Cynthia Andrea and Nicholas Singh met on prom night. Mutual friends set the two up, and while they didn’t meet until the night-of, by the end of the evening, Cynthia and Nicholas felt like best friends. 10 years later, to the day, Nicholas proposed while on vacation in Jackson Hole.
“San Ysidro Ranch has always felt like the most perfect place on earth,” Cynthia says of their wedding venue. As avid runners, the two have spent years exploring the Los Padres National Forest trails, so when it came time to select a destination for their spring wedding, San Ysidro’s flowing gardens and rich history “felt like an extension my parents’ home here in Santa Barbara. We never had to search for a wedding venue. San Ysidro Ranch was the obvious choice.”
The pair’s wedding was a mere 15 days after Nicholas defended his Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biophysics and six days after Cynthia’s graduation from medical school. “We chose to get married right after earning our doctoral degrees, as we finally had time off,” the bride shares. “The wedding felt like the perfect culmination of 12 years of relentlessly supporting and encouraging each other in all aspects of our lives.”
Endless spicy margaritas and Santa Barbara wines flowed during the rooftop welcome party at Hotel Californian. To this, the bride-to-be wore the Galia Lahav Elise Dress, Alexandre Birman shoes, and jewelry by Genovese Jewelers.
On the day-of, the bride dressed in her Hill House Home getting-ready look as Mar Romero of Team Hair & Makeup created her glowing beauty look. Then, she changed into her Monique Lhuillier Magnificent Gown and slipped on her “something blue” Valentino heels. Nicholas looked dapper in a custom tuxedo by Sethan Hill and Christian Louboutin loafers.
Guests met at Cynthia’s family parish in Montecito on May 20, 2023, for the ceremony. “[It] was ethereal, sacred, and intimate. We were lucky to have our dear family friends and phenomenal musicians Liz Lee, Chee-Yun Kim, and Juliette Herlin play several of our favorite pieces for the ceremony,” the bride says. “I always knew that I wanted Gregorian chant for the ceremony music and Wendy-Irene Zepeda’s rendition of ‘Ubi Caritas’ was everything I dreamed of.”
Once pronounced husband and wife, Cynthia and Nicholas escaped in her grandfather’s convertible as guests cheered. “Serene and surrounded by love,” she says of the moment.
Rosemary Events executed every pre and post-ceremony detail to the nines. Toast Santa Barbara arrangements decorated two long tables with BBJ La Tavola runners and The Ark plates, and Tiny Pine Press paper goods detailed the heirloom tomato gazpacho to come. Guitarist Sam Adams strummed in the background as everyone toasted to the newlyweds.
The pair shared a first dance to Eva Cassidy’s “Fields of Gold.” “Between the chaos of a Ph.D. dissertation and med school graduation, we absolutely forgot about our first dance until five minutes before,” Cynthia laughs. “It was so much fun improvising in the moment!”
Dart Collective’s Dart Family Band had everyone out on the dance floor, and between sets, Bhangra music attributed to the lively mood—the moment was especially sentimental for the groom as Nicholas’ father is from Punjab, and he grew up to the sounds of Bhangra.
Coffee-infused vanilla sponge cake and espresso martinis kept everyone up all night long. The bride and groom couldn’t keep from beaming, basking in it all.
The next morning, everyone raised a final glass to the couple before they headed off on their honeymoon, traveling to Japan, Australia, and the South Island of New Zealand, a trip they’d been planning since high school.
