Marriage is an undeniably emotional and celebratory affair in one’s life, but to be able to tie the knot with the love of your life is something beyond celebration. Though it may have a long way to go in recognizing same-sex weddings in India, love has surely found all the ways to win in India. On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court of India ruled in favor of decriminalizing homosexuality, which liberated millions of queer Indians. It was a remarkable victory for love and a big triumph for the LGBTQ+ community.
This Pride Month, we at Shaandaar Events are honoring some truly heartwarming Indian LGBTQ+ weddings. These magical love stories of Indian LGBTQ+ couples will definitely fill you with a burst of love and positivity.
So let's dive into the sea of love and take a look at these lovely and super stunning Indian LGBTQ+ weddings.
Indian LGBTQ+ Weddings – What’s new?
The world of Indian LGBTQ+ weddings is becoming truly fascinating. Even though same-sex marriage is not legal in India yet, more people choose to celebrate their love with ceremony weddings, destination weddings, and cultural weddings, surrounded by family and friends.
No one has to follow the old patterns anymore because today’s weddings are about reinventing traditions, creating ceremonies which pay tribute to the culture but also reveal the unique personality of each couple. Wedding planners, venues, decorators, photographers, and hospitality specialists in India become more and more LGBTQ-friendly every day, so it’s easier than ever to have a wedding celebration for every couple.
Amit Shah & Aditya Madiraju
This lovely NRI couple, Amit and Aditya, are originally from India and stay in New Jersey. This stylish Gay couple, madly in love, broke all the barriers and stood forward to tie the knot traditionally and made it clear that Indian LGBTQ+ weddings can be super extravagant and stylish too. Their dreamy wedding ceremony took place at BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Robbinsville, New Jersey, America. The duo slayed in their twin wedding outfits by the famous Indian designer Anita Dongre. The grooms, who proved love is love and were daring enough to love out loud, finished off their look with multiple layered ruby necklaces.
Saima & Bianca
For Bianca Maieli and Saima Ahmad, it all started at a poetry reading called ‘Coming out Muslim’ to fall in love and end up marrying each other. Saima & Bianca hit it off instantly and have been together ever since then. This stunning California-based couple casually dated for a year before they were officially dating. Bianca is originally from India and Colombo, and Saima hails from Pakistan. Just like their diverse backgrounds, their Indian LGBTQ+ wedding was also a great, vivacious affair. This Indo-Pak couple and US-based couple shook all the traditional norms and crossed every boundary for their love. Saima and Bianca’s wedding was a private affair and was held in Bianca’s father’s backyard. Both brides got their dresses designed by one of the couple’s friends, Bilal Kazimov.
Amit Patel & Martin Fulton
The love story of Amit and Martin started almost twelve years ago in December 2010 when they were introduced by a mutual friend on Facebook. For over four and a half years, the couple shared a long-distance relationship across two cities when Amit lived in New York City and Martin in Michigan. Amit and Martin met only over the weekends when Martin would drive for six hours to see Amit. It was almost eight years since their first meeting when Patel got down on one knee to pop the question to Martin on the Bow Bridge in Manhattan, one of the first places the couple went together. The couple decided to tie the knot in a multicultural wedding, as Amit wanted a big-fat-India Wedding, and Martin wished for an intimate Christian ceremony. On the wedding day, the room was enveloped in love, as the love birds donned custom Tarun Tahiliani Ankara work bundis with simple kurtas and mojris. Their magnificent Indian LGBTQ+ wedding surely left everyone warmhearted.
Ayesha Nageshwaran & Katja Hahnloser
This lesbian couple, who were friends for 30 years, proved that Pyaar hi Dosti hai. Meet New Delhi-based entrepreneur Ayesha Nageshwaran and her Switzerland-born wife, Katja Hahnloser-Nageshwaran, owner of a fashion boutique in Zürich. On the day they completed one year of togetherness, Ayesha proposed in Jaisalmer, and to make that moment even more special. In their Indian LGBTQ+ wedding in India, the couple broke all the stereotypes surrounding sexual orientation. Held across Jaisalmer, Delhi, and Zurich, Ayesha and Katja’s cross-cultural marriage blended two different centuries-old traditions with Western customs. Their wedding day was a beautiful sunshine-filled afternoon where they took their wedding vows to be together forever in the presence of all their near and dear ones.
Keshav Suri & Cyril
From a charming proposal in Paris to spectacular performances by drag queens in Goa to a reception in New Delhi, this multicultural wedding between the Indian hospitality tycoon and his French entrepreneur beau was an unforgettable one. It took ten years for this dapper duo to become each other’s ever after. Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Hotels, and Cyril Feuillebois, the founder of Kronokare Cosmetics, exchanged their wedding vows in an intimate Indian LGBTQ+ beach wedding in Goa on the 10th anniversary of the day they met. Surrounded by their closest people, well-wishers, and supporters, the couple donned the outfits designed by Shantanu & Nikhil for their special day. Their dreamy Indian LGBTQ+ wedding was the most magical and extravagant affair, which truly showed their unbound and unconditional love.
Shannon & Seema
If you think love at first sight is a myth! Well, not in the case of this romantic couple Shannon & Seema. The lesbian couple first met each other at a fitness center, and it was love at first sight. Shannon, a fitness instructor, had then turned to a fellow instructor and announced, “I’m going to marry her,” and six years later, they tied the knot and are so in love. The couple disregarded society’s rigid rules on sexual orientation and went ahead to solemnize their love for each other. Their Indian LGBTQ+ wedding took place in July 2013, officially making it the first Indian American lesbian marriage in America. The couple hosted a dreamy Indian-style grand wedding ceremony at SmogShoppe in Los Angeles. Their traditional Indian Indian LGBTQ+ wedding ceremony featured many ancient traditions, which included Seema being carried into her wedding on a Doli by her family and friends.
Sanjay & Steven
Sanjay, an innovation consultant, and Steven, an orthopedic surgery resident, met online in 2014 over drinks and immediately hit it off very well. After dating for two years, Sanjay popped the question on their private lagoon voyage, and Steven immediately accepted, and then proceeded to dance uncontrollably in celebration. Then the two of them decided to get married after dating for quite a long time. The groom arrived at their Indian LGBTQ+ wedding ceremony on horseback and was married in a celebration that was a fusion of both Catholic and Indian traditions. The much-in-love couple wanted an easy, Indian LGBTQ+ wedding environment where they could spend as much time as possible with their loved ones. For the wedding ceremony, the pair donned traditional Indian sherwanis from Maharani Fashion. Their Indian LGBTQ+ wedding was filled with the warmth of the radiant colors of love during the baraat, and the couple exchanged loving words at the mandap.
Reema Tharani & Priya Arora
Priya Arora is the editor of a podcast channel dedicated to bringing recognition to the LGBT community,y ‘Queering Desi’. Reema Tharani and Priya Arora found love in each other and had a beautiful 3-day queer Desi destination wedding at Hard Rock Hotel in Cancun. Their desi destination wedding was done as per Hindu traditions with a Mehendi and Haldi ceremony and a day wedding along the seashore. Their beach Indian LGBTQ+ wedding was definitely an enchanting fairytale. The wedding festivities ended with an elegant reception which the couple hosted for their close relatives and the two gladly started their ‘happily ever after’.
Supriyo Chakraborty & Abhay Dang
The duo, Supriyo Chakraborty and Abhay Dang, got married in a private ceremony, attended by the couple's friends and family. This intimate ceremony was replete with a varmala and wedding sherwani. The ceremony saw Bengali and Punjabi wedding rituals, as Supriyo, a senior faculty member at a prominent hotel management institute, is from Kolkata, and Abhay, an MNC employee, is from Delhi. The wedding is being dubbed the first Indian LGBTQ+ wedding in Telangana and comes at a time of a growing chorus for legalizing gay weddings.
These were some of the most heart-warming Indian LGBTQ+ weddings that crossed all the stereotypes surrounding sexual orientations and proved that Love Is Love!
FAQs
Is it possible for an LGBTQ couple to hold a traditional Indian wedding ceremony?
Yes. An LGBTQ couple can celebrate their wedding in the same way that the majority of couples do in India, with the presence of all the same elements: Mehendi, Haldi, Sangeet, Baraat, pheras, exchange of vows, and the reception ceremony.
Is same-sex marriage legal in India?
Even after the legalization of homosexuality in 2018, same-sex marriage is not legalized as per the laws of India. Nevertheless, various LGBTQ weddings take place among couples as a sign of love and commitment towards each other.
How can a wedding planner be helpful for an LGBTQ wedding in India?
There is an LGBTQ wedding planner who can make your wedding a memorable one. The wedding planners will assist in finding suitable venues and vendors that support LGBTQ relationships. Also, the wedding planners assist in the design of decorations and organizing the ceremony.
Are there LGBTQ-friendly wedding venues in India?
Yes. There are luxury hotels, resorts, palaces, beach wedding venues, and destination weddings that cater to the needs of LGBTQ couples in India. Some of the most popular venues include Goa, Jaipur, Udaipur, Kerala, Mussoorie, and Chandigarh.
Is it possible to have rituals from any religion or culture at your LGBTQ wedding?
Sure, some people decide to add traditions from Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, or some other culture to their ceremony by adapting the ritual according to their personal relationship and beliefs. The ritual will be as old-fashioned and modern as you like.
How expensive is the LGBTQ wedding in India?
The price will vary depending on such things as the location, number of guests, venue, decorations, catering, entertainment, and customization, among others. You may opt for having an intimate celebration or a luxurious destination wedding, and Shaandaar Events is there to plan an unforgettable event within your budget.
Why should you go for Shaandaar Events for your LGBTQ wedding in India?
Shaandaar Events considers each love story worthy of a gorgeous celebration. They organize unique and special events in India or international destinations. They make sure that the wedding experience you'll get from them will be personalized, unique, and memorable.
