ria & kazi: wedding

ria and kazi got married at the sheraton baltimore north in a beautiful, colorful and very moving ceremony. after all the joyous celebration the night before, it was inevitable that there would be tears, too, this night - though still plenty of laughs! a few words about a bangladeshi wedding: the "gate" ceremony is where the bride's family and friends block the path of the groom and his entourage behind a ribboned gateway until the groom's side pays up - this is probably my favorite part of a bangladeshi wedding to shoot! so much fun! right after the ceremony, the couple shares a glass of milk, and view each other's faces in a ceremonial mirror (a tradition that dates from the era when this was the first time they'd see each other's faces!). and at the end, the "bidaai" ceremony, in which the bride formally bids her family farewell as she joins her husband and his family, brings out the families' deepest emotions as this transition is fully realized for a beloved daughter, sister and now wife.it's always such an honor to be allowed into such a personal space in a couple's lives, and be trusted to document the moments they will always remember. thank you again, ria and kazi, for letting me be there and celebrate with you both! may your love and the love of your families and friends continue to grow as you start this new journey together <3 also - i finally had the chance to work with the amazing angel kidwell as my second shooter - she got the shots of the groom getting ready and helped me out with the ceremony as well - i couldn't have told ria and kazi's story without her! thanks so much angel :)