Nina and Pavan's Indian-American micro wedding in Palo Alto brought 38 guests to two ceremonies and one dinner on May 27, 2022. The day started with a Hindu ceremony under a mandap at The Mountain Terrace in Woodside, bay views behind the altar, Nina in a purple-and-pink silk saree, then a Western ceremony in front of the redwoods, Nina in a white gown, before everyone moved to a restaurant reception in the private room at iTalico.
Two ceremonies, one guest list, one long day. They made an Indian-American micro wedding feel like a single, multicultural celebration.
The morning started with the saree. Nina got ready with the women of her family close, a maang tikka set on her forehead, gold bangles stacked up her wrists. Across the way, Pavan got into his suit while his family settled in around him. Hair & Makeup finished on schedule. By the time the mandap was set and the string quartet tuned up on the terrace, everyone was ready.
Afternoon
Two Ceremonies at The Mountain Terrace, Woodside
The Hindu ceremony came first. Nina came in followed by family, and the two of them sat together at the mandap with the Bay in the background. Garlands went back and forth. An antarpat cloth was held between them and then dropped. Elders stepped up one by one, hands raised, rice and petals tossed in the sun, sarees and silks in every color, the whole family loud and warm and present. After a cocktail hour on the terrace, the mandap came down.
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The Western ceremony followed a few steps away, with the redwoods at their backs. Nina had changed into a white gown and cathedral veil, Pavan into a black tux. They did a first look in a doorway beforehand, his face lighting up when he saw her, her laughing before she reached him. Then Nina walked down the aisle on her father's arm to where Minister Maggie and Pavan were waiting. A friend sang. They kissed, then recessed through a corridor of clapping hands; Nina's mother and Pavan's father each said a few words at the champagne toast after.
“A day that could have been two weddings. They made it one.”
After the ceremony
Family Photos in the Redwoods
Both families came together for portraits after the Western ceremony. Nina's side, then Pavan's, then everyone at once in their mix of tuxedos and jewel-toned silks, standing against the redwood trunks. The Mountain Terrace sits on Skyline Boulevard in Woodside with bay views one way and old-growth redwoods the other; the couple took portraits in both directions as the light went gold.
Evening
Dinner at iTalico, Palo Alto
Dinner was in the private room at iTalico, a Calabrian pizzeria in Palo Alto, a Michelin Bib Gourmand. One long table, white roses and greenery down the middle, a wall of wine behind. Nina and Pavan came in to applause and sat down with both families. A friend stood up to toast them, and the room laughed. Pavan said a few words of his own, then leaned in and kissed his mother on the head. They cut a simple two-tier cake with white roses and fed each other a bite.
By the end of the night they'd had two ceremonies, a champagne toast, and a full table of the people they wanted most, one day that held all of it.
