This bride wore an ivory Sabyasachi sari for her Indo-Scottish wedding in Tuscany

16 March 2025

Adovasio Photography Studio

The lush Italian countryside set the stage for the couple’s church wedding in a 9th century abbey

Tanika D’Souza and Jamie Errington’s meet-cute seemed straight out of a movie. The duo grew up in different parts of the world. She, a South Indian from Mangalore, residing in Dubai and him, Scottish-English hailing from Edinburgh. They crossed paths in Australia, while studying at the University of Melbourne. “It so happened that our dorms were right across the hall from each other. I was walking a friend to her Uber ride and Jamie was making a quick 7-Eleven run. Next thing you know, we were walking back together and spent the rest of the evening eating salt and vinegar chips, talking about everything from politics to theology to pop culture,” she shares. Three weeks later, before they had even started dating, she mentioned to a friend that he was ‘the one’.

Fate had other plans however, as the duo had to maintain a long-distance relationship for the next seven years, as they were both placed in different cities, from Luxembourg and London to Dubai and New York. D’Souza describes the journey as a mix of day-long virtual dates where they would watch movies together on Netflix, visit virtual gallery exhibitions or simply catch-up while running chores and errands. “To make up for eighteen months of not seeing one another in person, we planned a month-long road trip through France and Italy in 2021. Little did I know that Jamie had planned this whole proposal in Paris at Place Dauphine, a secluded tree-lined square in the heart of the city,” she shares.

“In fact, Mangalorean Catholics have this tradition of getting the engagement ring blessed. Seeing as we were in Paris with no access to a priest that we knew, I figured that was off the table, but Jamie did one better. Not only did he arrange for a ring-blessing ceremony but he also organised for my parents to come surprise me,” she reveals.

While a destination wedding wasn’t exactly on the cards, the couple ultimately settled on having their nuptials amidst the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside in Italy, given that their families and friends were scattered around the world. “Tuscany also fit well with our mood board of having a warm, intimate wedding and a hearty, family-style celebration,” they both share. Given their love for everything old-school, the couple sent out physical wedding invitations, complete with a four-piece invitation suite and envelopes featuring handwritten calligraphy.

“We tried personalising several elements, from the handwritten notes in each welcome bag for our guests, to a thank you poem written by us which guests received at the welcome dinner, a wedding magazine, as well as his & her favourite candies in the goodie bags—Scottish tablets for Jamie and sour cola for me,” explains D’Souza.

The celebrations started with a welcome dinner which was held at the terrace of an old monastery overlooking Val d’Orcia, coveted for its undulating landscapes and gently rolling hills; also a UNESCO World Heritage Centre. A jazz band serenaded guests, as they toasted the couple and new beginnings. The next day dawned early for the wedding ceremony which was held at the historic Abbazzia di Sant'Antimo, a 9th century abbey. “We specifically chose the abbey for its modesty and simplicity. Unlike the duomos of Italy, the abbey possesses no gold ceilings or big works of art, and we wanted our decor to compliment the sanctity of this sacred place,” the bride says, adding that they simply chose to elevate the venue with candles displayed across the altar while the pews were adorned with symmetrical floral arrangements.

For the ceremony, the bride knew she wanted something ethereal and preferably a sari as that's what her mother and both grandmothers wore for their respective weddings. “I had travelled from London to Delhi to shop for saris, but once I tried on this ivory-hued creation by Sabyasachi, I knew this was the one.” She completed her ensemble with a matching veil, delicate pearl drop earrings and gold mules, along with her paternal grandmother’s rosary and a small posy of white florals. Her beau was kitted out in traditional Scottish attire, with a kilt from Stewart Christie & Co Ltd, a jacket and waistcoat by MacGregor & MacDuff and a fly plaid or traditional Scottish fabric worn over the shoulder, in his clan colours. For sentimental value, he added his paternal grandfather’s watch to complete his look.

The same evening, the reception was held at La Foce, a picturesque estate overlooking the Tuscan hills. As guests enjoyed glasses of prosecco in the gardens, the couple cut their wedding cake with the sun casting a warm glow over the lush landscape. Bagpipers welcomed guests to the sit-down dinner, followed by an Italian swing band belting out popular tunes and the bride surprising her beau with the original rendition of La Vie En Rose. “Much to the chagrin of a Francophone at our wedding party,” she says with a laugh.

The wedding festivities wrapped up with a laid back farewell brunch the next day at La Foce’s poolside venue. Chaat and ice cream stations fuelled guests for the afternoon along with Florentine street fare and a salad and bruschetta bar. The couple managed to sneak away for a few quiet moments as they soaked in the celebrations and their magical wedding weekend. For two people who are as different as could be with their cultures—her with eating sorpotel and sannas at Christmas, and him enjoying salmon mousse and haggis—the couple’s wedding was a heartwarming reminder of love transcending boundaries.