A Two-Day Indian Wedding in Mexico City With Boho, Autumnal Vibes
Like rain on your wedding day? Well, for Seema and Ritesh, it was actually their engagement. The two initially met on the dating app Dil Mil during the early days of the pandemic. Both went into the experience unaware they’d find their future spouse, making it a happy surprise, especially when they met face-to-face for the first time. When it came time for Ritesh to propose, he waited for the day they finally walked the Stairway to Heaven trail in Vernon, New Jersey, a dream of Seema’s for years. But what he wasn’t prepared for was the heavens opening up. Trekking through rain, humidity and mosquitoes, by the time the couple made it to the suspension bridge, the rain let up. “I was busy looking at fish below to realize that Ritesh was on bended knee when I turned around,” Seem says. “In complete shock, I dropped my umbrella and just started crying. After that, the sun was out, and it ended up being a beautiful sunny day.”
Bringing their South Asian cultures into the wedding day meant a two-day event, filled with traditional Hindu rituals and ceremonies. Opting for the Proyecto Público Prim, a cultural center and historic venue in Mexico City, Ritesh and Seema set out to plan an intimate affair, where each guest could feel “like they were a part of something special,” the bride says. And the Jardín Prim 32 blended contemporary elements with historic charm, something that the couple wanted to highlight. Seema says, “We didn't want to take away from the lush greenery and natural aesthetic. We opted for neutrals and various textures to create and amplify the already natural beauty.”
With minimal decor, their vendors added textures and neutral hues in a fall color palette to complement the space. That included soft browns, rich greens, creamy ivory shades and a pop of rustic orange. Their mandap was made of pampas grass, palm leaves, roses and other seasonal blooms that would be repurposed from the ceremony to the reception, which the bride says created an “intimate romantic feel.” And naturally, the outfits for each event had to match the setting and its decorations.
Both the bride and groom would have three outfit changes over the course of the weekend. The day before, during their traditional grashanti (pooja), haldi, and their welcome dinner with a mezcal and mehndi theme, Seema wore a hand-painted two-piece lehenga from Anita Dongre, with motifs that reminded her of Mexico City’s artwork and colorful vibes. “I surprised Ritesh and engraved a custom S & R and our wedding date on the back of my skirt,” she adds. Ritesh chose a more Western-style suit for these events, in a sage green with embroidered white flowers and matching tennis shoes.
Some personal touches the to-be-weds added to this first night of events included their music and custom cocktails. Seema says, “We curated an Indo-Afro house playlist to play during our mezcal and mehndi Night. We created signature drinks after Bollywood actors and movies to go with our vintage Indian theme.” Hosted at the Casa Barcelona, a blend of marigolds, yellows and white shades fused a bit of their Indian culture with Mexico City. Seema’s uncle also officiated the pooja, and the couple’s sisters, fathers, nephews and best friends all gave heartfelt speeches. “Typically, parents sit for the pooja, but we both wanted our sisters to sit for it. My sister ended up wearing her wedding outfit, which added such a nice personal touch to the pooja,” Seema adds of the nontraditional route they took.
The next day began with Ritesh’s friends sending Seema Polaroids of their first trip to Portland, Maine, and sweet love notes accompanied these photos. What followed was the couple’s first look, surrounded by lush greenery in the heart of Mexico City. Seema, now in a strapless, sequined silk skirt set in a design of pale green, light orange and ivory, had a veil that matched the verdant colors of both her attire and Ritesh’s wedding day sherwani. The groom paired this three-piece look with a turban, and as guests held him over their shoulders during the Baraat, his bride watched from a secret window.
As Seema’s uncle also officiated the wedding, the two sat beneath the autumnal mandap in the courtyard in front of their 100 closest friends and family members. Before long, the last event of the weekend: the reception. The newlyweds chose a theme of “romance” for this event’s decor, with a Polaroid seating chart (with a photo of each guest), table numbers with the significance of each numeral on the back of the card and even a special performance from Seema’s nephew. She says, “My nephew played the piano during cocktail hour. He practiced for months [on] all the songs we wanted him to play.”
The bride changed into her final outfit, a Mishru lehenga in red and pink with 3D floral elements and matching gloves, while her groom wore a black double-breasted suit. Guests enjoyed signature drinks, named for the couple’s moms, a JyotiRita and Paloma de Mena, beside older photos of them. And instead of a cake, some local flavor was brought to the party in the form of a churro cart with multiple offerings. To keep their younger guests occupied, they had “busy boxes” of activities as well.
Seeing all of their hard work come to fruition and the lengths their loved ones traveled to be there were some of the most “magical” parts of the day, according to the bride. “We were most excited to see and spend time with them,” she says. All of the many moving pieces of the two-day event came together wonderfully for them, and they attribute this to planning the whole affair as a team. They add to couples planning their own wedding, “Stay true to what you, as a couple, want. People will have their opinions and give their input, but remember this day is about celebrating your love and making sure that you stay true to that.”