From Shared Bites To Shared Promises: A Wedding That Redefined Tradition

It all started with a single chocolate cupcake.

During their MBA days at Duke University, Ayushi Saxena had brought a box of cupcakes to a friend’s gathering. By the time it reached her and Shreyas Chandra Shekar, only one remained. They shared it. A small, almost inconsequential gesture, but significant in retrospect: Shreyas “never shares food,” and Ayushi “never shares anything with chocolate in it.” That one bite became the first chapter of a relationship built on shared choices, shared values, and a shared life.

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Fast forward to November 29–30, 2025. Ayushi and Shreyas celebrated their love in the misty, green embrace of India’s Western Ghats, in a wedding that was less about tradition and more about intention. A two-day, four-function celebration for over 1,200 guests, it was designed like a story that felt layered, cinematic, and deeply personal.

A celebration of culture and commitment

Their love, much like their wedding, spanned continents. Ayushi grew up in Japan and has roots in North India; Shreyas hails from South India. They met and built a life in the United States. When the time came to plan their wedding, they didn’t want it to feel like a single cultural narrative; they wanted it to reflect the full map of their lives.

The East appeared in subtle Japanese-inspired minimalism through restrained elegance and thoughtful details. The West, on the other hand, came alive in personal vows and bespoke guest experiences. North India brought the vibrant energy of sangeet, pheras, and varmala, while South India grounded the wedding and reception in ritual, reimagined through a contemporary lens. 

At the heart of it all was a ceremony unlike any other. Rather than performing rituals they didn’t fully connect with, Ayushi and Shreyas created Shapatha Mangalya, an “Oath Wedding.” Every guest received a book detailing the ceremony, where the couple publicly took vows anchored in equality, consent, shared responsibility, and community. It was a union witnessed and shaped consciously by those present, honouring the spiritual essence of a Hindu marriage while redefining it for today.

A cinematic backdrop

The setting mirrored this philosophy. The couple booked a luxury golf resort in Shivamogga, Karnataka, taking over the entire property for 1,200+ guests. Nestled in the Western Ghats, the venue offered a rare balance: refined luxury set against raw, quiet wilderness. For the couple, the lush, mist-covered hills and forested landscape symbolised the marriage they hoped to build: alive, evolving, and powerful.

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To capture the celebration, they commissioned Ganesh Hegde, a National Geographic Channel–featured photographer and internationally awarded filmmaker, alongside Light Bucket Productions. Their vision was cinematic: a documentary style wedding unfolding against sweeping forest landscapes, where intimate moments and expansive scenery spoke equally of emotion and grandeur.

Fashion as storytelling

Every outfit told a story. Ayushi wore a rare purple Sabyasachi lehenga, alongside custom Kanjeevaram saris from Angadi Heritage. One sari, woven over six months, featured the Gandaberunda, Karnataka’s royal emblem in real gold thread, a tribute to the region hosting the wedding. 

Shreyas complemented his wardrobe with Sabyasachi and custom ensembles that honoured traditional South Indian groom aesthetics while reflecting his modern, global sensibility. Together, they weren’t just dressed; they were making culture visible through couture.

Tradition, reimagined

From a shared cupcake in a US dorm room to shared oaths in front of 1,200 loved ones in the Western Ghats, Ayushi and Shreyas’ wedding proves that modern tradition can be intentional, luxurious, and deeply meaningful. This Valentine’s Day, their story reminds us that love isn’t about perfection, it’s about purpose.