Navya Maddali and Mohit Reddy had a maximalist wedding bash at the NOBU Hotel in Los Cabos, Mexico with camels at the baraat, salsa dancers and several surprises for their guests
When New York-based Navya Maddali first started looking for a job after completing her pharmacy residency, little did she know that she would also find the love of her life along the way. Her father nonchalantly mentioned meeting a young man (also working in pharma) at a wedding, who could help in her job search. “I was initially skeptical about taking advice from a stranger, but I figured, why not? I connected with Mohit on LinkedIn, we met up for a casual drink and the next thing you know, I found my dream job and dream man,” says Maddali.
The couple spent the next few years ticking off bucket list adventures—from go-karting in Tokyo, jet skiing in Dubai against the Burj Al Arab, hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, Turkey, and sipping on Aperol spritzes on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. “After countless dates, Mohit popped the question which was nothing short of magical.” She describes how the 101st floor of The Peak at Hudson Yards in New York was transformed with hundreds of roses, followed by a nine-course menu inspired by their favourite date nights and a violinist playing Bridgerton’s soundtrack.
Reddy and Maddali knew they wanted a destination wedding where they could whisk away their closest friends and family for a holiday and celebration to remember. Maddali reveals that since both their fathers are pharmacists, and most of their loved ones work in healthcare, they wanted to give everyone a much-needed escape from work. “Cabo was one destination many of them hadn’t visited, plus it’s accessible enough from NYC”.
Their wedding planner, Vaishali Deshpande and event designer and decorator, Vikram Panicker, carefully crafted every tiny detail, aligning with the bride’s mood board which featured lots of soft pastels, shimmering textures and hints of gold. “Looking back, it was the unexpected details that made our wedding special,” the couple shares, referring to the assortment of freshly-made sweets and savoury snacks that were included in the welcome bags, hot sauce bottles with Mohit’s face stamped on them, and custom canvas tote bags for all the guests to take home. The NOBU hotel's simplistic architecture and unassuming facade made for the ideal canvas for their larger-than-life celebration.
To make the most of the sun-kissed Cabo shoreline and balmy weather, most of the events were held outdoors. For instance, the welcome party ended with a beach rave under the starlit sky, the haldi ceremony was a breezy affair with a flash mob dance and guests cooling down with prosecco popsicles; the sangeet featured a fire show performance, while the wedding was a beachfront celebration with a fiery ocean sunset for company.
Steering away from the traditional yellow hues associated with the haldi ceremony, the couple chose to don all-white ensembles instead. The bride opted for a custom, ivory Ridhi Mehra outfit while the groom complemented in a Label Crestelli kurta set in a similar hue. “I worked closely with Mumbai-based wedding styling company Bridelan India, to source and customise outfits for each celebration,” the bride shares. The sangeet evening was a vibrant spectacle, drawing inspiration from the couple’s love for Yayoi Kusama’s iconic installations in New York City, with decor in shades of icy blues and silver. Madalli chose a teal blue and silver embellished Manish Malhotra lehenga that leaned towards the bride’s love for modern sensibilities.
A playful up-do for her hair and natural glam complemented her look for the evening. Guests noshed on street-style fare with live food stations dishing out dosa tacos, chaat, biryani, kebabs and Mexican-style tapas, paired with passionfruit margaritas and espresso martinis. There was also a sea salt station where guests could bottle their own gourmet salts.
As the wedding day dawned, the beachfront venue came alive with a palette of opulent pastels. “I had seen so many traditional mandaps but nothing stood out to me. I wanted this moment to be grand but also not take away from the beauty of the sparkling sea and the sunset behind us,” Madalli shares. As guests started flowing in for the traditional Telugu wedding ceremony, the bride walked down the aisle in a pastel pink Manish Malhotra lehenga. “I wanted to keep the traditional shape of the Indian lehenga, but decided to add an exaggerated train, similar to an American wedding gown.”
She kept her makeup minimal and fresh-faced with a classic low bun, paired with a Russian emerald choker set with matching bangles, maang tikka and maatha patti. Her beau contrasted in an ivory Sabyasachi sherwani. Before all that, however, guests were treated to an interesting sight of Reddy arriving at his baraat with two camels in tow. “My father somehow planned this surprise by coordinating with the local Cabo zoo with these camels dressed in traditional Mexican desert ponchos,” she shares with a laugh.
The sunset pheras were followed by a Great Gatsby-themed wedding reception. Here, the couple upped the glamour with the bride opting for a custom, glitzy Manish Malhotra lehenga with tasselled sleeves and a feather dupatta, paired with crystal-embellished Amina Muaddi heels. The monochrome look made a statement, in line with her dream of dressing up in quintessential Bollywood attire. “Choosing Manish Malhotra as the designer for my wedding dresses felt like a dream come true. I was able to really express my East-meets-West style in this reception outfit,” Maddali shares. Reddy opted for a suave look with a classic black tuxedo by Giorgio Armani. The celebrations wrapped up with a firework display and a jungle disco-themed after party as the couple and their guests danced the night away in a fitting finale to their Mexican fiesta-inspired wedding.
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