Blend Together With Two Luxury Indian Wedding Styles in Mexico

Newlyweds Dhruvi and Vybav were able to blend together two luxury North and South Indian wedding styles in Mexico. Starting with a civil ceremony in Philadelphia, the pair ended their celebration with not one but two luxury multicultural weddings on the coastline of Riviera Maya. With a destination wedding in Mexico, Dhruvi and Vybav also incorporated many Latin traditions and styles within their celebrations.

A rustic wine cellar in the “City of Brotherly Love” is where their marriage was first officiated, legally bonding these soulmates.

Heading to Mexico…

Next, the newlyweds journeyed to Mexico. The primary event of the destination was the “Welcome Fiesta”. Here, they welcomed all of their guests to kickoff the weekend celebration. This Latin event is usually held the day before a wedding to allow guests to mingle and settle in. This is customary when guests are from out of town or if they’ve travelled to a destination wedding.

Dhruvi and Vybav then participated in Gowri Pooja. The Gowri Pooja is an offering of prayers to the Goddess Gowri to bless the couple with a long and happy married life. After that they gathered on the powdery sands of a Riviera Maya beach with their close friends and family. Colorful powder was then showered on the happy couple as a part of a Holi or “Festival of Colors” beach celebration to promote the spirit of unity.

Following, with bride and groom adorned in decadent teal ensembles, was their Sangeet event. This offered a chance for both families to come together in a pre-wedding tradition, typically celebrated in North Indian weddings.

Luxury Indian Wedding Styles…

For this romance, two separate cultural wedding styles were in order. Now they could honor everyone’s heritage as marriage has blended their families forever. The Gujarati wedding is ritualistic to North India. This is a wedding style that incorporates many modern elements, especially in attire, and has a prominent role for the groom’s family. The Kannada wedding is traditional to South India. Steeped in the Karnataka culture, this wedding style is more focused on religion and meaningful rituals. Both wedding styles are vibrant, colorful, and have an array of savory dishes. They are also both centered around family, Hindi culture, and the love between the bride and groom.

Sparklers were finally set ablaze when this pair ignited the dancefloor! Dhruvi and Vybar wowed the crowd with a choreographed Latin meets Hindi fusion performance. Lastly, the events were topped off with a charged and fun Hora Loca rave. Yet again, a timeless Latin-American wedding tradition was honorably added. A Hora Loca rave is always intended to end a wedding night with great vibes and high energy!

Keep reading to learn more about how this pair chose to blend Asian and Latin cultures to create two luxury destination wedding styles in Mexico.

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• Couple: Dhruvi Shah (Bride) and Vybav Hiraesave (Groom)
• Occupations: Clinical Researcher (Bride), Data Scientist (Groom)
• Wedding date: August 9, 2024
• Wedding location: Riviera Maya, Mexico

How did you two meet?

Vybav and I met in the most romantic way possible – by swiping right on each other on Tinder!

But our story began even before that. We both attended the University of Delaware at the same time, and at one point even lived in the same dorm one floor apart, and neither of us knew! We overlapped at UD for three years and never once ran into each other. The universe works in a funny way and couldn’t keep us apart. We finally met through Tinder when I was a senior in my last semester, and Vybav had graduated. It has been 7 years, and the rest is history!

How did Vybav propose?

He proposed in August 2022 at one of our favorite spots in Philadelphia, the Race Street Pier. We used to live in that area when we first moved to Philly, and we loved going on walks around there, hanging out by Spruce Park, Race Street Pier, and Cherry Street Pier. Vybav had been planning this special day for six months and had managed to keep this secret for so long (although I had a bit of a hunch, but did not know when or where it was exactly happening).

Read more about our proposal and engagement here, which was published in Pennsylvania Weddings.

(Above: On the beach, Bride Dhruvi poses in her stunning custom Kalki lehenga while the Groom Vybav poses in his tailored Gujarati Purusham tuxedo).

How did you personalize your wedding styles?

Our wedding attire beautifully blended traditional and modern elements, reflecting both North and South Indian cultures. For the Gujarati wedding, I (Dhruvi) wore a stunning custom purple lehenga designed with Kalki, adding a contemporary twist and highlighting my individuality. A 10-foot veil engraved with our names enhanced the look’s grandeur.

In contrast, for the Kannada wedding, I opted for a classic South Indian saree, skillfully adding modern touches through jewelry and draping.

For the Sangeet, we coordinated in customized matching teal ensembles, with my lehenga sparkling with pearl work and Vybav donning an Indo-Western kurta and jacket.

The guests embraced jewel tones, adding vibrancy to the festivities.

At the Welcome Fiesta, we chose white outfits with intricate mirror work and hints of pink, blue, purple, and orange for a playful Indo-Western aesthetic. For the Haldi and Gowri Pooja, shades of yellow were emphasized, encouraging guests to wear yellow and earthy tones, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.

The enchanted forest theme at the reception influenced both our outfits and decor, featuring rich emerald greens, gold, and black. I dazzled in a custom-designed forest green lehenga from Chamee and Palak, while Vybav wore an intricately detailed tuxedo from Purusham. This thoughtful approach to our wedding attire not only showcased cultural backgrounds but also allowed personal expression, making each ceremony memorable.

Describe your shopping journey…

For our wedding shopping, we curated sentimental pieces from regions including Mumbai, Gujarat, and Bangalore. These lands where our families are from – where our attire was custom-designed. The shopping journey was emotional! However, a detailed guide and color palettes streamlined the process for both us and our families. By enhancing the cohesive aesthetic of our wedding, we would easily be celebrating the love story through carefully chosen fabrics and colors.

How did you successfully plan a multicultural wedding?

Our thoughtful approach to our wedding attire showcased the cultural backgrounds while allowing for personal expression, making each ceremony distinctly memorable. Having two ceremonies helped honor both sides and incorporate the diverse traditions.

What was your favorite memory?

It is hard to choose just one, but the joy of celebrating our love in front of our closest family and friends was probably my favorite. It was incredibly fulfilling to see our vision come to life after all the planning and anticipation. The entire week spent in Mexico with my now-husband and our loved ones felt like a dream, filled with laughter, love, and unforgettable moments that we will cherish forever. Being surrounded by everyone who means the most to us as we began this new chapter together made it all the more special.

How did you select your gifts?

Gifts for the wedding party:

As a token of our appreciation, we curated thoughtful gift boxes for our bridesmaids and groomsmen before the bachelor and bachelorette parties. These boxes contained items they could use during both the parties and the wedding celebrations, ensuring they felt prepared and special.

For the wedding attire, we gifted the bridal party matching outfits for the Gujarati ceremony, emphasizing unity with a cohesive color scheme. For the Kannada wedding, we chose a vibrant mix of colors to showcase the kaleidoscope of hues and add variety to the festivities.

Additionally, we prepared welcome bags for all our guests, including the bridal party, filled with useful items such as snacks, water, Liquid IV, and other essentials to keep everyone energized and hydrated throughout the wedding week. This thoughtful gesture aimed to enhance their experience and show our gratitude for their support.

Gifts for one another:

Instead of exchanging traditional gifts, we chose to put that towards funding our mini-moon in Paris, which we recently enjoyed together. This trip marked my first time in Europe and Vybav’s third visit to the “City of Love”, making it a special experience for both of us. We spent a beautiful few days exploring the romantic streets, and to commemorate this moment, we also did a photoshoot in the enchanting backdrop of Paris. It was the perfect way to celebrate our new journey together and create lasting memories in such a magical place. We will be celebrating our full honeymoon at a later time.

Did you also personalize the music?

Reception ceremony entrance song:

We entered the reception to “Saki Saki” mix with “Titi Me Pregunto” by DJ Amsal, creating an electrifying Hindi and Spanish mix. This choice honored the vibrant energy of Mexico and set the perfect tone for the night, immediately getting our guests excited and engaged in the celebration.

First dance song:

For our first dance, we collaborated with our choreographer to create a unique blend of Hindi (Bollywood) and American songs, resulting in a beautiful medley that lasted almost five minutes. This captivating performance started with a slow dance and gradually transitioned into more upbeat music, perfectly capturing our journey together.

We kicked off our reception with “Standing by You” by Nish x Duniya, setting a heartfelt tone. This was followed by “Lover” by Diljit Dosanjh, the energetic beats of “Illegal Weapon,” and a segment of the iconic Bollywood song “Chaiyya Chaiyya.” We concluded with the acoustic cover of “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” by Bryan Adams, performed by Boyce Avenue featuring Connie Talbot. This carefully curated medley beautifully reflected our personalities and added a special touch to our celebration.

We also surprised our guests with another curated medley during our Sangeet, where we showcased our choreography in a lively performance, adding to the joy and excitement of the celebration.

The Decor…

Any advice for engaged couples?

My best advice for engaged couples is to fully enjoy your engagement time together—it’s a unique and special period as fiancés that you’ll never experience again. One practice that helped us was scheduling date nights on the same date of our wedding month, leading up to the big day. This not only celebrated our relationship but also built excitement for our upcoming wedding.

Equally important is to carve out time where wedding planning is off-limits; trust me, you’ll need those moments to reconnect without the stress of planning. Ultimately, remember that it’s your wedding, so make sure it reflects your vision and style as a couple. Embrace this journey together and enjoy every moment!

Looking for more multicultural wedding inspo?

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Vendors:

• Bride: Dhruvi Shah
• Groom: Vybav Hiraesave
• Joint account: Dhruviandvybav
• Photography: Dhruvik Patel at DK Photo Films
• Videography: BSalas Films
• Bride’s Welcome Party & Reception Lehenga: Chamee and Palak 
• Mehndi artist: Loto Mehndi
• Bride’s Mehndi Gown: Punit Balana
• Bride and Groom’s custom Sangeet Attires: Bespokewala
• Bride’s Blue Wedding heels: David’s Bridal
• Accessories: Gharenu
• Bride’s Custom Gujarati Wedding Lehenga and 10ft Veil: Kalki
• Bridal Accessories (Necklace, Earrings, Tikka): Mortanta Jewerly
• Bridal Shoes: Rajasthani Stuff
• Bride’s Kannada Wedding Sari: The House of Angadi and Advaya Collection
• Groom’s Kannada Wedding Attire: The House of Angadi
• Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka
• Groom’s Gujarati Wedding Sherwani and Reception Tux: Purusham
• Hair & Makeup: Alex Corbanezi
• Bride’s wedding ring: Sydney Rosen Jewelers
• Bride’s wedding bands: Hamilton Jewelers
• Groom’s wedding ring: Tanishq
• Bridal Stylist: Vira Gohil 
• DJ & MC: DJ Gaurav Sood  & DJ. Jimmy P 
• AV and lighting: Lomas Hospitality
• Travel agent, Wedding Coconuts: Shaadi Destinations
• Transportation: Lomas Travels
• Bride & Groom Dances Choreographer: Foram Shah
• Wedding ceremonies, Reception florals: ASR Florals
• Event decor and florals: Lomas Hospitality 
• Venues and Resort: Generations Riviera Maya & El Dorado Royale Riviera Maya
• Planning & Event Design: Pyaar Planning
• Reception dessert table: Lluvia de Azucar
• Reception dinner food: Patravali Indian Cuisine 
• Reception Entertainment: Drums in Paradise 
• Welcome, Sangeet, and Weddings Catering: Chef Kaushal from Generations Riviera Maya
• Kankotri: Akanksha Negi Invitations
• Stationery: Artifact Uprising
• Registry: With Joy