10 years after Ruihai first asked Mrin out, carrying stacks of pizzas to a pool hall undergrad party, they're getting married!
Since meeting in Coventry, we've moved from London to Washington, D.C. to Brooklyn, and now we're getting married in India! The ceremony will take place at the Azaya resort in Goa on January 5-6, 2025.
We are also having two additional receptions for family and friends in India who cannot make it to Goa: Kolkata on January 8 and Mumbai on January 10. If your further travels align with either of these events, we would love to celebrate with you once more.
We've included all the event details below and lots of Q&A content to make your visit as smooth as possible.
Please RSVP at the bottom of the page by October 15 so we can have a seat and room reserved for you. We look forward to celebrating with you!
The main event
Azaya, Goa, India
5-6 January 2025
Day 1: January 5
Before 6:00PM: Guests arrive
Check-in at Azaya starts at 3:00PM. You’re staying on the resort with us for three days and two nights, and all events will take place on site. Mr. and Mrs. Chatterjee are graciously hosting everyone at the resort.
Dress code: It’s hot and there’s a beach. Resort casual when you’re not doing wedding things!
1:00-3:00PM: Buffet lunch at La Concha
Lunch for guests who have already arrived.
5:30-10:30PM: Mehendi-Sangeet
We are doing a hybrid mehendi-sangeet night, with henna starting around 5:30PM and sangeet dancing starting around 7:00PM. Mehendi is the pre-wedding ritual where henna designs are applied to the bride and guests’ hands. Sangeet is the event where friends and family can show off their sick moves.
This is when you’ll have your chance to ✨perform✨. You could prepare a dance (common), a song (welcomed) or a juggling act (highly encouraged) to show your love for us. Henna artists will be around, dinner will be served buffet style, and the bar will most definitely be open. Enjoy music, dance, and delicious snacks as we kick off the festivities!
Dress code: Indian evening attire or Western semi-formal to business casual. Vibrant colors encouraged!
10:30PM-late: Afterparty at Lynx Bar
Day 2: January 6
7:30-10:30AM: Breakfast at La Concha
11:00AM: Gaye Holud at Cerulean Poolside
A Bengali pre-wedding ritual, relatives and friends apply turmeric to the face and body of the bride and groom. Turmeric is supposed to have antimicrobial and soothing effects when applied to the skin, and this is typically a gesture of blessing the couple. If you are hungover/ would like to get some sunbathing time in, you are welcome to skip this event.
Dress code: Daytime beach casual, midi dresses, short-sleeved printed shirts or Indian light saris and suits. Traditionally people wear yellow since whatever you wear has a high chance of getting stained by turmeric.
12:00-2:00PM: Lunch buffet at Cerulean Poolside
Lunch will follow Gaye Holud
4:00–5:00PM: High tea at Oasis Beach Front Lawn
There will be pre-ceremony snacks to fortify you before the ceremony!
5:15PM: Ceremony at the beach
We ask all guests to be seated at the beach by 5:15PM. Exchanging garlands and vows in a short ceremony at sunset.
Dress code: Western semi-formal: suit, sport coat and slacks, dresses. Or Indian wedding formal: saris, lehengas, salwar-kameez or suits.
6:30-10:30PM Dinner, drinks, and reception at Oasis Beach Front Lawn
Cocktail hour on the Oasis Beach Front Lawn, followed by dinner and dancing.
10:30PM-late: Afterparty at Lynx Bar
Day 3: January 7
7:30-10:30AM: Breakfast buffet at La Concha
All day: Departures
Checkout from rooms is at 11AM.
Kolkata
Crystal Room, Taj Bengal
8 January 2025, 12:00PM
Kolkata is Mrin’s ancestral city. Called the city of joy, it’s essentially the Paris of India. There is delicious food with a long history of famous artists and writers (it was the former capital of British India), but also all the signboards will be in Bengali, we like to go on strike and definitely have a French attitude towards outsiders.
This afternoon ceremony is being hosted to accommodate the extended Chatterjee and Chakraborty family, especially relatives who can’t easily travel to Mumbai or Goa. You may be passing through Kolkata on your way to South-East Asia, Bhutan or Nepal.
The event will consist of a buffet lunch and mingling with guests.
Mumbai
Ballroom 1 & 2, Taj Lands End
10 January 2025, 8:00PM
The Chatterjee family has lived in Mumbai since 2002, and Mrin considers this her hometown. This is an occasion for a wider group of family, friends, and colleagues to give well wishes.
Mumbai is India’s financial and movie-industry capital and has some fun museums, breweries, restaurants and the sea! You will probably be flying in and out of Mumbai when going in and out of the country.
Expect a buffet dinner and mingling with guests.
Travel Guide
Getting to Azaya
We or Azaya will arrange transportation from the airport to the resort, likely some sort of travel van. Expect an hour's drive.
Getting to Goa
For non-Indian residents, we highly recommend flying into Mumbai on Sunday morning and then taking a separate, cheaper domestic flight from Mumbai to Goa (70 min flight).
Indian residents should fly directly into Goa.
Getting to India
Prepare for flights to be logistically difficult. Prices have fluctuated in the last two months; we recommend setting travel alerts and buying in summer-early fall. Expect an international roundtrip ticket to run at least $700 and up to $1800.
Europe/Oceania: Try for a direct flight to Mumbai arriving Sunday morning (may be local time Saturday departure) and an afternoon domestic flight. Factor in visa immigration times at the airport.
Americas: There are some expensive non-stop flights, look at Fri/Sat departures that land Sunday morning local time. Many layover flights get you in between 12AM-2AM Sunday. You may want to stay at a hotel that night and get your Goa flight in the morning. If you have the time and visas to do so, consider a short stopover in Europe and then a (separate) direct flight to India.
Check if New Delhi, Bengaluru, or Hyderabad are cheaper to fly into.
Visas & immigration
If you don’t have Indian citizenship, you will need a tourist eVisa. You can apply online 120 days out. As of 2023, it takes a few days to process and costs under $50 .
FAQ
Q: Should I attend the Kolkata or Mumbai events?
A: It’s completely up to you! We would love to see you again and it may line up with your travel plans anyway. Both events are for extended local family and freinds, whereas the Goa event is specifically for close friends and family. You will have to figure out your own accommodation for Kolkata and Mumbai, but let us know if you need help.
Q: Can I get some specific examples of wedding attire?
A: Yes! Here's some inspiration:
We can't wait to see everyone’s wedding outfits!
Q: Can I bring a +1?
A: Due to accommodation limits, if you don’t have a named +1 on your invite, we unfortunately can’t host them.
Q: Do you have a registry?
A: No! (Have you checked plane ticket prices yet?) Your presence at the wedding is a huge gesture already and more than enough.
Q: Should I travel elsewhere?
A: Yes! We think you should get your money and time’s worth out of Asia beyond just our wedding. Neighboring Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Nepal are common tourist destinations. Within India you could see the desert in Rajasthan, the historic capital in Delhi, the beaches and old temples in Tamil Nadu, the caves in Central India, the backwaters of Kerala and much much more. Reach out if you want more advice or you are looking for a wedding party travel buddy!
As mentioned, this may also be an opportunity to visit Europe on the way there or back. Our wedding also gets you more than halfway to South-East Asia (Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia).