"From India to Nobu, with Love" - Nirali + Niraj's Wedding in Los Cabos
Meet me in India
We met on a study abroad trip in Chennai, India through the International Alliance for the Prevention of AIDS, teaching students and rural villagers about HIV/AIDS education and treatment. We became fast friends and started dating a year later after reconnecting through a mutual college class. Fast forward 7 years later and we're married!
Author - Nirali, Bride
Enchanted at the Enchantment Resort
Niraj surprised Nirali with a weekend getaway to Sedona, Arizona at the Enchantment Resort. He got down on one knee aside a warm fire, a bottle of wine, and stunning views of the red rocks and mountains.
We started researching venues pretty much right away. We knew we wanted to have a wedding outside of our home state, but we wanted to make sure we did a thorough review of our options, including international destinations.
Cabo was the way to go
We wanted to cultivate the ultimate experience for our guests to make the wedding weekend a true vacation for everyone that was a seamless experience from the moment they landed. Since so many of our guests are scattered throughout the U.S. and the globe, we wanted to focus on a location that would afford beautiful landscapes, sophisticated venues, and an intimate feel - Cabo hit on all points! Cabo really is the ultimate resort town - perfect for a quick vacation getaway or a wedding weekend. It reminded us of Arizona with its more arid climate and mountain backdrop, but with the added bonus of beaches and stunning ocean views.
Nobu raised the bar (and stocked it too)
Nobu Los Cabos not only exceeded our expectations, but it also truly set the stage for one of the most memorable vacation experiences for our guests and loved ones. From the impeccable service to the minimalistic yet elegant venue spaces, Nobu was the perfect complement for our wedding decor and vision. We are grateful to the Nobu team and their events staff, led by Eduardo Santana, for executing our vision perfectly in conjunction with our events team.
Good food makes for good memories
Food is everything! The restaurants at Nobu serve fresh, innovative, and delicious meals whether you're looking for vegetarian fare, fresh seafood, or a steakhouse dinner. Philip Santamaria, executive chef of Memories of India, catered the events with classic Indian dishes that were freshly made for our guests. It was definitely one of the highlights of the wedding weekend!
Planning and execution an unforgettable experience
Choosing Shaadi Destinations was probably the easiest decision we made during the wedding planning process. Milan and Shree as well as the rest of the SD team make vendor and transportation arrangements look effortless, but I know how much time and care they dedicate to each one of their weddings. Several of our guests even commented on how wonderful it was working with Shaadi Destinations from a guest perspective -- from their communication with guests regarding bookings to their flexibility with unexpected changes/adjustments to their reservations, they did an impeccable job with planning and execution from both the host and guest perspective.
We found Shaadi Destinations very early on in the planning process, and their insight and guidance as we toured various locations and venues was crucial to finding the perfect venue. Throughout the process, they were incredibly responsive, engaged and available to us. The wedding weekend would not have been the same without the SD team.
Top tips for couples just starting the wedding planning process:
Start early! Even if you're not ready to choose a date, book a venue or select vendors, it is crucial to start early and to work with professionals like Shaadi Destinations who have unique insight into the destination wedding landscape.
Be flexible - When planning any wedding, let alone a destination wedding, there are a lot of changes that might occur throughout the planning process, and it's optimal to try to be open to changes when needed to make planning as smooth as possible for yourself, your families, and your vendors
Listen to your vendors! They've been a part of so many weddings and have unique insight into what works and what may not. We recommend following vendors on social media to get inspo throughout the process too!
Wedding planning amidst a pandemic
Since we are both in healthcare, we were acutely aware of the ever-shifting nature of the pandemic and the importance of remaining flexible throughout the planning process. We focused on maintaining clear communication channels with our vendors as well as the venue coordinators to make sure everyone was on the same page as plans shifted.
Sweet, sweet mems
The benefit of a resort like Nobu meant that time in between events was spent lounging in the pool, recharging at the spa, and walking along the beach. It was a blast being able to enjoy the resort amenities with our close family and friends.
No regrets
Though we didn't need to bring in our own chef, it was important to us to have quality, authentic Indian food at our events because food is everything!! We were so grateful to have Chef Philip from Memories of India fly in and craft amazing menus and delicious meals at every event. People still talk about the food from the wedding, and it makes us so happy to know our guests enjoyed it as much as we did!
A simple Pithi for the books
We took a lot of inspiration from the natural environment and surroundings in Cabo, as well as the minimalist style of Nobu. It felt natural to incorporate a geometric focus with the custom-built triangle and add soft hanging marigolds to contrast the stunning blue ocean background. Sometimes less is more!
Sunset Sangeet on the beach
The Sangeet was one of my favorite events to design with my planner and decor team because as you mentioned, the venue itself was stunning and provided so much already. We opted for a more natural, clean and relaxed "Tulum chic" style. The highlight piece was the hanging greenery mixed with pendant lamps overlying the dance floor, along with different textures, materials and small pops of rust orange and deep reds to complement the neutral wooden bars.
The dream team that made the dream come true
We were so grateful to have the most amazing team from start to finish. We could not have done anything without Shaadi Destinations and their seamless working relationship with our event planner, Nirali Shah. Our chef, Philip Santamaria, kept everyone well-fed and made incredible food day in and day out. Martha from Mazarte Floral truly brought our decor dreams to life, and DJ K Square kept the party going on the dance floor all night! Vinu Garidipuri captured our events beautifully and truly left us with photos that we will treasure for a lifetime. Last but not least, the entire staff and management team at Nobu were amazing to work with and truly made the experience magical.
Our list of vendors:
Destination Wedding Agency - Shaadi Destinations (Website - Instagram - Email)
Photographer - Vinuthna Garidipuri Photography (Website - Instagram - Email)
Videographer - Jorge Ibarra Weddings (Website - Instagram - Email)
Hair and Makeup - Makiaj Beauty Hair & Makeup (Website - Instagram - Email)
Our honeymoon
We just came back from Paris for a trip full of croissants, amazing food, and long walks just taking in the city! Niraj surprised me one night with a dinner cruise along the Seine with stunning views of the city. It's impossible to decide whether Paris is more beautiful by day or by night, as they say - you really can't find a bad view anywhere.
Special thanks to Vinuthna Garidipuri Photography for these fabulous pictures! Contact Vinuthna for your destination photography needs.
Shaadi Destinations is the premier, award winning, modern-day destination wedding travel agency for South Asian couples seeking a streamlined process, incredible experiences, and a party friends and family will never forget! We save our couples thousands of dollars while throwing them the wedding festivities dreams are made of.
We live and breathe destination weddings - with just one consultation, you will be light years ahead in your destination wedding planning process. In less than one week, Shaadi Destinations will find you the most perfect resort that meets your needs, your budget, and your desires. With our vendor relationships and pre-negotiated exclusive perks at resorts across Mexico and the Caribbean, we are confident we can find exactly what you are looking for. You'll find we have the best rates, best incentives, and best booking experience.
