Indian Wedding in Napa Valley at the Silverado Resort

I had the opportunity on September 7 to photograph an Indian wedding at the Napa Silverado Resort in Napa Valley, CA. This was my first experience with an Indian wedding, shooting with Claire Barrett of Claire Barrett Photo. Her photography is amazing, and she puts a lot of thought and detail into her photos. It was an honor to second shoot for her!

Since I hadn’t photographed OR attended an Indian wedding before I had no idea what to expect, but I love learning about different traditions for other cultures and the meaning behind them. Many of the elements of an American wedding day still apply: lots of getting ready time, first look, photos with the wedding party, the processional, and of course the announcement as husband and wife! I added some thoughts below so you can understand what is happening if you’re unfamiliar with what the day looks like.

Neha and Sid’s relationship with each other and their friends and families was so great to watch throughout the day. Neha is incredibly detailed and organized, and planned everything out so well. Sid is kind and thoughtful, and I heard him thanking everyone around him basically all day long. Enjoy the photos!

Wedding Planner: Behl Events
Decorator: Rion Designs
Photography: Claire Barrett
Videography: Filmman Video
DJ: Bol Punjab De
Henna Artist: Ritual by Design
Bridal HMUA: Artistry by Christal
Bridal Party & Family HMUA: A-List Makeup

Getting Ready

One thing that I loved about the morning was seeing all of the beautiful Henna designs. Each of the designs has symbolic meaning, and for wedding day Henna, it typically extends past the wrists. Neha explained to a friend that there was a part of her design that Sid hadn’t seen yet, and it was a surprise for him.

First Look + Portraits

Ceremony

The ceremony space is set up with the mandap (pictured on the right below). The bride and groom sit in the two chairs at the back, and there are chairs for the parents on the sides.

During the Baraat, which is a northern Indian tradition in which the groom rides up on a horse (in this case Sid drove up in a Mustang car 😉 ), there is a procession of dancing and drums. The bride doesn’t take part in this – she is hidden away while the groom arrives and the relatives greet each other.

Finally the bride arrives with her procession of bridesmaids (Neha had one “bridesman” as she called him!) and is escorted down the aisle.

Sid and Neha exchanged flower garlands during the ceremony.

Reception

Second dress of the day, and a second first look!

Are you planning a wedding in Napa Valley and looking for a photographer? Contact me for info about my packages!