Heidi’s shaadi: Seal-ed with a kiss

Heidi Klum and Seal’s re-marriage this year had a distinctly Indian flavour.

The supermodel and the Grammy winner, who renew their marriage vows every year, decided to do away with the Christian ceremony this time. So, their beach home in Mexico was done up with Banarasi sarees, a traditional mandap and guests came dressed in sarees, sherwanis and Indian jewellery.

And Shailesh Tripathi, a priest the couple had met during their visit to India, was specially invited to conduct the wedding. “The experience has been overwhelming,” says Tripathi, “I was surrounded by special invitees during the wedding who constantly enquired about India and Banaras. A lot of guests present there plan to visit Banaras and some of them are also intending an Indian wedding.”

“In fact, right from the decor to the attire of the couple, it was Banarasi fabrics and designs all the way. The entire mandap was decorated with Banarasi fabrics and even the couple wore Banarasi clothes. Heidi was in lehnga-chunri while Seal opted for a sherwani. They also gifted sarees to all the guests.”

Indian customs had the couple enthralled. “Heidi was very moved when I told her about the significance of sindoor for the Indian bride. Similarly, her parents turned very emotional when I asked them to wash the feet of their son-in-law Seal, which I told them was a custom in India,” he says In turn, it was the commitment of the couple that moved this man from Banaras. “Both Heidi and Seal were aware how Indians view the institution of marriage and how it is seen as saat janmo ka bandhan. They wanted to understand the exact significance of the saat pheras,” he says.

To complete the Indian experience, only vegetarian north Indian food was served. Adds Tripathi, “What made the food special was the use of authentic Indian spices that were specially imported from India. Despite the chef being American, we got to eat excellent gobhi-aloo, naan and pulao.”