I was anxious about this project the week leading up to the wedding. Partly because the bride and groom are my good friends and I didn't want to disappoint them, and partly because I felt unprepared for event photography. I'm the type of person who can sit in front of a plant, food on a plate, or some other inanimate object and take a dozen shots of it in a very relaxed manner. I haven't mastered portraits or action shots. And usually, when I embark on a project, I do lots of research and even organize everything into a 3-ring binder (which always amuses my friends).
But this summer has been crazy -- in a good way -- and I was not able to go into that level of preparation (i.e., I did NOT have a 3-ring binder filled with ideas and printouts and such). So I just kept telling myself to relax, be fully present and fully aware of what's around me, and just enjoy taking photos as I usually do. Not that I'm going into this direction professionally (yet?), but I had a blast! It was something I was happy to do for good friends. And the wedding was absolutely special, as you'll see below. I can't say I captured all the beauty of that day, but here are my attempts as a non-professional photographer...
But this summer has been crazy -- in a good way -- and I was not able to go into that level of preparation (i.e., I did NOT have a 3-ring binder filled with ideas and printouts and such). So I just kept telling myself to relax, be fully present and fully aware of what's around me, and just enjoy taking photos as I usually do. Not that I'm going into this direction professionally (yet?), but I had a blast! It was something I was happy to do for good friends. And the wedding was absolutely special, as you'll see below. I can't say I captured all the beauty of that day, but here are my attempts as a non-professional photographer...
bride's veil
veil detail
bride's shoes
I love that she wore Born sandals! It is so her.
No-fuss shoes for a garden wedding.
dress detail
The bride actually altered her own dress.
Not surprising, as I once complimented her
on an LBD (little black dress) that she was wearing.
To that she replied,
"Oh you like it? I made it!"
Yup, that's the type of gal she is...
I don't think there's anything she doesn't make.
bride's jewelry
The botanical motif of her necklace and earrings suited her so well,
as she is an excellent gardener!
(among the many other things in which she excels)
flowers
These were arranged by a friend of ours.
Yellow, orange, and red were the theme colors,
as they were the couple's auspicious colors in the Indian tradition.
(The groom is Indian)
bride's older sister/bridesmaid,
tying on her sash
bridesmaid's dress detail
bridesmaids' bouquet...
with Indian bangles to match
with Indian bangles to match
table centerpiece
with handwritten table cards
Almost everything was homemade and handmade.
ornamental, yet functional as paper fans for the summer heat!
handwritten food labels
to be clipped onto the dishes
It was an international vegetarian menu -
Indian, Mediterranean, and American.
Food was lovingly prepared by the bride herself, family, and friends.
There was hummus, bread with homemade herb butter, dolmas, spanakopitas, Turkish lentil balls, fattoush (Lebanese salad), pav bhaji (Indian vegetable stew), an assortment of Indian chutneys, ratatouille, pasta with basil pesto, roasted potatoes, cabbage slaw.
Food supervision and plating was done by this friend.
I didn't get the chance to sample everything due to photography duties, but all the dishes I tried were delicious.
lemon curd tarts with fresh blackberries
Yes, the bride made these too. Two large coolers full.
In addition to the 50 - yes, FIFTY - loaves of bread she made
and stored in her basement freezer.
Friends helped by topping the tarts with blackberries before serving.
basket for towels for the outdoor sink
bride's bouquet
bride's bouquet
first dance
Congratulations, R & N!
Everything about their wedding was so beautiful and one-of-a-kind. Due to its simplicity, the true meaning of marriage really shone through, and did not get lost in overwhelming details. I cried for the first time after a very long time at a wedding, when they said their vows.
Thank you to my friends, R and N, for the honor of capturing your special day in photographs. Much love and best wishes to you both!
*I deliberately did not post any photos with faces for privacy*
**Feel free to view photos on my portfolio as well, in the "Celebrations" gallery.**
**Feel free to view photos on my portfolio as well, in the "Celebrations" gallery.**
1 comment:
Hindus believe in rebirth, or reincarnation, and in what they call the law of karma. Under this law the conditions of each new lifetime are determined by the actions of the preceding life. To the Hindu, salvation consists of liberating the soul from attachment to worldly desires in order to gain union with Brahman. This is where Meditation comes in, which is important in yoga. Meditation also connotes the word concentration.
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