Indian Weddings are such unique celebrations and take place over the course of many days. As photographers, this is an extraordinary experience , and all this extra time, serves to strengthen our relationship with the Bride and Groom. A side benefit is that we become friends with many of the family members as well. Each day has meaning and celebration, and while it was not our first witness of this art form, we've discovered each one has it's own special qualities due to the artists that perform the intricate Mehndi.
This particular Wednesday evening began at the home of the bride's parents. The male friends and relatives mostly gathered on the porch or outside deck, while the women ate and chatted on the floor inside. Over the course of the celebration, Shetal remained still for several hours while henna was painstakingly applied to her hands and feet. Then half way though the evening, several female relatives began to hand string flower blooms that would be used in yet another day's ceremony. I love this about cultural celebrations, family expects to participate. We saw it plainly on their faces... the duty, obligation, honor and deep love for one another.
Typically we show these celebrations in full color, and trust me, there are days of more blog posts to show how vibrant it was. This night, however, had a quiet nuance that we felt was better revealed in warm, fine grained, Black and Whites.
Enjoy and stay tuned for 3 more days of celebration.
Four Year Old Identical Twins!
A glimpse through the screen porch of Shetal's grandfather, (88 I believe), who traveled here for the first time all the way from India!
I do not have one single image where Kunal, is not smiling! He's a happy groom. ;)
AND... you can see
Shetal & Kunal's Pooja-Ceremony-Day-2 blog post right HERE.