Maisha’s mehndi took place on Thursday afternoon. “Because I was doing a fusion wedding—Indian events but was also wearing a white dress—I only applied mehndi on the inside of my hands and my feet,” Maisha explains. “This was a good daytime event to get people together and get to meet each other before they were together all weekend.”
That evening, they also hosted dinner by the pool. Guests mixed and mingled over Italian food at make your own pasta stations, and the night ended with tiramisu shooters. “We wanted the weekend to build up in terms of formality, so it was really important to have this feel super casual and approachable,” Maisha says. “I wore a midi white linen dress, and Manpreet wore linen khakis, a cream short sleeve button up, and Air Forces. We wanted the vibe to be chic, effortless, casual, and intimate.”
Friday morning was the first ceremony—a Sikh ceremony, otherwise known as an Anand Karaj—to honor Manpreet’s culture and religion. Set at the Ocean Club, it started with a baraat, which is a procession from the groom’s side. “Manpreet entered the baraat on the largest white horse we’ve ever laid eyes on,” Maisha jokes. “With family and friends in tow, a mobile DJ, and a dhol—which is an Indian festive drum—player to keep the dancing going throughout the 30-minute affair and met my family at the end of the procession, signaling a coming together of the families.”
The ceremony took place under a beautifully decorated Guru Granth Sahib holy book, adorned with white and peach florals, baby’s breath, and traditional fabrics. “A lot of our guests—the bride included!—had never been to this type of ceremony,” Manpreet says. “But they were completely enamored by the significance of it, the sounds, the prayers, and of course, the outfits. Given that there were so many people new to this ceremony, we made sure to hand out a leaflet outlining what was being said and the important vows and moments that were taking place so that our guests could follow along.”
Red is typically worn for this ceremony, but because of the light colors of the venue and the fact that the service was in the morning, Maisha wanted to wear something lighter to blend in with the surroundings, eventually opting for a light pink lehenga with gold embroidery and intricate beadwork. She paired it with pistachio green jewelry to give it an extra pop. “We actually asked all guests to wear pastel colors too and encouraged Indian attire—for many it was their first time!” Maisha says. “Since the ceremony required heads to be covered, we had matching ivory head coverings for all guests to use and also sourced two dozen turbans and hired a turban tier for those that wanted to go the whole nine yards.”
