If you’ve been following along with my work for some time, you might recall me announcing I would no longer be booking or shooting weddings after 2023. When Sajel reached out to me in early 2023, she understood my situation and was curious if I would be interesting in photographing their “minimal” Indian wedding. After speaking to Sajel about working together, I knew this was an event and couple I wanted to work with and their date was set for mid-2024.

To steal what I had written on my Facebook post from this evening:

Up until this point, I had only photographed very straight-forward, structured American weddings. Saturday’s ceremony at the Gurdwara Sahib (Sikh place of worship) was so outside my comfort zone but exactly what I was excited about experiencing. Sunday was the Hindu ceremony at a more modern wedding venue. I was asked so many times if I had ever shot an Indian wedding. I felt like during my time in the wedding industry they were so elusive, only hearing about them being 12+ hour events full of parties, cultural traditions and a LOT of work. Sajel explained to me early on that it wouldn't be quite as involved as what you might see normally in India or some times here in the US, they would still be honoring many of their traditions. I would love to be able to verbally explain some of them to you, but I was along for the ride, listening, watching and documenting each step of the way.

Sajel and Kaerny were my last wedding clients. I have no more weddings booked and I haven't had my wedding page live in quite some time for new inquiries. In 2022 I had said 2023 was the end of my wedding photography / videography career but made a few exceptions for 2024 - especially for anyone getting married on a mountain or Iceland (bags are packed, still). For me weddings became too routine, too redundant and I felt like I wasn't growing creatively. The moment I feel like there is no growth in anything I'm doing, I know it's time for a change. I'm so grateful for the events of that weekend, how truly welcomed I felt, being met with nothing but ear-to-ear smiles, hugs, "love you's" & being told I was now part of the family.

Once I got to my car, I sat in stillness for a few minutes. No music. No phones. Just quiet reflection.

"The end of a melody is not its goal: but nonetheless, had the melody not reached its end it would not have reached its goal either. A parable."

Enjoy these select images from their celebrations.