When filmmaker, author, activist, and former Miss America Nina Davuluri married entrepreneur and investor Ryan Coleman, their wedding weekend at The Inn at Stonecliffe became a celebration of far more than two people coming together.
Every event photographed by Nirav Patel told a different part of their story, from the Indian wedding traditions Nina grew up with to the New York City streets where the couple fell in love and the European destinations they explored together.
The weekend included a New York-inspired welcome dinner, a traditional South Indian banana-leaf brunch, a theatrical sangeet, and a Western ceremony filled with European-inspired details. But one of the most unforgettable moments came during the baraat, when Ryan arrived by plane in a surprise tribute to Nina’s late father.
With family heirlooms woven into the decor, performances inspired by Broadway, and deeply personal fashion choices, Nina and Ryan created a wedding where nearly every detail carried a story.
A New York-inspired welcome dinner celebrated where their love began
Nina and Ryan began their wedding festivities with a tribute to New York City, the place where their relationship began.
Rather than hosting a conventional welcome dinner, they brought the flavors of the city’s streets to their guests through a thoughtfully designed menu.
Chef Gaurav Anand reimagined iconic New York street food, serving elevated interpretations of pizza, hot dogs, and roasted nuts.
The venue’s wood-fired pizza oven became part of the experience, adding an interactive element to the evening while reinforcing the New York-inspired concept.
It was a playful introduction to the weekend, giving guests a taste of the city that had played such an important role in the couple’s relationship.
A traditional South Indian brunch honored Nina’s childhood
Nina’s Indian heritage was central to the wedding weekend, with several celebrations inspired by the traditions and experiences that shaped her upbringing.
One especially meaningful event was a traditional South Indian banana-leaf brunch.
The meal drew inspiration from the canteen-style wedding celebrations Nina attended while growing up in Vijayawada, India.
By recreating that familiar experience, she invited guests into a part of her childhood and shared the food traditions she remembered from family weddings.
The brunch demonstrated how a meaningful wedding detail doesn’t have to be elaborate to make an impact. Sometimes, recreating a familiar meal can bring generations of memories into the present.
A surprise airplane baraat honored Nina’s late father
One of the wedding weekend’s most emotional moments began with a discovery during the planning process.
Nina’s late father had been a pilot who often flew the family on vacations, making aviation an important part of her childhood memories.
When the couple learned that a private airport was located near their wedding venue, they found a meaningful way to incorporate that connection into the celebration.
Instead of making a traditional ground-level entrance, Ryan arrived for the baraat by plane.
The aircraft was flown by his best man, who is also a pilot, creating a tribute that connected the groom’s entrance to Nina’s father’s memory.
The couple kept the surprise secret from their guests until the plane appeared, flying over the island and venue before Ryan’s arrival.
What could have been an extravagant entrance became something much more personal: a way to honor someone whose presence remained deeply important to Nina.
Family heirloom saris became the centerpiece of the mandap
For the Indian ceremony, Nina and Ryan made a deliberate choice to let family history take precedence over elaborate decoration.
Rather than designing a dramatic floral backdrop, they kept the mandap from Pachamama Floral in soft, neutral tones.
The understated setting allowed the vintage silk saris worn by guests to become the visual focus.
Many of these garments were family wedding saris passed down through generations, bringing personal history and tradition into the ceremony.
Their rich fabrics, colors, and craftsmanship created a beautiful contrast against the neutral mandap.
By allowing the heirloom garments to take center stage, the couple transformed their ceremony design into a celebration of the women and families who came before them.
Nina walked down the aisle with the women who raised her
Nina also chose to reinterpret a familiar wedding tradition in a way that reflected her own life.
Instead of being escorted down the aisle by male family members, she entered with the influential women in her family.
The decision honored their strength and the important roles they had played in raising and shaping her.
Surrounded by women whose love and guidance had been part of her journey, Nina created a processional that felt both empowering and deeply personal.
Together with the heirloom saris, the moment emphasized the importance of family legacy throughout the ceremony.
A Broadway-inspired sangeet became a full theatrical production
As a producer, Nina brought her creative experience into the design of the sangeet, transforming the traditional pre-wedding celebration into a theatrical production.
Guests received custom tickets and Playbill-style programs, setting the tone for an evening inspired by Broadway.
The entertainment included live performances, choreographed dances, speeches, and songs, along with a playful pageant competition featuring the groomsmen.
The couple also invited guests to contribute to the experience.
Upon arrival, attendees shared memories of Nina and Ryan, which were then incorporated into the evening’s performances.
The result was an interactive celebration that blended the couple’s personal history with theatrical entertainment. Rather than simply watching a series of performances, guests became part of the storytelling.
Late-night snacks brought together Indian and American favorites
The couple’s food choices continued to reflect their backgrounds long after the formal celebrations.
Late-night offerings included burgers presented in custom “Nina n’ Ryan” bags, adding a personalized touch to a familiar American favorite.
Masala Animal Fries, inspired by In-N-Out, brought Indian flavors to a recognizable fast-food classic.
Guests also enjoyed Indo-Chinese takeout served in custom-designed boxes.
The menu was playful and personal, blending cultural influences in a way that reflected the couple’s shared experiences.
It was another example of how Nina and Ryan incorporated their identities into even the smallest details of the wedding weekend.
A European-inspired ceremony and reception embraced rustic romance
For their Western ceremony and reception at The Inn at Stonecliffe, Nina and Ryan drew inspiration from the European destinations they had visited together.
The design embraced rustic elegance, with warm neutral tones, sculptural details, and abundant candlelight. Touches of yellow, Nina’s lucky color, brought a personal element to the palette.
The reception tent reflected the charm of the European settings that had become part of the couple’s travels, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Rather than repeating the aesthetic of the Indian celebrations, the Western ceremony introduced another chapter of their story.
The design felt distinct while remaining connected to the weekend’s larger theme of honoring meaningful places and experiences.
A custom Hamilton performance made the ceremony unforgettable
The Western ceremony also included an extraordinary musical moment with a personal connection to Nina.
Broadway performer and bridesmaid Ari Afsar joined Nina in singing “Helpless” from Hamilton.
They were accompanied by Ana Zuim, Nina’s friend, an NYU vocal professor, and a former Hamilton Broadway pianist.
Ana created a custom orchestration of the song exclusively for the wedding, making the performance unique to the couple’s celebration.
The collaboration brought together Nina’s relationships, her creative background, and her love of performance.
It was a fitting musical moment for a wedding weekend that had already embraced storytelling through theater, music, and personal expression.
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Nina transformed her grandmother’s vintage sari into farewell brunch fashion
The weekend concluded with one final tribute to Nina’s family history. For the farewell brunch, she wore a custom “pajama chic” tuxedo set that she designed using one of her grandmother’s vintage saris.
The look reimagined a treasured family garment as a contemporary fashion statement, combining sentimental meaning with Nina’s personal style.
She completed the ensemble with custom jewelry and a bow made from the same sari fabric.
After a weekend filled with heirloom garments, meaningful traditions, and creative fashion, the farewell outfit brought the celebration back to the importance of family.
It was an especially fitting way to close the festivities, honoring her grandmother while giving the sari a new chapter of its own.
A wedding weekend that told their story through every detail
Nina and Ryan’s wedding was remarkable not simply because of its elaborate celebrations, but because of the personal meaning behind them.
Across the weekend, Nina and Ryan found ways to celebrate where they came from, the people who shaped them, and the experiences that brought them together. Every event offered a different perspective on their relationship, creating a wedding that could only have belonged to them.
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