Devanshi Patel, founder of Shreem Events, used her passion for storytelling and celebrations to build one of India's sought-after wedding planning companies.
From intimate gatherings to celebrity weddings, she has designed over 650 memorable shaadis, including that of Allu Sirish and Nayanika Reddy.
Key Points
- Shreem Events has curated 650+ celebrations across Indian and international destinations, including grand weddings with over 3,000 guests.
- Celebrity weddings planned by Shreem Events include those of Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic, Viraj Ghelani and Palak Khimavat and, most recently, Allu Sirish and Nayanika Reddy.
When Devanshi Patel started working on large events while still in college, she had no idea it would eventually result in one of India's most sought-after wedding planning companies.
She is the proud founder of Shreem Events that has its presence in Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
In the last 13 years, along with her team, the 33 year old has curated more than 650 celebrations across India and international destinations, ranging from intimate gatherings to grand weddings hosting over 3,000 guests, including the Allu Sirish and Nayanika wedding.
From IFS dreams to event planning
"As a child, I always dreamed of becoming an Indian Foreign Service officer," Devanshi tells Rediff's Divya Nair.
The inspiration came from her grandfather, who served as the commissioner for Gujarat. His dedication to public service left a strong impression on her as a young child.
But life had other plans for Devanshi.
While she was still in college, she began assisting on large-scale productions for the IIFA Awards and the GiMA Awards.
Being part of these global events gave her early exposure to the scale, logistics and the teamwork required to execute complex productions.
The turning point came during an extravagant wedding held in Jodhpur, spread across venues like the Umaid Bhawan palace, Taj Hari Mahal and Bal Samand palace.
"That was the moment I truly understood the emotional depth of weddings," Devanshi says. "It wasn't just about production or spectacle. It was about family, relationships, joy and memories."
'I have been planning weddings since I was 22'
Devanshi began working in the events industry at 19, gaining hands-on experience. By the time she was 22, she was already planning and executing weddings.
"Starting young came with its own challenges," she says.
"Many clients were initially hesitant to trust someone so young with such an important celebration. There were long hours, endless site visits... I was constantly proving myself.
"But once clients worked with us and saw our commitment and attention to detail, their perception changed."
In 2013, Devanshi officially launched Shreem Events, with a clear vision -- to "focus on creating celebrations that feel personal and meaningful."
'Planning a close friend's wedding was the turning point'
The first wedding Devanshi planned was for a close friend in Mumbai, about 14 years ago.
"That experience was a turning point," she says.
"It showed me how many moving parts come together to create a wedding -- hospitality, logistics, production, emotions -- and how meaningful it feels to bring everything together."
Breaking stereotypes in the events industry
In the early years, Devanshi also had to deal with certain stereotypes around leadership and managing late-night events.
"Thankfully, the landscape has evolved a lot," she says. "Today, there are many strong women leading teams and building successful companies in the events space."
"Every wedding teaches you something new. And that's what keeps this work exciting even today," she says.
Planning her first celebrity wedding
One of the first large-scale celebrity weddings Devanshi handled was for Hardik Pandya and Nataša Stanković at Raffles Udaipur.
Another early high-profile celebration was for influencer-actor Viraj Ghelani and entrepreneur Palak Khimavat.
According to Devanshi, the brief for each of these weddings was different.
Viraj and Palak wanted celebrations that felt quirky, energetic and deeply personal rather than following a conventional format. The events blended vibrant Gujarati traditions with contemporary elements that reflected their love for art, food, music and performance.
"One of the highlights was the cocktail celebration in Mumbai," Devanshi recalls. "The evening had spontaneous dance-offs, witty toasts and a room full of friends and creators who brought their own personalities to the celebration."
Experiential touches like a gourmet coffee bar and charm-bracelet stations were also introduced as keepsakes for guests.
More recently, Shreem Events planned the wedding of Allu Sirish and Nayanika Reddy, which Devanshi describes as a learning experience for her team.
"It introduced us to many new dimensions -- the beauty of South Indian wedding traditions, the incredible fan following and the overwhelming love surrounding the celebrations," she says.
Planning the Allu Sirish-Nayanika wedding
Devanshi says the experience of planning for the Allu Sirish and Nayanika Reddy wedding was "refreshing and eye-opening.
"Tollywood weddings have a very distinct energy," she says. "The traditions are deeply rooted and the fan following surrounding the families adds an entirely different atmosphere."
While the wedding was initially expected to host around 450 to 500 guests, the turnout eventually nearly doubled, with several dignitaries and well-known personalities attending.
Despite the scale of the event and the celebrity guest list, the couple had one clear brief: "They wanted the wedding to feel warm, intimate and meaningful -- not grand and purely for spectacle."
The brief from the couple was simple -- "Nothing overly extravagant, nothing designed purely for social media and no elements that felt unnecessary. Instead, the focus was on creating an atmosphere where guests could genuinely experience the warmth of the celebrations and the sacredness of the rituals." Photograph: Kind courtesy Cupcake Productions
All the ceremonies were rooted in traditional Telugu rituals, while the overall atmosphere was calm, authentic and personal.
A particularly touching moment during the ceremony, according to Devanshi was "when Sirish wore mehendi on his hand representing the sacred Vaishnavite namam, reflecting his cultural and spiritual roots."
'Food was the highlight at Allu Sirish-Nayanika's wedding'
The menu combined south Indian delicacies with curated dishes inspired by Hyderabad's culinary heritage, along with interactive food stations, says Devanshi.
"One of the highlights was the traditional Andhra-style banti bhojanam, a sit-down meal where guests are served course by course in a classic communal dining format.
It beautifully reflects the values of hospitality and shared celebration that are central to Telugu weddings."
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