A multicultural wedding in Mexico where two cultures danced as one

Joseph wore a traditional pink-and-green silk sari for the Mylanchi Ideel, paired with gold bangles from both her grandmothers, while Benson dressed in a cream kurta with beige churidar pants, blending stylishly and seamlessly into her world. These Houston ceremonies, filled with laughter, gold silk and family banter, set the emotional tone for everything that followed — a journey that would take them and 200 guests to the cobbled streets of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

“We looked at venues in Houston and North Carolina, but nothing felt quite like us,” Joseph shares. “We wanted somewhere vibrant, romantic, and full of character and San Miguel had it all.” The colonial architecture, bright rooftops, and live music spilling from every plaza gave their wedding the cinematic feel of a travel dream.

The wedding in Mexico opened with a rooftop welcome fiesta at Quince, where guests were treated to a front-row view of the city’s famous Parroquia. “It was sunset, and the whole city was glowing,” Joseph recalls. “Evan’s mum added the sweetest personal touches, from baby photos to a custom bobblehead of us in traditional Mylanchi outfits.”

The décor burst with colour: cascading florals, candlelight, and tamarind-mango margaritas that paid homage to Joseph’s Indian roots. As a violinist played into dusk, a tightrope walker stole the show. “Everyone was mesmerised,” she says. “Then, as the sky turned indigo, we handed out sparklers and lit up the rooftop together. It felt like the perfect prologue to the weekend.”

The wedding ceremony was held at Templo de San Francisco, an 18th-century church in the heart of San Miguel. “Having my uncle officiate made it deeply personal,” Joseph says. The couple incorporated two Knanaya Catholic traditions into their Catholic Mass: the Manthrakodi and Minnu. “Evan’s sister placed the Manthrakodi over my head to welcome me into his family, and the Minnu, a gold pendant tied with seven threads from my dress, symbolised his promise to protect me,” she explains. The ceremony ended with the beautiful hymn Barumariyam, sung in ancient Syriac by Father Joseph Manapuram. “Hearing it echo through the stone church was incredibly moving,” she recalls.

For the vows, she wore a strapless lace Ines Di Santo mermaid gown with custom French lace sleeves, while Evan donned a classic black tuxedo with a crisp white shirt and bow tie. “I wanted something timeless and understated that wouldn’t compete with the beauty of the church,” she says. From the city’s old-world charm, the celebrations shifted to the countryside for a reception at Rancho Luna Escondida. Cocktail hour in the butterfly garden featured live tabla by Nihal Singh, merging South Asian rhythm with Mexican romance. As the evening unfolded under silk-draped ceilings and mirrored panels, Joseph and Benson made their entrance to dhol beats. “It was such a rush, all energy and love,” she smiles.