The celebrations ran across the Sheraton Lake Como, Villa Geno, Villa Erba and Villa Gasel. The first day included separate pithi and Ganesh puja ceremonies for the bride and groom, followed by the mehendi that evening. The pre-wedding ceremonies stayed close to Gujarati tradition. At the pithi and Ganesh puja, sisters-in-law and aunts applied haldi as a blessing before prayers to Lord Ganesha. The satak honoured the maternal side of the family, with maternal uncles bringing gifts and prayers offered for blessings from the nine planets. Colour helped distinguish each event: rust and yellow for Hajari’s pithi and Ganesh puja, yellow for Patel’s, then pink for Hajari’s satak and blue tones for Patel’s.
At the mehendi, Hajari’s henna mapped the relationship in miniature. It included “ily a milly”, a phrase the couple say to each other, references to San Diego where they had their first date, butterflies for their favourite song and Patel’s hidden name woven into the design. Around that, the evening was styled in pastel tones with florals, fruit and lanterns, while the menu folded Italian and Indian influences into the same spread.
The sangeet at Villa Geno brought in speeches, family dance performances and one of Patel’s favourite moments of the weekend. “Walking into the sangeet venue and seeing the energy, decor and family and friends in awe” stayed with him, he said later. Blue umbrellas and hand-painted signs framed the evening, which carried the celebrations into a more exuberant register.
Family history ran straight through the wedding day. For the baraat, Hajari wore her mother’s wedding outfit and Patel wore his father’s wedding suit. Before the ceremony, Patel was also handed a mock contract by Hajari’s brother and sisters-in-law, promising to always treat their sister right and to accept that she is always right. The ceremony itself took place under a mandap at Villa Erba, where Hajari and Patel exchanged vows surrounded by the people who had shaped their lives.
White formed the base palette for the wedding and reception, with oversized paper florals, fresh flowers and candles carrying the setting from day into evening. Lunch and dinner were both served family-style, with menus that moved between Gujarati comfort, Indian favourites and Italian touches, alongside the couple’s signature cocktails. The Lake Como wedding also made room for plenty of movement, with music carrying the celebrations late into the night.
