Nestled on the sun-kissed shores of Sitges, Spain, Simren and Reezaan's wedding was an unforgettable celebration of love, culture and artistry. Set against the backdrop of Villa Almanita, a stunning 18th century estate, this three-day Indian-American wedding became a vibrant tapestry of tradition and romance. The couple envisioned a wedding that was both organic and intimate, seamlessly blending the elegance of Indian heritage with the old-world charm of Spanish and French influences. With every detail carefully curated – from the exceptional food that delighted the senses to the music that set the perfect mood – this celebration was a feast for the heart and soul. Simren's range of bridal looks, from intricate traditional Indian designs to an enchanting drop-waist gown, captured the essence of both worlds, making this wedding not just a union, but a fusion of two rich cultures and unforgettable moments. Experience the enchanting beauty of love and the artistry of exquisite floral arrangements crafted by our talented member, Best Day Ever.
Our Love Story
The Day We Met
Reezaan moved from New York to Atlanta in 2005, and, believe it or not, we met for the first time on the playground in 3rd grade. Riz has always been a charmer—even back in grade school, he told me he thought I was beautiful and wanted me to be his girlfriend just hours after meeting me. I played hard to get for as long as I could, but he quickly became my first real crush. Growing up in an Indian household, my parents were pretty strict when it came to boys, so there was a lot of sneaking around!
Fast forward to senior year of high school—Riz came to visit me one evening after my piano lesson. We took a stroll down the golf cart paths and ended up lying in a random person's driveway, stargazing. He turned to me and asked me to be his girlfriend—and now, here we are. We just celebrated our 10-year anniversary this past November!
The Proposal
It was the end of September when we traveled from Rome to Praiano, a small town on the Amalfi Coast, nestled between Amalfi and Positano. We checked into one of seven rooms at the beautiful Ca’ P’a. After a long bath, Riz asked me to step out onto the balcony. I walked out to a stunning view of the Mediterranean, along with pizza and a bottle of Falanghina.
Riz came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and whispered, “Isn’t the view just so beautiful?” Truth be told, I couldn’t see much of the view from where we were standing (being short has its drawbacks!), but I said “yes” anyway because, in that moment, I knew what was coming next. I felt him turning me, and as he got down on one knee, he asked me to be his wife. I loved how intimate and private that moment was—it felt like just the two of us in the world.
The Engagement Ring
My engagement ring is incredibly special to me for so many reasons. Riz thoughtfully designed it as a custom oval solitaire with a hidden halo. I never had a hand in the design process, but years ago in college, I had shown him the kind of ring I envisioned for myself. I’ve always been drawn to the elegance and timelessness of an oval solitaire.
I tend to gravitate toward simple, classic designs—things that are understated yet beautiful—and the oval solitaire perfectly reflects that. What makes this ring even more meaningful is that Riz chose to set the diamond on one of his late mother’s gold bands. She was known for collecting gold throughout her life, and he wanted to incorporate that beautiful legacy into my ring. His mother was truly a gem, and I feel incredibly grateful to carry a part of her with me every day through this ring.
Our Wedding
The Vision
We envisioned a celebration grounded in art, romance, tradition, exceptional food, and great music. Our goal was to create an organic, intimate atmosphere where our closest friends and family could gather, celebrate, and feel like they were on vacation. It was important to us that the weekend felt elegant but also like one big, unforgettable party. We love to travel, so we drew inspiration from the places and styles we’ve experienced over the years. Stylistically, we envisioned a blend of Indian heritage-inspired luxury with old Spanish and French country charm. We had four events, so we wanted each day to feel unique while still seamlessly tying back to our overall vision.
To bring this to life, we incorporated Turkish rugs and Toile de Jouy linens to enhance the cultural richness of the decor. Across the events, we also featured drippy candles and unique blooms, alongside an innovative use of nuts and produce—like heirloom tomatoes, peppers, watermelons, and figs. Every detail was designed to be artistic, romantic, and unexpected.
Our Team of Vendors
We were truly blessed with an incredible team of vendors. Five months before the wedding, we had the opportunity to meet with our planners, Kat and Brita, who flew in from California to Sitges, Spain, to help bring our vision to life. During this trip, we were able to visit our venue, Villa Almanita, in person, as well as meet with caterers, rental companies, and our florist (she is the sweetest!). Given that it was a three-day, four-event wedding, the turnaround time was tight, and the hours were long. I’m so grateful to our team for their patience, dedication, and hard work in bringing our vision to life.
The Location
We’re often asked, “Why Sitges?” Last summer, we were in France and Spain searching for wedding venues. We had planned to meet up with a few friends in Barcelona and decided to drive up the coast to Girona. We made a detour to pick up our friends, who were staying in Sitges—and I immediately fell in love with this charming coastal town.
Inspired by the beauty of the place, I started researching venues during the drive to Girona. That’s when I discovered Villa Almanita—a stunning 18th-century Catalan estate with its own vineyard, set on 70 acres of private grounds. We felt this villa encompassed everything we were looking for. Interestingly, it was the only venue on our list we didn’t visit in person. We trusted our instincts, and it turned out to be the best decision we made!
The Ceremony
Upon arrival, our guests were welcomed with a glass of champagne in the courtyard. As they made their way down to the garden to take their seats for the ceremony, they were greeted by two live violinists. For seating, we chose ivory wrought iron chairs, arranged in an open U-shape across the lawn.
We kept the floral arrangements simple—our florist, Yolanda, used pedestals to display beautiful arrangements of dahlias, amaranthus, and hydrangeas, surrounded by pillar candles as we recited our vows. Reezaan walked down the aisle with my mom, and I walked with my dad to my favorite song, Die For You by The Weeknd, which was played live on the violin. After exchanging our vows, Reezaan and I exited to Too Late to Turn Back Now by Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose.
The Reception
After the ceremony, our guests made their way to the pool area for Aperitivo hour. We served eight different canapés, and for drinks, Reezaan’s signature cocktail was a dirty martini, while mine was a jalapeño guava margarita. Afterward, guests were escorted upstairs to the courtyard, where we had one long dinner table set for all 120 guests. The setup was absolutely breathtaking, with drip lights hanging over the tablescape and Toile de Jouy linens draped across the table. We had candles, heirloom tomatoes, grapes, peppers, anthuriums, and amaranthus beautifully arranged.
To kick off the celebration, we popped champagne to Pop That by French Montana before sitting down for dinner. Honestly, Riz and I never rehearsed our first dance, but it ended up being one of my favorite moments. We shared our first dance to These Arms of Mine by Otis Redding—such a special moment for us. The rest of the night felt like a fever dream. We stayed on the dance floor until 4 a.m. and ended the night by jumping into the pool with all of our friends and watching the sunrise.
The Special Touches
Our planners had already prepared some items for the gift bags in advance, but upon arriving in Sitges, they visited the local markets to find a few special, locally inspired touches. After the welcome dinner, our guests were given burlap bags with a wedding itinerary, a personal message, a custom matchbook, black truffle Torres chips, cobalt blue water bottles, fresh fruit, a bamboo fan, and Advil—because, well, we had a crazy few days ahead! For our Sangeet dinner, I envisioned a seating assignment display inspired by an Indian bazaar. Our florist created a stunning display, filling a table with baskets of various local produce. Each basket held custom stationery by Mudari, featuring the table number and guest names.
For the welcome sign, I wanted to take a different approach than the typical framed option. Our planner, Kat, found a company based in Australia that creates custom linen signs. We had a large linen drape hanging from a tree to the floor in the villa's courtyard, with our names, the location, and the wedding dates, along with various small drawings that represented different aspects of the weekend. When we arrived in Sitges, Reezaan decided he wanted to surprise everyone with a speech on the last night. On the morning of the wedding, Riz jumped into the pool to have a moment to himself and rehearse.
One of our photographers, Alfredo, noticed Riz in the pool alone, talking to himself, and asked, "Hey man, are you okay? I saw you in here alone, talking to yourself." They both started laughing when Riz explained he was practicing his speech. Alfredo did an amazing job capturing this solo moment of Riz preparing. When he gave the final speech later during dinner, everyone was laughing and crying. His delivery was reminiscent of a classic Comedy Central roast. He’s honestly the best public speaker and the funniest man we know!
It was important for me to have a tribute table for Reezaan’s mom, Rozina. I printed and framed our favorite pictures of her, and our planners and florist did a beautiful job putting this together for the final evening. The table was set up in a cove near the dinner area, with all her pictures surrounded by wild, drooping florals and soft candles, creating a serene, intimate space where we could honor her memory. Riz and I aren’t huge fans of traditional cakes, so we knew we wanted to take a different approach for our cake cutting. Instead of a classic wedding cake, we opted for a six-foot-long Mille-Feuille French pastry topped with fresh strawberries. We also decided to surprise our guests with a late-night snack—McDonald's, of course. Our planners set it up on a table in the garden near the dance floor. The setup was effortless and stunning, with everything tastefully arranged across the same linens we used for dinner, complemented by wild florals and soft candlelight.
Our Favorite Moment
Reezaan says his favorite moment was during the ceremony when I walked in. He remembers everyone standing up at once and gasping. Since I entered from the side, he initially had his back to me, but he said he knew the moment I appeared based on everyone’s reaction. My favorite moment was Reezaan’s Baraat before the Sangeet. A baraat symbolizes the groom’s journey to marry his bride and the joining of two families. As I approached the front of the villa with my family and close girlfriends, I could hear the loud music and feel the energy of Reezaan’s friends and family celebrating outside the gate. When he entered with everyone, I got chills and truly felt the happiest I’ve ever been. One of Reezaan’s friends spontaneously lifted him onto his shoulders, and they walked toward me, singing, shouting, and jumping up and down—such a core memory.
Our Style
The Bridal Looks
With a 3-day, 4-event, Indian-American wedding, I had the chance to play with a variety of looks. For our welcome dinner at Pic Nic, a Mediterranean restaurant on the beach, I wore a floor-length blush Blumarine dress, which turned out to be one of my favorite looks. I kept my natural, wavy hair down to complement the dress's deep open back, and I felt so laid-back yet special throughout the evening. The next morning was our Pithi (turmeric ceremony), for which I had two looks. The first was a simple custom creation by Panache: a two-piece ivory Chanderi silk set. I loved the thin straps of the kurta and the flared, pleated palazzo pants—perfect for the heat. For accessories, I wore a tennis necklace gifted by my in-laws and vintage Giorgio Armani round tortoise-shell sunglasses, inspired by John Lennon.
For lunch, I changed into a vintage yellow Banarasi silk saree. I had been inspired by a Banarasi saree I saw in the 2017 Spring Couture Sabyasachi collection for the Pithi. Although I couldn’t track that exact one down, I remembered that my mother-in-law, Shelina, had gifted me this saree when she first started dating my father-in-law. It felt like the perfect choice. I had the blouse altered to a square-neck halter style. For accessories, I wore small diamond earrings and layered two necklaces featuring gold, pearls, and aquamarine stones. For my hair, I went with a slicked-back bun wrapped in a white gajra.
For the evening Sangeet, I wore a blue lehenga from the 2022 Sabyasachi Heritage Bridal Collection. I was immediately drawn to this collection—and especially this lehenga—for its homage to Indian tradition, with fine handcrafted zari and kardanath threadwork. The blouse featured a deep V-neck and a round open back, adding a modern touch to the traditional design. However, the veil was truly the star of the show and was my favorite part of this look. Since the outfit itself made such a statement, I kept accessories minimal, opting for just a large maang tikka, which was actually one of my mom’s old earrings that she had custom-turned into a tikka for me.
For the Sangeet dinner, I changed into an ivory embroidered sharara set by Seema Gujral. This was actually the first outfit I found for our wedding when I was in New York, at Ave India Design. I didn’t know exactly when I’d wear it, but I knew I had to have it. The silhouette felt very early 2000s Bollywood, which I absolutely loved. The morning of the wedding, I got ready in a cotton white floral crochet maxi nightgown from Dôen. It was honestly the best decision ever—it was so comfortable.
For my wedding dress, I always knew I wanted a drop waist. I searched high and low, from vintage to Vivienne Westwood and Danielle Frankel. I tried on many beautiful dresses, but nothing was resonating with me. Then, I went into a bridal boutique in Atlanta, not really expecting much. But a small vintage rack tucked in the corner caught my eye. I found a stunning vintage 80s Oscar de la Renta ivory drop-waist dress, and I honestly tried it on as a joke—mainly because it reminded me of the dresses Rachel and Monica wore in that one episode of Friends. But when I slipped it on, I instantly fell in love, and that’s the one I went home with! It stayed in alterations for about five months: the neckline was lowered, the waist was taken in and structured, and the long sleeves were made detachable. It was important to me to preserve the original silhouette and beadwork of the dress, and I think my seamstress did a wonderful job maintaining that.
I did my own hair and makeup throughout the entire wedding, but for this day, I had my hair professionally done to create a classic French twist, inspired by Lily-Rose Depp’s look in The Idol. I wore T-strap white heels from Khaite and kept the jewelry minimal with diamond earrings and a couple of tennis bracelets.
The Groom Looks
Reezaan wore a custom off-white linen suit from Suit Supply for our welcome dinner. The dress shirt underneath was made from the same fabric and color. Inside the blazer, there was a special touch: an embroidery of his last name and the date of the welcome dinner. He paired the suit with woven brown leather loafers. He looked effortlessly handsome and laid-back, with a couple of shirt buttons popped open.
For the Pithi (turmeric ceremony), Riz wore a satin mustard kurta set with a matching vest. For lunch, he changed into a pink silk Casablanca button-down shirt paired with white linen pants. The pattern on his shirt was insane. This was honestly one of my favorite looks of his. For the Sangeet, Reezaan wore a custom kurta set with a floral-embroidered jacket from India. The muted pastel florals on the jacket beautifully complemented both our venue and my lehenga. Later, for dinner, Riz changed into a relaxed white mirror-work kurta set, also made in India.
On the wedding day, Riz wore a custom tuxedo from Suit Supply. He had considered a linen tux but opted against it since linen wrinkles easily. Instead, his tux was crafted from a linen-wool blend with a wide lapel. The inside of the jacket featured a burgundy silk lining with embroidery that read "Sim and Riz," along with our wedding date. He paired the tux with a large silk Tom Ford bowtie and black leather loafers from Arzignano, Italy.
Our Bridesmaid’s Looks
I chose not to have traditional bridesmaids, so instead, my two sisters were my maids of honor. I didn’t want them to wear matching outfits at any point, but I did want their looks to be unique yet cohesive with my own. For the Sangeet, both of my sisters wore designs by Paulmi and Harsh. Riya, my youngest sister, wore a multi-colored striped saree paired with a gold choker adorned with aquamarine stones that belonged to my late mother-in-law. Her saree was a bold statement piece and so unique. Neha, on the other hand, wore a blue chiffon pre-draped saree set with floral prints and hand embroidery. It was simply stunning on her.
For the ceremony and reception, Riya wore a silk satin Raquel Diniz dress featuring splashes of yellow roses. The dress originally came with black straps, but we had them removed during alterations for a softer look. Neha wore a floral mauve halter dress with a slit leg from Revolve and styled her hair in a gorgeous French twist.
Our Groomsmen’s Looks
Reezaan’s best man was his dad, Raju. For the ceremony and reception, Raju wore a black tuxedo from Suit Supply, paired with Louis Vuitton black leather loafers. To complete the look, both Reezaan and his dad wore matching Omega Seamasters.
Our Advice
For The Planning Process
There is a lot of research that goes into planning an international wedding, and we highly recommend hiring planners. When planning a wedding, there are countless details to manage, and it’s incredibly helpful to have someone keeping track of both the big and small tasks to stay organized. While I was very hands-on and involved in the planning process, I didn’t always have the time to personally reach out to each vendor and coordinate logistics.
It’s also important to keep in mind that costs can quickly spiral over budget, especially as you approach the final stretch before the wedding. There are always last-minute things that come up. My advice? Be proactive, stay organized, and always set a contingency in your budget!
Most importantly, remember that not everything will go according to plan. There will be things outside of your control, and that’s okay. Keep a positive attitude, adapt as things come up, and enjoy the journey. At the end of the day, it’s about the experience, not perfection.
For On The Day
Please don’t be like us and only sleep 3 hours the night before your wedding. Honestly, the only reason I was able to wake up was because I was so excited. Make sure to get plenty of rest if you can. And most importantly, take a moment for yourself during the day. Trust your team to handle the details, be present in every moment, embrace all the emotions that come with the day, and, above all—have fun!
For Post-Wedding
Don’t forget to thank all your guests and vendors! Following the wedding, we took our guests who were still in town to a farewell lunch to express our gratitude for being part of our celebration. We reminisced over paella by the beach. Once we left Sitges, Riz and I headed to Budapest to unwind and enjoy some quality time as newlyweds.
Vendors
Photography: Dos Mas En La Mesa
Wedding Planner & Coordinator: Little Creek Events Inc
Venue: Villa Almanita
Florist: Best Day Ever
Stationery: Mudari Creative
Cake: Eskisit Catering
Catering: Out Of India, Cloud9 Barcelona Catering
Music: Suhel Jagtiani
Bride: Simren Dhani
Style
Bridal Dress: Blumarine, Sabyasachi, Seema Gujral, Oscar de la Renta
Bridal Boutique: The Sentimentalist
Bridal Shoes: Khaite
Wedding & Engagement Ring: Marquise Jewelers
Groom: Suit Supply, Tom Ford
Bridesmaids: Raquel Diniz, Revolve, Paulmi & Harsh
