Not only is this gorgeous garden-style soiree in the Marbella countryside jam-packed full of intricate and charming details, thanks to Caprichia Weddings & Occasions, but it’s the most beautiful blend of culture and family. From the first stunning image to the very last, Pedro Bellido is behind every powerful capture in this gallery.
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From Caprichia Weddings & Occasions…Shilpa & Eguiar are an amazing couple full of energy and a positive vibe. From the minute they contacted me, I just wanted to find a dream venue for them. I couldn’t help falling in love with the idea of blending the Indian, Spanish and American cultures, and celebrating a traditional Indian ceremony within a garden party feel. Having achieved such a highlight in their lives is truly fulfilling.
From the beautiful Bride…Eguiar and I both met in grad school at Georgetown University. We started off as good friends and over the course of a year started to develop less platonic feelings for one another. From the beginning of the relationship, I think both of us sensed that this was a relationship for the long haul. About two and a half years of dating, we both grabbed a drink after a friend’s holiday party and started joking about what our wedding would look like. After a few drinks, we both looked at each other and couldn’t find any reason to not make it happen right away.
Eguiar was born and raised in the Canary Islands of Spain, and my parents were Indian immigrants that came over to the US in their 20s. We wanted to honor both our Spanish and Indian heritages, recognizing that at times they can be diametrically in opposition of one another. Spain seemed like a perfect midpoint for my relatives in India and friends in the US, while making it easier for his friends and family to travel. We settled on Marbella, Spain for its proximity to the beach, mountains and the oft-visited sites of Sevilla, Granada and Morocco.
In true Indian style, the wedding was a five-day affair, starting off with a backyard party on that Wednesday and ending with a beachside brunch on Sunday. There was a sangeet and mehndi party, as well as flamenco and traditional Andalucian horse dancing. However, for the wedding, I wanted the actual ceremony and reception to feel like an intimate backyard party, which was definitely a challenge with 240 guests coming in from all over the world.
Lucia, our wedding planner, found us the most stunning venue I have ever seen in my life, which was cliffside off the mountains, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar and the coast of Morocco. I was adamant that the Hindu ceremony, dinner and dancing all be outside. The landscape was too perfect to take second fiddle to formalities. We started off the groom’s baraat (the Indian procession by horse) by the gate of the house to the mandap (the traditional Hindu altar for wedding ceremonies). After our ceremony, guests had cocktail hour overlooking the Costa del Sol and the valley near the pool of the house. Dinner and dancing took place on top of a grassed terrace that oversaw the residence and the distant twinkling lights coming from the coast of Africa.
We had long tables in front of the dancefloor that way people could mingle, get to know each other and feel like they were having dinner with old friends. You could hear Spanish, English and Hindi circulating among our guests. It was truly a multicultural gathering in every sense. Lucia perfectly captured the garden party feel that I was going for, by integrating local flowers on the table, customizing menus for each of the guests with their name, and hanging lanterns over the dancefloor.
There is so much emphasis on throwing a dream wedding, which is silly, but I’m fairly certain that the wedding was as close to what I imagine heaven would be – family, friends, good food, great drinks, stunning location, and dancing until sunset.
I cannot tell you how much the wedding was a hit. I still get emails from Indians, Spaniards and our friends telling them that it was a once in a lifetime experience. People have said that sincerely it was one of the most beautiful, unique weddings and that all throughout Saturday folks would say things like “they have thought of everything; they have thought of all these details”. All of these comments are due to you and your teams execution.
And there is much credit due to your patience and your imagination in blending the Indian elements so perfectly. The mandap and everything surrounding the ceremony was just ideal. I cannot say enough about the venue, too. People were OBSESSED with the view from the cocktail hour, making jokes like “could you see Africa when you got married??”. I can just tell you have such perfect instincts for memorable moments.
I am so grateful to have worked with you and I am just in awe of your great ethic, your amazing classiness, your response to everything. You created the highlight of not only mine and Eguiar’s life but of our parents, too.
Photography: Pedro Bellido | Videography: Studio Krrusel | Bride's Shoes: Alexander Wang | DJ: Romain Bailly | Groom's Suit: J. Lindeberg | Indian Wedding Dress: Sabyasachi | Save The Dates/Stationery/Invitation: Mr. Boddington Studio | Table Stationery: Caprichia Weddings & Occasions | Wedding Bands, Hairpiece, Necklace: Customized Pieces By Misa Jewelry | Wedding Planning, Styling, Venue & Local Vendors: Caprichia Weddings & Occasions | Wedding Website And Customized Design: Una Piranha | White Wedding Dress: Delphine Manivet