Wedding: Under the Californian sun, this couple tied the knot twice to honour their diverse cultures

It was the September of 2012 when bride Ritika Iyer’s path crossed with groom Nate Zanger in the dining halls of UC Davis during their freshman year of college. While Iyer noticed him, they didn’t exchange a word for six months. In a serendipitous setting, the two got a summer job together in college, and ended up spending considerable time in each other’s company where their friendship blossomed. From then, the duo became inseparable and the inevitable happened in 2015, when their friendship morphed into a loving relationship. But it was years later that the couple decided to seal the deal with a wedding proposal by Zanger under a beautiful willow tree in Washington DC.

Iyer, who was born and raised in the States, has Tamilian and Maharashtrian roots, with her parents immigrating to California from India in the 80s. Zanger, on the other hand, is a third-generation Californian, and ethnically half German, and one-fourth Italian and Lebanese. Following the proposal, they visited India in a bid to familiarise Zanger with Iyer’s culture. From meeting extended family and friends, to exploring Goa, Delhi and Mumbai, it was a whirlwind ride that ended up with the couple looking for a wedding venue as soon as they got back home. “We locked in Silverado Resort in Napa, California, as it perfectly fit the criteria we were looking for—from group size, setting, amenities, hospitality, and its proximity to the wineries and restaurants in Napa Valley,” shares Iyer. Over a weekend in October 2024, the couple got hitched—first in a Hindu ceremony and later in a Western one. “Nate and I are very family-oriented and cared deeply about making sure that we honoured both our cultures, so we split our nuptials over two days to celebrate where each of us came from, equally,” she adds.

Wedding planner Neha Varma from Amora Events and florist Maggie Luo of Mflora brought the couple’s moodboard to life. “We wanted our wedding to feel dreamy, ethereal, joyful, and authentic. Our Hindu ceremony reflected traditional south Indian props like brass lamps, jasmine flowers, along with earthy and natural elements of airy grasses, dainty florals paired with pops of whimsical colours,” says the couple.