I spent the first 18 years of my life growing up in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona known as Paradise Valley. While there are lots of things to celebrate about my upbringing, I will say that the whole experience was about as culturally diverse as my left pinky toe. So when it happens that I’m invited to capture 3 days of Hindu wedding events, it’s like, better than DISNEYLAND for me! In fact, it’s the next best thing to actually hopping on a plane and traveling to India myself…which is a something that is at the very tippy top of my travel to-do list.

Hindu ceremonies are usually conducted in the native tongue – but more and more MODERN Indian couples see the importance of finding someone who can perform the traditions and translate their significance into the English language. This gives guests who are not of Indian decent a much bigger window to peer through when trying to soak in the sacredness of the Hindu traditions. I’ve now had the pleasure of photographing a few Indian Weddings that were performed almost exclusively in English, and let me tell you, it is ENLIGHTENING. Megha’s Graha Shanti Pooja (very loosley translated: a prayer ceremony with the bride’s side before the wedding) was something that not only enlightened me, but provided me with a new tradition that I now incorporate into my everyday life. I guess you could say that it changed me forever!

I’ve heard it been said that when you PRAY … you are specifically TALKING to God and when you MEDITATE … you are LISTENING for what God has to say to you.  A few years back I decided to try the listening end of things…boy, it’s amazing what you can hear when you make a conscious effort to stop talking for a while. Haha, not an easy task for this little lady. (= Megha’s Pandit (priest) taught us (or maybe I was the only one learning in the room) about a COLOR meditation technique that starts with breathing and ends with incorporating your favorite color into your consciousness. It’s so cool – the first picture in this series shows a silent moment within the process. I felt so lucky to be able to attend these intimate events with Megha and Nirav and their families … thank you to the Trivedi and Tolia families for all of your warmth and kindness.

Megha and Nirav and an intimate wedding for 650 of their closest friends at The Ritz Carlton / Marriott’s LA Live downtown venue. It was a four day event with 100% of the focus centered around this beautiful couple. When I asked Megha what the most memorable part was, she said it was the moment she got to see her groom for the first time during their first site. “A truly beautiful moment,” she said. All of Megha’s traditional gowns and clothing worn during the ceremonies were hand-made in India where she flew to hand pick the fabric and details herself.  Nirav took a modern approach and chose a bespoke suit that complimented his slim-fit and stylish personality.  Megha’s advice to other brides in the planning process? “Make decisions quickly and focus on what matters.” Certainly this couple made sure that no detail was left unattended to … including a late-night delivery from Nirav’s favorite pizza joint. A little party grub kept guests well-fed as the dance party carried on into the wee hours.

We recently photographed Cat and Jim’s beautiful garden wedding at a private estate in Pasadena. I think if I had to specialize in one kind of wedding … it would be that intimate wedding with just a few guests. We’ve had the good fortune to work a few of those lately … I just like the opportunity it gives me to exchange smiles with people. Anyway – don’t get me wrong … big weddings are fun and exciting too – I’m getting ready to post one of those soon – so stay tuned (= For now, a sneak peak of the lovely Cat and Jim.