For their dual Tamilian-Gujarati wedding ceremonies in Cape Town, this bride wore a silk sari and a red lehenga

On paper, Chandni Naik and Kartik Sourirajan’s story reads like the opening lines of a romcom. The duo first set their sights on each other in 2020 during a session at the Chinmayananda Mission Class, London. There might have been a spark but before either could pursue it further, the fleeting moment had passed. Bumble then took it upon itself to play cupid but the match expired before Naik had the chance to text Sourirajan back.

Nevertheless, fate still persisted and placed the duo opposite each other at a sit-down dinner once the lockdown had eased. The initial chat soon led to a picnic-style first date in the park which soon blossomed into a meaningful relationship and ultimately, a surprise proposal at the Skydeck in Melbourne, Australia. Against the glittering skyline of the city, Naik said yes to their happily-ever-after.

Deciding to have a multi-cultural wedding that would honour their Tamilian and Gujarati origins was the easy decision—finding a venue that could accommodate all the ceremonies involved was the monumental task. The couple’s quest to discover an outdoor venue that would showcase the dramatic beauty of the Western Cape in South Africa led them to Cavalli Estate. The hundred-hectare property with the Helderberg mountains sprawled in the distance served as the perfect location for their vision of an intimate gathering.

The wedding started with a sundowner mehendi ceremony at a manor-style property, Golden Eye. Titled ‘chit chat and chaat’, the menu followed suit with live stations spotlighting the country’s most-loved street food, including dosa, pav bhaiji, vermicelli pudding and gulab jamun cheesecake. As the setting sun bathed the manor in gold, Naik mingled with the guests in a red sharara set from Monga’s London while her beaming partner stood by her side in an Indo-Western kurta.

After the guests had settled in for a day, the happy couple began their journey to forever with the Tamilian rituals. In keeping with the cultural significance of the ceremony, the groom dressed in a traditional veshti sourced from Nalli, Chennai while the bride made her entrance in a silk sari gifted by her in-laws. After the oonjal ceremony in which the couple is rocked on a decorated swing—a symbolic metaphor for the strength they must find in each other during rocky times—the South Indian bride typically changes into a sari gifted by her in-laws.