A Bright Wine Country Wedding with Indian and Chinese Elements

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jenna alok wedding wine country california couple on path — Corbin Gurkin

As symbolic tests of couplehood go, Jenna Lam and Alok Patel's first dance was ambitious. They choreographed (with the help of a dance studio) an elaborate cultural mash-up: foxtrot into Lindy hop into a retro-funk, '70s-era Bollywood number with five groomsmen. They practiced each step in secret, a surprise for their guests. And they did so on opposite sides of the country.

Since the start, Jenna and Alok's relationship has been bicoastal. Each has a thriving career—she's a Napa Valley, California, event and wedding planner; he's a pediatrician, television producer, and entrepreneur in New York City. It's a long-distance love that might never have happened if he hadn't fallen so hard the moment they met. In 2010, Alok was in medical school in Arizona, and Jenna was there scouting sites for a friend's wedding. "I was mesmerized by how beautiful, witty, and ambitious she was," he says. She didn't take notice, but a few years later they connected on social media, and he took the chance to flirt. When they began talking on the phone, things clicked. "I knew he was charismatic and funny," Jenna says. "But I hadn't understood how committed to his work and passionate he was until then."

They had their first real date in September 2015, when Alok flew across the country to take her out. It was a success, and a couple of weeks later, Jenna recalls, she was the one who said, "So, do you want to be my boyfriend, or what?" He popped the question the following April.

They decided to marry in the Napa Valley. It was Jenna's home and also near vendors she knows well—vital, given all the bells and whistles they wanted, starting with the Hindu ceremony that was a must for Alok. "There are so many cultures in our two bodies," Jenna says. "It was going to be a richer affair than I'd ever dreamed."

To make the traditional ceremony accessible for their mostly not-Indian guests, they shortened it (to one hour from three and a half ), created a guide to Hindu wedding prayers for the program, and found an English-speaking pandit (priest). At the same time, Jenna wove details of the Chinese heritage from her father's side into the mix; the color red—significant in both cultures—was key throughout. Traditional Chinese lion dancers, which the bride's dad insisted on, entertained at dinner. Jenna used elephant and pagoda motifs on stationery and programs, and crimson chinoiserie fabric for table coverings. The menu was a fresh "California" take on a classic Indian banquet, and there were six specialty drinks infused with Asian and Indian flavors—plus, for late-night snacks, dim sum. The whole effect was a playful, gorgeous blend that Jenna dubbed "chai meets dumpling" (also the name of their wedding website).

And that dance? "We brought the house down," says Alok. Two very different people, dancing steps they'd learned separately, turned out to be perfectly in sync. No surprise to the groom: "We were always meant to be together," he says. "It just took her a while to realize it."

Watch Jenna and Alok's wedding film by The Cana Family.

Go Inside This Couple's Haldi Ceremony and Welcome Dinner

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Themed Save-the-Dates

jenna alok wedding wine country california save the dates — Corbin Gurkin

Save-the-dates by PS Paper featured the elephant and pagoda motifs. Another fun elephant-related detail of the wedding? The couple registered to adopt an elephant through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

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A Layered Invitation

jenna alok wedding wine country california invitation suite — Corbin Gurkin

PS Paper created gold-printed, chocolate-brown invitations with a floral chinoiserie acetate overlay.

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A Bento Box Welcome

jenna alok wedding wine country california welcome bento boxes — Corbin Gurkin

Welcome bento boxes held layers of cookies, gummies, chocolate truffles, and savory bites.

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Getting the Groom Ready

jenna alok wedding wine country california mother sister tying groom turban — Corbin Gurkin

Before the wedding, Alok's mother, Priti, hand-tied his turban, with assistance from his sister, Payal. He wore a sherwani from Heritage.

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Traditional Accessories

jenna alok wedding wine country california bride smiling — Corbin Gurkin

Jenna wore a maang tikka—Indian bridal jewelry that adorns the forehead—with matching earrings. She also wore a lip stain and said she didn't worry at all about it smudging or wearing off.

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Stylish Sisters

jenna alok wedding wine country california bride sisters — Corbin Gurkin

Jenna's sisters, Abbey and Kelly, wore black and gold.

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Here Comes the Groom

jenna alok wedding wine country california baraat horse — Corbin Gurkin

A white horse was dressed up for the baraat—the groom's arrival.

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The Sounds of the Baraat

jenna alok wedding wine country california musician drum — Corbin Gurkin

Drums called dhol were played as Alok rode in.

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A Welcome Cocktail

jenna alok wedding wine country california guest with drink — Corbin Gurkin

Refreshments began pre-ceremony, with mint-and-peach rum lassi served in copper tumblers.

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Red Programs

jenna alok wedding wine country california program — Corbin Gurkin

Program booklets with red covers and gold tassels provided guests with a guide to the Hindu ceremony.

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A Golden Aisle

jenna alok wedding wine country california marigolds aisle — Corbin Gurkin

Over 600 marigolds dotted the aisle at the ceremony site, which was set with clear chairs for guests.

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The Ceremony

jenna alok wedding wine country california ceremony — Corbin Gurkin

After the bride's mother welcomed the groom with prayers and escorted him to the mandap—a nuptial canopy—Jenna's father escorted her down the aisle and gave her away by placing her hand in her groom's. The bride hired 20 a cappella singers as a surprise for her groom at the ceremony. And Jenna's sisters placed grains of rice in her hands as she completed the mangal phera—"circling the sacred fire"—signifying their support and protection. In a final tradition, akhand saubhagyavati, married women from both families were to whisper blessings to the bride.

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A Garland Exchange

jenna alok wedding wine country california garlands — Corbin Gurkin

The couple exchanged garlands of orchids, carnations, and stephanotis, signifying their acceptance of each other.

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The Recessional

jenna alok wedding wine country california recessional — Corbin Gurkin

The newlyweds' red stoles were tied together as a sign of their eternal bond.

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A Pause for Portraits

jenna alok wedding wine country california couple — Corbin Gurkin

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds posed for a few sunset photos among the grapevines.

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The Bride's Bouquet

jenna alok wedding wine country california red bouquet — Corbin Gurkin

Jenna's bouquet was made using red amaryllis, garden roses, ranunculus, and 'James Story' orchids.

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A Floral Seating Display

jenna alok wedding wine country california floral wall of seating cards — Corbin Gurkin

Floral panels by artist Janis Anzalone formed the escort-card wall.

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A Closer Look

jenna alok wedding wine country california floral escort cards — Corbin Gurkin

Each "card" was a leaf calligraphed by Anzalone on a crepe-paper flower made by PS Paper.

Insanely Creative Escort Cards and Seating Displays

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Escort Cards to Take Home

jenna alok wedding wine country california guests flowers — Corbin Gurkin

Each guest (including these former-clients-turned-friends of Jenna's) grabbed their crepe paper flower from the seating display. The blooms then doubled as another keepsake from the celebration.

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Delicious Appetizers

jenna alok wedding wine country california appetizers — Corbin Gurkin

The menu, by Componere Fine Catering, was "mind-blowing," says Jenna, and included passed hors d'oeuvres like squash- blossom pakoras.

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Friends From Work

jenna alok wedding wine country california guests — Corbin Gurkin

Jenna's longtime friends and industry collaborators made up a portion of the guest list. Photographer Meg Smith, stationery designer Jill Sasso of PS Paper, and planner Lexie Brooks were all smiles on the big day.

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All the Drink Options

jenna alok wedding wine country california specialty drinks — Corbin Gurkin

Six signature drinks were created by Camper Cocktail Company, including a tequila-spiked green juice and a boozy chai.

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A Colorful Table

jenna alok wedding wine country california table setting — Corbin Gurkin

Place settings in neutral tones and monogrammed napkins coolly contrasted with the vibrant tablecloth with an elephant-print on it.

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Vibrant Décor

jenna alok wedding wine country california flower arrangement — Corbin Gurkin

Flowers in shades of pinks, reds, oranges, and goldenrod were used throughout the celebration.

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Chinese Lion Dancers

Traditional Chinese lion dancers surprised the crowd just after everyone sat down for dinner. "They arrived and I had almost forgotten them," Jenna recalls. "They were amazing."

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Instead of Cake

jenna alok wedding wine country california white chocolate box — Corbin Gurkin

Jenna and Alok didn't care much about the cake-cutting tradition: "We wanted to dance and make it fun," she says. So they skipped it and served up trays of single-bite sweets, like these white-chocolate-and-chai truffles, instead.

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Another Sweet Option

jenna alok wedding wine country california dessert tray — Corbin Gurkin

Dark chocolate and toasted marshmallow bites were another sweet nibble guests enjoyed during the dancing portion of the night. The other two options included green apple and pistachio truffles and dark chocolate and passionfruit bites.

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A Fun First Dance

jenna alok wedding wine country california couple dancing — Corbin Gurkin

Before they performed their first dance, Alok swapped his sherwani for a vest; Jenna her lehenga for a short, fringed Naeem Khan party dress. Alok's favorite moment of the day was the choreographed routine "with wifey" Jenna.

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Time to Dance

jenna alok wedding wine country california guests dance floor — Corbin Gurkin

Guests joined the fun on the dance floor. "The ultimate reception playlist includes at least one Rihanna song," the bride says.

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Reliving it All

jenna alok wedding wine country california video same day edit — Corbin Gurkin

At the end of the reception, everyone was in for a surprise. Video footage by The Cana Family that was edited throughout the wedding into a short film was projected onto a screen by the pool.

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Late Night Tiffins

jenna alok wedding wine country california dim sum tiffins — Corbin Gurkin

Tiffins filled with dim sum were warmed and then set out toward the end of the evening—serving as both favors and late-night snacks to fuel the crowd for the after-party.

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