After the couple’s first dance at the reception, Erika changed into a Filipiniana dress, which has a leaner silhouette and puffed sleeves, to get into party mode. The garment belonged to her grandmother, who was unable to attend the wedding due to her health. “It was a beautiful nod, to incorporate her and her story,” says Erika.
Maulik, too, wore a ceremony look with roots in the destination: a barong, an embroidered dress shirt that is the traditional outfit for Filipino grooms. “I thought it was really important to wear, as opposed to something more Western, and I really did like my outfit!” he says. He also had barongs made for his father and groomsmen as gifts. The custom work was done in Manila, with communication completely remote until the couple arrived in the Philippines in December before the wedding for final tailoring.
Load up on the lechon and tropical fruit
After a welcome sunset cruise on a catamaran around Mactan on January 5, the wedding day took place across the Shangri-La’s property, with the ceremony at the chapel, and the cocktail hour and reception entirely outdoors and all within walking distance of each other in the same corner of the sprawling property.
For dinner, the couple chose a crowd-pleasing fusion menu that starred Filipino favorites, in particular the beloved Cebu Lechon, a roasted suckling pig stuffed with herbs like lemongrass, and halo halo, the shaved-ice dessert piled with toppings. “We also had mango shortcake, and I really wanted it to be mango to marry our story—both the Philippines and India are known for mangoes,” Erika says.
Due to local regulations restricting noise after 10 p.m., the after-party was brought indoors, where it stretched until 3 a.m. Drinks included a Laksoy spritz, made with the local distilled palm liquor, and a refreshing mango-calamansi mocktail.
