If you have inner peace, everything else falls into place: Deanne Panday to daughter Alanna ahead of her wedding

Deanne and Alanna Pandey; (right) Alanna and Ivor McCray

When you come from a family of actors and fitness enthusiasts, the art of "looking good" often runs in your veins. Alanna Panday, daughter of wellness expert Deanne and Chikki Panday, and cousin to Ananya Panday, may not be an actor, but the model and influencer (she has one million followers on Instagram), has the aesthetics down pat. And now, she is getting married to film director Ivor McCray. Panday, who is based in LA, and was swept off her feet by a beach proposal by McCray, has decided to get married in Mumbai. "I have been focused on preparing my family for the trip since they have never left the US before," McCray tells us. "I am too excited to have an Indian wedding! I think everyone knows that Indians have the best weddings." What we wanted to know as well is how Deanne and Alanna stay fit, and fabulous.

Excerpts from an interview:

Alanna, how did you break it to your mom that you were getting married. And Deanne, what were your first thoughts?
Alanna: I didn't need to break the news; they always knew since we came down for the first time with Ivor. My mom helped Ivor plan it all. So she was in on it.
Deanne: Oh, I was super emotional that my baby girl has grown up and is now getting married. I'm so glad she found Ivor. They are just a perfect balance for each other.

Weddings are hectic… not just for the body, but also for the mind. Alanna, you are a model, so you know how to keep fit. What are some of the things you have learnt from mom about fitness?
Alanna: What has stuck with me, which mom keeps emphasising, is the importance of eating right and eating healthy. Even if you skip the gym, or aren't as active, if you eat clean, it's all okay. That advice works in times like these! I actually haven't been going to the gym at all. Ivor and I are very active usually, but the wedding has been so hectic, that we haven't even been able to get one short workout. We are eating well, and hopefully we don't look tired at the wedding.
Deanne: I think what I have passed down is to think positive, to be nice and warm to everyone around, and to have faith that everything happens for the best. When you have inner peace, anything in life is possible and can be tackled.

What has been the prep for the wedding, especially regarding skincare and fitness?
Alanna: I haven't done much other than get some facials. And also IV therapy (a medical technique that administers fluids, medications and nutrients directly into a person's vein) as that really works for me - not just in giving me an energy boost, but it makes my skin glow.

Aesthetically, what did you both want the wedding to stand for?
Alanna: Since Ivor and I travel a lot, we took inspiration from our travels. Our haldi is inspired by an Italian farmer's market. Our mehendi is a tropical rainforest theme, and the wedding is also a forest theme, as we love nature. We wanted to do stuff to give back, so each vendor is tied up to an NGO, and everything is sustainable.

Is working out an important part of your relationship?
Alanna: Back in LA, it's very important. We work out six times a week, and don't even rest on the seventh day. We probably do Yin Yoga, or take a steam bath. If gym gets boring, we take boxing classes or some such thing.

As she gets married, what's your biggest piece of advice for Alanna?
Deanne: To love unfathomably and make the best memories in this beautiful lifetime.

Alanna, what do you think your parents' marriage has taught you?
Alanna: I think in a world where relationships have become so fast-paced, and dating can become so casual, they have shown me that true love does exist. My mom was my father's first girlfriend, and they were each other's first everything. And they are still together, strong, and it's very cute. They may not be as lovey-dovey as they used to be, but they are best friends and inseparable. That's the best.