Seattle Wedding by Lake Washington
Some of you may have seen Surina and Aman’s engagement photos here. Ever since we wrapped up that session, I’d been looking forward to their wedding weekend. Every wedding, like every couple, tells a unique story. In this case, the story is one of love, dedication and so much joy! I had the chance to spend several days not only with Surina and Aman but with their wonderful families too. As Surina mentioned in her speech during the reception, “…a marriage is not between two people, but between two families.” This wedding was certainly proof of this beautiful idea.
Surina and Aman have been living a long distance relationship for a while now and I’m just so happy that they finally get to be together! Congratulations to them and their families. Cheers to their happy marriage!
Groom’s Maiyaan
Baraat and Milni at the Sikh Gurdwara
Sikh Wedding Ceremony (Anand Karaj) at Gurdwara
Dholi Ceremony at Bride’s house
Reception
To follow my work on Facebook, please follow this link to my Facebook page. Thanks everyone, and thanks to Surina, Aman, and their friend’s & family 🙂
It was an honor to photograph Kruti and Pritesh’s beautiful Gujarati wedding. Their traditional Hindu ceremony took place at the Westin Hotel, in Bellevue, and came to life with bright colors, loving family, and happy friends.
Throughout the wedding festivities, it was evident that Kruti and Pritesh had developed a deep, meaningful, relationship with each other, their friends, and most importantly with their families. The love & joy in the air was invigorating and it created such a happy and celebratory feeling. Many of Pritesh and Kruti’s guests travelled from all over the country, and the world, to attend their special day. New Jersey, Texas, Canada, London, and India, are just a few of the places.
I hope these photographs show the love, friendship, and joy that we felt from everybody. They are just a small glimpse into some of the traditions of a Gujarati-Hindu Wedding ceremony. Kruti and Pritesh were such a fun bride and groom. They were so relaxed, happy, and stress-free. They just enjoyed their special day, and I think that really added to the overall positive vibe. I’m so thankful to have them as friends, and can’t wait to see them again!
Their Hindu wedding ceremony and reception took place at the wonderful Westin hotel in Bellevue, WA, and the Westin did an excellent job of hosting this special wedding. I also want to thank Parm for second-shooting with me. He has such a happy and fun spirit, and it was truly a pleasure to work with him. Thanks for all your help, and look forward to next time.
Thank you to all the friends and family, who helped to make this evening so special! And a huge congratulations to Kruti and Pritesh!!
Baraat: In traditional times, the Gujaratis’s did not marry within their own town; therefore, the groom’s family had to travel to the bride’s town. The baraat is a processional of the groom and his family making the journey to the wedding. It’s been so awesome to see this same tradition occur in Sikh Weddings, and even Cambodian-Khmer weddings!
During this baraat, Pritesh, his friends, and family, walked around the Westin Hotel, in downtown Bellevue. They gathered in the front of the hotel, where they danced and celebrated.
The photo below shows the “Hasta Milap,” where the groom’s scarf is tied to the bride’s lehenga. This is to symbolize the union of their souls as the pundit (priest) prays to Goddess Parvati and Goddess Lakshmi to bless the couple. At the same time, friends shower the couple with grains of rice and rose petals.
During the “Mangal Pheras,” the bride and groom circle the sacred fire four times. Each circle signifies one of the four human goals: Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. (Natural Law, Purpose, Love, Liberation)
Congratulations Kruti and Pritesh!! You guys are awesome! Wish you both so much love and happiness!
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With over 500 guests, Nita and Aaron’s Indian Wedding Sangeet was a party not to be missed! Family and friends gathered at Fisher Pavilion (Seattle Center) for a celebration of music, singing, dancing, and mendhi (henna). There was even a belly dance performance!
An Indian Wedding Sangeet is an evening of celebration prior to the marriage. During the Sangeet, women sing traditional folk songs, joke around with the bride, apply mendhi (henna) to their hands, and do a lot of dancing!
I wanted these photographs to capture the spirit of the evening. Many guests traveled from Canada, Portland, and other cities around the United States. Kristina and I had a fun time photographing all the happy faces that evening. Everyone was dressed so nicely, and Fisher Pavilion was filled with bright, beautiful colors.
There are a lot of photos for this blog post…but I really wanted to show the fun memories of the night. I hope that by looking through these photos, viewers are able to experience the energy, joy, and excitement of the Sangeet.
Kristina and I had a fun time taking portraits with the soon-to-be bride and groom, Nita and Aaron.
Fisher Pavilion was an awesome venue. It was large enough to hold all the guests, and once decorated, it looked beautiful!
Guests had a fun time mingling during the cocktail hour. We were able to get a bunch of great photos of all the happy faces!
It was super cool to see friends from past weddings. Above: Runeet, Mayank & Family, and Mick, Karen & Family
Prior the wedding, the women apply artistic mendhi to their hands as decoration for the upcoming wedding.
The photographs below show the beginning of the Jaggo. Traditionally in India, the Jaggo is started by the mother’s side of the family, on the night before the wedding. A decorated brass pot (gaggar) is decorated with oil-lit candles and placed on top of the head. The ladies dress up in colorful outfits and begin walking through the streets of the village. While walking through the village, they carry long sticks with bells, which lets everybody know about the upcoming wedding. The Guggar is passed from one person to another as they sing and dance.
Although Nita and Aaron’s Jaggo did not occur on the streets of Seattle, we had a very fun time in side the Pavilion. In the photo’s below, you can see how the decorated pot is passed from one person to another. It’s a very loud and energetic ceremony, and sets the tone for the upcoming wedding festivities.
After the Jaggo, the dance floor opened up and everyone had a blast!
Thank you Nita and Aaron, and your families, for giving me the opportunity to photograph your amazing wedding Sangeet. It was such a pleasure to celebrate this evening with you, and I wish you both the very best!
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Mick and Karen’s Sikh wedding in Fresno, CA, was overflowing with excitement and joyous traditions. The photographs in the previous post show their traditional wedding mehndi (henna). The day after mehndi was applied, each family performed the Vatna, Maiyaan, and Sangeet, followed by the Anand Karaj (Sikh wedding ceremony). Below are photographs from each of these Indian wedding ceremonies
Vatna
The vatna is a traditional ritual where a yellow turmeric paste is rubbed on to the bride and groom’s face, arms, and legs. The turmeric, flour, and mustard oil paste is applied to make the skin look radiant for the wedding. In essence, it can be compared to going to a spa before the wedding. Prior to the vatna, the bride/groom’s aunts, cousins, and sisters created a beautiful design, called a rangoli, using multi-colored sand. The rangoli laid at the feet of the bride and groom as family members applied the vatna (turmeric paste). The pictures below show Mick and Karen’s rangoli as well as family members applying the vatna.
Sangeet | Maiyaan
The sangeet/maiyaan was a ceremony of dancing, singing, celebration, and delicious food. Karen’s sangeet and maiyaan were held at her home, whereas Mick’s family held theirs in a banquet hall. (Traditionally, the groom’s family would do this at their own house, but considering Mick’s house is in Seattle and the wedding was in Fresno, it would have been a long commute 🙂 )
To begin the evening of dancing and celebration, the maternal side of each family brought out the jaggo. The jaggo is a lit lantern held on top of the ladies’ heads. In India, the ladies will dance through the village with this jaggo (lit lantern) to let everyone know about the wedding. Karen’s family actually walked through the neighborhood, singing, dancing, and carrying the jaggo! How awesome is that?!!!! So much fun!
The Wedding Day
On the wedding day, Karen wore a beautiful red Anarkali lehenga along with a beautiful gold necklace and gold earrings. Her outfit perfectly complimented Mick, who wore a traditional Sherwani and red turban. You’ll notice a plume of white feathers on his turban. This is called a kalgi, which was put onto his turban by his sister, Kim. Mick wore it until he entered the Gurdwara, at which time Kim removed it from the turban.
Bharaat | Milni
After Karen finished getting ready, her family took her to the Gurdwara (temple) where they waited for Mick’s family to arrive. The groom is accompanied by his family and friends as they travel to the temple. This is called the baraat. Mick carried a ceremonial sword and arrived on a white horse. It was an amazing sight- full of smiles, laughing, and positive energy as Mick’s wedding party danced to the sounds of a beating and rhythmic dhol. Traditionally, the groom is accompanied by a young nephew or cousin, who also wears similar clothing as the groom. He is called the “shabbala” or caretaker of the groom. You can see him in the pictures of Mick’s baraat.
Upon reaching the temple, Mick’s family was greeted by Karen’s family and the priest, who said a prayer of blessing (Ardaas). The milni is a formal meeting of both families. The fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and cousins exchanged fresh flower garlands. This is a happy occasion where the families are excited to meet each other. Sometimes, in India, it was here that some family members met for the first time. Once the garlands have been exchanged, the brides family offers sweets to the groom’s family as a welcoming and blessing.
Anand Karaj | Blissful Union (Sikh Wedding ceremony)
The Sikh wedding ceremony is called the Anand Karaj which is directly translated as “blissful union.” The ceremony began with the singing of hymns. Mick entered the prayer hall with his family and sat with the congregation. Before Karen’s arrival, Mick moved to sit in front of the Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book), and at that time his sister, Kim, removed the kalgi from his turban. Karen entered the prayer hall with her father, brother, mother, and cousins. After she took a seat next to Mick, the formal wedding ceremony began. The priest said a prayer, followed by a hymn, and then the lavaan. During the lavaan, the bride and groom walk around the Granth Sahib four times. Each round has a special meaning of commitment and spiritual awareness. After this, to conclude the ceremony, the entire congregation stoodd for a special prayer of blessing.
I hope you enjoy these photographs of Mick and Karen’s Anand Karaj. I had so much fun during their wedding and wish them both a blessed life of happiness.
Mick and Karen’s Indian Wedding Reception
This is one of my longer blog posts and although it contains a ton of photos, my intention is to convey the feelings, customs, colors, and traditions of an Indian Sikh wedding. I plan to elaborate on these descriptions, so when guests attend a Sikh wedding, they can appreciate and understand the culture behind the ceremonies. Because Mick and Karen did such a wonderful job of incorporating these traditions into their wedding, I’m so happy to use these photos as a visual guide to Sikh Wedding festivities. If you have any questions about a Sikh wedding, please leave a comment below, or send me an email!
Thanks Mick and Karen, and a huge thanks to my brother, Tanvir, for helping me photograph this awesome Indian Sikh wedding! I love having him on the team!
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