Anchal Sud had set one rule for her wedding wardrobe: no outfit would exist simply to fill a slot. “I didn’t want seven beautiful outfits that could simply be interchanged between events. Every look needed a reason. I wanted my clothes to communicate mood, memory and identity,” she shares. By the final night, that rule had taken her from a red Ekaya sari worn with her mother’s wedding jewellery to a black Gaurav Gupta ensemble that few Indian brides would consider. “Black isn’t traditionally associated with a new Indian bride, which was exactly why I loved it,” she says. Between those two moments sat five days at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, where Punjabi and Gujarati rituals, Mexican hospitality and a carefully edited fashion story played out under one roof for their destination wedding in the vibrant coastal town of Playa del Carmen in Mexico.
A Story of Near Crossings
Anchal and Cheerag are first-generation Indian Americans raised in the American Southwest, with Punjabi and Gujarati roots. She oversees operations across a multi-unit franchise organisation and real estate in her family business. He is a dentist. They were born at the same hospital, about a year apart, and later crossed paths at a college Bollywood dance competition. “Our story has always felt like a series of near crossings before the timing was finally right,” says Anchal. A real friendship only formed when they reconnected in New York City. After nearly a year of long distance, Cheerag proposed in San Diego on a rooftop styled after the city that had become part of their story. A violinist played, and family and friends hidden nearby emerged once she said yes. “It brought our story full circle, because something that began in New York was recreated for us at home in Southern California,” she says.
Five Days, One Destination
The couple spent 15 months to plan their wedding. Rather than hosting their Punjabi and Gujarati ceremonies at home before gathering everyone for a destination wedding, they decided to bring every tradition to Mexico. Grand Velas Riviera Maya became the setting for five days of celebrations, with the resort allowing guests to stay together and experience the wedding as an extended holiday. “We didn’t want everyone flying in for one wedding night and immediately leaving, so the idea became to bring everyone together under one roof for five unforgettable days,” says Anchal. Planner Ajita Chopra of Ajita Chopra Events received a clear brief: “Indian tradition, modern execution and an immersive guest experience.” Both wanted the wedding to feel intimate, and the guest list reflects that. “As crazy as it sounds, a 275-guest celebration was intimate, because a local wedding in California or Arizona could have been 500 or more.. We wanted both cultures represented meaningfully rather than reducing either side to a token moment,” she says.
The Mehndi
The week began on Valentine’s Day this year with a poolside Mehndi. Colourful, relaxed and festive, the afternoon introduced guests to the destination through margaritas, music and a laid-back atmosphere. Anchal wore a custom orange Arpita Mehta look and Cheerag chose Rajesh Pratap Singh. The first event also made for one of the couple’s most intimate memories. “While my friends were helping remove my mehndi, Cheerag surprised me by sending over a rose,” she recalls. It was a small gesture that would inspire a reciprocal surprise on the wedding morning.
The Welcome Celebration
The following evening, the couple officially welcomed their guests to the Tulum property with a celebration shaped by the destination. Local Mexican performers, music, tequila and margaritas brought a regional character to the festivities, setting the tone for a wedding that embraced its surroundings without losing sight of its Indian identity. The bride-to-be wore Anamika Khanna, while Amin opted for a green Kunal Rawal ensemble.
The Haldi
The morning of February 16 was devoted to Grah Shanti, Haldi and family rituals, bringing the couple’s Gujarati and Punjabi traditions into the same celebration. The décor took on a pastel aesthetic, offering a softer visual contrast to the colourful celebrations that had preceded it. “The celebration had a flower-market feeling and ultimately ended with everyone heading into the ocean, which was an appropriately spontaneous moment for a destination wedding by the Caribbean.”
Anchal wore a pink Shanti Banaras lehenga, while Cheerag chose Rajesh Pratap Singh for the occasion.
The Sangeet
That evening, families and friends performed, and so did the couple. Anchal wore a sea-green and lavender Falguni Shane Peacock lehenga with a surprise built in. “One of my favourite details was a custom dhoti hidden underneath that was revealed during our Bhangra performance, so the outfit changed with the choreography,” she says. Cheerag wore ivory Kunal Rawal. The after-party continued at the resort’s Koi Bar.
The Chooda Ceremony
The wedding morning, on February 17, began with Anchal’s Punjabi Chooda ceremony, surrounded by the women in her family. “For this intimate ritual, I intentionally returned to tradition and wore a red Ekaya sari with my mother’s wedding jewellery.” The choice was especially meaningful because Anchal and Cheerag were the first children to marry in their respective immediate families, making the wedding a milestone for their parents and grandparents.
Wearing an heirloom jewellery set connected her to the generations of women who had come before her, bringing a personal dimension to a wardrobe otherwise defined by contemporary design. “It was one of the most emotional and personal moments of the week.”
The Sunset Wedding Ceremony
Cheerag’s Baraat arrived by the beach, followed by the Milni and the wedding ceremony. Anchal wore Tarun Tahiliani in ivory, silver and pale green, with mirror work and Pichwai-inspired detailing, paired with Kundan jewellery from Bhindi Jewellers. “The lehenga felt incredibly detailed without overpowering the softness of the beach setting,” she says. Cheerag wore Sabyasachi.
The ceremony took place overlooking the Caribbean Sea, with the couple bringing their Indian wedding traditions to a setting far removed from their everyday lives in the United States. Quiet gestures framed the day. “On the morning of our wedding, before our first look, I gave Cheerag his safa with a rose from me tucked inside,” she says about the counterpart of his floral gesture. Guests sheltered under white umbrellas, and the couple exchanged handwritten notes and acrylic vows.
The Wedding Dinner
For dinner, Anchal changed into a custom red draped Arpita Mehta look, wearing her sindoor and mangalsutra for the first time as a bride. Cheerag wore Reiss. With Chef Aarthi Sampath working alongside the Grand Velas culinary team, the menu drew on Punjabi and Gujarati thalis, with kadhi, undhiyu, chole and kadai paneer. “Food was one of our biggest priorities, so rather than serving the same wedding buffet repeatedly, we wanted it to evolve throughout the week,” says Anchal. Anchal and her brother created each event’s cocktail list, with thoughtful non-alcoholic options alongside. Fireworks closed the evening, and the party moved to Koi Bar until 2AM. Then the rain came. “Just a few steps down the path, it started to pour, and we both ran to our rooms with the rain flowing down. It felt like the perfect end to the start of our forever,” she says.
The Black-Tie Reception
For the final celebration, the couple transformed the atmosphere once again with an indoor black-tie reception. Guests dressed in black and gold, creating a dramatic contrast to the soft colours of the beach ceremony. Anchal wore black Gaurav Gupta, a dramatic lehenga that became custom flared pants for dancing. “Ending the wedding in black felt modern, confident and completely true to me,” she says. Personalised champagne toppers added a final detail.
Anchal measures the wedding by transformation more than any single installation. “The biggest wow factor wasn’t one installation, it was the transformation over five days,” she says. Her advice to future couples is not of décor or trousseau but inclusion. “Guests remember how they felt, so choose a few things that are deeply important to you, and once the wedding starts, stop planning your wedding and start living it.”
The Bride’s Checklist
The Bride: Anchal Sud
The Groom: Cheerag Amin
Photography: Mili Ghosh
Videography: Miki Films
Wedding Venue: Grand Velas Riviera Maya, Cancun Tulum
Wedding Planner: Ajita Chopra Events
Bride’s Outfits: Arpita Mehta, Anamika Khanna, Shanti Banaras, Falguni Shane Peacock, Ekaya, Tarun Tahiliani, Gaurav Gupta
Bride’s Jewellery: Bhindi Jewellers and heirloom
Groom’s Outfits: Rajesh Pratap Singh, Kunal Rawal, Sabyasachi, Reiss
Bride’s Stylist: CLAD by Tanya Vohra
Catering: Grand Velas x Chef Aarthi Sampath
Mehndi Artist: Henna by Tulsi
Makeup & Hair Artist: Salt Spell Beauty and Beauty by Lishma
Entertainment: DJ Double J, Desi Junction DJs & MC Simba
Invitation: White Mirage Wedding
Wedding Content: Chic Click by Ale
