Nancy Gupta was sitting on a bench on the Texas A&M University campus, when Saurin Kakkad, who was also studying to get a masters degree, walked over and introduced himself. “Within 60 seconds, she put me to work, asking for a Band-Aid because her heels had bitten her,” he remembers. “Of course, I got her one. Looking back, it was probably the best way to start—getting her exactly what she needed—starting on the right foot, quite literally.”
The pair started officially dating a few months after meeting. “Our first date? It began with Saurin’s car breaking down, two hours of fixing it, followed by a late-night drive to Whataburger in Bryan, Texas—a fried chicken sandwich, a milkshake, and a conversation that lasted until 6 a.m.,” she recalls. Four years later, their families met in India for the roka ceremony, formally acknowledging their relationship.
Saurin actually proposed twice. The first time was at home, while her brother and cousin were visiting from India. However, Saurin explains, “The moment simply just didn’t feel like her.” Three months later, while they were in Hawaii, he asked her to marry him on the beach. Then, the sky opened up again and rain fell. “Just as we were talking about how rain always seems to show up for our biggest moments, something beautiful happened. A local Hawaiian couple walked up to us, congratulated us, and said they had been watching the proposal. They shared that in their culture, rain during a moment like this is a sign of deep blessing.” He made the moment even more special by sharing that he had proposed to his wife on that same beach.
“We knew we wanted to get married in India—to return home for something deeply personal and rooted,” Nancy shares. Chomu Palace, a 16th-century estate just outside of Jaipur, felt right. With the venue set, the aesthetic started forming with a balance of old world grandeur and modern storytelling. To help bring their vision to life in only three months, the couple enlisted DB and Spaces. And Eshant Raju Photography lensed every moment.
The festivities started in Nancy’s hometown of Puranpur with three events, before heading to Jaipur for the welcome dinner, haldi, sangeet, and wedding day. The bride styled herself for every event, starting with an AKHL metallic look for the welcome fête.
The couple described the haldi as “haldi aangan wali”—a courtyard haldi—akin to those held in a traditional home. “Four trees in each corner framed the space, and from them we hung cascades of marigolds—our primary motif,” Nancy says of the design. “It felt like a scene from our elders’ time, yet entirely of this moment.” To this, the bride continued the marigold theme and wore a traditional lehenga by Cedar and Pine. Makeup artist Varsha Gul made sure Nancy felt like the best version of herself throughout each event.
That night was Nancy’s Bollywood moment. The sangeet called for a custom Abhinav Mishra outfit that evoked joy. “In Indian culture, black isn’t a festive choice, especially for a celebration like the sangeet,” she explains. “But I was drawn to that exact contrast—and the fact that it would let me move, dance, and feel joy without restriction.”
On February 18, 2025, Nancy wore a handcrafted lehenga by Matsya with custom jewelry and a burnt mustard veil to wed Saurin, who was dressed in the same designer. “Even though we’re both from India, our families come from different states, speak different languages, and follow distinct wedding customs,” she explains. “To honor both sides, we had two pandits—priests—conduct the rituals together. Each of the saat pheres—the seven sacred vows we took around the fire—was explained to us with so much care and meaning.”
Once married, the newlyweds joined their guests for a dinner, highlighting local and traditional delicacies. “We wanted it to feel close to home—an elaborate selection of traditional Indian recipes and authentic Rajasthani delicacies,” Saurin shares.
After the meal, Nancy changed into her final look of the night, a red Cedar and Pines dress. The night kicked off with the MONICAKE wedding cake cutting and a Champagne tower, and it was nonstop with DJ TRON3 from there on. “By the time the sun rose, we had danced until 6 a.m.—surrounded by friends and family who matched our energy every step of the way,” she smiles.
But that wasn’t the end. Three days later, a city-wide reception in Saurin’s hometown of Pune was held, so the celebration continued with extended friends and family.
