A Cross-Cultural Wedding at Blue Hill at Stone Barns: Preetha Nooyi and Rem Aiken Myers

Preetha Nooyi and Rem Aiken Myers built their wedding around two connected ideas: honoring both families’ traditions and turning their shared love of Shakespeare into an immersive setting. Across three venues in Connecticut, the celebrations moved from a traditional Hindu ceremony to a forest-inspired sangeet and a reception shaped by A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The details offer a practical example of how a multiday wedding can give each part of a couple’s story its own setting, food and dress.

Three venues, distinct roles

The celebrations took place at the bride’s family home in Greenwich, Connecticut, Hyatt Regency Greenwich and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. The Hindu wedding and the women-only mehndi were held at the family home; the sangeet was at Hyatt Regency Greenwich, while Blue Hill at Stone Barns hosted the wedding and reception. That division let the events take on different moods without asking one room to carry every part of the weekend.

July’s blooms and warmth suited the Shakespeare theme, which shaped the larger wedding design. Preetha’s wardrobe also reflected the range of events: she wore a traditional red and gold Kanchipuram silk sari sourced by her mother for the Hindu wedding, then chose separate looks for the mehndi, sangeet, ceremony, reception and after-party.

Tradition grounded in family memories

For the Hindu ceremony, Preetha wore a zari-woven silk sari that connected the celebration to her Tamil Brahmin roots. She associated the day with childhood summers in Madras, meals prepared by her grandmother and playful time with her mother. Rem joined her in traditional attire, wearing a veshti.

The mehndi, a women-only gathering at the bride’s home, drew its visual cues from her family homes in Madras. Brass pots, jasmine, marigolds and deep green foliage brought those memories into the Greenwich setting. The menu included South Indian finger food and other vegetarian dishes, giving the event a food identity of its own as well as a distinct look.

A forest setting for the sangeet

At Hyatt Regency Greenwich, the indoor sangeet space was transformed into a forest clearing. Mist, moss, flowers, firefly-like lights and carnivorous plants carried the fantasy motif indoors. The design gave the evening a clear visual identity while linking it to the couple’s Shakespeare inspiration.

A ceremony and menu that brought both families together

For the wedding at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, the couple wore Indian clothing in white, while the bridesmaids and groomsmen wore French blue. The ceremony joined Hindu and Episcopalian traditions, honoring both sides of the family within one service.

Food carried the same mix into the reception. Farm-to-table appetizers and American cuisine were accented with South Indian elements. The open bar served cocktails named for the family pets, adding a personal detail to the drinks menu. Together, the choices gave guests several ways to encounter the couple’s shared and family histories, from ceremony to table.

Reception looks and a late-night finish

Preetha changed into a custom gown for the reception garden. Its design featured plants and birds loved by her parents and in-laws, tying family references to the Midsummer Night’s Dream setting. Rem wore a tuxedo. The evening included a dance between Rem and his mother, followed by Preetha dancing with her father to nostalgic songs.

For the after-party, Preetha changed again into a more glamorous look and danced into the early hours. The sequence—from the ceremony’s shared traditions to a garden reception and a high-energy late-night celebration—let the couple shift the tone through clothing and music as the events unfolded.

How the couple met

Preetha and Rem first met on a double date. They reconnected two years later when Rem matched with Preetha on a dating app in New York; their conversations soon became a relationship. After three years together, Rem proposed at sunset on a dock in Maine, with their puppy Aja alongside them.

Wedding team and attire credits

Venues: Hyatt Regency Greenwich (sangeet); Blue Hill at Stone Barns (wedding)
Wedding planner: Vaishali Deshpande (sangeet)
Florist: Ivie Joy Floral Arts + Events (sangeet, wedding)
Bride’s outfits: Angadi Silks and Nalli Chinnasami Chetty (Hindu wedding); JJ Valaya (mehndi); Falguni Shane Peacock (sangeet); Tarun Tahiliani (wedding); Reem Acra (reception); Manish Malhotra (after-party)
Bride’s shoes: Christian Louboutin (sangeet, reception); Chanel (wedding); Sophia Webster (after-party)
Jewellery: JJ Valaya (mehndi); Sabyasachi Mukherjee (sangeet)
Accessories: Judith Leiber bag (sangeet)
Makeup: Susmita Patel
Entertainment: Akshara Music Ensemble (mehndi); Jordan Kahn Orchestra (reception)
Ceremony officiants: Rev. Mark Robinson and Pandit Dinesh Paliwal
DJ: DJ KTF (after-party)
Wedding invitations: Manali Patil
Wedding stationery: Emma Garfield (wedding); Tharangini Studio (reception)
Cake: Elizabeth Mayhew (mehndi)
Bride’s stylist: Prerana Srikantappa
Photography: Vinuthna Garidipuri