This Wine-Country Wedding Blended South Asian Traditions With Surrealist Design

The vision for the wedding was not a typical one. “Inspired by magic, dreams, and ceremony, we worked with Shannon’s team to craft an aesthetic that married South Asian traditions with Surrealist flourishes,” explains the bride. “Our invitation suite by Emily Baird introduced this theme to our guests, and it culminated in a Surrealist after-party in the barn on our property.” Notes the groom: “I lived in Barcelona for a year in my 20s and fell in love with Miró, Dalí, and Surrealism, so it was amazing to bring some elements into the wedding.” The pair also hoped the design would reflect their upbringings and heritages.

Clothing was one of the most important ways the couple hoped to reflect their cultural backgrounds throughout the wedding weekend, which would include traditions like a sangeet and baraat. “I wanted to be thoughtful and creative about how to approach these fusion elements, and so early on I called my friend and bridal stylist Alisha Datwani, who specializes in cross-cultural wedding styling, to be in conversation about how we could blend elements of South Asian fashion with my personal style,” says Madeleine. Datwani worked with both the bride and groom—and even the bride’s mother—to help curate their looks for the three days of events.

For their intimate rehearsal dinner, Madeleine wore a look inspired by Sophia Loren in the 1958 film The Black Orchid. “We found this vintage 1990s Max Mara dress at Happy Isles in NYC after months of looking,” she says. “We loved how it felt bridal but deconstructed.” The bride collaborated with her hair and makeup artist, Katie Nash, to incorporate florals into her hair, similar to Loren’s in the film. “We thought the result nodded nicely to the tradition of Indian brides often wearing jasmine in their hair,” she adds. Madeleine also wore custom lace shoes by Malone Souliers designed to be easy to walk on grass. She initially planned to wear them with her wedding dress but decided at the last minute to wear them to the rehearsal dinner as well. “I knew that they wouldn’t get the moment they deserved on the wedding day with my full-length gown,” the bride says. The groom donned a modern take on a tuxedo shirt by Antar-Agni adorned with a floral boutonniere that matched the flowers in Madeleine’s hair.

For the sangeet, the bride wore an Anita Dongre lehenga in a bridal red featuring intricate botanical embroidery. “Indian fashion looks are so detail oriented, so finding the lehenga was only the first step,” shares Madeleine. “The look came together as we worked with the Anita Dongre team to customize a dupatta, and Alisha sourced jewelry from a range of Indian designers to complete the look, including bangles gifted by my mother-in-law.” Amar wore an open sherwani from Mayyur Girotra in a muted blue shade with bronze embroidery that echoed elements of Madeleine’s lehenga. “The embroidery was so intricate, and the craftsmanship was readily apparent,” says the groom. “That’s what won me over on that specific garment.”

Amar’s wedding-day ensemble was a fully custom chocolate brown suit by Bode adorned with colorful floral appliqués. “I’ve loved Bode for many years and was really excited to get a custom suit from one of my favorite brands,” says Amar. “Working with Luis from Bode was a really fun process. We met several times to go through vision, fabrics, embroidery, and accessories. Every step was so thoughtful, and I’m glad I had Alisha to help guide me through.” He paired the suit with shoes by Jacques Solovière Paris.

The bride wore an off-the-shoulder Weilu Fresolone gown she found at Jin Wang in San Francisco for the ceremony and reception. “Jin took the time to build in this amazing internal corset that made the bias-cut gown feel like it had structure on the body while looking effortless,” shares Madeleine. While she knew she wanted to wear white, the bride worked with her stylist to incorporate some personal elements. “She designed and made me a veil with colorful botanical embroidery that echoed the threadwork on Amar’s custom suit,” explains Madeleine. “I wore custom pearl kaliras by Mrinalini Chandra with blue beads as a nod to something blue, Tarun Tahiliani earrings, and a gold-and-diamond bangle gifted by my mother-in-law.”

Later in the night, Madeleine would swap her gown for a mesh gold Bode dress. “It was the first thing we landed on, before I even found my wedding dress,” she says. “The dress was quite sheer initially, so we collaborated with tailor Isa Kriegeskotte over a series of months—a true labor of love—to build in structure and coverage while preserving its diaphanous quality. I will love this dress forever. It totally captivated me, and it felt so perfect for our celestial after-party.” As a final Surrealist touch, the bride had moon skin jewels by Surmeyi placed down her back.

The couple had their wedding party pick looks of their own with a little guidance. The groomsmen donned either light blue or light brown suits to fit the colors of the celebration. And Madeleine asked her wedding party to choose their dresses “within a vibrant, romantic color palette that I knew would look special in the golden Napa Valley light. I really enjoyed having each person reflect their individual style while still creating a cohesive group look.”

The festivities began on Thursday night with a rehearsal dinner held in a brick courtyard at The Charter Oak. “The vibe was dreamy and romantic,” says Madeleine. “One favorite detail was the blue swirl menus by Emily Baird that offered a preview of the weekend’s Surrealist themes. They felt unexpected and so right.” The following night was filled with color and dancing at the sangeet, featuring a standout custom dance floor designed to resemble a patterned rug.

The wedding day arrived, and guests danced around Amar as he entered the celebration on horseback for the baraat procession. “This was the first time I met the horse, but perhaps we’ll be friends one day,” notes the groom. Once guests were seated on either side of an aisle defined by a modern construction of arches, the couple’s friend Corey McLean began playing “Norwegian Wood” by the Beatles as the wedding party began its procession. The bride then walked down the aisle with her father to “Come Away With Me” by Norah Jones. Madeleine’s aunt Michelle Sarti and Amar’s cousin Priya Bery served as co-officiants. “They started by passing our wedding rings through the whole audience—all 240 people—so that each person could bless the rings as the ceremony continued,” explains Madeleine. “It was incredibly moving to call on our community and ask them to be a part of supporting our future married life by each holding our rings in their hands with intention.”

Reflecting on the ceremony, the groom recalls it being as surreal as the design of the day. “Once the ceremony began, I felt the same as Madeleine, like time slowed down,” he says. The bride adds, “Under the giant oak trees on my parents’ property—my favorite place in the world—I felt completely present: peaceful, joyful, and surrounded by love. I even remember noticing a bumblebee in the flowers behind Amar. It was all so vivid.”

After the couple sealed their marriage with a kiss, guests mixed and mingled at cocktail hour while the newlyweds stole away for a moment alone. The party then headed to the backyard, where the reception dinner and dancing would take place. “Our first dance was to a live version of ‘All Night (Unfinished)’ by Jai Paul, performed by our band,” says Madeleine. “It felt perfect—dreamy, intimate, and reflective of so many summer nights we’ve spent together traveling, dancing, or out with friends.”

After cutting the cake, the wedding transitioned into the final stage of the night, culminating in the after-party. “The SLE team transformed the inside of the barn with sheer white draping and Pop art clouds, turning the space into a celestial heaven,” shares Madeleine. “Outside we created a lounge area on the tennis court with draping, and, in a nod to my grandfather Raymond Syufy’s career in the movie business and to fully embrace our California roots, we screened Roman Holiday as a tribute to our engagement in Rome along with Charlie Chaplin films—the best for silent watching.”

Looking back on the weekend, the newlyweds are pleased that the wedding felt like a reflection of themselves. “That spirit of playfulness and imagination is something that’s always been a big part of our relationship, and it came through in every detail,” says Madeleine. Adds Amar, “I almost can’t believe it actually happened, but there are pictures to prove it.”