Photographer For Indian Wedding Minneapolis

As an engagement and wedding photographer in Minnesota photographer in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities, I have captured through my camera many multicultural weddings!

This one wedding was so intense that it could actually be split into two different articles: one Indian ceremony and one more classic traditional Protestant wedding. Both ceremonies took place at the beautiful Van Dusen venue.

The First Contact With the Bride and Groom

I was first contacted by the bride-to-be on the internet. They both live in another state in the USA, but have some family living in the North of the State and in Wisconsin. That’s why they decided to get married in Minneapolis. After exchanging some emails with them, we decided to schedule a video session. It was an opportunity to learn more about their special traditional Indian wedding that they were planning in the Mill City. After two hours of explaining to them all about my way of working, they decided to move forward and hire me as their photographer to cover their wedding. Hurray!

Pre-Wedding Session

Several weeks later, but only 5 days before the wedding, I finally met face to face with the bride and her fiancé for their photo session. Since it was a destination wedding, they decided to arrive in town one week prior to their event so they could finalize the organization of their Indian wedding. The pre-wedding session is always a good way to learn more about the couples and help them feel at ease in front of my camera. As a wedding photographer, I always recommend one before your ceremony in the Twin Cities. With this couple, we took some pictures outside of the Guthrie Theater.

The Groom’s Dinner on a River Boat in Stillwater

The day prior to their celebration in Minneapolis, the two lovers decided to rent a Steam Boat in Stillwater on the Mississippi River (between Minnesota and Wisconsin) and to celebrate the groom’s dinner. I don’t know if the rehearsal dinner is a tradition that occurs in India, but it is in American culture! There were many family members invited! During this dinner, I caught many interactions and candid moments. We also made some formal pictures for the family. At the end of the dinner, they performed an Indian tradition: parents said some words, and then they threw some flowers in the river. It was nice. At this point I knew that the wedding would be gorgeous.

Laughter during the Bride’s Preparation

Early in the morning I arrived at the hotel where the bride was getting ready. I understood that the night before was kind of exhausting. I don’t know if they partied or did the Sangeet. There are indeed many Indian traditions that are supposed to be performed before a wedding. In the Indian culture, the ceremony takes place over several days. That said, at this point I have to confess I am not an expert and I can’t tell the difference between Hindu wedding, Punjabi and Gujarati weddings. So if you read me and I say anything incorrect, please let me know!

Traditional rituals for an Indian wedding ceremony

If, like me, you are excited to discover a variety of other cultures, here is a list of the different rituals that compose a wedding. First, prior to a Hindu wedding ceremony, the parents are supposed to meet and discuss in advance the agreement of the wedding. Then the bride has to plant nine seeds in the ground which are supposed to sprout prior to the wedding day.

In the Tilak tradition, the men from the bride’s side visit the groom’s family and offer them some gifts. The opposite also exists. During the ritual of engagement, the engagement tradition takes place where the couple exchanges golden rings. After that, we have the Henna ceremony, also named Pitthi and Mehndi/Mehendi. Both bride and groom are supposed to have some henna tattoos during the Hindu marriage. I have heard that during the Haldi wedding the lovers have their faces covered by turmeric on the wedding day, which is great for photos. Obviously, that didn’t occur during this time.

How They Became Husband and Wife

The organization was kind of chaotic! I stayed with the bride during her getting ready. She had both a traditional white dress and traditional Indian dress. I can’t say if it was a Saree or a Bridal Lehenga, but it was colorful! When you look at the bride’s hands and feet, you may notice in the pictures that she did the henna ritual!

All the bridesmaids and women had to get ready together. Also the mom and the sister of the groom came to the bride’s suite. Finally, I left for the Van Dusen Venue where the husband-to-be was waiting for his fiancée.

The Indian Reception

The traditional wedding requires the groom to arrive on a horse or an elephant. I was, of course, hoping to see an elephant in the street! Actually, it was on a horse carriage that the groom arrived. His groomsmen put an Indian hat on top of his head. Some musicians were playing drums on the street and all the guests were dancing.

When he arrived in front of the venue, some women (from the bride’s side) offered some presents to the groom. They gave him some food and tried to touch his nose while his mother pretended to defend him. It was funny. The groom walked down to a priest who was waiting for him on an Indian altar. The priest put the red dot on the groom’s forehead.

The Ritual Part

As a photographer, I had previously worked as an Indian wedding photographer. That was only for small family intimate weddings, with fewer rituals. Thus, what follows was for me a new experience!

First, the Indian altar (called Mandap) was remarkable. It was decorated with some old chairs and garlands in the backdrop. What I understand is that first they pray for Ganesh, the god of wisdom and luck. After that, the officiant gives the groom some food and some flowers that the groom must put back on the ground. Afterwards, the groom had his hands washed. Then the bride walked down the aisle, but the groom was not allowed to see her. They remained separated by a curtain. When they finally saw each other, they exchanged a garland of colored flowers.

Then there was something involving money. The priest put some rice in the hands of the couple, followed by a nut. Then they joined their hands, and the family tied the couple with a nice wire that means they are now tied for life. After that, the fire ceremony happened where the bride and groom had to walk, barefoot, around a fire. It’s a pretty interesting ritual to capture with a camera. The sacred fire is a centerpiece of the Hindu ritual. After that, the family members came one by one to touch the couple’s feet and ears. The bride received a head jewel. And finally all the families came to bless the newly married couple.

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How to Mix Cultures With Talent

In our overactive world, people who are looking for authenticity turn to their roots, their origin, their culture, but also their passion or their beliefs. Also I believe that all real weddings are a mix of modern trends and traditions. Like cocktails or fusion food, mixing good elements is the recipe to create great events.

Check out my portfolio and the following events to discover images of all kinds of cross-cultural unions.

Conclusion

That was a very nice traditional Indian wedding! I was blessed to capture so many moments of their big day. There were many colors, and lots of important moments that needed to be captured in pictures. I invite you to check the second part of this journey that happened in the same place (the Van Dusen Venue in Minneapolis).

So, if you are planning a destination wedding in India, or an Indian wedding in the 10,000 Lakes State (or a Hindu, Sikh, Punjabi, Gujarati or Muslim wedding) and you are looking for a team offering a variety of good portraits and videography, then hire a photographer with background in advertising photography to capture your special day!

Contact us, we are based in Rochester, but we cover the entire Southeast of the State and beyond.