Indian Wedding Photographer

Are you currently planning your Indian wedding?

Congratulations!

As an Award-Winning Indian Wedding Photographer, I adore Indian weddings, they are energetic, fun, and brimming with beautiful traditions. As a professional Indian wedding photographer, I’ve been fortunate to capture many stunning Indian weddings and I’m sharing some tips for choosing your photographer and planning your wedding.

I photograph amazing weddings for fabulous couples and am pleased to be recognised as one of the best Asian and Indian Wedding photographers in the UK.

(If you’ve been invited to your first Indian wedding you can find some advice further down on what to expect as a guest at an Indian wedding.)

Allow plenty of planning time – The key to a successful Indian wedding is most certainly allowing plenty of planning time.

An Indian wedding (also known as ‘Vivaah’) typically lasts three days and sometimes longer, in which case planning should start as early as possible.

Since you are likely to be booking your photographer for all three special days make sure you make enquiries as soon as you have your dates.

Indian Wedding Photography

Rituals and Customs – Due to the diverse nature of Indian culture, the exact customs and rituals you choose will depend on your background, religion, culture, and personal preference.

Regardless of which customs you are incorporating into your celebrations, it’s likely to be spread over multiple locations with lots going on.

It’s a good idea to choose a photographer who can provide an experienced second shooter to work with them on the day.

The Wedding & Reception – With several stages of an Indian wedding to consider, it’s important to decide early on which religious customs you want to include.

This will also help you get a sense of the size of your celebration and will help with choosing the right venue.

Choose the right size location – Indian weddings are well known for their sizeable guest lists, ranging from 300 people upwards.

For this reason, booking a suitably sized venue is a must. Popular wedding venues in London with capacity for 500 guests include the Happenstance – close to St Paul’s cathedral – and the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in Knightsbridge.

If you have your heart set on a smaller location but have a large guest list, it’s worth checking to see if they have a marquee available.

Choose the right photographer for your Indian wedding photography –

• Check out their online portfolio to make sure you like their photographic style.
• Meet your photographer in person (or over Skype if this isn’t possible) to discuss your plans and, very importantly, make sure you get along.
• Make sure they have availability to cover the duration of your celebrations.
• Check that they can provide experienced second photographers.
• If you would like a pre or post-wedding shoot, be sure to check this is something they offer, to compliment your wedding photographs.

The couples who book me are looking for more than just the traditional photographs that are still prevalent in many Asian weddings.

My documentary led style of capturing moments and emotions makes me the perfect Asian wedding photographer for couples looking for non-traditional Asian wedding photography.

As a Wedding Photographer based in the UK, whether you’re planning an Indian wedding in London, Surrey, or somewhere outside the UK (I’m a Destination Wedding Photographer too!), I’d love to hear about your wedding plans.

To check my availability or arrange to meet up, please contact me.

A Guests Guide to Indian Wedding Celebrations

Due to the diverse nature of Indian culture, the exact customs and rituals will vary depending on the bride and grooms background, religion, culture, and personal preference.

Pre-wedding rituals – The Mehndi party is a high spirited, fun celebration full of music and dancing.

Mehndi usually takes place the day before the religious ceremony and involves the bride having her hands and feet decorated with intricate henna patterns.

This tradition is centuries old and it’s commonly believed the darker the henna colour, the more intense love the groom has for his bride.

The Wedding Ceremony – An Indian wedding not only celebrates the union of the bride and groom but the meeting of two families.

The ceremony begins with ‘Baraat’ – the groom’s procession (traditionally on horseback and accompanied by a traditional Dhol player) to the venue where he will be welcomed by the bride’s family.

This is followed by ‘Milni’ – the meeting of the two families.

The ceremony itself comprises several rituals.

The groom and close family members perform ‘Ganesh Puja’, a prayer to Lord Ganesh for good luck, and ‘Kanyadaan’ – a touching tradition where the bride’s father pours blessed water on his daughter’s hand before placing it on the groom’s, symbolising the gift of his most beloved possession.

The most significant ritual though is the ‘Saptapadi’, where the couple take seven steps together around a small, sacred fire (‘vivah-homah’) reciting a vow with each step.

The Reception – Indian wedding receptions usually take place after the ceremony and are well known for being fun, loud affairs with plenty of music and both traditional and modern dancing.