yasmeen and aakif: mehndi

meet yasmeen and aakif! i was so happy when i first heard from yasmeen - an old friend of mine from our college days back at UNC - that she was getting married, and that she was marrying into a family i already knew somewhat: her husband is a cousin of one of my dearest childhood friends, and his brother is married to a younger friend of mine whom i watched grow up in north carolina. so i have to say - there were plenty of familiar faces at their wedding to me, some i hadn't seen in years. but more than anything, i truly enjoyed seeing - and capturing - the smiles on both their faces: seeing my friend and her family so happy reminded me in such a personal way of why i love shooting weddings.here are a few images from yasmeen and aakif's mehndi, held at the quaintly beautiful, cozy hollin hall in alexandria. this event was replete with all the best of the "rasams" (rituals) that the two families enjoy so much - holding the groom's finger, threatening him with henna paste or smearing his face with turmeric paste, for all of which he must agree to pay up the bride's sisters or friends to be freed from. these antics, along with the touching and hilarious dances performed by the families' children, produced so much beautiful laughter all evening long... just see for yourself! next up, yasmeen and aakif's shaadi...