This ceremony is the Bride’s first appearance at the wedding. Although some Brides choose to meet the Groom before entering the wedding venue or following the Baraat, Kanya Aagaman is the Bride’s arrival to the Mandap to start the wedding rituals. The bride and the groom are separated by a white cloth and not allowed to see one another just yet.
Kanya Aagaman literally translates to ‘the arrival of the bride’. She is escorted to the Mandap by her maternal uncle and aunt, signifying the acceptance of the union from the maternal side of the Bride’s family. Depending on which part of India the family is from, the Bride’s sisters, friends, and cousins join the procession to the mandap.
Indian Bridal Entrances
Rather than a traditional ‘walk down the aisle’, Hindu Brides are ushered down the aisle on a small carriage, Doli. The male relatives on the Bride’s side usually carry Doli down the aisle. After she makes her way to the Mandap, the ritual of Varmala begins.
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After the Varmala ceremony, the Kanyadaan ritual takes place. Kanyadaan, meaning “giving away the bride” in Sanskrit, is a symbolic marriage ritual for the Bride’s parents and the couple. The Father of the Bride take’s his daughters right hand and places it in the Groom’s right hand, requesting for him to accept his daughter as his equal partner. This ritual signifies both the acceptance of the Bride’s Father and his official approval to give his daughter away.
After joining the two hands, ‘Hastamelap’, the Mother of the Bride pours sacred water on to the palm of her husband’s hands, allowing it to flow through his fingers onto his daughters hand and ultimately to the groom’s hand as well. Rituals are chanted during this process and the curtain between the couple is lowered once Kanyadaan has been observed.
History Behind Kanyadaan
The Bride represents a form of the goddess Laxmi and the groom that of Lord Narayana. The parents are assisting in the union of the two ‘Gods’ while everyone bares witness. This Hindu wedding ritual is performed as a means of providing consent from the parents of the Bride before continuing on through the ceremony. It is said that Father of the Bride has to give away his most precious possession – his daughter – in order for the Bride to receive great prosperity and good fortune for her future.
After Observation of Kanyadaan
The groom’s sister ties the end of his scarf, to the bride’s sari with betel nuts, copper coins, and rice – symbolizing unity, prosperity, and happiness for the couple. The knot represents the eternal bond that comes with marriage.
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If you’re a photographer interested in learning more about how to shoot cultural weddings, including Hindu, Jewish, Persian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese weddings, we recommend our wedding photography education, available at SLR Lounge.
The most memorable part of an Indian wedding’s is witnessing the beauty and elegance of the Bride on her special day. With all the glitz and glamour going on around her, the Bride maintains to be the central focal point of the wedding day. The Bridal Saree or Lengha is ornamented with embroidery and intricate designs, making for an eye-catching and exquisite piece of work. Various regions in India require the Bride to wear certain jewelry or wrap her saree in a specific manner. It is common for Bride’s to place Bindi’s, circular red and/or white stickers, above the eyebrows, however, the area between the eyebrows remains empty until the ceremony; the Groom places Sindhoor, red vermillion, here during the wedding ceremony. Besides her outfit and jewelry, the Bride has her hands and feet decorated in Mendhi, completing a head to toe transformation for her wedding day.
In Gujurati weddings, Brides typically wear a Saree however it is tied with the ‘Palav’, the rest of the Saree material that isn’t wrapped around the Bride’s waist, facing the front. South Indians, on the other hand, wear a different type of Saree made of silk material with gold bordered lining, a more traditional take on Bridal wear.
Hindu Bridal Wear
After finishing make-up and hair, the Bride begins draping her Saree or putting on her Lengha. A saree is wrapped around the waist whereas a lengha is a skirt that you slip on. The traditional Hindu Bride is said to wear a red outfit symbolically referencing the planet Mars. According to astrology, Mars is the planet in charge of marriages, representing prosperity and fertility.
The Bride then starts putting on her jewelry with the help of her mother and close relatives. On the center of her forehead she wears a ‘Tikka’, representing the ‘ajna chakra’, meaning to know or perceive in Sanskrit. She then wears a necklace, usually comprised of uncut diamonds, gold, gem stones, similar to what Indian royals used to wear. The Mother of the Groom usually gifts her new daughter-in-law a gold bangle to wear for her wedding day, which the Bride wears amongst her row of bangles, or ‘Chudiyan’, on her wrists. The mother of the bride helps her daughter wear ‘Jhumki’s’, heavy set earrings, and small items of jewelry such as anklets, nose rings, toe rings, and arm bands. The ‘Dupatta’, head scarf or veil, is the last item placed on the Bride.
Punjabi Bridal Suit
Punjabi Brides wear a Salwar Kameez, an extremely opulent pant suit, or lengha. Traditionally, Punjabi Brides are said to wear gold jewelry, however with changing times various styles of jewelry as been adapted. The bride wears white and dark red bangles made of ivory known as ‘Chooda’. They are usually in multiples of four and according to tradition the bride must wear it for at least a year after her marriage. Nowadays, Brides only choose to wear it for a month following their nuptials.
Friends and sisters-in-law tie ‘Kalire’, a hanging ornament made of gold or silver on these bangles. encrusted with dried coconut and beetle nuts. Similar to a Hindu Bride, a Punjabi Bride wears a Dupatta to top off the look before she heads towards the wedding venue.
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The most commonly worn outfit for the Groom on his wedding day is known as a Sherwani, an extremely embellished version of a western suit.
Indian weddings are known for their outstanding use of vibrancy and decadence, however, the Bride isn’t the only one that gets to showcase such a display.
Indian menswear can range from a variety of colors and designs that also pair with matching embroidered shoes, known as Mojri. Across the country, outfits can vary by region and religion.
Punjabi Groom’s Wedding Attire
Traditional Sikh Groom’s are required to sport a full beard, showing their faithfulness to the Sikh religion, however it is common that they choose to stay clean shaved for the day of their wedding. It is also apart of Sikh tradition for the father of the Groom to tie a turban, or “saafa” on his son’s head.
The Groom’s sister ties a “sehra” or ceremonial floral veil to the groom’s forehead, and may sometimes add a feather to the center of the saafa. A red chunni, or scarf, is added to the look, which will be used during the ceremony to “tie the knot”, so to speak. The Groom must also carry a sword, “kirpaan”, throughout his Baraat up until the wedding ceremony starts. He finishes his look with Mojri’s, creating a festooned Groom head to toe. Mojri’s stem from North India and Pakistan and therefore are found predominantly used in those weddings.
Hindu Groom Wedding Attire
The Hindu Groom can sport a variety of outfits depending on where in India their family is from. Sherwani’s, Chudidar’s, Kurta Pajamas, Jodhpur Suits, Pathani Coats, and Dhoti’s are all among the options depending on which part of India you reign from.
Hindu weddings usually gear towards a Sherwani, comprised of a heavily embroidered jacket that reaches the knees paired with tight fitted pants. A turban and a chunni are also included in a Hindu Groom’s attire, however, the turban used is pre-tied unlike that of a Sikh Groom’s.
The use of a sehra is varied throughout the country’s regions and therefore is left to choice of the Groom’s family. Groom’s are often decorated with jewels, strands of pearls, gold, or flower garlands.
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Creative. Clean. Different. We are a group of creatives in Orange County with a passion for storytelling. Founded in 2007, our studio has been recognized as the best wedding photographers in Los Angeles and Orange County by various publications, websites, and groups. We’d love to show you our studio in Orange County, California and walk you through our albums, canvases and other print photography products. We can also provide more information on our Wedding Videography and introduce you to our team!
After the Baraat, the Groom makes his way to the Mandap to take his seat before the wedding rituals occur. Before the ceremony begins, the Priest invokes Lord Ganesh, the Hindu elephant God that removes all obstacles, as a precursor to nuptials about to take place. This Puja, or ceremony, is performed for good luck to be bestowed onto the married couple and their families, so that whatever obstacles they may face will be destroyed. All auspicious ceremonies in the Hindu religion commence with a prayer to Lord Ganesh.
Ganesha Puja Ceremony
The Ganesha Puja usually involves both the Bride and Groom’s primary family, those that are sitting on stage with them at the Mandap. The Groom arrives and bows to all the guests and family in attendance, offering his warm gratitude for their presence. The Bride has not yet made her entrance into the wedding venue or taken her place at the Mandap.
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In Hindi, Mandap translates to a covered structure with pillars. In essence, the Mandap serves as the altar for Indian weddings, specifically for Hindu and Jain ceremonies. Adorned with floral decorations and bells, this wooden structure serves as the stage for which guests and family witness the couple wed. The Mandap consists of four pillars, symbolizing the four parents who worked hard to raise their children.
Mandap Ceremony
After the Varmala, the couple takes their seats to commence the wedding ceremony. The couple is given royal chairs to sit on during the ceremony, while the parents sit beside them watching each ritual take place. The sacred fire is centered between the couple and is used during the ceremony by the Priest while reciting hymns form Vedas.
Mandap Decorations
Flowers embellish the pillars and stage as it is the eye-catching centerpiece of the wedding venue. The Mandap is usually on a raised platform allowing for guests to clearly see the wedding ceremony from their seats. The stage is decorated with garlands of mango and banana leaves, pots of water, God statues, variety of flowers. Religious offerings are placed near the sacred fire for the Priest and couple to offer throughout the ceremony.
Modern Mandaps
Mandaps nowadays can be rented from various vendors or constructed specifically for weddings. Chandeliers, fabric, lights, and various foundational materials are used to create intricate and stunning Mandaps.
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The true essence of Indian Weddings stem from the customary rituals that take place throughout the wedding day. The Varmala Ceremony, also referred to as Jaimala, is the commencement of the Hindu wedding, serving as the first time the Bride and Groom meet before starting the wedding ceremony.
Mala is the Hindi word for garland, usually consisting of flowers bunched together on a string. The exchange represents the acceptance and union of their forthcoming nuptials.
Contents of a Mala
According to tradition, Varmala’s consist of a variety of colorful flowers that also adorn the Mandap and wedding venue. Roses, carnations, marigolds, and orchids are all used to create the garlands used for the ceremony.
The flowers represent excitement, happiness, and beauty – all tied together on a string signifying the marital union. Modern Mala’s can consist of dollar bills, an offering of good luck to the couple.
Varmala Ceremony
The Varmala Ceremony takes place after the Baraat and also signifies the start of the wedding rituals. The Groom makes his way to the entrance of the wedding venue and meets the Mother of the Bride, who applies tilak and performs aarti to rid him of any evil eyes cast upon him. Traditionally the Groom then takes his place at the Mandap and awaits his Bride, however some couples choose to exchange their garlands after the Mother’s blessings.
After reaching the Mandap, the Bride is the first to attempt to exchange the garland, fighting off the Groom’s side as they playfully hinder her from placing the garland around his neck. This moment is highly anticipated amongst the guests and family in attendance due to its teasing nature. Once the Groom successfully exchanges his garland the couple takes their seats at the Mandap to start the ceremony.
Creative. Clean. Different. We are a group of creatives in Orange County with a passion for storytelling. Founded in 2007, our studio has been recognized as the best wedding photographers in Los Angeles and Orange County by various publications, websites, and groups. We’d love to show you our studio in Orange County, California and walk you through our albums, canvases and other print photography products. We can also provide more information on our Wedding Videography and introduce you to our team!
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If you’re a photographer interested in learning more about how to shoot cultural weddings, including Hindu, Jewish, Persian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese weddings, we recommend our wedding photography education, available at SLR Lounge.
Lin and Jirsa is critically acclaimed for developing a unique style of wedding photography, deeply rooted in wedding photojournalism and influenced by fine-art and fashion photography. We pride ourselves on not just being photographers, but rather artists creating unique and expressive imagery.
As leaders and educators in the industry, we constantly experiment with new tools and techniques and blend various photography styles to challenge our creativity and tell compelling stories. What exactly does all of this mean? Well, let’s get into the specifics of what makes our style unique.
The 4 Pillars of our Style
The 4 pillars of the LJP style are 1) celebrating love, 2) storytelling, 3) creativity, and 4) capturing beauty. In our experience, each of these are critical for a complete wedding photography experience.
Celebrating Love (and Emotion)
Celebrating love and emotion is the most important aspect of our job. Our goal is to create timeless photographs that allow you to relive the same emotions you felt in that moment, every time you look at them. We strive to capture not only the big moments but also the small, intimate ones that make your love unique. We not only celebrate the love between the wedding couple, but also the love between the couple and their families, wedding parties, and loved ones.
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Storytelling (and Photojournalism)
Storytelling is at the heart of what we do. Wedding Photojournalism takes awareness of surroundings, knowledge of human tendencies, and patience. Each image captures an emotion, tells a story, or portrays a mood or feeling. That’s why you won’t see us taking random pictures, for example, you stuffing your face with food or staring off into space.
We’re always paying close attention to the environment, listening in on conversations and anticipating that smile, laugh, tear, or hug. We have our crop in mind, our lighting set up perfectly, and we’re waiting for that expression.
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Creativity (and Uniqueness)
Our creative style means that we seek unique perspectives, angles, and approaches to a scene. Always in search of reflections, silhouettes, foregrounds, perfect symmetry, and juxtapositions, you’ll see our photographers sneaking behind objects, shooting off mirrors, and finding different perspectives. Whatever it takes to get the shot! The idea is to turn ordinary into extraordinary through finding the interest of the composition in a scene that the average eye may not notice.
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Capturing Beauty
Capturing the beauty of your special day is also one of our top priorities. We believe that every moment and detail of your wedding deserves to be captured in the most stunning way possible. This translates into refined posing for natural and flattering results, finding attractive, complementary backdrops, and taking the time to perfect the shots.
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Our Editing Style
We’ve developed a unique and refined style of photo editing that is versatile and flexible to adjust for your unique preferences and your venue choice. To read more about these options, see our Photo Editing Styles.
Signature (Modern)
Light & Airy
Dark and Moody
LJP Priorities & Areas of Focus
Besides the 4 pillars mentioned above, we prioritize the following aspects of the wedding day.
Focus on Family
We understand that weddings are more than just unions between two individuals, they are unions of two families. To celebrate family, we ensure that we devote proper time and attention to the family members.
This manifests itself with beautiful emotional moments like the ones below:
Focus on Natural Posing
Whether you’re stiff as a board or used to being in front of the camera, we’ll make sure we give you as much direction as you need to create natural, comfortable poses.
We’re always paying attention to things like overly puckered lips, unflattering angles, and other awkward expressions. At the same time, we’re creating an environment where you’re comfortable and your personalities and affection are the focal points of the image. We’ll also be sure to come up with poses that focus on your positive physical aspects.
Focus on Having Fun
We love setting up scenes where you and your family/friends can be silly, fun, and playful. In some scenes, the idea sometimes is to get you out of your comfort zone by getting you to do something silly, ridiculous, or even inappropriate. During those moments, and especially in between, we’re snapping away to get those smiles and natural emotions.
Focus on the Details
You’ve spent thousands of dollars on the details of your wedding like the rings, floral arrangements, centerpieces, venues, candy bars, etc. We’re not going to let it slip past us!
We capture the details of your wedding with the same attention and with many of the same techniques as we’ve described above. Your day moves quickly and while you may not have the time to sit back and fully appreciate your cake, we’ll be sure to have gorgeous pictures of it.
You’ve seen your friend’s adorable and creative engagement photos on her Facebook feed, and you’ve been pinning ideas onto your Pinterest boards. Now it’s time to plan your own engagement photo session, but what props should you use?
The Purpose of Props For Engagement Photos
The purpose of bringing props along to your engagement photo session is to personalize your images, to add some visual interest, and to create activity-based photography. Use props to show off your personality as a couple, and your hobbies and talents. Engagement photo props can add an element of fun and creativity in your images.
Selecting Props for Engagement Photos
In selecting props, begin by considering what makes you unique as a couple. Is your fiancé an avid guitar player? Consider bringing his guitar to include in some of the photographs. Do you love to read? Bring along a few books that have unique covers. You should also consider the scene and vibe of your engagement photo session. If your location has a more vintage feel, maybe finding an old suitcase or chair would be appropriate. If it’s in a park, bringing a bike could make for some cute photographs. A popular “prop” is your furry family member. Bringing your dog or cat can make for some adorable family photos. Note, if you do bring your dog or animal, be sure to have a helper that can take the dog or animal home after the first 30 minutes of shooting.
Limiting Your Props
Lastly, it’s important to remember that props for your engagement session are an addition to the shoot. Don’t fret too much about them, as they will only be used for a portion of the session. In fact, if you have too many props, there’s a good chance we won’t end up using all of them.
Creative. Clean. Different. We are a group of creatives in Orange County with a passion for storytelling. Founded in 2007, our studio has been recognized as the best wedding photographers in Los Angeles and Orange County by various publications, websites, and groups. We’d love to show you our studio in Orange County, California and walk you through our albums, canvases and other print photography products. We can also provide more information on our Wedding Videography and introduce you to our team!
The Hindi word ‘Milan’ is derived from a Sanskrit expression meaning “a coming together”, giving the Milni Ceremony its definition as a unification of the two families. This tradition occurs in both Hindu and Sikh weddings before the start of the marriage rituals. After the Groom makes his way through the Baraat procession, the Bride’s closest relatives welcome him by sprinkling rose water and offering Shagun, a token of good luck.
Traditions During the Milni Ceremony
The men from the Bride’s side then welcome the Groom by exchanging flower garlands (which occurs mostly during Sikh Weddings) and gifting cash and clothes, symbolizing the bonding of the two families. Traditionally, they greet the groom in descending order, from the oldest generation to the youngest, filling in familial gaps with cousins. This portion of the Milni Ceremony is also an introduction for guests to see how each key person is related to the Bride and Groom respectively.
Importance of the Milni Ceremony
The significance of the Milni Ceremony is exemplified during the meeting of the two fathers in each respective family – showcasing the acceptance of the marriage and the bond that the families have created. The marriage rituals only begin once the Bride meets the Groom, which happens during the Varmala, the ceremony following the Milni. Although brief, the Milni is a way for both family and guests to witness the two families uniting into one.
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If you’re a photographer interested in learning more about how to shoot cultural weddings, including Hindu, Jewish, Persian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese weddings, we recommend our wedding photography education, available at SLR Lounge.
Engagement photography sessions are wonderful for many reasons. Engagement photography not only provides you with beautiful imagery capturing your pre-wedding romance, but it also gives you the chance to create a unique presentation at the wedding. By request, we often use engagement session imagery to create wonderful slideshows, guest sign-in books, event cards, invitations and more!
In addition, the engagement session also allows you to get to know your photographer a little more prior to the wedding. This allows you as a couple to build a better relationship with your photographer. This relationship will allow your photographer to create more natural and unique imagery since he/she has a good understanding of your unique personalities and tastes.
Here are two tips to get the most of your engagement session. First, think of a meaningful place to the both of you. For example, the place you went on your first date, where you proposed, or another special date place for the two of you. We can also suggest some of our most popular engagement session locations in Orange County and Los Angeles.
Second, plan the engagement shoot session as early as possible. The rule of thumb is at least 90 days from the wedding date. But the further out from the wedding the better. You will be able to enjoy your images in your home, create lovely wedding invitations and stationary, and you won’t be rushing to add one more thing to your already busy schedule.
2. Planning for Hair & Make-up
As a bride, schedule your hair and make-up to be done a whole hour before they actually need to be done. For example: If their pictures start at 3:00, schedule your hair and makeup to be done at 2:00. And if you do get done at 2:00, then you have that time to relax with your girls.
* If hair/make-up is done off-site, only travel with one other and be sure to schedule that person’s hair and make-up appointments with yours. You will need to be ready for pictures a whole hour earlier than the rest of your bridesmaids, so traveling with all of them in one car is sure to make you late.
Take a look at our Ideal Wedding Timeline to find out exactly how much time you should have alotted for hair, make-up, etc.
3. Limousines & Classic Car Drivers
Some drivers might not be as punctual as you are. Make sure that you are adamant about pick-up and drop-off times, and also be sure to give them accurate directions. Allow for plenty of time, so the driver is not rushing the photographer to be done before their next job’s pick-up.
4. Brides, Be Responsible for Your Dress
Do not let someone else cart around your dress. For example, we love mom, but, on more than one occasion we were sitting around ready to go, without a dress, thus wasting valuable photography time.
Take a look at our Wedding Preparation Tips to see how you can be the most prepared the morning of your wedding to help get the day started on a great note.
5. Organizing Family Formal Pictures
If you have family members that you know typically run late in your immediate or extended family, be sure to give them a 30 – 45-minute buffer. For example: Tell family members to be there at 4:15 if their scheduled picture time is 5:00. Be sure to give them accurate directions. Another special thing to do that will also assure that everyone is informed on picture times is to send a personal note, e-mail, and or phone call to each member saying something like, “We really love you and care about you, and want you to be a part of our special day…Here is the time, place, and accurate directions to get there.”
Turmeric, referred to as Haldi in Hindi, is a common flavor in Indian cooking and also a significant ingredient in the pre-wedding Hindu event known as the Haldi, or Pithi, ceremony. Known to possess anti-inflammatory, healing, beautification, antiseptic, and purification properties, Haldi is essentially a cleansing procedure for the bride and groom to be. It’s beautiful mustard yellow hue is auspicious in Indian tradition representing a life of prosperity for the couple about to begin their new life together. A common reason why Haldi is used for this ceremony is to rid the couple of Buri Nazar, the Sanskrit term for evil eye. After the ceremony is completed, the Bride and Groom are expected to stay within the household in order to prevent all evil spirits.
Haldi Paste
Haldi is most commonly found in powder form, however for this particular ceremony is it necessary for it to be made into a paste to apply on the bodies of both the Bride and the Groom. The ceremony is either held the day before the wedding or the morning of the wedding, the latter being a little difficult to carry out due to strict timelines for the day. It is held at the respective homes of the Bride and Groom because from this point in time the couple is not allowed to see each other prior to the wedding ceremony.
The paste has a varied ingredient list due to personal regional preferences but essentially these are the ingredients which make up the paste: turmeric powder (Haldi), rose water or water, and sandalwood powder. Its pungent odor is one of its defining qualities, filling the room with a strong yet refreshing scent.
Haldi Ritual
The paste is applied with mango leaves by relatives of the couple to five specific body parts: the face/neck, arms, hands, knees, and feet. The bride and groom wear a traditional sari and kurta pajama respectively even though the Haldi can create quite a mess. While the ceremony is going on family members gather around to sing traditional songs pertaining to the ritual. Members of the family take turns placing a small amount of Haldi on the Bride and Groom offering their blessings while also cleansing the couple simultaneously.
It is customary in certain parts of India for the couple to apply a small portion of the Haldi paste onto their unmarried friends and siblings in jest. Due to the powerful properties that the powder possesses, it is said that whoever gets touched by this paste is soon to find a good-looking partner. Family members of the Bride and Groom wash off the Haldi which reveals a natural glow and purification for the couple.
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TIPS AND ADVICE FOR YOUR LOS ANGELES OR ORANGE COUNTY WEDDING DAY
We know how difficult it is to plan your wedding. To help, here are some resources and guides to help you through the process. As wedding professionals with years of experience, we've seen it all! We're here to help you through the process. Whether you're looking for the best vendors or needing help with your timeline, we hope we can help in any way possible. We have locations in Los Angeles and Orange County.
