Ranjani Iyengar, founder of Pink Whistle Man, who designed the wedding invitation for Kritika Kamra and Gaurav Kapur, tells us how she designs bespoke wedding invitations that specialises in creative storytelling.
According to Ranjani Iyengar, who designed the couple's wedding invitation, the couple will host an after party today, March 12. Photograph: Kind courtesy Joseph Radhik/Instagram
Actor Kritika Kamra and television personality Gaurav Kapur wed on March 11 in an intimate ceremony attended by family and close friends.
Kritika wore a red chanderi sari from her label Cinnabar while Gaurav wore a bandhgala designed by Raghavendra Rathore.
Unlike recent celebrity weddings that were grand affairs, the couple chose to keep their celebration simple and personal.
Speaking to Rediff's Divya Nair, Ranjani Iyengar -- founder of the design studio Pink Whistle Man -- said, "The couple has chosen to keep the wedding simple with a registered marriage at Gaurav's home, focusing on a meaningful and personal celebration rather than a large-scale event."
Ranjani revealed that "the celebration will carry a jazz-lounge inspired vibe with soft lighting, music and a relaxed atmosphere. The invite itself captures this mood perfectly with the line: 'Come early. Stay as long as you want'.
Watch Kritika and Gaurav's wedding invitation video below:
How Ranjani Iyengar designed Kritika-Gaurav's wedding invite
A former engineer, Ranjani quit her job to build her own creative studio in 2015.
In the past decade, she has built a distinctive niche in the wedding invitation space.
Known for her illustrated, narrative-driven invitations that combine playful storytelling with contemporary design sensibilities, Ranjani has previously created invites for several high-profile weddings, including those of Radhika Merchant, Alanna Panday, Vaibhavi Merchant, Luv Ranjan and Bejoy Nambiar.
Ranjani explains how she accommodated Kritika and Gaurav's brief to design the black and white illustrated wedding card and invitation video.
"We were approached around mid-February 2026 with a very clear and exciting brief. She envisioned a monochromatic, New York-inspired invitation, drawing cues from classic jazz performance venues, speakeasies and textured brick walls reminiscent of the venue for their after-party celebration," reveals Ranjani.
The couple wanted the invite to "feel light, playful and easy, reflecting their personalities," she adds.
The final concept was developed using a "blend of traditional frame-by-frame illustration and contemporary animation techniques, bringing the narrative to life while maintaining a clean, stylised aesthetic."
To make it personal, the animated format features a voice-over by Gaurav Kapur.
The animation unfolds in a story-like sequence, giving guests a glimpse into the mood and setting of the celebration.
Top trends in wedding invitations
In recent years, Ranjani explains how couples have become experimental and expressive with their wedding invitations.
"Illustration-led storytelling, animated invites and highly personalised narratives are gaining popularity," she says.
"Rather than traditional templates, many couples now want invitations that reflect their personalities, shared interests and the mood of their celebrations, making the invite feel like the first chapter of the wedding experience."
How to design your wedding invitation: Dos and Don'ts
Dos
Couples should spend time researching designers before finalising one, advises Ranjini.
"Look closely at the designer's style, previous body of work and the kind of storytelling or visual language they specialise in. Every designer has a distinct creative voice and understanding that helps ensure the final invitation truly aligns with the couple's vision," she explains.
Don'ts
Don't feel pressured to follow trends simply because they are popular, Ranjini warns couples-to-be.
"Couples should not shy away from their own sense of style. The most meaningful wedding invitations are the ones that feel authentic and true to the couple's personality," she insists.
Ranjani's most creative wedding invitations
No matter how challenging the brief, Ranjani has always found a way to execute it.
Check out some of the coolest, most creative wedding invitations she has designed so far.
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