If you are planning an Indian wedding in New Jersey and looking for a photographer, you probably have a specific set of questions. Most of them are not about photography. They are about whether the person you hire is going to know what is happening, keep up with a weekend that runs for days, and understand what your family is doing and why.
Here are my answers.
Have you photographed Indian weddings before?
Yes. I have photographed one that ran eight hours and looked, on the surface, like any other wedding day, with the traditions living in the attire and in the ceremony. I have photographed four-day weddings that included everything and then some.
In New Jersey I have photographed them at Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange more than once, the Crystal Plaza in Livingston, Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park, The Merion, The Palace at Somerset Park, and in tents in backyards in Colts Neck and beyond. NJ has a wonderful number of venues that can hold the often large guests lists of an Indian wedding, and I’ve been to many of those venues.
Do you know what is happening during the ceremony?
I know the general shape of these ceremonies, and I know the moments to be ready for.
The baraat and the milni. The ganesh puja that opens most Hindu ceremonies. The kanyadaan, when the bride’s parents give her hands to the groom. The jaimala, the exchange of garlands. The mangal pheras around the sacred fire and the saptapadi, the seven steps. The sindoor and the mangalsutra. The vidaai at the end.
What I do not know is yours. A Sikh Anand Karaj is a different ceremony from a Hindu one, a South Indian ceremony is different again, and every family within any of those does things their own way. Which rituals you are including, which ones matter most to your parents, which language your efficient is speaking in. That conversation before the day is the one that matters, and I love learning what traditions are special to you and yours.
How do you handle the baraat?
The baraat is the loudest thing that happens all weekend and it does not stop moving. I have photographed grooms who arrived on horseback, grooms who arrived by car, and one who came down the streets of Brooklyn in a vintage Beetle on his way to House of Yes.
(It was awesome.)
What I need from you beforehand is the route. Where it starts, where it ends, roughly how long it takes. Once I have that, I know where to be and when to move.
How many days should I book?
That depends on your weekend and there is no standard answer.
Some couples want every event documented from the first mehndi through the last song of the reception. Some want the ceremony and reception covered thoroughly and the rest left to the family’s phones. Some are having a single-day wedding with two or three traditions woven into it.
Tell me the shape of your celebration and I will tell you what makes sense. I would rather build coverage around your weekend than sell you a package that does not fit it.
Do I need a second photographer?
Yes for a multi-day celebrations particularly, when events overlap or run in different places. If the groom’s baraat is arriving while the bride’s family is somewhere else entirely, one photographer cannot be in both rooms.
We will talk about it once I know the schedule.
Can you keep up?
Yes. These weekends are long, they start early, and they end late. That is the job. It’s why I go to the gym. 🙂
What about our videographer?
I work alongside video teams regularly and I would rather coordinate with yours in advance than meet them for the first time during the baraat. Tell me who you are working with and I will reach out.
Will you understand our family?
These are not my traditions. They are yours.
What I can tell you is that I pay attention, I ask before the day rather than during it, and I have never once been sorry I asked a family to explain something to me. An enormous amount of thought goes into these weekends, and much of it is about honoring the people who came before. Being brought into the middle of that is a real act of trust and I take it seriously.
What about the mehndi and the sangeet?
I photograph both when couples want them covered. They are completely different events from each other and from the wedding day.
If there are choreographed performances at the sangeet, tell me in advance so I am facing the right direction when the first one starts.
What if our venue is one you have not worked at?
Not a problem. Tell me where and we will talk through the spaces beforehand. The Legacy Castle, The Venetian, The Westin Jersey City Newport, or anywhere else in the state.
When should we book?
As early as you can, particularly for a multi-day weekend. Those take more of my calendar than a single wedding day and I take a limited number of weddings each year.
Frequently Asked Questions: Indian Wedding Photography in New Jersey
How much does Indian wedding photography cost in New Jersey?
It depends on how many days and events you want covered and whether you need a second photographer. Tell me the shape of your weekend and I will give you a real number rather than a range.
How long do Indian wedding ceremonies run?
Anywhere from well under an hour to over two, depending on which rituals your family is including.
Do you photograph Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim ceremonies?
Yes. They are different ceremonies with different rituals, and every family within each of them does things their own way.
Can you cover two events happening at the same time?
With a second photographer, yes. This comes up often on multi-day weekends and it is worth planning for early.
Do you travel outside New Jersey?
New York City, Brooklyn, Long Island, Westchester, Philadelphia, and wherever else your family is gathering.
Have you photographed at our venue?
Possibly. I have photographed Indian weddings at Pleasantdale Chateau, the Crystal Plaza, Westmount Country Club, The Merion, The Palace at Somerset Park, and in tents in backyards in Colts Neck. If yours is not on that list, tell me where and we will talk through the spaces beforehand.
What do you need to know from us before the wedding?
How many days. Which events you are including. Which rituals are in your ceremony. The baraat route. Where each event is happening and how far apart those places are.
Do you work with videographers?
Regularly. Tell me who you are working with and I will coordinate with them in advance.
What if we are only including a few traditions?
Common and completely fine.
When should we book you?
As early as you can. Multi-day weekends take more of my calendar than a single wedding day.
If you are planning one
Tell me about your wedding. How many days, who is coming, and what you are most looking forward to. I can’t wait to hear!
