Alexandra Jasien, who works in merchandise planning for fashion at Chanel, and Harry Kumar met at a wedding of all places. Their friends, Brittani and Teddy, exchanged vows in a summer wedding in Capri that ended up being the setting for Ali and Harry’s romantic beginning.
Two-and-a-half years later, Harry proposed in New York City. “His family was already in town under the guise of celebrating his mother’s birthday, and we had planned to take family photos along the water in Seaport, where we live,” Ali shares. “Just outside The Fulton, with the Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop, he got down on one knee.”
Calling back to their meet cute at a destination wedding, the couple naturally wanted the same for their own nuptials and fell in love with Portugal. “We chose to host in the seaside town of Cascais, just outside Lisbon, which holds a special place in my heart as my parents honeymooned there 37 years ago,” Ali explains. “We loved the intimacy of a small town where guests could run into each other at cafés or meet for late-night drinks—mirroring the magic of the wedding where we first met.”
With Muza Weddings at the helm of planning and Mitt Photography lensing every moment, the weekend began at Forte da Cruz, a historic fort overlooking the beach. The ceremony on August 21, 2025, was set at Vandelli Botanical Garden in Lisbon with the famous 25 de Abril Bridge in the horizon. “The juxtaposition of the fort and the gardens captured exactly what we hoped for: elegant yet relaxed, black tie yet breezy,” Ali states. “We ended the celebrations with a recovery party at Emma Beach Club in Cascais, the perfect finale to the festivities.”
Working in fashion, the bride’s wedding wardrobe was polished and considered. She began the weekend in a Rosie Assoulin top with a cream Chanel skirt, accessorized with a pearl Chanel choker, sequin Miu Miu sandals, and one of Ali’s most treasured items: a seashell Chanel clutch that perfectly balanced the elegance of the castle with the milieu’s coastal feel.
For the garden ceremony, Ali considered wearing her mother’s own wedding dress, but when she tried on a Viktor & Rolf look at the Mark Ingram Atelier, she deemed it “the one.” “The fabric was ideal for August in Portugal, and the floral appliqué felt distinctly me,” Ali explains. “I incorporated a bow from my mom’s wedding dress onto the back of my train and wore her veil—two special details that made the look more personal and deeply sentimental.” She accessorized further with a “something old,” “something new” and “something blue”—blue sapphire earrings from her mother-in-law, layered with a stone from her mom. Cati Beauty made Ali feel like the best version of herself.
After the ceremony, the bride incorporated a nod to a favorite movie. “I am constantly wearing hats, so I wanted to incorporate one but wasn’t 100% until the last minute, when I decided to throw on a white wide brim boater hat from Mu Du London for cocktail hour for some serious Parent Trap vibes,” she smiles.
Ali later changed into a Chanel embellished top that she’d been saving for the right occasion, styled with a vintage skirt and Miu Miu platforms.
Harry looked handsome on the wedding day in a custom Ralph Lauren double-breasted white dinner jacket with a RL tuxedo shirt, embroidered with “Crushies Forever”—his and Ali’s nickname—by Klein Designs.
On the day-of after a private first look, Ali walked down the aisle to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole with both of her parents. Her dad stayed by her side to sweetly officiate the ceremony, surrounded by blooms from Kckliko. “Towards the end of the ceremony, a white peacock flew to the altar and perched beside me,” Ali remembers. “I was in complete awe; it felt deeply symbolic, like a sign of love and support from those who couldn’t be there.”
After being announced as officially married, the newlyweds entered their reception to “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” by ABBA. And the party didn’t falter from there. A saxophonist from Juxebox closed the delicious dinner, catered by FoodStory, by leading everyone to the dance floor to “Dancing in the Moonlight.” “From there, our playlist was intentionally untraditional, mixing everything from ‘Pink Pony Club’ to ‘Levels’ by Avicii to ‘Sweet Home Alabama’—a nod to Ali’s alma mater, Alabama,” Ali shares. “Harry and I have to thank the Odeon and their signature cucumber martinis for the inspiration they helped provide in creating our playlist.”
The couple shared a first dance to “Atlantic City” by The Band—a very sentimental choice. “After meeting in Capri, we wanted to plan our first date somewhere between D.C.—where Harry was living at the time—and New York, where I was living,” Ali explains. “We landed on Atlantic City—a spontaneous choice that ended up being the perfect first adventure together.”
Once the reception came to a formal close, many revelers rallied with the newlyweds to a late-night bar for karaoke and more dancing in Cascais. After the wedding night, Ali and Harry mini-moon-ed to Aethos Ericeira for a mix of relaxation and adventure—think surf lessons, cliffside walks, and incredible food and cocktails to toast to their unforgettable wedding weekend.
