This couple decided to get married where the groom's family had begun their own love story

When Arya and Sebastiaan began thinking about their wedding, the latter had imagined something quite different. He pictured a romantic proposal in Europe, perhaps a weekend walking through Paris, or a quiet getaway in Turkey. But a family trip to India changed those plans completely.  

During the trip, Sebastiaan felt an immediate connection to the country. India began to feel like more than just a destination for him. There was also a personal reason behind that feeling. Eighteen years earlier, his mother and Robert had exchanged their vows at the same peaceful ashram where the couple would eventually get married. Returning to the place years later carried a sense of family history and continuity that was difficult to ignore. For Sebastiaan, it became clear that before any other celebration, he wanted to marry Arya in India.

A meaningful journey

The couple's wedding took place surrounded by greenery, traditional architecture, and the sound of Vedic chants from young scholars. The setting was peaceful and closely connected to the traditions they wanted to honour. Arya wore a saree with delicate mehendi, while Sebastiaan dressed in traditional Indian ceremonial attire.

The wedding followed several familiar Hindu rituals, with their loved ones present throughout the celebrations. During the Jaimala, the couple exchanged colourful floral garlands as family and friends showered them with rose petals and rice. It was a joyful moment that brought everyone together before the more intimate parts of the ceremony.

Sebastiaan then tied the mangalsutra around Arya’s neck and applied sindoor. The couple also took the Saptapadi, walking seven steps around the sacred fire. Each step represented a promise they would make to one another as they began their married life together.

For the couple, the ceremony was also about acknowledging the people and memories that had brought them to this moment. Getting married at the same ashram where Sebastiaan’s mother and Robert had exchanged vows nearly two decades earlier gave the celebration an added layer of meaning. 

Spiritual significance 

The presence and blessings of spiritual master Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, along with their family and friends, made the ceremony even more significant. Their vows were centred on supporting each other through different stages of life and building a life that extended beyond just the two of them.

There was laughter, warm embraces, and plenty of emotion throughout the ceremony. What began as Sebastiaan imagining a proposal somewhere in Europe eventually became something much closer to home in a different sense. Their Indian wedding connected their relationship with a place that already held a special chapter in his family’s story.

For Arya and Sebastiaan, the wedding was therefore more than a celebration of their marriage. It was also a way of carrying a family memory forward while beginning one of their own.

Lead image: The White Box

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