This was a first for me. No, it was not my first Indian wedding, I have shot a few hundred of those in the San Francisco Bay Area. This one was a different type of Hindu wedding. One that you would find in India. The ceremony start time was 2am! Yes, 2am in the morning and it went until 5am. Now why would you have a wedding at 2am you ask? It is because in India it is customary to consult with your Priest to find out the most auspicious time for the marriage ceremony to occur. And when they consulted the Priest in the Groom’s village in India, 2am was told to be the start time of this wedding.
Now although the more formal part of the ceremony started at 2am, the pre ceremony festivities started the night before, from a respectable 7pm-11pm. This is where the bride and groom exchanged garlands and rings and many of their extended friends and family came to take part in the events. The evening events were held at the Fremont Marriott, which has been newly renovated and looks amazing!
After the party ended at 11pm I went home for a couple hours and took a one hour power nap before heading out to the Bride’s home in Mountain View where the ceremony was to start at 2am. For the first hour or so everyone was a little tired to say the least, but then a little after 3am I didn’t even notice the time and it seemed like we all should be up and doing our thing!
The ceremony was beautiful and I especially liked their Mandap set up and how they decorated their home. We had an amazing time working together and I have compiled some of my favorites to share with you below. Enjoy!
