rashad & sana: walima

July 7, 2011 | Filed Under wedding posts | 16 Comments

i met rashad and sana at the end of their wedding journey, as the photographer for their walima (the reception given by the groom’s side, and often the final event in a pakistani wedding). but i felt like part of the family by the end of the night… sometimes, weddings in our culture can get so hectic, planned around various rituals and family events, that it’s hard to catch a glimpse of the heart of it all: the love between the bride and groom. not so with rashad and sana. these two are so. freaking. cute. together… i still smile when i’m going through their portraits!
but i have to say, it was more than “just” the couple that made this night so special – everything from the speeches, to the crazy group poses during stage formals, to the incredible organizational and decoration skills of rashad’s sister-in-law, maryam (girl, you have a future in wedding coordination, if you’re interested!) and the jaw-dropping stage setup by the ever-amazing prabha bhambri… everything spoke of the love rashad and sana’s families bore for the couple, and of the families’ and friends’ heartfelt prayers for their new life together. it was such a pleasure to be welcomed so warmly into the midst of all this, not only for myself but my amazing second shooter and dear friend, sara haddad (without whom i would not have made it through the night!)
rashad and sana – looking forward to our upcoming portrait session inshallah, and i pray that God blesses your marriage – that the happiness you shared on june 11 grows every day for the rest of your lives together. i’m so happy to have met you guys!

nabila & navid: wedding

June 25, 2011 | Filed Under wedding posts | 14 Comments

for the two nights of wedding events prior to their actual marriage ceremony and reception, nabila and navid did not see each other at all. so even though i got to know each of them and their families a little bit beforehand… witnessing on the eve of their wedding the real love and emotion between the two of them together was absolutely special. from the heartfelt vows they had written for each other and read aloud after the islamic ceremony, to the hilarious and moving speeches of their friends and family, to the few quiet minutes we had for portraits in the bridal suite at the very end of the evening: nabila and navid, i pray that God always keeps the love between you as strong and beautiful as it was that day. from my heart :). you guys are adorable!
the stately, modern downtown renaissance baltimore harborplace was a fitting hotel for the grand entrances made by the bride and groom. navid came in dancing on an elaborately costumed white horse, and nabila was pulled in on a huge, brightly-colored peacock throne handmade by her brother and sister, echoing the teal and turquoise colors (and the sweet mini-peacocks adorning all the tables!) she chose for her decor and her beautiful bridesmaids’ dresses. she stood out herself like a queen in red against the lavish colors and elegant details.
i could not have made it through the night without the help of two other amazing photographers – amber wilkie, who covered the groom’s horse entrance and “gate” (where he was blocked from coming in by the bride’s family until he agreed to pay up) while i was with the bridesmaids, and helped throughout the night – and zoshia minto, who helped out with the family stage portraits later in the evening. thank you both for all your incredible help!! it was also a pleasure to work with natasha and kris both nights from dolce studio films.
without further ado…

nabila & navid: mehndi and holud

June 22, 2011 | Filed Under wedding posts | 13 Comments

nabila and navid’s wedding weekend took place over the course of three days; starting with the application of her incredibly intricate mehndi (henna) designs, among family and friends at her home in baltimore, then moving to the traditional “gaye holud” event and finally to the wedding itself and reception.
here are some of my favorites from nabila’s mehndi and holud nights! it was such a pleasure to be welcomed into nabila’s home and among her friends so warmly; nabila’s happiness radiated throughout both families the whole weekend and made the extravaganza truly a wedding photographer’s dream. a bit about the gaye holud: a bengali tradition, it refers to the turmeric paste traditionally applied to the bride’s and groom’s skin in preparation for the wedding day, but the evening encompasses so much more. both sides of the family wowed the crowd with elaborate entrance dances for first navid then nabila; on stage, where the two were separated by a curtain of flowers, family members applied the turmeric paste as well as feeding bits of sweets to each of them; prayers and tears both flowed freely as mother, sister and aunts asked for God’s blessing on nabila’s marriage; and finally, friends and family on both sides performed skits and dances in celebration of the couple’s union. most definitely a party to remember!
stay tuned for nabila and navid’s incredible wedding ceremony and reception in downtown baltimore…!