An Intimate, Dual Ceremony Wedding at Home in San Francisco

It was only two months into the pandemic lockdown when Victoria Zamaripa, a teacher, and Avlok Kohli, an entrepreneur, realized they didn't want to wait on marriage and family. They decided then and there to pick out rings.

“We were feeling a little discouraged with everything going on with the pandemic,” Victoria says. “We weren't sure when we’d be able to get married and start our own family, so we decided to just go for it.”

By November, the San Francisco-based pair had put together a dual ceremony, two-day wedding that included 18 guests, an eight-course dinner, and their pup, Tipsy. The celebration featured a western wedding at Crissy Field, a beach near the Golden Gate Bridge that they frequent with their dog, and an Indian wedding on the rooftop of their home on Telegraph Hill. 

“We were really able to celebrate both of our cultures and bring them into one amazing wedding weekend,” Victoria says. “We made it very San Francisco. We come from very different parts of the world and we came together in this city.”

Everything, of course, had COVID protocols in place. Since the pandemic was top of mind from the start, they knew the restrictions they would have planned a gathering of any size. It led to some disappointing moments, like how Avlok’s sister couldn’t join because of quarantine restrictions in Canada, and extra expenses: family traveling by plane flew private to avoid airports and risk exposure. It was all worth it in the end, Victoria says. “We took a bottle of champagne in the car with us and watched our guests arrive at the beach,” she adds. “It was nice to be able to take it all in.”

Read on for more about Victoria and Avlok’s intimate city wedding, planned by Lally Events and documented by Reel Eyes Media (above) and Larissa Cleveland.

Love Notes Paper designed the couple’s invitations, which featured their city-inspired black, ivory, mauve, and gold color scheme.

The couple’s pup Tipsy played a central role in the day by walking down the aisle with the couple. Tipsy also got a custom treat box filled with "cupcakes" by Le Marcel Bakery and personalized dog toys. 

Victoria donned a Grace Loves Lace gown for the Western ceremony, which took place on the first day. She accented the white slip dress with pearls—a gem she doesn’t often wear—in the form of a David Yurman cuff and Stuart Weitzman heeled sandals. She also had her Mehendi done prior to the weekend, so she could wear the design for both ceremonies. “I loved that Avlok’s name was hidden in my Mehendi design,” the bride adds of the tradition. 

“We feel so fortunate to have had two weddings,” Victoria says. “They were two very different and special days.”

Since the main florals at the ceremony would be pampas grass, to accent the natural decor, Victoria’s florist Hawthorn Flower Studio gave her a wildflower-mix for the bouquet that added a slight pop of color. 

Getting married at Crissy Field felt completely natural for Victoria and Avlok because they take Tipsy there on sunny days. It blended perfectly with the following day’s venue, their home. 

The couple’s best friend served as officiant for the western ceremony. “With the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, you didn’t need much else,” Victoria says of the space. 

Victoria and Avlok live-streamed the wedding via Zoom to family members who couldn’t make the trip. “This was definitely the hardest part we had to deal with,” Victoria says of the close friends and family that they couldn’t celebrate with in person. 

Dinner on night one was a highlight, the couple says. Their planner, Lally Events, set up an intimate table on the rooftop of their home, where a private chef, Andre Villahermosa, served an eight-course dinner inspired by Diwali and San Francisco. That included a dessert with a rose-scented “San Francisco fog” that took over the table. 

The next day, Victoria dressed in a gold and red lehenga for the Indian ceremony. “I felt like a princess trying on different lehengas,” she says. “The beading is so beautiful and intricate.”

Avlok donned a coordinating sherwani, and the couple took off for a photo shoot around San Francisco before the ceremony. They posed in front of the Palace of Fine Arts and Transamerica Pyramid.

“Seeing the transformation of our rooftop was also so much fun,” Victoria says. “It had two totally different vibes and looked nothing like the rooftop where I usually enjoy my morning coffee.” For the Indian ceremony, the couple wed under an elaborate mandap covered in red and yellow flowers with mauve and dark red drapery. “Lally and her team made this come to life.”

“We were really able to celebrate both of our cultures and bring them into one amazing wedding weekend,” the bride says. 

After the morning ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests dined on lunch from Avlok’s favorite restaurant, Amber India Restaurant, which also happens to be the location of one of the couple’s first dates. 

“We love our home in San Francisco,” Victoria says. “It has beautiful views of the city and the bay, and has the perfect outdoor space needed for a wedding during COVID. It’s the city's version of a backyard wedding.”