A California Family Ranch Was Transformed Into a Romantic Backdrop for This Indian-American Wedding

To represent their two cultures, the couple held a traditional Indian Hindu ceremony, followed by a “classic American black-tie reception.” This choice meant the bride and groom would need to select two distinct outfits for the celebration, and the shopping trip was the perfect excuse for Jayni to introduce William to her extended family in India for the first time. “He survived the time change, Mumbai’s notorious traffic, and late nights with Jayni’s high school friends and family to fall in love with a Sabyasachi sherwani,” recalls the couple. “He was sold when he noticed the buttons were tigers—the mascot of his alma mater, Princeton. We convinced the tailor to let us walk outside and see it in the sunshine, where a passerby stopped to ask for a picture. So, he knew he looked wedding-ready!” For the black-tie reception, William suited up in a sleek Hugo Boss tuxedo.

As a longtime fan of Indian designer Tarun Tahiliani’s craftsmanship and ethereal style, it was a natural choice for Jayni’s bridal lehenga. “While red is the classic color for Indian brides, I chose a hand-embroidered gold-beige chikankari lehenga with tones of green and pink on ivory,” she shares. “I come from many generations of jewelers, and the outfit paired beautifully with my family’s ‘jadau’ jewelry.” Jayni would later don a strapless Sarah Seven gown to dance the night away.

Celebrations began with a traditional Haldi ceremony at a family friend’s home a few days ahead of the wedding. “It was the first chance for our extended family and some closest friends to meet and get to know each other,” the couple says. “Everybody also had a chance to smear turmeric paste on us for luck (and glowing skin), which caused a lot of laughs!” Once more guests arrived in town, the pair hosted a welcome dinner on the picturesque grounds of the Truett Hurst Winery in Healdsburg. “We set up long tables and had delicious Mexican-inspired food from our wedding caterers,” say William and Jayni. “During and after dinner, friends and family gave toasts and roasts, and then many hit downtown Healdsburg to continue the celebrations.”

On the day of the ceremony, guests arrived at the ranch and were greeted with drinks before the beginning of the Baraat parade. “William emerged in his sherwani with a selected group of ‘Baraat boys’ to get the party started,” says Jayni. “They loaded a large speaker onto the back of a four-wheeler and blasted a mix of Indian party music, techno, and hip-hop.” As the procession passed the barn, William mounted a family horse dressed for the occasion and rode to the ceremony site, where Jayni’s sister and family greeted him with traditional blessings. The bride was then escorted by her family to the mandap.