You could call it the biggest mistake of Swati Bagaria’s life, but she has no complaints. While trying out a new dating app, she contacted an interesting prospect thinking he lived in New York. They chatted online, and within a week, Roshan Bhakta phoned her. “We talked for five hours,” says Swati. “He seemed like such a nice, kind person and was really interested in me.” But at the end of the call, she was floored to learn that he lived in Dallas—a definite nonstarter for her.
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Even so, every few days they enjoyed lengthy calls, until he asked to visit. Roshan arrived concealing a rose behind his back. That weekend, they lost track of time in conversation—closing bars, wandering Central Park and forgetting to eat. “He invited me to Dallas the next weekend and I said, ‘Not a chance in hell.’ On Thursday I booked a flight,” says Swati.
“MY FAVORITE PART OF THE PROPOSAL WAS WATCHING SWATI’S FACE CHANGE FROM ANNOYANCE TO PUZZLEMENT TO JOYFUL TEARS...”
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After commuting back and forth that summer, the relationship blossomed. A year later, a friend invited Swati to an art gallery event, suggesting she be photo-ready since there would be press there. As the two women strolled to the party, they stopped for selfies under the Brooklyn Bridge. Swati was distracted by a stranger asking if they needed assistance.
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“My favorite part of the proposal was watching Swati’s face change from annoyance to puzzlement to joyful tears, as she realized it was me and what I was about to do,” says Roshan, who once again presented Swati with a single rose.
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A hired cellist began to play and they danced as the sun set. “Roshan spun me around, and when I came back he was on one knee,” says Swati. After saying, “Yes,” a photographer stood ready to take pictures, but happy tears had ruined her makeup. The ever-ready Roshan had purchased all her favorite cosmetics in case she needed a touch-up. “What guy thinks of these things?” marvels Swati.
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The couple found their perfect wedding destination inside a national park and next to a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the Penha Longa Ritz-Carlton in Sintra, Portugal. Traditional Hindu rites were scheduled for the meditation garden, but with the threat of rainy weather, they moved the ceremony to a covered courtyard in a nearby monastery. “Décor painstakingly planned for a year didn’t happen,” says Swati, “but the smaller space made it even more intimate.”
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While the décor didn’t go as planned, the wardrobe did. In a labor of love, Swati, owner of Pleats and Petals, South Asian Bridal Party Outfitters, had designed 46 ensembles for the wedding party.
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That evening, the couple recited western-style vows and exchanged rings before their wedding dinner in a 17th-century fortress overlooking the sea. A cake cutting accompanied by fireworks wrapped up the day on a high note.
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On the following night, Swati and Roshan were feted at their reception. The newlyweds entered with a slow romantic dance, transitioning into a crowd-pleasing upbeat Indian bhangra. The rest of the evening was filled with dancing, a flash mob, toasts, roasts and food barely touched while guests crowded the dance floor. “I wondered if people with morning flights would leave early, but the dancing continued til 3 a.m., making wonderful memories for us,” says Roshan.
The short flight to Marrakesh, Morocco, fit the bill for a relaxing honeymoon at the intricately restored palace-hotel La Mamounia, where old world charm meets modern luxury.
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WEDDING TALENT
Sangeet, Wedding Ceremony and Reception Location: Penha Longa Resort, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Sintra, Portugal: Stylized Photo Shoot Location: Palácio de Monserrate, Sintra, Portugal