If Priya and Neil Jain’s love story—culminating in a wedding—were a book, it could aptly be titled Lessons in Chemistry. The subject is what first brought them together, after all. With some serendipitous assistance from Priya’s father, who as it happens, was Neil’s long-time dentist. When the former heard that his patient was a chemistry learning assistant at Boston University where his daughter also studied, he suggested Neil help her out with the subject. Little did he know he was unsuspectingly playing matchmaker by doing this. In true rom-com style, the two fell in love a few tutoring lessons later. And tied the knot nine years after they first met. The bride’s father often jokingly says to Neil, “I wanted you to help my daughter with chemistry but not that type of chemistry!”
The New Jersey-raised, Washington DC-based couple originally wanted to get married in Europe. But since that did not work out, the college sweethearts decided to bring Europe to them. “Luckily, we stumbled upon the perfect venue too — Glenmere Mansion, a Tuscan-inspired villa nestled in the heart of Hudson Valley!” says the bride, a paediatric dentist. During the recce, the couple felt it reminded them of European architecture and gardens, and said yes to it instantly. But they wanted more than just the venue to speak of their favourite holiday destination, and the couple worked with Premini Events to ensure every event recreated a slice of Europe.
So, the ‘Ciao Italia’ welcome party was envisioned as an Italian market with décor and food to match. “Guests had to pass a fountain to reach the main party location. Since it mimicked Rome’s Trevi Fountain, we distributed coins for guests to make wishes and then throw into the fountain. It was the perfect welcome,” adds the groom, a physician. The wedding ceremony took inspiration from the Gardens of Versailles, and the couple exchanged vows outdoors at a non-traditional mandap centred around a tree. Spain was the last pitstop, and the décor for the reception took cues from the architecture of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona. Even the wedding invites featured European floral motifs interspersed with Mughal patterns for a coming together of the two worlds.
