First Look marked its first annual gathering with PROLOGUE, bringing together the voices, ideas and aesthetics shaping contemporary Indian culture. Titled On Celebration, the inaugural edition brought together leaders across fashion, beauty, craft, design, hospitality and weddings to examine how contemporary India celebrates, gathers, preserves tradition and reimagines the rituals that bring us together.
As the evening unfolded, attention turned to the second panel discussion, The Art of Gathering, exploring how celebrations are becoming increasingly personal, experiential and rooted in storytelling. From the spaces guests enter to the photographs they carry home, the conversation examined how every detail can shape the way a moment is experienced and remembered.
Moderated by Parthip Thyagarajan, Co-founder & CEO of WeddingSutra, the discussion brought together Aashna Saran, Founder of Aash Studio; Taral Jadhav, Founder of Do It Up; Ankita Asthana, Founder of WeddingNama by Ankita & Akash; Jai Sharma, Founder of The Envelop; and fashion photographer Sheldon Santos.
For Aashna Saran, the starting point of any celebration is not how it will look on Instagram, but how it will make someone feel. With a background in Performance Design from Central Saint Martins, she approaches events as immersive worlds, considering movement, emotion and the way guests discover a space. Whether working with over 100 women artisans on a mehendi or responding to the architecture of venues such as Umaid Bhawan and Mehrangarh Fort, her approach is rooted in creating something that belongs to its setting and its people. “The photograph should almost be a by-product of a genuinely beautiful experience,” she says.
That emphasis on meaning is also changing the definition of luxury. Celebrations may still be grand, but personal details are becoming increasingly important. From Tennis & Tequila for a bride who loved tennis to a Maharashtrian haldi inspired by Paithani motifs, Saran sees thoughtfulness and originality as the new markers of an elaborate celebration.
For Jai Sharma, that sense of personalisation begins with the story. At The Envelop, understanding the people, their memories and cultural context comes before designing the space itself. The narrative then informs everything from architecture and lighting to food, entertainment and the movement of guests. For Sharma, an experience becomes truly immersive when guests stop being spectators and become part of the world around them. “You are no longer simply looking at the design; you are living within its narrative,” he explains.
Photography, meanwhile, remains central to how these experiences are preserved. For Ankita Asthana, a timeless photograph is one that can transport you back to the emotion of a particular moment. Rather than following trends, she believes in capturing celebrations in their most authentic form, allowing the chaos, grandeur, vulnerability and relationships to exist within the same frame. Her role, she says, is to make people forget the camera is there. “People make memories, we capture them.”
That instinct towards authenticity is shared by Sheldon Santos, whose work spans fashion, advertising and travel. While controlled environments allow him to shape every element of an image, shooting on location requires him to become more of an observer, responding to moments as they unfold. Experience has also changed his definition of a good photograph. Technical perfection, he believes, cannot guarantee an image with feeling. Often, it is an unexpected movement or imperfect pose that allows a person’s individuality to take over. “The imperfection is often where the person takes over from the plan,” he reflects.
Across the conversation, one idea emerged clearly: the future of celebration is not necessarily about doing more, but about making every element mean more. From spatial design and storytelling to photography, the most memorable gatherings are those that feel distinctly their own. Because beyond the décor, the photographs and the spectacle, what ultimately remains is the feeling of having been there, and the people with whom we shared it.
