Just like every year, our annual retreat happened in the beautiful city of Udaipur. To make it even more amazing, we decided to surprise Mahesh, our Lead Engineer and the first employee of yCrash, is about to get married. In this story, you’ll hear about all the plans, hard work, and special moments that made Mahesh’s surprise party unforgettable.
Original plan
While we were getting ready for our annual retreat, something sweet happened. Mahesh and Ankita, two of our friends from the team, got engaged around the same time. To add to the happiness, their weddings are set for the same day! Mahesh will marry Bhavika on January 22nd, 2024, in Mumbai, and Ankita will tie the knot with Himansu in Bhubaneswar. This all happened in mid-November, right before our December retreat. So, we thought, we should throw a special groom/bridal party for Mahesh and Ankita, celebrating their upcoming weddings.
Breaking the Virtual Trend
Traditionally, whenever a team member tied the knot or welcomed a new member to their family, we celebrated with a surprise bridal/groom or baby shower—virtually. However, this time, things were slightly different, providing us with a unique opportunity to gather under the same roof before the impending weddings. It was a chance for real, tangible celebration, breaking from our usual virtual trend. The twist? We had to plan a surprise for both Mahesh and Ankita, and to make it extra special, we decided to involve their fiancés. Yet, both couples were pretty tight-lipped about any details, making the planning phase quite difficult. I think that both had their suspicions that we were planning something for them. But we always rise up to the challenge.
Adjusting Plans for Ankita
While meticulously planning their surprise, Ankita threw us a curveball—she informed us that she wouldn’t be able to join the retreat. Initially, it felt like the plans crumbled, and I found myself on the verge of a breakdown. Almost giving in, I took a step back and thought, ‘It’s okay, let’s do both.’ The new plan was to have Ankita’s celebration virtually and Mahesh’s in person in Udaipur. But to avoid suspicion, we informed Mahesh that the bridal shower that we planned for Ankita was canceled as she canceled the trip and we will be doing it virtually. This made him think that he also would get a virtual surprise party. Little did we know that even these revised plans would need further adjustments. For more on these twists, stay tuned for Ankita’s bridal shower article.
Haldi or Mehandi Dilemma
We all know that up north, the pre-wedding ceremonies included some functions like Haldi and Mehandi. But we were not sure which one we should pick for Mahesh. Turns out, the ceremony can be done for both the bride and groom. And I got this information from the man himself – Mahesh, during our conversation. Little did he know that he was giving ideas for his own surprise party. The decision was made: we opted for a lively Haldi ceremony for Mahesh, complete with groom-to-be decorations and a memorable cake-cutting ceremony.
Help from Family
However, we wanted Mahesh’s surprise to be truly exceptional. After some serious brainstorming, a light-bulb moment struck my head. I remembered that Kumar had an emergency contact list with family members, so I reached out to Mahesh’s brother-in-law, Amit. I explained our plan to surprise Mahesh, and thankfully, he agreed to help us. I asked him to share childhood pictures of Mahesh and Bhavika for an audio-visual presentation (AV) and requested a heartfelt video message from the bride. With his help, we compiled these precious moments into a video that we eagerly planned to stream during Mahesh’s party.
Challenging Situations
We set the date for the event on December 17th, 2023, the first day of the retreat. Our plan was to gather in the hotel by 2 pm and kick off the program at 5 pm, beginning with a cake cutting ceremony followed by the annual meeting. I want to express my gratitude to Ankita here, as her efforts were crucial in making the cake a reality. Everything seemed to be on track until it wasn’t.
Challenge #1: Flight Delay
Some team members faced flight delays, leading to a late arrival and disrupting our schedule. The delayed lunch put a dent in our plans, causing a delay in starting the program as scheduled.
Challenge #2: Cake Mishap
While the cake arrived on time, due to the delay, we now had to think quickly and have the Hotel people until 8 pm that evening. However, upon opening the cake box, we discovered it had broken into three pieces. Fortunately, we managed to salvage it.
Challenge #3: Decor Mix-Up
The decoration items intended for the groom got mixed up, with the decor balloon and sash both reading “Bride-to-be.” We had to improvise, abandoning the balloons and sash, using the remaining glitter paper to decorate the venue.
Challenge #4: Venue Confusion
The most significant challenge emerged when the annual meeting, initially planned for the other side of the hotel, started in our room at 6 pm. Unsure of where and how to set up, fate intervened again. The groom, who needed his Laptop’s charger, inadvertently came to our rescue. In those five minutes, we decided to relocate the setup to the other side of the hotel, where the meeting was initially supposed to happen. Geetha, Umayal, along with Sandeep’s wife Swetha and the kids’ squad took charge of the decorations. As the groom gave his presentation, I joined them, ensuring everything was in place for the surprise.
Successfully Pulled it Off
Once we had everything set up right in front of Mahesh’s room, we subtly suggested to the groom that he might want to check on something. As he walked into the corridor, he was taken aback by the transformed setup. Merely a few minutes ago, his room and its corridor was as usual, but now everything had changed. It dawned on him that the entire team had been secretly working behind his back to orchestrate this surprise, and indeed, he was genuinely surprised.
We kicked off the function with the cake cutting ceremony, adding a twist to the Happy Birthday Song as we sang it while he cut the cake. With that delightful start, we transitioned into the Haldi Ceremony. Pulling out a chair from a nearby room, we positioned him in the center while everyone took turns applying haldi to his cheeks.
After the Haldi Ceremony, we distributed advice cards to the team, each card with three fields to fill: Always, Never, Anything else. We shared our collective wisdom through those cards and handed them to him. Following this, it was time to bring the entire team, including the groom, back into the room for the grand surprise—showcasing the video we had prepared. To capture Mahesh’s genuine reaction, we had someone record his expressions while watching the video. Below is the video, along with the groom’s heartfelt expressions:
His Big Surprise
Mahesh’s feedback
Mahesh expressed utter shock and complete surprise about the entire event, particularly the video. He couldn’t believe that we managed to obtain his childhood pictures and even reached out to secure a recording from his fiance. What added a unique touch to the video was the absence of engagement pictures. According to their tradition, the groom and the bride wouldn’t be in the same place during the engagement. To overcome this, I creatively edited their individual pictures, seamlessly placing them in the same frame. Mahesh’s feedback shows the success of the surprise and the meaning of a truly special moment we created for him.
Special Thanks
A big thanks to Amit Goel, Mahesh’s brother-in-law, for giving us the important photos and helping with the recorded message. We appreciate Bhavika, the bride, for sharing a sweet message. Special appreciation to Geetha for bringing those balloons to life, Umayal and Swetha for their creative decorations, and a big thank you to the kids who added even more joy and laughter to the celebration. Let’s not forget Ankita, who saved the day by ordering and making sure that the cake was delivered on time to the hotel for the event.
Conclusion
The joy and happiness we experienced in making the trip unforgettable for Mahesh were shared by all. While we are uncertain if another such opportunity will arise, the fun we had and the love and joy in our hearts were truly special. We extend our heartfelt wishes to Mahesh and Bhavika for a very long and happy married life together.