The Puglia of the next G7 in Borgo Egnazia confirms itself as a favorite destination for international weddings. And it was also like this for a young (and wealthy) Indian couple, who chose the region – as already done by many other VIPs, from the Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to Justin Timberlake And Jessica Biel – as a destination for their wedding. Turmeric, saffron, mozzarella and focaccia: the fundamental ingredients for the dream wedding of Alina Lahda And Harry Matharutwo young Indians currently living in London, who have chosen Puglia, among Ostuni And Salice Salentino, for their union, without ever forgetting their traditions. The couple decided to live «the Puglia experience all round. They breathed in the Apulian scents, immersing themselves in our culture, tasting our typical flavours. During dinner they ate parmigiana and orecchiette, without ever putting aside their rituals and their traditions, which are very deep-rooted and different from ours” says Viola Tarantino, the event planner who organized everything with the help of her team Emotions in Puglia. More than seventy guests from different parts of the world but who, once they arrived in the south, felt like they were at home. The cost? Beyond 100 thousand euros.
Puglia is increasingly in demand for weddings
It is not the first time that the region has been chosen as a location for fairytale weddings. Fasano, Monopolies, Savelletri, Itria Valley: these are the privileged destinations to transform into a small “Bollywood” branch. There are those who, in the past, have spared no expense, as in the case of the wedding between Renee Sutton and Eliot Cohen (a wedding worth around 25 million dollars). Alina and Harry’s celebrations lasted about three days: the dancing was kicked off with a welcome aperitif in Ostuni, at “Pausa Caffè”: Apulian food and Indian music. The mix, however unusual, worked perfectly. The sixty-five participants in the first day of celebration ate mozzarella, focaccia, bruschetta, all accompanied by the view of the city’s viewpoint. The second day, Sunday 5 May, was the day dedicated to bridal party, or the «Mehndi party», in a villa in Ostuni. «It is a very intimate and private moment. There were all the fundamental rituals, from henna tattoos, created by an artist from Bari, to saffron ceremony» explains Tarantino. The big day arrived on Monday 6 May, when Alina and Harry finally crowned their love Monaci Castlein Salice Salentino.
«The preparation of the bride started very early, around 9 am, even though the ceremony started around 3 pm. There was a civil ceremony. The groom’s entrance was very different from ours: accompanied by his groomsmen, he entered dancing and letting loose, seeking the consent of the guests. Immediately afterwards there was Alina’s entrance, with the first of her two dresses, in this case of European design » says the event planner. Change of look for the bride, with a traditional gold-colored Indian dress, and the party began: all the typical rituals of the Indian tradition took place, in fact «their culture was preserved to the hilt. My entire team was from Puglia, while the Indian DJ came from England. For them, music is a central element during ceremonies, it is a way to express romance, which is usually confined to a very private sphere, while marriage is public. This is why it has great value and weight, they had a lot of fun” adds Tarantino.
Eight menu combinations between Puglia and India
They were eight menu combinations proposed, respecting everyone’s tastes and needs, but there was no shortage of dishes such as parmigiana, orecchiette and seafood risotto on the guests’ tables, without ever forgetting the Indian catering. The guests at the ceremony, however, seem to have also appreciated an element that was new to them: «I care a lot about Italian traditions and often explain the sugared almond ritual it’s complex, so I learned to give them as gifts – reveals the event planner -. I placed the sugared almonds in bowls with spoons, somewhat taking up the nineties style tradition; even though they were on the tables, they all ate them. A mix of sweet and savory.” Many kilometers knocked down, thanks to the desire that Alina and Harry had to experience Puglia to the full. «For three days they thanked us for never making them feel like foreigners, it was a beautiful wedding» concludes Tarantino.
