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An Enchanting Indian Wedding in the Heart of Portugal

An Enchanting Indian Wedding in the Heart of Portugal

A love story blossoming in the historic region of Sintra

Nestled amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Sintra, Portugal, the wedding of Chandni and Jack unfolded like a vivid dream, blending timeless Indian traditions with modern elegance in a truly unique setting. The Nuncio Garden, a stunning 16th-century haven, served as the perfect backdrop for this classic celebration, where every detail radiated romance and sophistication. As guests made their way down the aisle adorned with life-like paper mache flowers, they were enveloped in a beautiful and tranquil atmosphere, setting the stage for an unforgettable ceremony. Chandni, the radiant bride, captivated hearts in an array of over seven breathtaking looks, transitioning seamlessly from a traditional olive green bridal lehenga to a stunning ivory gown with an elegant tulle train. This modern Indian wedding was a perfect fusion of cultures, embodying the essence of love, tradition, and bold individuality, celebrating the union of two souls destined to be together. Immerse yourself in this wedding beauty through the photos of our talented member, Kristin Piteo.

An Enchanting Indian Wedding in the Heart of Portugal

Our Love Story

^{The Day We Met}

Jack and I met in math class in the 7th grade. He was smitten from the moment he first saw me, but it took me a little bit longer to get there. We started out as just friends, and what blossomed after that was the purest story of love. Over the course of 15 years, we’ve shared so many milestones together: the 8th grade dance, high school senior prom, late-night drives between Pennsylvania and New Jersey (between both of our colleges), getting engaged in Positano, Italy, and moving into our first apartment together in New York City.

^{The Proposal}

It was the summer of 2021, and I had never been to Europe. I was itching to go away for a holiday, and we decided that we’d take a trip to the Amalfi Coast that summer. I was so sure that he wasn’t going to propose that I even got my nails painted a lemon yellow to pay homage to our vacation destination. However, unbeknownst to me, before the trip, he had already asked my family for my hand in marriage and was going to propose while we were there. We had set up a little photoshoot for one morning in Positano as a way to remember our trip. We rented a vintage car for our 6 AM sunrise photoshoot. Minutes before we left our hotel to make our way to the photoshoot, Jack had messaged the photographer that he was going to propose. I was shocked to say the least when it happened – and no matter how many cappuccinos I drank afterward, it felt just as surreal.

^{The Engagement Ring}

Before our trip to Europe, we had gone around New York City to shop for potential rings. My style is very classic and elevated, so I wanted to look for a ring that matched my own personal style. I ended up deciding on a 2-carat oval ring with a gold band.

Our Wedding

^{The Vision}

Our Indian wedding consisted of 6 different events: Haldi, Welcome Party / Mehndi, Wedding, Sangeet, Pool Party, and the Reception. When it came time to decide the theme, mood, colors, and overall feeling of each event – I was super specific about what I wanted. I looked to films, art, publications, and fashion for inspiration. I created separate moodboards for each event and decided on a unique color palette for each. However, I was most excited to begin planning the wedding mood board.

^{The Location}

For the wedding, our venue was so unique, which was one of the reasons we picked Sintra. It was traditional, classic, and regal. I had seen so many designs of a “traditional mandap” and immediately decided that I wanted to do something different – something more romantic. My planner, designer, and I eventually thought of life-like paper mache flowers. We decided to line them down the aisle as well as surround / crowd us right by our seats. It created such a beautiful, tranquil, and different atmosphere. I was absolutely in awe.

^{Our Team of Vendors}

Our planning team, decorators, caterer, and photo/video team were truly the best of the best. They made us feel so comfortable throughout the entire weekend and were the reason everything felt so seamless.

^{The Ceremony}

Jack and I got married at the Nuncio Garden of the Penha Longa Resort in Sintra, Portugal. Nuncio Garden dates back to the XVI century, when it was originally used as a place for contemplation. We had a traditional Gujarati wedding. If I could describe our wedding ceremony decor & set-up, I would say: elegant, romantic, and bold. Our “mandap” was atop the monastery pond in Nuncio Garden. We had an open mandap concept with life-like ivory paper flowers, decorated with pearls on the inside of the flowers. The aisle of mandap was lined with a champagne carpet. Jack’s getaway car – olive green vintage Rolls-Royce corniche to match hints of olive green in his outfit.

^{The Reception}

We had a cocktail hour, a family-style seated dinner, which was followed by drinks / dancing in an open-area cloister underneath the stars. The moodboard for this event was sexy, glamorous, and sophisticated – moody, dramatic, and a very intimate dinner setting; chandeliers on the ground near seating plan; golden charger plates, golden cutlery, marble table numbers, and a capiz shell place card with each guest’s name. Reception had a golden LED dance floor, chandeliers at each of the corners, a shimmering expanse of LED lights – all enclosed in an open-air setting of the cloisters. This created an unforgettable and energetic dance floor to close out an epic wedding weekend.

^{The Special Touches}

During the welcome party/mehndi, we had a personalized napkin of a real life note Jack had written me years prior. Instead of a physical guestbook, we opted for an audio guestbook, where guests could call and leave a message for us. We’ll always be able to look back and listen to the voice and messages of each of our guests. Instead of a traditional cake, we wanted to do a champagne tower. To Etta James “At Last,” we poured about 5-6 bottles of champagnes over the tower.

We had our Sangeet at Forte Da Cruz – which is a castle that was built in the 17th century on orders of the Portuguese monarchy. It’s situated on the Tamariz beach in Estoril with sweeping views of the sea. The guests had no idea where the sangeet was. We had kept it a secret from our guests the entire time. They were told to arrive in the lobby of the hotel and the shuttles took them directly to Forte Da Cruz. We held a cocktail hour at the terrace of the castle, before opening doors to the inside of the tent. The sangeet consisted of musical dance performances from our friends & family, singing performances, and a skit of how we met (orchestrated by my little sister and Jack’s younger brother). Before the Sangeet after party, we invited guests back out on the terrace for a dazzling firework show above the sea.

^{Our Favorite Moment}

For me, it was walking down the aisle with my uncle to one of my favorite hindi songs, the sound of bollywood instrumental songs playing as guests entered the sangeet venue. Also, the tears welling up in everyone’s eyes as the fireworks went off at the sangeet, and my first dance with Jack. Seeing the sheer happiness and joy of both of our parents throughout the entire wedding weekend.

For Jack, it was his first look with me. As he says, "My eyes were closed, and when I opened them, I saw the prettiest girl in the world. I felt like my world stopped right there, for a second." Also, when the sun began to shine at the haldi after scaring us with a tiny shower, the surrounding crowd went wild when he said at that moment, “you can’t appreciate the sun without a little bit of rain.”

Our Style

^{The Bridal Looks}

I wore over 7 different looks throughout the entire weekend. Ranging from my very traditional olive green bridal lengha, all the way to my hand-embellished bridal mini at the end of the reception. For the wedding, it was an olive gold bridal organza lengha with intricate cutdana stones, shimmering sequins, and pearls. It was paired with a velvet blouse with a sweetheart neckline and topped with a burnt orange net dupatta.

For the reception, I wore Maggie Sottero – V-back ivory bridal gown with an elegant tulle train. For drinks and dancing, I changed into Rosie Etienne Bridal, a mini dress crafted from beautiful French lace and meticulously hand-embellished with delicate beading. The gown featured a lace-up back corset and included matching gloves, adding to the vintage allure of the dress.

^{The Groom Looks}

For the wedding, Jack had a classic raw silk muted-ivory sherwani featuring intricate silk organza appliqué and resham embroidery, detailed with french knots and bugle beads. For the reception – Purple Label by Ralph Lauren – Hand-tailored wool signature dinner jacket in cream, handmade barathea tuxedo trousers, and a shawl-collar vest made with mulberry silk satin.

^{Our Bridesmaids & Groomsmen Looks}

We worked very closely with a local Indian designer to design both our bridesmaids and groomsmen outfits. For my bridesmaids, I really wanted all the girls to wear a traditional saree. Because the wedding was going to be in Portugal, we opted for a chiffon material in a really beautiful floral pattern. For the groomsmen, I wanted them to wear a traditional kurta set but more so in a cotton fabric. We went with a really beautiful peach colored vest and beige kurta and pant set. Our designer was able to go to India and source all of the fabrics from there. An Enchanting Indian Wedding in the Heart of Portugal

Our Advice

^{For The Planning Process}

If you’re having a destination wedding abroad, I would highly recommend hiring a full-service wedding planner from that destination. They already have the best relationships with vendors and can help you navigate planning your wedding. I was always in constant communication with my wedding planners, and they were truly able to guide and direct me through every situation I was navigating. I was so thankful for them during the planning process and would highly recommend all bride-to-be’s to invest in a wedding planner if budget allows.

^{For On The Day}

The best advice I received from others for my wedding day, which I implemented on my special day, was to spend as much time as you can with your partner. Even if that means carving out 15-20 minutes before the ceremony or having a private “last dance” at the end of the reception, it will be one of the most precious memories to look back on. Be present, soak it all in, and smile often.

An Enchanting Indian Wedding in the Heart of Portugal

^{For Post-Wedding}

Jack & I have yet to go on our real honeymoon, but we did plan a mini-moon for right after the wedding. We spent 3-4 days in Mallorca, Spain, just reminiscing and talking through every detail of the wedding. We laughed, we cried, and we had the best week decompressing after such a whirlwind weekend. I highly recommend taking some time after the wedding, even if it is somewhere local, to just be with one another and create new memories.