Despite the fact that Sylvia Santhilakshmi Charles grew up in the United States, she felt a pull to honor her Indian heritage on her wedding day. And she and her now-husband Aaron Ellis Royston did so in epic fashion—and fashion, if you catch our drift. The couple invited their guests for a December wedding weekend at the Kumarakom Lake Resort, where they tied the knot on a boat—and Sylvia stunned in a blue and embroidered Claire Pettibone gown that will make you swoon.
Sylvia's parents recently relocated to India, where the bride often traveled as a young girl. "I have incredibly fond memories of going to India every summer to my mother's village in South India," she says. "It's like going back in time."
For their three-day wedding, it wasn't possible for the couple to host their 150 American guests—and another 100 Indian attendees—in such a rural locale. "So I searched for a location that could luxuriously host our guests, but still feel like the rural and magical South Indian village that my mother grew up in," says Sylvia, who ultimately fell for the Kumarakom Lake Resort in Kerala. "My husband is white and Jewish, but an incredibly adventurous guy, who is extremely well traveled and a culture junkie. When we thought about where we would have a wedding, he wouldn't settle on anything other than India."
On the first day of their three-day event—which included a Western ceremony and dinner—Sylvia slipped on her Claire Pettibone gown. "I wanted an American gown that still had an Indian feel, and wouldn't feel out of place among the palm trees, South Indian wood and carvings, and that would fit with the colorful vibes of South India," she says about her very unique choice.
Sylvia knew a Claire Pettibone gown would be the perfect choice for her after trying on one of the designer's dresses at local bridal salon. But that dress wasn't quite right—and neither were the dresses Sylvia donned at the designer's flagship Los Angeles store. One trunk show later, and the bride saw Claire Pettibone's new Notre Dame dress and was hooked.
"I was was enthralled by the intricacies of the back detail, the colorful beading, the lace," Sylvia says. "I always wanted to be different than the norm during my wedding week—and a black and blue dress was certainly different!"
Not only was it different than every other white wedding gown she'd seen, but "the dress fit my personality somehow, and although it was inspired by Gothic cathedrals, it was also reminiscent of the architecture and history of India," Sylvia explains. "The back detailing with the sheer back made me feel sexy but classy, while the drape of the sleeves made me feel like a queen."
Though not pictured, the bride wore two additional dresses for the remaining two days of the wedding weekend. "I wore the Indian bridal designer, Sabyasachi," she says. "His looks are incredibly regal but with gorgeous Indian prints, and like Claire Pettibone, he understands a woman's body."
In that gorgeous Claire Pettibone gown, Sylvia said "I do" to Aaron on a boat at sunset. A dinner with their family and friends followed on the banks of the lake where they had just wed. "We had everyone wear white so my dress would stand out," Sylvia reveals.
Guests noshed on seafood curry and delighted in simple dinner decor that allowed the beauty of the natural scenery to stand out. But let's be honest: Sylvia's dress had already stolen the show.