A Vision Rooted in Restraint

Zara & Eli’s wedding at Amanpuri was a study in elevated glamour — the kind that whispered instead of shouted, that drew its power from restraint, balance, and intentionality. Born in New York, yet shaped by heritage — Zara with roots in Mumbai, Eli from Cape Town — the couple envisioned their wedding not as a display, but as a composition. One where intimacy, architecture, and atmosphere would take center stage.

Amanpuri’s temple-like pavilions and sweeping sea vistas offered the perfect stage — a sacred geometry of space and silence.

A Monochrome Moodboard

Their palette was minimal and architectural: black, white, gold, and shadows. The mood? Sculptural. Formal. Lush.

Zara began her morning in the Aman Spa Pavilion, surrounded by stillness. Her dress — a couture silk column in black and ivory — was inspired by temple spires and Mughal silhouettes. Her hair, pulled into a sleek chignon, was accented only by a single crimson bindi — a quiet homage to her ancestry. Maison Étoile styled the suite with cinematic restraint: obsidian trays, mirrored perfume bottles, and crystal flutes filled with chilled champagne.

A Ceremony in Sculpture and Silence

Eli prepared alone. His tuxedo: classic black with silk lapels and gold cufflinks passed down from his grandfather. As he read Zara’s letter on the balcony, the sound of waves stitched calm into the moment, the paper trembling slightly in the sea breeze.

Their ceremony unfolded on Amanpuri’s sunset terrace, where Hana Bloom Studio built an altar of black branches, pale orchids, and sculpted palms, arranged like brush strokes on a minimalist canvas. There was no aisle — just stone seating in a semi-circle. Guests sat in quiet anticipation. Bells rang softly as Zara entered, flanked by her siblings, walking in ritual rhythm.

They spoke vows printed on black vellum by Ink & Ivory Press, reading from hand-bound, gold-edged books. Their words echoed in synchrony, each phrase a harmony. A duet of promise.

A Dinner Lit by Shadows and Flame

After the ceremony, guests were led to a moonlit courtyard, designed for drama and depth. Reflections flickered in mirrored pools. Tables draped in charcoal silk glowed with candlelight. Obsidian plates and silver flatware caught the light like sculpture.

The menu was a symphony of contrasts: citrus over velvet mushroom risotto, lacquered duck with black garlic, saffron and rose hidden beneath white chocolate domes. Each course was a performance in texture and restraint — as if plated to music.

An Unannounced Dance

There was no first dance scheduled. But as the orchestral music shifted, Zara and Eli rose together — unspoken — and took the center of the black stone floor. Guests watched in stillness as the couple swayed slowly, their shadows flickering like memory.

No spotlight. No announcement. Just movement, tenderness, and control.

No Finale, Just Feeling

There was no cake. No fireworks. Just mystery. Scent. Sound. Space.

At evening’s end, guests received leather-bound notebooks, embossed and elegant, each containing a handwritten line by Eli — a quote by Rumi:

“Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life.”

A Tone, Not a Trend

Zara & Eli’s wedding didn’t follow fashion.
It set a tone. A world. A reverent, intimate black-tie experience where meaning took the place of spectacle, and silence became the most powerful design element of all.

Curated with sublime restraint by Hana Bloom Studio, Maison Étoile, Clementine & Co., and Ink & Ivory Press, it was a wedding not only remembered — but felt.