I promised you more of Neha & Sumit, and here they are!
Prior to the wedding, Neha had many ceremonies with her family, including the sangeet, mehendi, and churda.
Neha is an incredible dancer, you’d have to see her to believe it. I was stunned by the surprise dance she did at the sangeet.
Neha was so relaxed during the days leading up to the wedding. Definitely a bride-chilla.
This was our first Hindu wedding, and we enjoyed learning about all of the ceremonies. The various items at the ceremonies all have special meaning:
Fire – the element that dispels darkness
Water – life nourishing element
River – dispeller of evil spirits
Coconut – fertility
Sandhur – auspiciousness
Following the chura ceremony, the family had a discussion with the priest – while my Hindi isn’t that good, I was able to pick out a few topics, and it was very interesting. One of the most thought provoking was the idea that nothing can ever be destroyed; everything goes back into the earth.
This wedding was a bit different for us – it was mostly documentary, with not very much time for any posed/formal photos. I love the results…as much as we love being creative with our portraits, it was cool to challenge ourselves with catching moments, even more so than usual. I wouldn’t say it is a shift in our style, but it was an amazing experience.
That being said, we of course got some sweet shots of the two of them…
Check out her dimples!
I had not met Sumit before the wedding – Michael did their engagement session, and Sumit hadn’t been at any of the pre-wedding ceremonies in Edmonton. My first time meeting him was here (wow!):
The Barat was quite long, and Sumit had a nice ride on the horse around the hotel with his family before being welcomed in.
At the ceremony, Neha & Sumit exchanged garlands of fresh flowers to declare their commitment to each other.
Neha was very emotional during the ceremony.
The reception was also at the Coast Edmonton East in Sherwood Park. Neha & Sumit enjoyed many speeches and performances; my favourite was this young man who was a very energetic dancer.
Neha thanked her brother in particular for being her unofficial wedding planner – I must say he did a fantastic job!
Dance time!
This is my favourite shot of the whole wedding.
Special thanks to Monica from Suhaag Weddings for helping ensure everything ran smoothly – it was great working with you again!
Neha & Sumit, we wish you all happiness as you being your new life together in Montreal. We hope to see you soon! Thank you for being so relaxed, and making our job so enjoyable.
