Kanakavalli Bride : Nikita

Nikita weds Shannon

Nikita first met Shannon when they were in the ninth grade, having lunch with friends. Their friendship spanned a decade – no matter how far apart life took them, they always made sure to spend time with each other during the holidays. Five years ago, their friendship evolved into something more special – their love felt very natural, bringing them peace in otherwise chaotic lives. They spent much of this time in a long-distance relationship – she in med school in Philadelphia and him in Los Angeles – but they always made time for each other. With a relationship based on their deep friendship, they discovered they bring out the best in each other. In mid 2025, Shannon visited Nikita in Philadelphia. While they were playing Mario Kart one evening, after beating her five times and as she aired her light-hearted frustration at losing, he got down on one knee and proposed, taking her completely by surprise.

For Nikita, the best part of wedding planning was personalising every aspect of the celebration to reflect who they are as a couple. From the decor to the music, they wanted to incorporate her South Indian heritage as well as his Cantonese culture as a beautiful way to seamlessly join their families.

They had a Sumangli pooja, haldi and mehendi, a Chinese tea and hair combing ceremony, followed by a sangeet, a wedding ceremony and reception. The decor for each event was either a modern, elevated take on South Indian Tamilian culture, Cantonese culture, or their own American take on an Indian-Cantonese wedding!

The most memorable part of the wedding was their first looks with both their families – they got to pause and take in all the effort that had gone into planning the wedding but also to recognise the journey they had taken as a couple.

Nikita and Shannon are finally living in the same city and married life has been a beautiful adventure. They always find time to celebrate each other and enjoy one another’s company no matter how busy their schedules are. There’s never a dull moment, Nikita says, but they continue to be each other’s anchors and sense of peace.

When wedding sari shopping in Kerala, Nikita says she was drawn to Kanakavalli’s sense of intimacy and warmth as a brand. She also loved the elegant designs which she was delighted to be able to wear for her special day. It felt to her like the entire team at the store was celebrating the special occasion with her as she chose the kanjivaram she would get married in.

A big thank you to Nikita for being a beautiful Kanakavalli Bride and sharing the story of her wedding with us. We wish her and Shannon a lifetime of love and laughter.