Wedding: Under the Californian sun, this couple tied the knot twice to honour their diverse cultures

It was in September 2012 that the Ritika Iyer bride path crossed the Nate Zanger groom in the dining rooms of the UC Davis during their first year of college. While Iyer noticed it, they did not exchange a word for six months. In a fortuitous setting, the two obtained a summer job together at the university and ended up spending a considerable time in the company of the other where their friendship has flourished. Since then, the duo has become inseparable and the inevitable occurred in 2015, when their friendship turned into a romantic relationship. But it was years later that the couple decided to conclude the agreement with a wedding proposal from Zanger under a magnificent willow in Washington DC.

Iyer, who was born and grew up in the United States, has Tamilian and Maharashtrian roots, his immigrant parents in California from India in the 1980s. Zanger, on the other hand, is a third-generation Californian, half German ethnic, and an Italian and Lebanese quarter. Following the proposal, they visited India in order to familiarize Zanger with the culture of Iyer. From the meeting of the extended family and friends to the exploration of Goa, Delhi and Mumbai, it was a swirling stroll that ended up with the couple in search of a place of marriage as soon as they returned home. “We locked Silverado Resort in Napa, California, because it perfectly matched the criteria we were looking for – the size of the group, the framework, the amenities, the hospitality and its proximity to the wine and restaurants of Napa Valley”, shares Iyer. During a weekend in October 2024, the couple was reached from stop – first in a Hindu ceremony and later in a western. “Nate and I are very focused on the family and we were deeply concerned with ensuring that we have honored our two cultures, so we divided our wedding over two days to celebrate where each of us came from, also,” she adds.

The Neha Varma wedding planner of Events Amora and the Maggie Luo florist of Mflora gave life to the couple’s atmosphere. “We wanted our marriage to feel dreamful, ethereal, joyful and authentic. Our Hindu ceremony reflected traditional accessories from southern India such as brass lamps, jasmine flowers, as well as earthy and natural elements of airy herbs, delicate flowers associated with touches of fanciful colors, “explains the couple.