This Couple’s International Love Story Inspired Their Three-Day Wedding in Portugal

Love always finds a way, and Lizzy and Gagan–who met during a chance encounter while across the world from home–are living proof. The two met in Kigali, Rwanda, in September 2018. “I was traveling for work attending a conference in Kigali; Gagan was on a sabbatical and Kigali was his home base to explore East Africa,” Lizzy says. “While there, he befriended the artists who own Inema Arts Center. They host a weekly happy hour on Thursday nights in their backyard. We met there, and ended up hitting it off!” That night, she invited Gagan to join a safari she was planning, and the next morning they left for Akagera National Park. “Since meeting in Kigali, we have visited 15 countries together,” Lizzy says. “Traveling is really important to us, [so] we felt it was important to have an international destination wedding.”

Especially for far-flung weddings, “the hardest part is always the guest list–in particular, figuring out how to encourage our guests to take the leap and book flights to an international destination at the end of the pandemic,” Lizzy says. “There were visas, Covid tests, and an absolutely nightmarish flying season where almost 20% of our guests had a canceled flight or lost luggage. The logistics weren’t fun, but [our planners] Laurel & Rose had our back throughout the process, and having an international wedding was so important to us.”

The destination they decided on: Portugal. “We truly hand-picked our favorite people from all over the world to descend on Lisbon for three full days,” Lizzy says. “One key component of our vision was the luxury of time. Weddings often feel rushed and busy with lots of events and activities back to back to back. Instead, we tried to space things out and added 30 minutes or an hour to almost every event so that people could feel like they were able to relax and really be present.” Granted, this took some finagling. “We asked Laurel & Rose to negotiate with the venues and vendors to add time to events,” Lizzy shares. “More time led to a feeling of leisure, and we think that resonates a lot with our style.”

The weekend’s multiple events included an Indian ceremony on July 1 and an American ceremony and reception on July 2. Read on to see the stunning photos from both, as planned by Laurel & Rose and photographed by Ashley Sawtelle.

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a landscape photo of Lisbon, Portugal
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

“We wanted to honor the destination, since we have such a strong affinity for Europe and Portugal,” the bride says. “We lived in Europe the year before we got engaged and so we tried our best through the wedding to have late nights, long luxurious meals, and a sense of adventure and discovery at every venue. We tried to let our venues, the local fare, and the European vibe permeate the wedding and its festivities.”

invitation suite with tassels and a blue and white tile pattern motif
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
wedding welcome bags with detail cards and sweet treats
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

The unique color palette included shades of “burnished lilac, muted clay, mauve, marigold, citron green, artichoke, jade, and Aegean blue,” Lizzy describes. “We wanted to stay true to Portugal by incorporating the blue-and-white patterned tiles throughout the design, as well as a subtle motif of peacocks.”

rehearsal luncheon table overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Sintra, Portugal
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

In terms of timing, the couple even extended their rehearsal dinner. “The first day was a classic long European rehearsal lunch at a winery with a view of Sintra and the Atlantic Ocean,” Lizzy says. “Then at night, we hosted welcome drinks for everyone at a fun rooftop bar overlooking the city of Lisbon.”

blonde bride in red and gold lehenga and traditional Indian wedding jewelry
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

Day two was the Indian wedding to honor Gagan’s culture. The groom’s mother made a special trip to India the prior winter to design and gather all the Indian wedding attire for the couple, bridesmaids, and groomsmen. “I wore a ruby red lehenga with a gold dupatta, the shawl that wraps around you,” Lizzy says. “We designed everything; the color, pattern, and detailed embroidery that was hand-stitched in India. I feel so lucky I got to wear this.” Gagan’s mother also hand-selected the jewelry, gifting Lizzy with pieces the bride hopes to eventually pass down to her own children.

groom riding horse for the baraat ceremony
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
guests in Indian attire dancing in the street for the baraat

“The day was boisterous and vibrant. We decked out an old distillery in the center of Lisbon. Guests rode Tuk Tuks and arrived at a colorful venue with rusted old cars, beautiful high ceilings and delicious Indian food,” the bride says.

bride in lehenga entering the space for Indian wedding ceremony
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
blonde bride in red and gold lehenga and groom in navy blue sherwani and turban
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

Gagan wore an intricately embroidered navy blue sherwani. “My mother found a turban tier that could tie my turban in a special Marwari style,” he says. “We are from the Marwar region in Rajasthan, India, and she really wanted my turban to honor that tradition.”

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signature drink signage at bar adorned with marigolds
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
wedding party in teal and gold Indian attire ascends the staircase
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

The wedding party was bedecked in teal and gold. “The colors really stood out on our Indian wedding day,” Lizzy says.

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tablescape in ancient Portugese venue decorated with marigolds and bright florals
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
food cart with traditional Indian cuisine at wedding reception
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

Despite tradition, the couple still made things their own. “For the Indian wedding day, we only selected certain events that we wanted–basically, the fun parts: the dancing and the food!” Lizzy says. “There is so much pressure in Indian culture to add events and ceremonies. We tried our best to resist that while still honoring our heritage throughout the wedding.” One tradition that they kept was the pheras, Gagan explains. “This tradition involves tying the bride and groom together with a marriage dupatta and walking around a fire seven times while they share the seven vows or pheras,” he says.

bride with updo in Carolina Herrera gown and mother in blue two-tone dress
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
blonde bride in Carolina Herrera gown with V-neck and statement bow and train
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

The final day was the American wedding, a romantic affair at Casa Dos Penedos, a pink castle in the hills of Sintra. Lizzy went classic in a timeless silk Mikado Carolina Herrera gown with a statement train from the designer’s spring 2020 collection. (She admits that she overstepped: “I went the first time–when I found the dress I ended up getting–with my mother-in-law and close friend, but told myself I should keep looking before making a decision.” She took several trips, visited seven or eight stores, and let timing get down to the wire–then ultimately went back for a dress from that very first appointment.)

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seating cards and welcome signage at outdoor wedding ceremony
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
organic bursts of florals lining the aisle for wooded outdoor ceremony
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
floral arch with pink, purple, and mauve flowers accented with traditional Indian marigolds
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

“Our ceremony space was very untraditional, with an aisle that snaked around existing grass mounds that were filled with blooms as if there were meadows spontaneously popping up throughout the garden space,” Lizzy describes. “The aisle led to a large arch adorned with lush greenery, purples, and pops of marigolds to incorporate Gagan’s Indian heritage, and patterned vases to add that Portuguese charm.”

couple exchanging vows beneath a colorful floral arch
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

“We put a great deal of intent and time into writing our vows,” the bride shares. “We took this as an opportunity to share our commitment to each other in front of our community of friends and family.” The emotion was palpable. Lizzy carried her late stepfather’s handkerchief with her for the ceremony, and “Gagan even borrowed the handkerchief in front of our guests, many of whom were tearing up as well,” she says.

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lounge vignette with ground florals in blue tile vases and rugs
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

The garden was the best area of the venue; we wanted our guests to enjoy this space the longest.

charcuterie spread at cocktail hour
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
food cart for cocktail hour that had stations for gyros, ice cream, ham, charcuterie, and more
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

Their 90 guests then made their way into a lower secret garden for a two-and-a-half-hour cocktail reception, a highlight of the day. “The garden was the best area of the venue,” Lizzy says. “It was down the hill right next to the big pink castle, and there were beautiful trees and a small water area that really captured the magic of Sintra. We wanted our guests to enjoy this space the longest.” A dozen food stations fueled them with charcuterie and cheeses, fresh ice cream made before their eyes and served on hand-rolled cones, a full raw bar, a gyro station, local specialty ham hand-carved on-site, and more.

bride and groom in black tie enter secret garden for cocktail hour
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
wedding reception decor outside castle with navy linens and mauve florals
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
deep blue velvet table linens topped with taper candles in peacock holders and mauve floral arrangements
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle
blue tile dinner plates and salad plates pop against sand-colored table linens
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

For the reception, the decor shifted from bright to moody, with saturated plum, mauve, and deep blue tones and brass accents. “Our florist sourced fun peacock and bird taper candle holders to sprinkle in throughout the design that were a real conversation starter,” Lizzy says. “Place settings had a lilac napkin and a blue tile salad or dinner plate to give a nod to the tiles throughout Portugal.”

bride and groom in black tie laugh and cry during wedding reception speeches
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

There were speeches from close family, but the formality ended there. “The rest of the night was without tradition: No cake cutting, no tossing of the bouquet, no first dance,” Lizzy says. “This meant that after the cocktail hour, the guests (and the bride and groom!) were free to just enjoy ourselves and party.”

bride and groom dancing against backdrop of ancient ruins and natural greenery
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

The rest of the night was without tradition.

fairy lights strung up in an indoor-outdoor garden room for dinner
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

“Dinner was served at 10 p.m. in typical European fashion. Guests walked up the hill and arrived at a gorgeously decorated indoor-outdoor garden,” Lizzy says. “Instead of a true seated dinner, everyone was just hanging out, drinking, and being merry.”

groom and bride in classic gown with statement back bow walk along path hand-in-hand
Photo by Ashley Sawtelle

There was no official signature drink, but “the espresso martini quickly became the unofficial cocktail of the wedding, with everyone wanting a pick-me-up while partying for three days straight,” Lizzy says with a laugh. Guests danced until 3:30–when the venue kicked them out–then boarded buses back to Lisbon. “Once we returned to Lisbon a small crew came out even later to dance and roam the streets of Lisbon until sunrise,” Lizzy recalls. “It was a European night to remember.”

Venue Casa Dos Penedos

Wedding Planner and Designer Laurel & Rose

Bridal Designer Carolina Herrera

Bridal Salon Jin Wang

Bride’s Nails The Beauty Bar at Santiago de Alfama

Bride’s Shoes Loeffler Randall

Bride’s Hair Agne Kanapeckaite, Let’s Hair

Bride’s Makeup Makeup by Tecas

Groom’s Tux Chookhare & Sons

Groomsmen’s Tuxes The Black Tux

Rings The Menagerie

Floral Designer Siloh Floral

Invitations and Signage Sweet Zion Paperie

Music Adlib Strings (ceremony); Fortune DJ Live (reception)

Catering The Wonder Catering

Rentals BC Planning & Rentals; Maison Christina

Transportation Paulo Concierge

Accommodations Hotel Da Baixa

Videographer Maria Imaginaria

Photographer Ashley Sawtelle

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