Ranveer-Deepika to guests: No gifts, instead donate to charity

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone

Even as there is a flurry of activity at Villa del Balbianello in Lake Como where Bollywood's power couple Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone will tie the knot tomorrow, back home, the preparations for the Mumbai reception are underway.

The invites for the November 28 reception were sent out to the couple's friends in the industry and outside of it, yesterday. Keen that the auspicious occasion serve a higher cause, the duo has requested guests to not give them any gifts. Instead, they have offered them the opportunity to make donations to Padukone's non-profit organisation - The Live Love Laugh Foundation - that spreads awareness about mental health.

A source close to the duo reveals, "Since they are both from non-filmy families, they wanted a quiet wedding away from the prying eyes of the world. The Mumbai and Bengaluru receptions though will be a snazzy affair. Amongst the many things, the bride and groom have requested the guests to not shower them with gifts. If they wish to give them anything, they've requested that donations be made to Deepika's foundation that actively works towards creating awareness and removing the stigma around depression. Both Ranveer and Deepika are deeply committed to the cause and want to involve all their guests in the good deed."

With a day to go before the big, fat wedding, social media pages have been flooded with fans sharing pictures of the venue. The source adds, "The villa is closed for the public starting today. The families are staying at a hotel 10 minutes from the venue because the venue itself doesn't have boarding facility." Reports suggest that Padukone will wear a white and gold ensemble for the Konkani wedding tomorrow, and a red and golden Sabyasachi lehenga for the Sindhi wedding on November 15.

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