A Three-Day Hindu-Jewish Wedding in Sitges, Spain, Filled With Personal Details

Three days gave Chhaya and Harry room to celebrate their Hindu and Jewish traditions with distinct looks and settings, while keeping friends and family together for the weekend. The couple, both doctors based in the UK, chose Sitges, a seaside town near Barcelona, for their destination wedding. Their schedule moved from a poolside welcome and haldi to a Hindu ceremony by the sea, then a Jewish ceremony and reception in a winery’s underground caves.

Michelle of Elegante by Michelle J planned the events. Most guests stayed at the ME Sitges Terramar Hotel, which also hosted the first gathering. That choice kept travel simple on arrival day; the next day’s Hindu ceremony took place at the neighboring Sunway Playa Golf & Spa. For the final celebration, guests went to Caves Codorniu, a winery outside Barcelona.

Three days, three different moods

The opening day paired a welcome fiesta with the haldi ceremony at the ME Sitges Terramar Hotel. Yellow, soft pink and white set a sunny tone, with marigolds, flowers and playful touches. Chhaya and Harry planned the gathering to carry into golden hour, giving guests a relaxed first celebration after travel.

On day two, the Hindu ceremony took place under a mandap on the terrace at Sunway Playa Golf & Spa, overlooking the sea. Pastel colors, texture and detail gave the event a romantic, expressive feel while leaving space for tradition. The couple continued the evening with rooftop drinks at Radio Rooftop Bar at the ME Hotel.

The final day shifted to black tie. At Caves Codorniu, an outdoor ceremony under a woodland-inspired chuppah led into an evening reception in the underground caves. Greenery and organic textures connected the chuppah to its surroundings; the reception’s more refined styling made a clear change of pace from the brighter celebrations earlier in the weekend.

Details that helped guests join in

For invitations, Chhaya chose digital video invites from Falguni at The Pinacolada Co, based in India. After discussing the mood of each event, Falguni created a one-minute invitation and a video wardrobe planner to help guests decide what to pack. She also made an order of service for the Hindu ceremony, personalized Uno cards with a Spanish-themed pun, welcome signs, drinks stirrers, and welcome bags with an itinerary booklet and gifts.

For the Jewish ceremony, Bigday Designs created place cards and individual reception menus. Chhaya also ordered personalized wooden name cards for guests. The couple’s custom kippahs, marked with their names and wedding date, gave guests a keepsake and helped welcome those attending their first Jewish wedding. They sourced a customized ketubah from HAPPYprojectSHOP.

The welcome fiesta included a self-serve “Bazaar” of bangles, earrings and bindis Chhaya had bought in India while wedding shopping. She displayed them on stands and made the signs herself in Canva. Personalized wafers featuring the wedding logo, designed by The Pinacolada Co, were served at the gelato station.

One low-cost digital touch helped gather memories from all three events: QR codes let guests upload photos through Wedibox. Chhaya says the couple paid £15 for annual access. It gave guests a simple way to share their pictures and the couple a collection to revisit.

Clothes, flowers and music

Chhaya wore looks by four designers: Gopi Vaid for the haldi, Mahima Mahajan for the welcome fiesta, Aisha Rao for the Hindu ceremony, and Shaveta & Anuj for the Jewish wedding and reception. She chose the Aisha Rao outfit as soon as she tried it on, describing it as comfortable and true to her style. Rao’s connection to Barcelona, where she studied, made the choice feel especially fitting for the destination celebration.

Barcelona-based makeup artist Marina Grikun created the looks for each event. Chhaya had a trial with her in London a few months before the wedding and says she felt like herself on the day. Florist Pepe Von Strudel worked across the welcome fiesta, Hindu wedding lunch and reception, and designed the chuppah. His familiarity with Hindu weddings and different mandap styles was useful as the couple shaped the ceremonies.

The couple chose a live band from Creation Events for the reception. Local photographer and videographer Dmitry Komarenko documented the celebrations; Chhaya says the photos and videos arrived promptly and remain a favorite way to revisit the weekend.

Planning with the couple’s priorities in mind

Chhaya and Harry met in 2019. Both doctors, they built a close relationship through the pandemic and chose a destination wedding to give loved ones time together. Their three-event format let each ceremony keep its own character, while shared locations, design details and guest materials helped the weekend feel connected.

Chhaya’s advice to couples is to plan a celebration that feels like them, rather than chasing an outside idea of what a wedding should be. She remembers the emotion, laughter and time with loved ones more vividly than perfectly styled details. She also recommends trusting the people chosen to help, and making deliberate pauses to be together once events begin. A few quiet moments can help couples take in a schedule that otherwise passes quickly.