May 11, 2007
Priety & Fabian - HUUUUUUUUUGE Post!
Priety and Fabian are that kind of client that makes us incredibly happy to have this job. The great thing about us being younger is that it’s very easy for us to see our clients more like friends than clients. And these kids are ones we hope to keep as friends for a long time to come!!
So just a warning, I tried to keep the number of pictures relatively low, but eventually had to give up. The wedding was three days long which means three times the pictures! I’ll also try to make the whole post educational for all those interested in what goes on at an East Indian wedding. Fun!
So on Thursday we hung out at Priety’s house for her mehndi/mendhi (I’ve seen both spellings and have no clue which one is proper) party. Mehndi is what most people know as henna, and all the women get it done, but the bride has hers done extra special. Sometimes it takes about 3 hours of sitting in a chair to finish it all. Super fun!
There is always so much great food, and so much great hospitality.
These bracelets are given out to the girls. I got one and was really excited about it! It always makes me really feel like a part of everything. It’s worn until it falls off, and I fully intend to do that! 
The boys got to hang out, eat and play some poker.
The final result. The gold and silver was painted on for the pictures, and man did it ever look good!
Then we got to spend Friday relaxing and storing up energy for the weekend. Saturday came along and it was time for the ceremony. Priety looked beyond fantastic as she was getting ready.
Rob hung out with Fabian while he was getting ready. In Hindu weddings the groom wears a turban-like hat with the white garlands dangling in front of his face (I believe it’s called the sehra).
Then came the barat which is the parade of the groom and his family up to the church. Sometimes the groom comes in on a horse, or an elephant (which we haven’t seen yet, but we’re hoping to one day!) but Fabian came in on a Hummer which was really quite the sight!
Then he waited for his bride inside the temple.
Now I had the hardest time picking pictures from the ceremony, since there are tons of different, interesting and unique little ceremonies that go on. So I just had to pick a few I liked.
They gave each other sweet water.
Their parents poured water from a conch shell into their hands.
One cool thing about Hindu weddings - open fire!
And at the end of it all they were now bound together as husband and wife!
They had a great exit with all their friends holding sparklers.
And then we went to Fabian’s house for a ceremony called the doli. They carry the bride in a palanquin (a carriage that the men carry). This time she was carried to Fabian’s house. Here’s a shot I really liked from the ceremony.
Then it was home to rest and watch some Battlestar Galactica for us (which is replacing Stargate for us, and is doing a good job!)
On Sunday we met up to take some shots while they got ready, and then we all climbed into a huge limo bus to drive around the city for pictures (a fantastic idea for anyone interested! It was so much fun and so convenient for everyone, including us who got to go along for the ride
We started at Grant MacEwan to take some group shots. Fabian and his guys:
Priety and her girls
The whole bridal party showing some exuberance.
We stayed around downtown and got some nice shots of the couple. Don’t they look fantastic?
They had a really cute cake.
First dance - with balloons!
And a final shot. Picture in your mind a wedding that mixes Indian with Chilean. What do you get? Mind-blowing dancing, that’s what you get! Priety and Fabian were so good that they are going to have to give us a few lessons! Here’s a nifty shot to end off this huge post. It’s of them, by the way!
Crazy! Anyway, I think that’s more than enough for one day Hope you enjoyed!
Lauren
Filed under: Weddings
May 11th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Wow Wow Wow. Beautiful shots, amazing color and beautiful couple. What a celebration! You captured it so wonderfully. Fantastic.
May 14th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
What amazing emotion in these shots! I love how you captured the joy of their wedding in every image. Well done!