A fusion of traditions: Shruti and Sayo’s unforgettable Indian and Nigerian wedding

Cross-culture weddings don’t get any better.

Adit Ganguly

Nov 11, 2024

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Cross-culture weddings don’t get any better.

Love is a journey between two partners walking hand in hand on the path to a long-lasting relationship. For Shruti and Sayo, their romance started with a walk to remember. One thing led to another and a memorable Manchester meeting went on to blossom into a wedding at Suryagarh, Jaisalmer. Born in Chennai and brought up in Singapore, Shruti moved to the UK when she was 18 while Sayo, a Nigeria-born moved to the UK when he was 10 and was brought up in Manchester. Shruti is a Singaporean (of south Indian descent) working at The Manchester Foundation Trust Hospitals while Sayo is British (of Nigerian descent) working at Glanbia—a nutrition company.

They happened to cross paths as Shruti picked up her cousin’s partner who had gone on a walk with Sayo (they were colleagues). The chemistry was instant as they immediately gravitated towards each other. What followed was the pair talking for 5 hours (Shruti still believes Sayo made every excuse to hang around while he says Shruti did). and seeing each other every day for the next week.

A month later, Shruti left the country for six weeks to see her parents in Singapore (this was during COVID-19 when Shruti had to quarantine for two weeks in a hotel). There wasn’t a day that went by that they didn’t speak to each other on the phone and by the time she got back, they both knew this was something very special.

For the Indian elements, everyone fully embraced the traditional aspects, including outfits and rituals.

The Nigerian traditional wedding was honoured with equal commitment. A standout event was the mehendi, which featured a carnival theme complete with captivating acts like fire breathers and stilt walkers.

The haldi ceremony highlighted local handicrafts with interactive stalls where guests could engage in activities like perfume making and block printing, all organised as a trail with a custom map.

During the Tamil wedding, the couple made a stunning entrance under a custom-built wooden canopy carved with their names in Tamil, casting beautiful shadows. A major highlight was the traditional South Indian lunch that followed, prepared by chefs flown in from Chennai, meticulously adhering to age-old serving traditions.

The sangeet's decor also stood out, and the stationery at the wedding added a unique touch. It featured a mystical, quirky design with illustrations of humans with animal heads, a theme that was thoughtfully carried through all the elements of the celebration. Safe to say, the wedding was a beautiful fusion of two cultures that was seamlessly represented throughout the celebrations.

Sharing his thoughts about the wedding and its different themes, Barcelona-based luxury wedding photographer Nikhil Shastri, the man behind these stunning images, had a lot to say. "Photographing the blend of different cultures was such an exciting experience! From capturing the vibrant traditions of a Nigerian wedding to watching every guest arrive in stunning kanjeevarams and traditional South Indian attire for the Tam-Brahm ceremony, it was a visual feast. The entire weekend was this perfect mix of quirkiness, authenticity, simplicity, and beauty—a total dream to photograph!"

All images: nikhilshastri | Instagram