Indian weddings are known for their vibrant and elaborate celebrations, which are rich in cultural significance and filled with joy and festivity. Here are some of the reasons why I love being a photographer for Indian weddings.
Read moreIndian Wedding in Skokie, Illinois: Nikah and Reception
The newlyweds on stage at Skokie Banquet & Conference Center.
Day 3 - Nikah
If you missed Day 1 and Day 2 of Ahsan and Molly’s traditional Indian wedding please follow this link right here. Of course, don’t forget to come back here for the Nikah ceremony and reception.
It was a very bright day and the sun made Molly’s white dress glow as Ahsan awaited her tap on the shoulder for their first look. Associate photographers Jaime and Bridget captured the moment from all angles before heading inside of His Highness Prince Karim Worship Center for the formal ceremony.
Once again, many thanks to Raag and Isha of Paraagon Films for being so welcoming as we worked together during this epic wedding.
First look for the bride and groom at His Highness Prince Karim Worship Center.
Portraits of the bride and groom at their Nikah.
Ahsan and Molly officially became married with traditional rituals and friends and family gathered behind them. They then headed to the Koba Kobi with traditional marriage games played as the bride and groom sat opposite one another. The living room of the home was packed with people but wide angle lenses to the rescue!!
Ahsan and Molly are officially married following time honored religious traditions.
Koba Kobi marriage games after the ceremony.
Day 4 - Reception
The reception day began with the bride and her bridesmaids prepping for their big celebration. Bangles and soirees and hair and jewelry were all precisely placed. I asked Molly if I could take some extreme close ups of her during this time and she obliged. Associate photographer Jaime captured the groom and his guys.
Bridal prep for an Indian wedding at Skokie Banquet & Conference Center.
The bride shows off her incredible red dress on Day 4 of her traditional Indian wedding.
Groomsmen prep on Day 4 of an Indian wedding.
The groom all suited up for the reception.
Just before introductions I was able to steal a few minutes of the bride and groom’s time for some portraits inside and outside of their ballroom. We did some family group photos and wedding party group shots as well. Then it was on to the party!
The bride and groom before their big entrance at their wedding reception.
Bride and groom portraits on stage in the North Shore Ballroom at Holiday Inn Skokie.
The beautiful bride in her reception dress.
The wedding party has some fun.
Before introductions we made a sweep of the room to capture all of the wonderfully colorful decor. Then the lights went down and introductions began going right into the cake cutting and first dance.
Decorations for an Indian wedding reception at Skokie Banquet & Conference Center.
Introductions and then cake cutting.
First dance for the bride and groom.
Ahsan and Molly did their take on the shoe game. Then it was time for something really unique as the groom had to guess which kiss came from his wife. He was blindfolded of course. I’m not going to say whom he chose, but I will say that those whiskers from the best man’s beard MUST HAVE been a giveaway. It was one of those times where I had to remind myself to stop laughing and start shooting. It was truly a good time!!
Reception games at an Indian wedding.
The best man, maid of honor and friends roast the bride and groom during their reception.
The rest of the night was pure dance floor fun with one surprise pause where the groom showed videos of friends and family talking about how much they loved Molly, his bride. It made her tear up before once again hitting the dance floor.
A fun reception of an Indian wedding at Skokie Banquet & Conference Center.
It was an incredible 4 days just north of Chicago capturing Ahsan and Molly’s traditional Indian wedding. The rituals kept us on our toes, the colors were beautiful, but most of all every moment was heartfelt and authentic.
There are SO MANY more images from this wedding that I can’t possibly fit here. Please do follow Region Weddings on Instagram for more from this wedding and others. As always, Contact Me right here to inquire about your big day. To view Day 1 - Mehndi Party and Day 2 - Nikah, click over to this link. Enjoy!!
Indian Wedding in Skokie, Illinois: Mehndi and Sangeet
Bride and groom own the stage at Skokie Banquet & Conference Center.
Day 1 - Mehndi Party
Ahsan and Molly’s wedding was a traditional 4 day celebration which began with covering the Mehndi Party at the parent’s of the bride while associate photographer Jaime was with groom and his family at another nearby home. This is Part 1 covering Day 1 and Day 2. To view highlights from Day 3 and Day 4, please follow this link here.
Henna artist were on hand at both locations and lots of well wishes, good food and laughter were on display.
Henna and make up are applied at the Mehndi Party for the bride.
The bride displays her henna art for the camera.
The groom preps for his wedding.
The Mehndi Party is a pre-celebration and was our shortest day of coverage. It was wonderful to meet everyone involved and we all hit it off really well. I knew we were in for a terrific next 3 days of intense celebration. Many thanks to Raag and Isha of Paraagon Films for being so welcoming as we worked together.
Day 2 - Sangeet
I love music so I was looking forward to the Sangeet taking place at the Skokie Banquet & Conference Center. Friends and family would be performing later in the evening but first we captured the colorful decor of the room before the bride and groom’s pithy (good luck ritual) and the “egging of the groom” which lead to a break in the festivities for a changing of clothes. Let’s just say this was one time where the groom was probably going to take a little longer than the bride to get ready!! See below…
Colorful decorations at the Sangeet celebration.
The groom was brought in first…
The groom’s pithi ceremony at Skokie Banquet & Conference Center.
Now, I had been told of the “egging of the groom” but I had not anticipated the level at which the groomsmen would take this ritual. Let’s just say, when Ahsan becomes a groomsman for one of these guys - look out, I think revenge will be off the charts!! Vinegar, salmon, flour, ketchup are just a few of the ingredients seen below. Even the bride did a cake smash on her husband to be.
If you have a groom to be who isn’t carrying his weight with wedding planning, just show him these next set of images to set him straight!! haha
The “egging of the groom” with a healthy showering of white vinegar.
Pithi ceremony for the bride.
After a pause for a changing of clothes for Ahsan and Molly, the Sangeet music party began with introductions and performances. I was able to snag the bride and groom for a few portraits after dinner before round 2 of the musical celebration began.
Introduction of the bride and groom with musical performances from friends and family.
The bride and groom on their colorful stage.
Happy moments for the bride and groom during their Sangeet celebration.
Molly looked exquisite during some quick portraits in between musical performances.
The performances came from children, family members, friends, members of the wedding party and finally the bride and groom themselves took to the floor. Then they invited guests up as the room engulfed with sound.
Music and dance performances from friends and family and the bride and groom.
The dance floor opens up to guests for the finale of the Sangeet.
I hope you are enjoying Day 1 and Day 2 of Ahsan and Molly’s traditional Indian wedding at Skokie Banquet & Conference Center. To view Day 3 and Day 4, please follow this link.
To inquire about wedding photography, please fill out the Contact form right here.
Winter Wedding At Meyer's Castle
Bride and groom in the Meyer's Castle lounge.
The first winter wedding of 2016 was a wonderful affair at Meyer's Castle in Dyer, Indiana with Mandeep and Lisa. It was an Indian-American wedding that even featured two wedding dresses!! The day started out in the bridal suite in the northern quarter of the castle. Lisa was there with her maid of honor and her daughter, the flower girl. The groom checked in via cell phone and the mother of the bride laughed it up with the flower girl.
Getting ready inside the bridal suite at Meyer's Castle.
American and Indian wedding dresses.
Lisa braved the cold as we went outside to take her bridal portraits. I promised to moved quick and get her back inside where it was warm. However, we had to take a few images around the sprawling grounds of the fabled castle. It was a must!! :)
The bride takes a walk around the grounds of Meyer's Castle on her wedding day.
The bride shows off her dress on the patio terrace of Meyer's Castle.
As evening approached guests began arriving for the ceremony inside the East Canopy of the castle. The sun that shined brightly onto the storied building soon faded and it was time for Mandeep and Lisa to say "I do".
Meyer's Castle in Dyer, Indiana.
An indoor wedding ceremony at Meyer's Castle.
The newly married couple exit the wedding ceremony at Meyer's Castle.
It was now fully dark out and the cocktail hour was under way. I escorted the happy couple around the darkened grounds for some night time wedding photos as well as portraits in the lounge area, including the fabled fireplace.
Wedding photos in and around Meyer's Castle in Dyer, Indiana.
The bride and groom lounge near the fireplace inside Meyer's Castle.
The reception saw a mix of American and Indian dance music and families from each side were grinning from ear to ear. At this point, Lisa changed into her Indian wedding dress and wowed the crowd as she made her way onto the dance floor.
Reception photos of an Indian-American wedding.
I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at this winter wedding at Meyer's Castle. For more images and stories, stay tuned and subscribe to this page and visit the social media channels below. Wedding Season 2016 has officially begun!!
First dance for the bride and groom at Meyer's Castle in Dyer, Indiana.