sabrina and matt: shaadi

sabrina and matt got married last weekend! how can i explain how much anticipation i've had for this wedding since i first spoke with sabrina earlier this year??i'll start with this: sabrina hails from london, and contacted me about shooting her mehndi (pre-wedding henna/dance party) and rukhsathi (reception/couple's leavetaking) here in maryland, where much of her extended family lives. matt hails from small-town northern ireland; but he's been in the mainland UK for a while now, which is where he converted to islam. the two of them met while studying at the university of aberdeen in scotland; their nikah (vows ceremony) was held earlier this summer back in london. now... if you know me at all, right now you're thinking, "haha, ayesha must have LOVED that!!" why, yes... yes, i did. for those who don't know as much, i have had this inexplicable passion for all things celtic ever since high school. i even have celtic knots on my engagement ring. but it started with ireland, and expanded to scotland when i attended graduate school at the university of edinburgh in 1997 (oh my... that was a long time ago!). and my very first day trip as a traveling student there was actually to the university of aberdeen, which is the third oldest university in scotland. so, when sabrina told me about all this... i was so excited and honored to be chosen as her wedding photographer! it's the closest i've come to my career dream, which is to shoot a wedding in the UK... ireland... scotland... wherever :) aside from all my personal silliness with this, i truly enjoyed meeting sabrina and matt, and getting to know them a little this past weekend. sabrina's younger brother and sister were incredibly helpful to me, and kept me laughing; both her parents and matt's parents were very kind and just so joyful. the reception was held at martin's crosswinds in greenbelt; we ended up doing the wedding-day portraits back at the couple's hotel in washington, d.c., after the reception, and then met a couple of days later for an additional portrait session outdoors - i'll keep you all posted on that one. meanwhile, please take a look at a few images from the wedding day! sabrina and matt, i thank you both so much for allowing me into your lives for a couple of days, and being so patient with me and my camera! i pray that God blesses your marriage - alhamdulillah, to be starting your journey in the best month of the year! - and that the love i saw between you grows and strengthens every year.