SOUTH ASIAN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY CHICAGO
THE MAGIC IN AN INDIAN WEDDING
Indian weddings are, to put it mildly, colourful. The majority of Hindu weddings last two to three days, with each day being more colourful than the last. Prior to the major ceremony on the wedding day, it is typical for Indian weddings to have two or even three pre-wedding events. Each of these events is steeped in rich heritage.
In addition to the culture and traditions that have been passed down through the years, each moment is made memorable by a precious sentimental aspect. Every event’s structure and traditions are deeply significant in a variety of ways.
Due to this, Indian wedding photography is both somewhat more intricate and more gorgeous.
The following is a list of the key components that a traditional Indian wedding will likely include:
PRE-WEDDING EVENTS
As mentioned earlier, Indian weddings usually have two to three pre-wedding events leading up to the big day. The Haldi ceremony, which can happen one to a few days before, is an event where the bride and groom undergo a symbolic purification with a paste made of turmeric. The couple and the guests mostly wear shades of yellow for this event following the natural color of turmeric, and the day is filled with song, dance, and laughter.
Next is the Henna ceremony, when the bride’s hands and feet are decorated with beautiful and intricate Henna designs. This is also conducted one or two days before the wedding.
Lastly, there is also a Sangeet ceremony, when close friends and family come together to celebrate the union of the couple and engage in song and dance festivities. The evening proceeds with exciting entertainment and ends with a scrumptious dinner after which everyone parts to get prepared for the big day – the next day.
At Roopen Photography, we know and understand the sentimental value each of these ceremonies holds. We have a professional team of Indian wedding photographers in Chicago offering nationwide services to capture exotic moments at every event and make your entire wedding event a memorable one.
ON THE BIG DAY
The day of the wedding is filled with a handful of culture-rich ceremonies as well, just like the pre-wedding events, all of which have to be captured in great photographic detail.
One of the main ceremonies is the Jaimala ceremony or the Varmala ceremony which symbolizes the union of the couple. There are also a few other interesting ceremonies like the “baraat” or the incoming procession of the groom’s family, the “first look” when the couple meets for the first time on the day of the wedding,the arrival of the bride, the recital of wedding vows and the “vidaai” which is a grand send off for the couple.
Each of these events has striking details that make the entire wedding event beautiful, not just in reality but also in the reels. We believe that pictures and videos are meant for the couple to re-live their most important day, which is why we make sure to capture every single important detail in each event. The couple and their families get to cherish these memories for life.
WEDDING PREPS
The very first event is the adornment of the bride and groom and it is indeed a sight to behold. Unlike a traditional American wedding where the bride wears an angelic white gown and the groom looks sharp in a tuxedo, in an Indian wedding, the couple typically wears bright colors paired with statement jewelry. Most wedding couples also change into more than one outfit. For the main event, the couple usually wears shades of red or pink. However, new-age couples have been breaking the norm lately, opting for off-white or pastel shades as well.
The bride is typically clad in a long flared skirt with a matching top and shawl, while the groom wears a Kafni, which is a long shirt that extends below the knees paired with matching leggings. The bride and the groom may also wear statement head-gears to finish the look. For a South Indian wedding, the attire is usually a traditional sari for the bride and a white dhoti with a matching kurta for the groom.
We at Roopen Photography believe that an Indian wedding story is only complete with the sights of the stars of the day getting ready. We love the detailing in the outfits and the jewelry and at the same time, we love to capture all the feels running rife in the dressing room. Our team is highly experienced in capturing those hidden feelings and emotions that make your wedding story extra special.
THE FRAME-WORTHY PORTRAITS
Once the couple is ready, it is time to take those frame-worthy portraits of the bride and the groom. These shots add to the color and grandeur of your wedding album and make you fall in love with your wedding moments over and over again for the years to come. The location is of prime importance for these shots and only the best Indian Wedding Photographers in Chicago or the US can make the portraits look as picture-perfect as your love. Apart from the location, the smaller details like outfit coordination, the colors of the accessories, the props, the lighting, the angles, etc. must work together to create a beautiful shot. And our photography team is nothing short of a perfectionist when it comes to getting frame-worthy portraits. We love being extra-attentive to the details so that the end result is as amazing as you.
BARAAT
The couple proceeds to the venue now and each of them makes quite a grand entrance. The groom typically arrives at the venue on a decorated horse with friends and family dancing to festive tunes as they walk called “baarat”.
This is usually seen in Hindu Gujarati and Sikh Punjabi weddings. To create a high-level wedding viewing experience, we at Roopen photography like to use drones to film the “baraat”. It creates a cinematic vibe and at the same time allows us to capture all the little details of the event such as the horse adornments, the groom’s attire, the outfits of the family and guests, etc. It also lets us pick up the most amazing moments from multiple angles, which adds to the cinematic effect.
Next, the bride’s family receives the groom’s family with warmth and love and that sets the cue for the rest of the events of the day. The groom is then escorted to the “mandap” where more ceremonies follow.
THE ARRIVAL OF THE BRIDE AND THE MUHURTHAM
After the “baraat,” it is time for the bride to officially enter the scene. Friends and family of the bride bring her over to the “mandap” or the platform on which the couple is blessed to be one. Following the arrival of the bride, the couple meets for the first time on their wedding day which is called “milan”. Once again, the ceremonies call for a rich exchange of emotions. The first look is especially a moment where the couple shares deep emotions, and it takes a passionate photographer to record them.
Our team has filmed some of the most heart-warming first-look moments filled with overwhelming love, laughter, and happiness over 30 years of our work. Feel free to scan our gallery to see some of the magic we capture.
Once the couple has met, it is time for the official wedding ceremony to begin. A lot more culture-rich rituals are about to unfold.
VARAMALA CEREMONY
The main ceremony called the “varamala ceremony” involves the exchange of flower garlands between the bride and the groom. It symbolizes the acceptance of the relationship by the entire family and the union of the bride and the groom. Following this is the “kanyadaan” ceremony where the father of the bride gives his daughter away to the groom. It is one of the moments that is perhaps the most emotional in the entire wedding event.
We have been able to film many beautiful moments like these over the years in our wonderful journey. And with each moment, we feel more privileged and happy to be a part of these wonderful family occasions. Count on us to document these special moments and deliver them in a cinematic immersive experience, without disturbing the natural flow of the events.
It takes immense photographic expertise to film the right moments from the right angles and our team at Roopen Photography are masters of the craft. Our gallery speaks volumes about the emotional richness of Indian weddings in Chicago.
MANGAL PHERAS
In this ceremony, the bride and the groom circle the sacred fire together while holding hands, around four to seven times depending on the couple’s religion. The pheras are based on ancient Sanskrit scriptures that hold significant meaning in Hinduism.
To complete the final event, the shawl or dupatta of the bride will be tied to the groom’s dupatta to signify their connection and destiny to be together.
At Indian weddings, this event marks the “tieing the knot” part of a wedding story and our team has witnessed and documented many of these over a span of 30 years.
Each “mangal phera” ceremony we have captured has been more beautiful than the other, and for it to be caught on tape from an angle that invokes the exact same emotion many years down the line, indeed takes a great level of experience.
MANGALSUTRA
The “mangalsutra” is a special necklace that the groom places around the bride’s neck while he recites vedic “mantras”. Along with the “sindhoor” it acts as an indicator that she is a married woman.
Apart from being a special adornment for married women, it also holds immense cultural significance. It is said to be made with 108 fine cotton threads, wound together with a centerpiece called a “thali” which further symbolizes their long-term bond and commitment. It essentially portrays the idea that the bride and groom are bonded for life. As the vows go, “Till death do us apart”.
Photographing these unique elements with a magical touch in a Hindu wedding is one of our specialties as an Indian wedding photographer in Chicago, and we love doing it.
WEDDING VOWS
After the “mangalsutra” is placed, there will be a symbolic ring exchange ceremony followed by “saptapadi”. It involves chanting mantras to reinforce wedding vows as the bride and the groom take seven steps together, symbolizing seven kinds of vows or promises.
The seven steps are taken by the couple, around the sacred fire in the center of the “mandap”. The couple holds hands and circumambulates the fire called “Agni” symbolizing reinforcement of the vows holding the element of fire as witness. It is said to represent the ultimate and most powerful source of energy which is the Sun.
We know just how precious this moment is and we use our arsenal of specifically designed lenses and devices to perfectly film them with grace and ease.
VIDAAI
To officially conclude the wedding ceremony, a special sending-off ritual is conducted where the newly married couple is seen off by friends and family as they leave the venue to start their new life together.
This is a moment when beautiful emotions and feelings are at play but at the same time are dispersed and complex to capture. However, with our 30 years of experience and our modern technologies, we have been able to film them raw and real, leaving viewers teary-eyed.
That sums up an entire two or three-day Indian wedding event. There may be additional ceremonies depending on the preferences of both families. Clearly, covering an Indian wedding and capturing all the right moments from the many ceremonies in it, is indeed a tough task. It takes an experienced and knowledgeable Indian wedding photographer in Chicago operating nationwide like Roopen Photography to pick up and stay with the pace of the events.