anushka was a great help and a huge support. In fact, we were very stressed about it [the function] because of the location and climate, especially since these were the only dates that matched [with the newly-married couple],” says Saurabh, one of the cofounders of Shaadi Squad. He further reveals that Anushka was “very clear with her brief, and the fact that it has to take place in Italy”.

“Anushka also showed me some reference pictures of a few properties to give me an idea of a look and feel of the place. We shortlisted about 20 properties, and then zeroed in on one. In fact, she made an overnight trip just to check the property. I was very clear that she had to see the place, and finalise it,” he says.

Since Anushka was very tied up with her shoots at that time, she could go for just a day. In fact, she checked out six-seven of them before finalising this one. “Virat was also always there as we took all the decisions mutually on this property. Since he was very busy with his matches, we would discuss things with him over video chat,” he says.

In fact, the preparations for the wedding started in August. “Anushka gave me a vague description and I don’t think anyone of us took it seriously (laughs). But after 10 days, she asked, ‘Where are the options?’ Then, we realised that it’s a serious affair,” he says.

But “every single detail” was “discussed and approved” by them. “And it includes the colours of the cushion covers (laughs). But we also came up with our own ideas,” says Saurabh, adding that he couldn’t have “gone wrong with food”, especially since all the guests were from Delhi and Mumbai.

“For that, we got in touch with Ritu Dalmia, who also has a restaurant and kitchen in Milan, and she was a great support,” says Saurabh, adding there were weather issues too. So functions and props “had to be moved indoors as it started raining one day.”

Also, a few TV journalists had landed in Tuscany but Saurabh is thankful to the Indian ambassador in Florence. “Within a couple of hours, a strict security was arranged for the property. They gave us all the support in terms of keeping it a private affair,” says Saurabh.

PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/ANUSHKASHARMA Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma; the couple with the wedding planners