Anahita and Jonathan's 'Grow as we go' Vineyard Wedding in Napa Valley by Knotting Bells Photography

Have I got a wedding for you today! I am delighted to be able to share with you this STUNNING vineyard wedding all the way from Napa Valley in California. It’s an Indian fusion wedding, spread across a few days. Today I am featuring the Exchange of Vows, Reception, Baraat & Milni and the Indian Wedding, all of which are just jaw dropping with a whopping 350 guests! Anahita and Jonathan poured their heart and souls into planning this elaborate celebration and the results are so worth it. From the fantastic outfits, to the amazing flowers, the entertainment and the special traditions, this wedding is just stunning in every aspect! I have loved putting this wedding together, big thanks to Knotting Bells Photographyfor the wonderful pictures. Enjoy!

In May 2022, Jon proposed to me beneath Bowen’s Gate at Tufts where we shared our first kiss fulfilling the campus legend that a kiss under the gate leads to marriage. Months later, during his first trip to India, he embraced the chaos, the culture, and the butter chicken with such ease that it became clear: Jon was truly meant to be an Indian groom.

Anahita and Jonathan were married on 18th August 2024 in Napa Valley, California. ‘The rolling hills and vineyards made for the perfect ‘al fresco’ fairytale wedding. I was drawn to its timeless beauty, rolling vineyards, and golden summer light that felt so romantic and serene. Napa offered the perfect blend of elegance and nature, with a relaxed charm that made everyone feel at home. It felt like the perfect backdrop for our celebration—a place where love, laughter, and wine flowed freely, surrounded by breath taking landscapes and warm, golden sunsets. It truly captured everything I had imagined for our special day. We had around 350 guests who joined us to celebrate our wedding, making it a warm and lively gathering filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories. It took me about 1.5 years to plan our beautiful wedding day, and every moment of the journey was worth it. From choosing the perfect venues to finalizing the tiniest details, I poured my heart into creating a celebration that truly reflected us. Seeing it all come together so perfectly surrounded by the people we love was nothing short of magical.’

How they met
We matched on Hinge in March of 2020 – the same week that a global pandemic was announced. One day after we matched, I lost my Daadi (grandmother). I did not expect a boy I had just met on a dating app to know how to deal with the situation. Not only did Jon go above and beyond with being supportive, but he actually made me a painting and wrote me a poem. I knew immediately this boy was special.
We made it official as girlfriend/boyfriend in August of 2020. Jon was starting his masters at MIT that fall, and I was starting my job in New York City, so we knew we were signing up for a long distance. Despite that, it was an easy yes for both of us – and now, exactly four years later, we got married on the same date.

The proposal
In May of 2022, Jon proposed to me in Boston with a sea of sunflowers under “Bowens Gate”, which is the famous gate we had our first kiss under at my alma mater (Tufts University). The legend states that anyone who kisses under the gate is destined for marriage!

How did you choose your photographer?
Knotting Bells (@knottingbells) was recommended to us by our incredible wedding planner, Urvashi Mishra (@urvashi.mishra). Rajesh Santankar and his team provided full-service packages and went above and beyond with capturing our wedding weekend with impeccable attention to detail.

The dress
I purchased my exchange of vows dress (white dress) from Bijou Bridal in New Jersey. From the initial shopping, to alterations, to fittings, it was an incredibly positive experience. They have a wide selection of designers to choose from, with a really large showroom space so the entire experience feels highly personalized and relaxed. I would highly recommend it! Exchange of Vows – Ring (Ferkos Fine Jewelry (Website)), Necklace (Jewelry by Priyana (Website, @jewelrybypriyana) Indian Wedding – Earrings, Necklaces, Maang Tikka, Nose Piece – (Jewelry by Priyana (Website, @jewelrybypriyana) Sangeet – Earrings, Bracelets, Necklace (Jewelry by Priyana (Website, @jewelrybypriyana) Haldi – Earrings, Necklace, Hair Piece (Jewelry by Priyana (Website, @jewelrybypriyana) Sagan – Earrings, Necklace, Bracelets (Jewelry by Priyana (Website, @jewelrybypriyana) Bridal Shower – Earrings, Necklace, Bracelets (Jewelry by Priyana (Website, @jewelrybypriyana)
I couldn’t resist the red bottoms! My shoes were from none other than Christian Louboutin.
All jewelry and accessories were by Jewelry by Priyana (Website, @jewelrybypriyana). This small, woman-owned business is an absolutely incredible and affordable shop for fusion/modern Indian jewelry. I purchased my jewelry from their small boutique in New Jersey, but there are also plenty of online options! I truly cannot recommend enough.
I wore traditional red bangles (“chooda”) on my wedding day, gifted to me by my maternal uncles. This is a custom in India that signifies blessings and union for our marriage. Attached to the bangles were the “kaleera”, which are hanging gold ornaments. We personalized my kaleera from BeAbhika (Website) to include symbols that were special to us – e.g., astronaut for my husband’s space training, picnic basket to signify our first date, sunflowers for our engagement, mountains because we just moved to Colorado together, beaver/elephant for our school’s mascots, wine for our wedding in Napa Valley, four-leaf clover because we met in Boston, etc.. It was really important to me to be intentional with every accessory and detail, and blend/honor my wonderful Indian culture wherever I could.

The suit and bridesmaids
My husband wore a traditional U.S. military mess dress for our exchange of vows / wedding day. This uniform is required for military personnel on formal occasions. My husband’s military groomsmen also wore mess dresses and honoured the “saber arch” tradition, in which they created an arch using their military sabers as a salute to our wedding. We passed under this honorary arch once we were declared husband and wife after exchanging vows. My husband’s Indian wedding outfits were all by designer Sameer Gujral (@sameergujralofficial)
All bridesmaids wore “Cabernet” coloured dresses from Birdy Grey (Website). All guests were in shades of green/tan, so I really wanted them to stand out. Plus, how could I not go with the Cabernet shade in wine country?!

Theme or colour scheme

Sagan/Phoolon ki Holi – Intimate “flower shower” in my childhood home in New Jersey. The celebrations included a welcoming of the bride & groom and exchange of sagan (gifts) from both families.
Bridal Shower – Ladies brunch at the Highlawn in New Jersey. Details included a flower bouquet bar, bottomless mimosas, live sketch artist, and live violinist. The shower also included a game hosted by my brother on how well guests know me, a slideshow of photos from my childhood, and a heartwarming speech by my mother/maid of honor.
Welcome Dinner – All-black themed dinner at the Napa Yard. Details included a temporary tattoo bar, wine welcome bags, signature cocktails and live food stations.
Mehendi – Intimate ceremony where myself/guests got henna done on our hands. Family members also got their role tattooed on (e.g., groom’s sister)
Sangeet & Jaggo – Evil-eye themed evening in the rolling hills at Viansa Sonoma. Guests entered in seas of blue as sisters performed the “gharoli” ceremony. The program included hilarious speeches from both my/Jon’s brothers, followed by a set of incredible dance performances. The after party ended with a “jaago” ceremony and traditional Indian dhol.
Haldi & Chooda – Maternal uncles made me wear red bangles as a blessing for married life. Guests then painted us in turmeric for a pre-wedding glow. All singles lined up for the kaleera ceremony to see who would get married next. The event was hosted at Tre Posti St. Helena – brunch buffet included a sushi bar and a delectable dessert station / chocolate fountain.
Exchange of Vows – Overlooking Tre Posti St. Helena vineyards, officiated by our siblings, live harpist played as we entered, left under a military saber arch.
Reception – Following the vows ceremony was a garden grove dinner, cake-cutting, speeches, and father/daughter, mother/son, and our first dance as a couple. The after party dance floor opened up with the bouquet and boutonniere toss.
Baraat & Milni – Final morning began at Carneros Resort with a double baraat (bride & grooms procession), where Jon paraded in on a horse and I came in on a horse & carriage. The families welcomed one another during the milni as Jon’s shoes mischievously got stolen by my sisters through the “jutta chuppai” tradition
Indian Wedding – The weekend ended with a Hindu ceremony at Carneros Resort. The seven pheras around the fire represented each of the vows we honor for each other. I wore my mother’s wedding lehenga and entered under a phoolon ki chadar with my brother/male cousins. Jon and I were sent off through a mini hot air balloon exit.

Flowers
All florals, decor, and rentals were by Sania Birla at Saba Decor Rental (@sabadecorrental). This vendor was recommended to us by our venue, and we could not be more grateful for the opportunity to work with her. Her services included detailed, collaborative design sessions leading up to the wedding, mockups of each detail, and impeccable execution over the weekend. Sania is extremely professional, easy to work with, and a true visionary.

Decoration

Sagan – Purple-themed, hundreds of candles in decorative bird cages/lanterns, included a decorated rickshaw with wedding favor giveaways
Bridal Shower – Tables were named by and decorated with a specific flower. Included a make your own flower bouquet bar.
Welcome Dinner – All black with sunflower decor. Personalized temporary tattoos with our name and wedding hashtag for all guests
Sangeet – Evil eye decor, seas of blue, decorated balconies for mehendi (henna)
Haldi – Explosion of yellow flowers and decor
Exchange of Vows – “Grow as we go” theme, lots of greenery and florals, guests dressed in greens/tan, napkins had our first conversation on Hinge printed (where we talked about marriage), custom vows/officiant notebooks, seating chart and tables corresponded to photos of us at that age (i.e., table 5 was a photo of both of us at age 5), reserved seating tags with each person’s role (i.e., Taylor Wellman, sister of the groom), custom program guide with story of how we met/wedding party/order of events/our day in numbers/celebrating from heaven and home/photo dropbox info, signature cocktails named after our dogs
Indian Wedding – Ornate florals, guests in neutral colors, Personalized Kaleera, double baraat processions, custom program guide with details of each Hindu ceremony

Food
Sangeet/Sagan/Welcome Dinner – Neelam Indian Cuisine (@neelamindiancuisine)
Bridal Shower – The Highlawn (Website)
Haldi/Exchange of Vows – Tre Posti Catering (Website)
Indian Wedding – Carneros Catering (Website)

Wedding cake
Our cake was by Sweetie Pies Bakery in Napa (Website). We went for a 3-tiered “fairytale books” look – where each tier was a book that read Novak, Sethi, and #NoSetVaks, which is our last names and wedding hashtag respectively. We wanted a magical look & feel to complement our garden grove dinner. The design was also a nod to both our love for reading.

Entertainment

DJ/Entertainment: W Square Event Production (Website), DNS Events (Website)
Live Harp: Kristin Lloyd Harp (Website)
Live Painter: KVT Fine Art (Website, Instagram, TikTok)
Live Sketch Artist: Deanna Kei (Website)
Live Violinist: Lourdes Rosales (Website)
Photo Booth: Pixelfoto (Website)

Where did you go on your honeymoon?
My dream honeymoon destination was Bali, Indonesia. I had always been drawn to its beautiful beaches, peaceful temples, and lush green landscapes. Jon and I explored the cultural charm of Ubud, watched sunsets in Uluwatu, and took long walks by the ocean. It was the perfect mix of romance, adventure, and quiet moments everything I had imagined my honeymoon to be.

Personal touches
I designed and printed all my wedding stationery like order of the day booklets, menus, table plans, place cards, menus etc

Special moments
The exchange of vows was co-officiated by my brother and my husband’s sister! It was so meaningful to have our siblings officially unite us.

What advice would you give other couples?
There were so many small things that we planned obsessively over that may not have gone 100% according to plan, but looking back, truly none of it matters. My biggest advice would be to not sweat the small things – both during planning, as well as over the actual celebrations. The little details that don’t go according to plan are not at all noticeable by guests.

Biggest surprise
We both wrote our own vows! We also exchanged letters to each other privately before walking down the aisle – which we now have framed in our home.

For the Indian wedding – to my surprise, I walked out to an original cover of the Hindi song “Madhubhala”, that my mother recorded for the wedding! It was the most beautiful, angelic surprise that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Our first dance was to the song “Grow as we Go” by Ben Platt. This song is incredibly meaningful to us, and we felt resonated with the enchanted garden theme of our wedding. We then had surprise choreography to the classic Grease “You’re the One That I Want”, where we came out in custom leather jackets saying Mr & Mrs. Novak, and our wedding parties joined us at the end with balloons and a just married sign.

All our choreography was done by the brilliant and Bollywood-renowned Rujuta Vaidya (@rujvaidya)