A 4-Day Multicultural Wedding in the Countryside of San Sebastian, Spain

One summer afternoon over a glass of Spanish wine in Boulder, Colorado, Vasudha, Alex, and their wedding planner decided to shift gears and move the couple's wedding plans from a local Boulder farm to the Basque Country in Donostia (San Sebastián), Spain. The couple first traveled to Spain together early in their relationship because Alex studied abroad there and wanted to share his favorite place with Vasudha. A destination wedding initially seemed out of reach for the couple with family scattered all over the world, but early into the planning process, they realized an intimate wedding in Europe was much more appealing to them than a large, farm wedding in Colorado. "Our focus for the wedding was to invite our friends and family to enjoy all of the things that made us fall in love with San Sebastian. We wanted to highlight the beautiful countryside, Txakoli, amazing food, and the vineyard," Vasudha says. With family traveling from India, Germany, and all over the US, Vasudha and Alex planned a 4-day series of events with an emphasis on culture, tradition, style, and food at "a stunning Txakoli vineyard that is nestled in the Basque countryside with a breathtaking view."

One thing that was especially important to the duo that their wedding honor their blended heritage. "The night before our wedding we had a vibrant sangeet (North Indian dance event) that was in the middle of the city and we wanted our guests to experience a different part of the Basque landscape. I wanted the wedding to be romantic and so I chose a neutral and whimsical palette with soft pinks, white, and lavender to enhance the lushness of the vineyard. Alex is half Korean and half Jewish and I am Indian. The day before the wedding we had a traditional Indian Haldi ceremony followed by a sangeet (dance party) in the city. Alex and I wanted our wedding ceremony to tell our story and celebrate our cultures. Our ceremony consisted of various Hindu and Jewish wedding traditions. We included the 7 Jewish blessings and 7 Hindu blessings to symbolize that though we come from different backgrounds, we can create a life together that blends our values and cultures. A Hindu tradition that was dear to my heart was the Aashirvaad (blessings) in which Alex and I received blessings from our parents. It was such a beautiful experience to receive hugs from our families before we spoke our vows. A dear friend of ours officiated the wedding and it was a blessing to have her stand with us on our special day." 

Since the couple's chosen locale is known for its food (and because Vasudha and Alex love to cook together), the menu offerings of the celebration were a memorable highlight. "San Sebastian is known for its world-renown chefs and cuisine. We wanted to share our love of food with our friends and family. The cocktail hour was all about trying new foods and the delicious txakoli wine from the vineyard while our guests enjoyed the view and live music. The dinner menu showcased our Bodega Katxina’s grilled turbot fish which I still dream about. At midnight, we had midnight snacks for everyone with a corridor de jamones (a Spanish ham carver) which was a fun way to keep our guests fueled for a late night of drinks and dancing," Vasudha recalls. The dup also identifies spending quality time with loved ones as another high point of the wedding weekend. "The most special moment of our wedding day was seeing all of our family friends at the venue. We had family and friends from all over the world meet us in Spain and it was such an honor to have them make the trip. Since we had a smaller wedding, we were able to hug, thank, and spend time with each guest. The other days of celebration were also special in having our friends and family get to know each other and have an adventure in our favorite city."