If it’s one thing I’m a sucker for, it’s Indian weddings. The colors, the ceremonies and the emotions are highlights for any photographer. Barkha and Sumit are having their long-awaited  two-day Indian wedding on July 23 and 24 at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala. Barkha has flown home for her bridal session is this weekend and we’re getting everything ready for the big shoot tomorrow at her family home. Barkha’s mom, Vandana,  and sisters Kanika and Rhadika, make us feel like family and we’re so thrilled to share this experience with the whole Manne gang. I can’t convey to you what an honor it is, for us as non-Indians, to be selected to capture an Indian wedding.

This weekend’s photo session will include multiple outfits from India that are to die for. I’m getting together our ideas for traditional Indian bridal poses, which are so elegant!  I can already promise gorgeous photos, and here’s why I’m so confident. Take a look at highlights of their e-session at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (a great spot for weddings, btw) and Sibyl Temple in Vestavia Hills. I love how Barkha is as chic in traditional Indian attire as she is in American clothes. And what fun for photographers to have such a variety! Stay tuned for pictures of MY Indian outfits in the works for the wedding!

Neil and Jasmine Gill Patel at their Sangeet, a festive celebration the night before the wedding. Make up by Jackie Robinson.

You know you're at a good wedding when this is the pre-party!

Jasmine's sexy shoes.

Classic Indian wedding portraits usually showcase the bride's Mehndi on her hands. Make up by Jackie Robinson.

Last-minute primping.

This is Neil's wedding day procession before the first wedding ceremony.

Jasmine and Neil during their Hindu ceremony, the second wedding ceremony of the day.

Jasmine’s family is Sikh and Neil’s family is Punjabi Hindu, so the day including two gorgeous and very different wedding ceremonies.

The day began with photos of the bride and groom getting ready at the Birmingham Marriott Grandview on 280. The clothes for each of them over the three days were just exquisite and Jackie Robinson did a great job with make-up over the course of the event. On their wedding day, we took shuttles across the street for Neil’s Bharat (or baraat), the groom’s arrival celebration. This included a music-filled parade of friends and family. Neil and his family drove in a classic Rolls Royce from one of the coolest wedding vendors, Ron Marko of Vintage Auto.

Next was the Sikh ceremony, which was very formal and reverent.

After Neil and Jasmine changed clothes, she was carried in Cleopatra-style for the Hindu ceremony. Afterwards, we shared lunch, which was from another of our favorite vendors, Taj India.

Everyone took another break for a few hours, so we did a chilly after-shoot with the beautiful couple at Sibyl Temple gazebo in Vestavia. Then it was on to The Summit, outside Saks Fifth Avenue, for an old Hollywood-style set of pix, which Ron has helped us with before. Jasmine was such a trooper in the cold and images were just jaw-dropping. Don’t they look like movie stars?!

The reception was one of the most fun and energetic I’ve ever seen, with a red carpet for the family entrances, a smoke machine, Slumdog Millionaire-inspired skits and dancing like there was no tomorrow. And more great food from Taj India.  I became acquainted with one of my new favorite dance songs,”Desi Girl” by Dostana, which got everyone on their feet and singing within a few bars. “Desi” is a nickname for Indian, and it’s a rollicking tribute to a man’s sexy soulmate. I can’t stop singing the three or four English lines!!! DJ Bally, an awesome music entertainer out of Atlanta, keep the perfect mix going and the party lasted well into the morning! The love of their family and friends was so extensive, even DJ Bally talked about it! We were honored to be welcomed so warmly into Neil and Jasmine’s wedding extravaganza. Thanks guys!!!

Daniel Taylor Photography

We recently had the fantastic opportunity to shoot three days of wedding festivities for the gorgeous Jasmine Gill, formerly of Hoover and now of Philadelphia. It was our first Indian wedding, something we’d wanted to do for years. We were thrilled that Jasmine thought we’d be the right fit for her big days. The Mehndi is a pre-wedding party, kind of like a bridal shower, where either the bride’s friends and relatives gather for well wishes, traditional singing, and special ceremonies. The Mehndi refers to both the party and the henna artwork on the bride’s hands and feet. Since the designs takes hours to create and dry, some brides like Jasmine opt to have the actual henna painting prior to the party. I love the history of the Mehndi. The intricate designs, in addition to be beautiful, are on both sides of her hands, as well as her fingertips, are a sign of celebration. They also keep her from doing much work in the final days before her wedding. The idea is that she can then simply focus on the marriage and bonding with her new husband, and others can do the heavy lifting!

Daniel Taylor Photography

Jasmine's ceremonial bracelets.

Jasmine gets a kiss from her grandmother during the ceremony. Daniel Taylor PhotographyJasmine was glowing all evening. Daniel Taylor Photography

How's that for some lovely feet? Daniel Taylor Photography