With a theme like "kilts and saris," you know Mimi Chakravorti and Stuart Scott's wedding was bound to be an unconventional one. Thanks to their planning team, Alicia K Designs [1], led by Alicia Falango, two very different cultures came together in one spectacularly cohesive big day. But before we get into the details of their San Francisco wedding, let's hear a bit about Mimi and Stuart's straight-from-the-movies meet-cute, as told by the couple:
"Mimi and Stuart's serendipitous elevator meeting in their New York apartment building had all the makings of a future marriage. Mimi, having just returned from Scotland on a business trip immediately recognized Stuart's Scottish accent and the two bonded over the fact that she had been to his hometown of Islay. Stuart was immediately intrigued by his new neighbor and decided to ask Mimi out for drinks by slipping a note under her door. They found that they had much more than Scotland in common that night, and their relationship grew into something much deeper. It was no wonder then that Stuart decided to ask Mimi to marry him in Islay, the city that spawned their first conversation together."
I recently spoke with Alicia about how she pulled off this grand multicultural wedding, and she shared how they integrated both Mimi's Indian traditions and Stuart's Scottish heritage. She said, "They wanted all of these elements to be a true reflection of the event, tying in all of the traditional aspects with the fact they also wanted this cosmopolitan, fun, hip event." See photos from the big day along with Alicia's insight now — and get ready for Bollywood dancers, bagpipers, and stunning city views.
After the traditional Indian ceremony, Mimi changed into her Western wedding dress for the reception.
They had Mehndi applied as a part of their traditional Hindu ceremony.
Bagpipers greeted guests.
During the ceremony the bridal party wore traditional Indian attire.
Traditional Indian weddings are full of bright colors, but Mimi wanted the color done in a subtle way. Alicia explained how they pulled it off: "Indian weddings are typically the furthest thing from subtle. They're just alive and vibrant. We chose to do colorful, but with a white base, which really helped us bring in that modern city vibe that they were looking for."
The ceremony wasn't full Hindu, but they did the circle, Mimi walked in with her elders, and it was the place where her family felt the strongest.
After the ceremony, Mimi changed into her Western wedding gown and Stuart changed into his Scottish kilt.
The groom's side was well represented with a scotch bar and lounge area — called Scotty's Pub after Stuart's family — filled with true scotch whiskeys that were actually brought in by his family, some that you couldn't even get here in the States.
Alicia and the stationery designer, Little Miss Press [37], worked together to create a Celtic-Scottish meets traditional Indian emblem that was incorporated throughout the wedding stationery, menus, and beyond. Combining the two major graphic elements of their cultures was a visual way to represent both families.
The menu included both Indian and Scottish dishes.
Reception entertainment included Scottish dancers.
Bollywood dancers performed as well.
Since Mimi and Stuart knew there would be a lot of kids in attendence, it was important to the couple to embrace them and make them feel included while giving the parents a way to enjoy themselves. So Alicia's team created a very in-depth, detailed childrens' area. It had games, arts and crafts, toys, and even its own lounge furniture.
"It really was one of the most popular parts of the evening," Alicia said. "We have a picture of the before and after. In the before it's clearly this highly styled little area, and then afterwards you would think a tornado hit it. We've never seen such a thing, which was great because it just shows you how much everyone enjoyed it."
Alicia's advice to other couples planning a multicultural wedding?
"They don't have to bring in every single element for it to feel like they're being true to their culture. They just have to pick their favorites, the ones that they share with their partner.
"For Mimi and Stuart, Indian food is something that they love together, something that they do often. So the fact that it was part of their menu wasn't just a testament to her family, but a testament to something that they love to do together."
Vendors
Photography: Chrisman Studios [56]
Venue: City View at Metreon [57] in San Francisco
Cake: Katrina Rozelle Pastries and Desserts [58]
Catering: McCalls Catering [59]
Event and floral design: Alicia K Designs [60]
Hair/makeup: Michelle Steehle/Makeup by Stacy [61]
Invitations: Little Miss Press [62]
Music: Rudolfi Artists [63]
Bollywood dancers: Duniya Dance and Drum Company [64]
Videography: Weddings on Film [65]