The Bride and Groom Hosted Just 9 Family Members for an Intimate Hindu Wedding in Lake Como

For her wedding day attire, Kinjal chose to wear a couture saree with Kashida embroidery designed by Tarun Tahiliani. “I wanted to wear something timeless that showcased the vibrancy of Indian heritage and culture,” she says. “The designer truly showcases his love for women through his work. I did not want trends and social media to get in the way of choosing my dress. I wanted something that would represent my personality.” She chose a design in magenta pink, a shade both her mother and grandmother wore for their wedding days. “My grandma told me the color magenta pink translates to ‘rani,’ which also means queen in Gujarati. There is something so royal and timeless about a rani saree for an Indian bride.” To accessorize the look, the bride worked with Vinay Gupta, the owner of Shri Paramani Jewels, to create a custom collection. “We sat down and went back and forth to create a design of pieces set on 22-carat gold with uncut diamonds, rubies, and precious and semi-precious stones for the necklace, earrings, maltikka, and bangles.” She also wore magenta Celosia Cristata flowers in her hair to accent her sleek knot bun. The groom also wore Tarun Tahiliani for his ceremony ensemble. His look featured an embroidered sherwani in a light pink tone that mirrored the bride’s saree.

At the reception, the bride chose to shine in a gold saree by Tarun Tahiliani embellished with pearls and kundan stones. “For the final look, I wore my great grandmother’s two gold 22-carat bangles on my right wrist given to me by my mother,” says Kinjal. “They were worn by my grandmother and mother on their wedding days, which made it feel all the more special. It was a form of auspicious good luck brought upon the next generation of daughters in our family.” Herit donned a custom Indo-Western suit by Shantanu and Nikhil to finish the celebrations.

The couple kicked off their wedding day by reciting their vows to each other in private at their hotel. For the rest of the morning, the couple and the venue team had some reservations about the weather for the outdoor Hindu Gujrathi ceremony. “While I was worrying the entire week, a nonna reminded me in Italian ‘sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata,’ which translates to ‘a wet bride is a lucky bride’—and indeed, I was blessed with the rain,” says Kinjal. Herit shares that as rain came down with a hint of sun at the start of the ceremony, he actually felt lucky. “I thought at that moment, what perfect weather as I always wished for rain during the wedding, despite Kinjal’s worries,” shares Herit. The bride adds, “It became even more magical and meaningful.” After the ceremony, the newlyweds spent some time together alone. “We stood at the edge of the lake and soaked in the last moments of the night and the first few moments as husband and wife,” says the groom.

The reception at Passalacqua was an intimate and celebratory affair. The couple was surprised with video messages from their friends and family who weren’t present, while their parents and siblings gave toasts around the table. “We burst into tears with the amount of overflowing love and support we had,” say the newlyweds. “We had good wine and pasta…it couldn’t get better than that.” Despite the damp weather, the bride and groom finished the evening with a final tradition. “We went outside and had our first dance in the rain with lightning in the far distance striking between the mountains,” they share. Reflecting on their wedding, Kinjal and Herit both agree: “It feels like a new chapter in our life has begun.”