Jaya + Chirag by The HP Collective

We wanted the overall aesthetic to feel soft, elegant and timeless.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

Hi! We’re Chirag and Jaya, a married couple from New Zealand who love travelling, good food and discovering new places together. Chirag is a radiologist with a particular interest in musculoskeletal imaging, and Jaya is a GP. Although we both work in medicine, we’re definitely not all about work!

We love exploring new cities, experiencing different cultures and seeking out the local food and hidden gems wherever we go. We’re big foodies and are always keen to try a local specialty or find a great restaurant. In our downtime, we enjoy outdoor walks, going to the gym, playing squash and simply exploring somewhere new together.

We’ve spent the last few years living in Dunedin, New Zealand, and are now excited to start our next chapter in Melbourne. We’re looking forward to getting to know our new city, meeting new people and making the most of everything Melbourne has to offer.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We first met at after-work drinks when we were both junior doctors at Dunedin Hospital. It was one of those ordinary evenings that, looking back, turned out to be anything but ordinary. What began as a casual night out slowly grew into something much more meaningful.

Jaya’s first impression of Chirag was that he seemed to know lots of interesting facts about many different things — something she found surprisingly entertaining. Chirag’s first impression of Jaya was that she was pretty and very talkative, and he found himself enjoying the conversation more and more as the evening went on.

Thankfully, we both decided to give each other a chance, and that first evening was the beginning of our story.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

For us, the styling worked best when it complemented rather than competed with the natural beauty of our setting. Our wedding at Rippon, overlooking the stunning Lake Wānaka, provided such a beautiful backdrop that we wanted the overall aesthetic to feel soft, elegant and timeless.

We chose a palette of ivories and pastels for the day, which worked beautifully against the blues of the lake and the surrounding mountains. We also asked our guests to dress in pastel or ivory tones, which created a really cohesive look and made everyone feel like part of the overall styling. It was lovely seeing the colours come together in photographs, particularly against the natural landscape.

As the day transitioned into the evening, we wanted the atmosphere to become a little more glamorous and celebratory. Jaya changed into a shimmering gold outfit, and we brought gold into the décor as well. The warmer tones added a touch of sparkle and elegance as the light faded over the lake.

Ultimately, it was the combination of the soft styling, our guests’ outfits and the incredible natural scenery of Rippon that made everything feel cohesive and uniquely ours.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

What we enjoyed most about the planning process was getting to know our wonderful vendors and understanding their individual strengths and creativity. It was exciting to see how each person brought their own expertise to the wedding and helped turn our ideas into something even better than we had imagined. We also loved seeing all the small details gradually come together to create a day that felt genuinely personal to us.

Our biggest tip for couples starting the planning process would be to add your own personal flavour and touches wherever you can. There are so many traditions, trends and ideas surrounding weddings, but the details that make the day feel truly special are often the ones that reflect you as a couple. Whether it’s through the food, music, styling, outfits or little personal touches, don’t be afraid to do things differently or put your own spin on them. Ultimately, the wedding is a celebration of your relationship, so make it feel like you.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

We were incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful team of vendors who brought so much energy, creativity and personality to our wedding.

HP Collective and Harshpreet, our photographer and videographer, were fantastic throughout the celebrations. Harshpreet was always energetic and positive, even when things inevitably became a little chaotic, which helped keep us relaxed and made the photography feel fun and natural.

Morsel Catering, Ishi and Joshi, created one of the highlights of the day for us. We worked closely together to develop a bespoke Indian-fusion menu, combining flavours and ideas that were meaningful to us with something fresh and exciting for our guests.

Sadaf, our hair and makeup artist, was another standout. She brought such a vibrant personality and went above and beyond to help with all the little things.

We genuinely felt that each of our vendors cared about making our wedding special and personal to us.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

Our ceremony outfits were both traditionally Indian, with a soft palette of ivory and pastels that complemented the overall styling of our wedding. We wanted the outfits to feel distinctly Indian while fitting naturally with the beautiful setting at Rippon.

We were drawn to designs with a regal, royal feel, featuring intricate detailing, beautiful textures and delicate embellishments. The colours and styling gave the outfits a timeless elegance while still feeling appropriate for the relaxed beauty of Lake Wānaka.

We chose complementary rather than identical outfits, allowing each of us to have our own individual style while still looking cohesive together. The ivory and pastel tones also tied in beautifully with our décor and the colours our guests wore.

For us, the outfits were a way of celebrating our Indian heritage while creating a look that felt uniquely ours.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

We wanted our rings to feel classic and timeless, with designs that we would love wearing for years to come.

Jaya’s engagement ring is a classic brilliant-cut diamond set on a gold band. Choosing the ring was especially meaningful as it was designed with the help and input of her family and friends, making it feel even more personal.

For our wedding rings, Chirag chose a classic, plain gold wedding band, while Jaya’s wedding ring is a delicate pavé-style band with subtle sparkle. We liked that the rings complemented each other without being identical, while keeping the overall look classic, elegant and timeless.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

Food was one of the things we were happiest to spend a little more on. Food is such an important part of Indian weddings and culture, and we wanted it to be something our guests genuinely remembered and enjoyed. Working with Morsel to create a bespoke Indian-fusion menu made this particularly special.

Photography and videography were another priority. We wanted beautiful memories to look back on, and really valued Harshpreet’s creative eye and ability to capture both the atmosphere and candid moments throughout the day.

We were also happy to invest in our venue. We had visited Rippon a few years earlier and immediately loved it. Having spent our early years together living in Dunedin, the landscape around Lake Wānaka felt particularly meaningful and reflected the part of New Zealand that had been home to us. We wanted a venue that made the day feel truly special, and Rippon’s setting provided exactly that.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

Our vows were probably the most precious moment of the day for both of us. In many Indian weddings, the ceremony can be centred around beautiful traditions and rituals, but we wanted to include something deeply personal to us as a couple.

We spent months writing our vows, carefully putting into words what we meant to each other and what we hoped for our life together. It was incredibly special to stand in front of our family and friends and share those words with each other.

It felt like a very personal moment within a day filled with family, friends and tradition — just the two of us speaking directly to each other. Looking back, it’s one of the moments we treasure most and something we’re particularly glad we made time for.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

For us, being married means having a partner to share all of life’s experiences with — the exciting moments, the challenges, the everyday routines and everything in between. It’s about supporting each other, continuing to grow together and creating a life that feels like our own.

Our wedding also incorporated several meaningful Hindu traditions. One of the most special was the seven pheras, where we walked around the sacred fire seven times, with each round representing a different promise and aspect of married life. We also included the mangal sutra, a sacred necklace that Jaya wears as a symbol of our marriage and commitment to each other.

We loved being able to incorporate these traditions into our ceremony while also adding our own personal touches, creating a wedding that felt connected to our heritage but still reflected who we are as a couple.