Exclusive| Priya Banerjee- Prateik Smita Patil on their wedding: Everyone who mattered and is family was with us

Actors Priya Banerjee- Prateik Smita Patil talk to us exclusively about their wedding celebrations and why they chose to have an intimate ceremony on Feb 14

Actors Priya Banerjee and Prateik Babbar, who now goes by the name of Prateik Smita Patil, got married in an intimate ceremony on Valentine's Day. In a first interview since the wedding, the couple talks to us about their big day.

Prateik Smita Patil and Priya Banerjee got married on 14 February

Talking about her wedding day, Priya shares, “Our wedding day turned out to be exactly as we dreamt of and imagined. It was intimate and special and with the people we love the most all under one roof. It was more special as we got married at Rock Cliff, which is Prateik's mom's house. She bought for him so she could live with him and raise him there but unfortunately, she was unable to do that. And, we believe that it was her gift to us that she wanted us to get married in that house and so we did.”

The couple has been open about their relationship and did surprise a few people with the sudden wedding. Priya says, "Honestly, being married to Prateik and being married doesn't feel any different. We have been together for a very long time. It has been almost five years, we have lived under the same roof. More than that I feel like I have known him forever. It feels the same." Adding a philosophical note, Prateik adds, "It feels like I am doing this for the thousandth time. This is like another lifetime, another universe. I feel like I marry her in every lifetime and every universe and this is another one and there are many more to go."

Priya and Prateik had a reason to choose 14 February, other than the obvious Valentine's Day, they feel "what better day". "February 14 is a day of love and we are madly in love with each other. Moreover, my parents were visiting and Prateik wanted to get married and get the signing (of documents) done. So, both of us decided to get the closest family together and make it special and keep it intimate. We decided to get married and did the pheras. What better day than the day of love," explains Priya.

What was the most special part of all the rituals and ceremonies for you? She says, "The most special part was that our closest family was with us. His two aunts and my parents were there to celebrate us. They are the closest, most loved people to us and we got married in his mum's house, which made us feel her presence. In fact, everyone present said that they felt she was there with us."

The wedding was low key, simple and elegant, which is how the couple wanted their big day to be. Priya elaborates, "We wanted the wedding to describe and give a reflection of who we are as people. We are simple and genuine folks and that's exactly how I wanted our wedding to be. There was no other or particular thought (behind the low key wedding). We were surrounded with love and our family and their blessings, what more could you ask for? We didn't want to be one of those couples who feed a 100 million people at their wedding or those who do it for the world. We wanted to do it for ourselves and ones who love us and that's why the wedding was low key."

Addressing the absence of Prateik's father, actor-politician Raj Babbar and the Babbar family from the celebrations, Priya says, "There was absolutely no family member who was missing from the wedding or our celebrations. I don't know why there are rumours that "family members" were absent. Our families where there including my parents, his aunts who raised him, his nana-nani and everyone who mattered and is family was with us. And there was absolutely nobody who is family was missing."