Shaily Savla and Vishal Dudheker

Vishal Dudheker knew that a Hindu groom’s baraat, or entrance at the wedding ceremony, had to be special.

“They arrive on horseback, in a Ferrari, even by helicopter,” Dudheker said.

And his arrival was spectacular. On April 9, he entered riding an elephant that was bedecked in glittering red cloth and jingling ankle bracelets.

Dudheker, 29, owns Intelty, a real-estate financing company. His bride, Shaily Savla, 29, is the art director of W4, a Santa Monica ad agency. Both are Jains, a branch of Hinduism based on profound respect for all living creatures. In India, some Jains will not even swat a fly. For this American-born couple, it means vegetarianism and a belief in nonviolence.

Their wedding took place at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, where Dudheker, wearing a whitesherwani wedding jacket and turban, rode the elephant across the resort grounds, while bhangra music played and his family danced alongside.

During the ceremony, three knots were tied to bind the couple together. The first knot joined their two scarves and the second secured a thin rope around them. The third knot was symbolic – the exchange of their rings.

Four hundred guests attended the reception, held in the resort’s Aragon Ballroom, where Indian and Punjabi food was served.

To create this traditional extravaganza, the couple relied on Planning Elegance in Orange County, experts in South Asian weddings. “They were amazing,” said Savla. “The whole experience was unforgettable.”

– Maxine Nunes, Custom Publishing Writer