A beautiful Indian wedding set against Lake Como, with just 7 guests

When Kinjal Patel matched with Herit Vachhani, a doctor, on Bumble, she had no idea it would lead to a sunset proposal in Mallorca and a dreamy Lake Como wedding. Raised between Long Island and New Jersey, Kinjal, 38, now works in real estate, while Herit—also 38, born in Rajkot, India—moved to Pennsylvania as a 10-year-old. Both come from immigrant families who built their lives from the ground up and shared a tireless work ethic that would shape everything from their relationship to the wedding they planned themselves.

They swiped right

Kinjal: I matched with Herit on Bumble in Philadelphia. I had widened my radius to 99 miles—he was exactly 98 miles away, in Philadelphia. He was studying for his boards at the time to become an attending physician, so we talked and FaceTimed for a month before meeting. He forgot about our first date, so, to make up for it, he planned two back-to-back dates—pizza and gelato in New Jersey and then a food tour of New York City that ended under the Rockefeller Christmas tree.

Herit: Our conversation just flowed from the start. No cheesy pick-up lines, no pretence. It felt like talking to a friend I had known forever. We were long-distance at first, as I was studying in Florida, meeting every few weeks until I took a job closer to home. A year later, I was already asking her what kind of ring she wanted.

The proposal of a lifetime

Kinjal: He proposed in Mallorca, Spain, during a family vacation. It was sunset at Can Simoneta, a beautiful cliffside hotel. He decorated a tree with photos from our year and a half together, fairy lights, and music. He even used the same blanket his parents got engaged on.

Herit: I wanted to make it perfect. I coordinated everything—the photographers, videographers, the hotel team, and even a helicopter ride over the island. I told the jeweller to say the ring was delayed so she wouldn’t suspect anything. There was a rainstorm that almost cancelled everything, but it cleared just in time for sunset. It turned out better than I had imagined.

Kinjal: The ring was an oval-cut, three-carat diamond in a 14-carat diamond halo setting. We travelled to Bombay to pick the diamond. I brought it back to New York and we had it designed here.

A plan-it-yourself wedding

Kinjal: We got married on June 3 this year, and I started planning the October before. I did it all myself—vendors, timelines, mood boards, everything. I had contacted several planners in Lake Como, but most said no—it was too small, too intimate, or too complex. So I reached out directly to Villa Balbiano on WhatsApp, and Irene from their team replied within minutes. Within days, the venue was locked in.

Herit: She was incredibly organised—she had notebooks, spreadsheets, and mood boards for every event. We exchanged vows at 8:00 am, had our pheras at 3:00 pm, and a family dinner the next evening at Passalacqua. Every detail was thought to the tee.

At Italy’s most famous villa…

Kinjal: I had seen Villa Balbiano from the lake once, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. The gardens, the arching mountains—it felt cinematic. It’s private and historic, like getting married in someone’s Italian home. You’re sharing this memory with your family so want it to be private.

Herit: We considered other venues, but nothing compared.

The no-fuss guest list

Kinjal: We had only seven guests—our parents, my brother, his sister, and my grandmother. I’ve been to so many big Indian weddings, but for ours, we wanted something intimate and personal. With nine people, it stayed about us and our families.

Herit: We wanted to actually spend time with the people who raised us and shaped who we are. It was simple, heartfelt, and completely stress-free.

Lotuses and a four-generation-old heirloom

Kinjal: For the wedding, I wore a Tarun Tahiliani sari embroidered with lotus motifs. My name, Kinjal, actually means lotus, so it felt destined. For the reception, I wore a golden sari hand-embroidered with pearls. My jewellery was a custom multicolour gold set with rubies—my birthstone—and gemstones, made in collaboration with Shri Paramani Jewels in Delhi. I also wore my great-grandmother’s 22-carat gold bangles, passed down through four generations. My mother almost melted them years ago, thinking I’d never wear gold but I’m so glad she did not.

Herit: My wedding sherwani was also Tarun Tahiliani, inspired by lotus motifs to complement Kinjal’s look. For the dinner, I wore a custom suit by Shantnu & Nikhil. It was very sleek and comfortable.

Saying goodbye to the pastel wedding

Kinjal: Everyone does white or pastel weddings in Como. I told the florist—absolutely no whites. I wanted colour. We used vibrant, exotic florals in shades of pink, orange, red, and yellow. Colour makes me happy, and I wanted the space to feel joyful and alive.

Herit: It reflected us perfectly—vibrant, expressive, and full of life.

Racing through Como in a €500,000 Porsche

Kinjal: It rained the day before our shoot, so our photographers suggested adding a vintage car in case the boat ride got cancelled. We ended up doing both—a classic Porsche for portraits through Como’s winding streets, and a boat ride at golden hour.

Herit: The Porsche was worth half a million euros! I was terrified driving it, but the photos turned out incredible.

When the planner becomes a meteorologist

Kinjal: The best moment was standing on the second floor of the villa, looking down at the mandap and the lake and thinking this is was exactly how I’d imagined it. The hardest part was the weather. I was tracking humidity levels and radar maps like a meteorologist. But it all worked out.

Herit: We never felt like we needed a planner. Our families helped, and our photographer team was so involved they felt like friends. It was truly a collective effort.

Kinjal: My advice to other couples? Don’t take no for an answer. If someone says it can’t be done, find a way. And stay organised. Your wedding should feel like you.