The Bride and Groom Hosted Just 9 Family Members for an Intimate Hindu Wedding in Lake Como
In October 2022, Kinjal Patel decided to expand her distance preferences on Bumble from 50 miles to 99 miles. Exactly 98 miles away in Philadelphia was Dr. Herit Vachhani. “Herit asked me for not one but two first dates in the same week,” shares Kinjal, who works in real estate. The pair first met in person on a Wednesday night for pizza and gelato near Kinjal’s home in New Jersey. That Saturday, they would do a food tour of New York City of all of Kinjal’s favorite eateries. “We ended the night with dinner at Shukette and a kiss under the glittering lights of the Rockefeller Christmas tree,” remembers Kinjal.
In May 2024, the couple’s two families came together for a vacation in Mallorca, where Herit planned to propose. “Herit told me we should all dress up for a family photoshoot for the memories. To my surprise, he booked a helicopter ride to show us the scenic landscapes of the island,” shares Kinjal. During this time, her brother and his sister were setting up a proposal scene at their hotel Can Simoneta. Upon landing, the pair walked through the property’s farm to a tree decorated with string lights and photos of their memories together. “He popped the question with the surreal backdrop of the Mallorcan coast and Mediterranean Sea at sunset,” says Kinjal. The to-be-weds then joined their two families for a special dinner together. “We both are extremely family oriented and Herit knew how much it would mean to me to have their blessings with us at the proposal,” she shares. “We were happy crying, laughing, and sharing stories while the sky turned purple-blue at the dinner table, overwhelmed with love.”
Kinjal and Herit frequently traveled to Lake Como together, so they were naturally drawn to the iconic Villa Balbiano for their wedding celebration. Instead of a grand affair, the couple wanted to keep their nuptials extremely intimate, with just nine family members in attendance at their early June ceremony. “It was a peaceful, warm, intimate feeling we got with our families that we will cherish for a lifetime,” they describe. “We didn’t want to get lost in our own wedding. Instead, we wanted to fully and completely be ourselves with the people who understood us the most.” With such a small guest count and a desire to execute her own vision, Kinjal decided to take on the role of planner herself. “I wanted to build my own relationships with vendors for them to understand who we are as a couple. We left with friends instead of professional relationships,” she says. “It felt like an accomplishment and we appreciated it much more once we saw our vision come to life.” The celebration would include a ceremony on the grounds of Villa Balbiano with views of Lake Como, followed by a private reception dinner the next day at Passalacqua, where the couple and their guests were staying.
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.”
Photo: House on the Clouds1/48“Is this a real car? Because I want one.” –Herit
Photo: House on the Clouds2/48“I was feeling a height of emotions as Herit began saying his vows.” –Kinjal
