LA DOLCE VITA

From a Sicily-inspired haldi to walking down the aisle twice for the Muslim and Sikh ceremonies, Malia Taqbeem and Abhay Dhaliwal's Italian wedding was the perfect missing piece to complete their serendipitous love story

- ARZOO DINA

When Malia Taqbeem walked towards Abhay Dhaliwal for her intimate nikkah ceremony set against the shimmering lawns of Villa Erba at Lake Como, she chose to wear her mother's wedding veil, a richly embroidered ivory-gold creation that she paired with heirloom gems that had been worn by several generations of women in her family.

For the anand karaj ceremony earlier in the day, she wore her mother-in-law's wedding jewellery. "Both moments were unforgettable, and even though I walked down the aisle twice, each time felt just as special," reminisces Taqbeem. "I was so excited to get to the nikkah ceremony that I almost started running along the stone pathway, a remarkable feat considering I was in stilettos."

At the outset, it was tricky striking a balance between two cultures and religions-Taqbeem is a Muslim with Bangladeshi lineage while her beau is a Sikh from Punjab-but the couple effortlessly managed to create synergy during their festivities. Taqbeem, who works as a mergers and acquisitions attorney in the US, always knew she wanted a dreamy wedding in Italy. It seemed like the perfect missing piece to complete her serendipitous love story with Dhaliwal, a neuroradiologist.

Although they grew up within three miles of each other and went to the same school, it wasn't till university that they crossed paths at a mutual friend's graduation. "We had both visited Italy before, but never with each other. I think it beautifully signified our independent lives finally coming together," she reveals.