This Lake Como wedding blends Indian traditions and couture with Italian glamour

When it comes to a Big Fat Indian Wedding, the grander the better. Nestled in the serene surroundings of Lake Como in Italy, the magnificent landscapes witnessed the extravagant wedding of Mauni and Aniket Shroff. With Renaissance architecture and mesmerising sceneries, the wedding affair was described by Mrs Niti Shroff, mother of the groom Aniket Shroff and CEO of Global Niti Group Industries as: “Something out of a fairy tale.” She expressed, “After our daughter Kripa’s destination royal wedding, we found Villa Balbiano in Italy is a perfect setting to host our son Aniket’s wedding.”

The three-day event exuded nothing but class and elegance. Filled with the finest cuisines, entertainment, and festivities amongst close family and friends. “It was so romantic and magnificent. It reflected our personalities with taste, instilling lots of magic and fun for us and our family members who attended.” Situated on the western shore of the lake, the Villa Balbiano offered the family the beauty of fine stuccowork and frescoes, along with sprawling gardens and fountains to make it a dream affair. Avi Elik of Antwerp-based The Party Boutique was called in for the gorgeous decor, whereas KKings Events and Anand Vivaah were the planners who seamlessly brought the couple’s vision to life.


Warm Welcome
The celebrations started at Villa Flori, another gorgeous property on the lake with the traditional tilak ceremony. The guests were surprised with custom-made Italian fashioned hats here. The second sunrise at the property saw the yellow of haldi, oil and water being applied on the bride and groom. The evening hours were filled with the tunes of sangeet ceremony.


The Wedding Ceremony
Owned by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio back in the 16th century, the Villa Balbiano was chosen as the wedding venue. The wedding ceremony took place in the outdoor garden of Villa Balbiana, and the lake acted as the perfect backdrop for the couple’s entry and varmala ceremony. The sight of the happy couple was described as “one of the most beautiful sights and a delight to all to witness.”


The Wedding Wardrobe
Staying in sync with the traditional ceremony, the couple looked absolutely magnificent and regal in Indian couture. The bride opted for a traditional Indian look, picking out a gorgeous red lehenga and further styled it with kundan and pastel green precious stone jewellery. The groom complemented her in a red sherwani, both by designer Sabyasachi on their big day.


The Grand Entrance
“Aniket made his grand entrance on a helicopter surprising his family and honoured guests.” With all beloved family and friends present, the couple could not hide their smiles and joy. “The family was ushered in beautiful Italian boats crusing on the lake, taking in some breath-taking views.”


The After Party
After the ceremony the guests were ushered back to Villa Flori in boats. At the villa, the Shroff and Shah families offered the guests a banquet fit for kings with chefs being flown in specially to cook authentic Indian cuisine. The family was later entertained to memorable fireworks display on the lake. The celebration continued as the couple danced the night away with them. The entire arena of Lake Como was savoured for the ceremonies and photographs of the bride and the groom with a grand finish of the reception ceremony.


The gorgeous wedding was perfectly captured by luxury wedding photographer Gagan Sharma. “Being the lens for Aniket with Mauni’s big day was an amazing experience. Thank you to Knotting Bells for this incredible collaboration. The entire celebrations were filled with love, that’s all I could see and feel. From the vibe of family to the traditions being so central to the nuptials, gave me all that I needed to sketch their beautiful story,” remembers Sharma.  


The Bride: Mauni
The Groom: Aniket Shroff
Venue: Villa Balbiano and Villa Flori, Lake Como, Italy
Outfits: Sabyasachi
Photography: Photography by Gagan

As seen in Khush Wedding Vol 9/Issue 5 • 2021 -  KW32. Buy this issue here