REGAL

An English country wedding marries tradition and modern values.

ANDREW BAYDA PHOTOGRAPHY
ANDREW BAYDA PHOTOGRAPHY

A Food-Lover’s Vegan Wedding Infused with Bollywood Glamour 

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When Rohini Bajekal moved from England to India, she knew her life would change. Meeting Siddhant Singh in Mumbai, the reason for her journey became clear. Set in a regal English estate, the pair’s dreamy nuptials mingled romantic British sensibilities with the festive spirit of an Indian wedding.

Guests danced to Bollywood music as they rode from their hotel to the main event on red double-decker buses. Stepping out at the venue, friends and family hailing from 15 countries were greeted by traditional Indian drummers. Rohini walked herself down the aisle, donning a traditional Indian ensemble in myriad pastel shades.

Following the ceremony, guests in silk-free saris and pink turbans indulged in a magnificent multi-course vegan feast that featured classic indian dishes and Thai cuisine favorites.

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The bride and groom looked stunning in their silk-free wedding attire. | ANDREW BAYDA PHOTOGRAPHY

Where they met

The two first connected in Mumbai at a Holi party, an annual celebration of love, joy, and springtime where revelers playfully toss handfulls of brightly colored powder at one another until everyone looks like abstract rainbows from head to toe.

The love story

Siddhant and Rohini had a “whirlwind courtship,” says the bride. Though they tried to go on a trip to Udaipur together as "just friends," they couldn’t deny their deeper feelings, and fell in love surrounded by the romantic city’s extravagant palaces and lakes.

The proposal

While on a trip to Jaipur, Siddhant booked the entire restaurant inside the iconic 11th century Amer Fort and proposed to his beloved over dinner.

The Big Day

The guest list

180

The city

The wedding was held in the small historic English town of Hatfield, 20 mile north of London.

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Rohini and Siddhant tied the knot in the gardens of a 400-year-old manor house. | ANDREW BAYDA PHOTOGRAPHY

The venue

Surrounded by acres of meticulously manicured gardens, the wedding took place at the majestic Hatfield House, an historic English estate that served as the childhood home for royalty including King Edward VI and Queen Elizabeth I, and was featured in such films as The Favourite to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

The music

Following the ceremony, a close friend sang and performed her own keyboard rendition of “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak.

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Live music and joyful dancing added to the festive mood. | ANDREW BAYDA PHOTOGRAPHY

The décor

A mixture of English and Indian aesthetics created a visually stunning celebration that mixed vibrant hues with subtle beauty. “I wanted the elegance and intimacy of a British wedding, with the joy, spontaneity, and colors of an Indian wedding,” says Rohini.

I wanted the elegance and intimacy of a British wedding, with the joy, spontaneity, and colors of an Indian wedding.

The personal touch

Both personally dedicated to sustainability, the couple designed an eco-conscious celebration, from the potted—not cut—flowers to borrowed jewellery for the “something old” to a commitment to reduce food waste.

Best wedding gift

Eschewing traditional gifts, instead the couple raised nearly $7,000 in donations from guests for charities in India that work to educate girls and protect animals forced to perform in entertainment.

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Guests at Rohini and Siddhant's English country wedding came from a total of 15 different countries. | ANDREW BAYDA PHOTOGRAPHY

For guests

Each guest at Rohini and Siddhant’s wedding received a collection of small tokens from India. The groom’s family toted the treasures thousands of miles to England so that the couple could offer the epic goodie bags to attendees.

In honor of elephants, who are sometimes forced to participate in wedding processions in India, the goodie bags included small marble elephants and commemorative plates from Jaipur featuring a picture of the gentle animals.

For the wedding’s female guests, an Indian maang tika—a piece of sparkling jewelry that hangs on the forehead—were included among the gifts.

Guests were also gifted with a box of vegan Indian sweets, perfect to enjoy with English tea. 

The menu

  • Crispy okra fries in bamboo cones
  • Smoked eggplant in filo cups
  • Sweet potato chaat with coconut yogurt
  • Masala tofu fritters
  • Cocktail samosas
  • Tandoori gobi with tamarind chutney
  • Grandmother's golden beetroot tikki with cranberry chutney
  • Peppers stuffed with potatoes, cashews, raisins, and onions
  • Kathal Ki Sabzi: jackfruit simmered in a tomato and onion gravy
  • Sweet Potato Channa Curry: creamy coconut curry with chickpeas and sweet potatoes
  • Green Moong Dal: Dhaba-style green moong lentils and citrus
  • Baingan Ka Bharta: smoked eggplant with burnt garlic, pounded chilli, and tomatoes
  • Pilau Rice: Iranian spice-infused basmati rice
  • Thai green curry
  • Cashew nut stir-fry
  • Pad Thai
  • Vegetable spring rolls
  • Green mango salad
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The vegan menu included traditional Indian and Thai dishes including samosas and green curry. | ANDREW BAYDA PHOTOGRAPHY

The desserts

  • Motichoor Laddoo
  • Pearls of gram flour soaked in sugar syrup
  • Kheer rice pudding with cardamom, pistachios, and saffron
  • Tandoori pineapple with lemon sorbet  
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Cakes were frosted with an olive oil buttercream and boasted flavors as tantalizing as blueberry-elderflower and zucchini-lemon. | ANDREW BAYDA PHOTOGRAPHY

The cake

A collection of wedding cakes, with one towering at the center, was the menu’s grand finale. Flavors included traditional Victoria sponge, zucchini and lemon, blueberry and elderflower, carrot cake, and chocolate—each frosted with vegan olive oil buttercream and decorated with fresh berries and local seasonal flowers.

The drinks

Cocktails and mocktails including Moscow Mules, English Brambles, lychee martinis, and masala lemonade

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The cocktail menu included non-alcoholic elixirs as well as classic boozy concoctions like the Moscow Mule. | ANDREW BAYDA PHOTOGRAPHY

The honeymoon

Following a “mini-moon” with friends on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, the couple  planned a two-week adventure in Chile, to revel in the country’s stunning natural beauty while hiking in the great outdoors.

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