Hiral and Anant's wedding festivities culminated with the arrival of the ceremony. Anant and family made a grand entrance during the baraat and its conclusion he was greeted by his bride. The event transitioned to a grand mandap outside of the Turf Club for the ceremony which was attended by over 1500 guests.

Below are some images from the finale of 4 days of shooting a South Asian wedding—my first in Mumbai, India. Hopefully I get an opportunity to go back and visit them.

After the amazing sangeet dance party, Hiral's family and Anant's family hosted two mehndi events: one in the afternoon and a second in the evening. The morning event featured tons of Hiral's family and friends extending blessings and well wishes. The evening event featured Anant's family and friends doing the same plus many guests (even my second photographer Alyssa) got an opportunity to have henna applied. Below are a few selects featuring more beautiful Hindu culture.

One of the highlights of my wedding career was getting the opportunity to photograph Hiral and Anant's wedding in Mumbai, India last year. Their families took care of us and spoiled us with great accommodations, amazing food and fantastic hospitality throughout our entire time there.

The first event we photographed was the sangeet. It was a night of pure entertainment and it featured performances by the couple's family and friends. And lots (and lots) of dancing. Here are some of our favorites from the night and there are more images to come from the days that follow leading to the wedding day.

"You're our family photographer"

There is a lot of pressure in that title—one given to me by Anat's brother Yoav. But after photographing his engagement photos, his sister's engagement photos, photographing their destination wedding in Jerusalem and finally their grand affair at the Corinthian in Houston I think he may have a pretty good case for it.

After an intimate ceremony in Israel, it was time to include their (substantial) collection of family and friends stateside in the wedding festivities. Close family, friends from school, work and the political world all took in an amazing film of their ceremony in Israel (shot by Omer Yadgar and edited by the amazing team over at 31 Films) and watched them exchange vows for a second time.

The images below are collaboration from myself, Scott, and Alyssa. It's always such a treat to see what their talented eyes can put together and add to the story.

I've been holding on to this one for a little while--among my most favorite weddings I've ever photographed. Happy to share this on the blog today.

EVENT DETAILS
Getting Ready Location: Hotel Granduca
Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Corinthian
Floral: The Blooming Gallery
Cinematography: 31 Films
Wedding Coordinator: Eventology Weddings

I often get the question: "Do you photograph maternity photos?" and the answer is--definitely! Today I'm featuring some images from two of my favorite clients: Janelle and Thomas. I photographed their wedding back in 2010 and I was delighted that after all this time they still kept me in mind for taking some photos to commemorate the impending arrival of their daughter Emerson.

As any Houston-area person can attest, the weather can be volatile: cold and rainy one day, beautiful the next. And that volatile weather caused us to reschedule this session several times but we were fortunate to strike gold on the last attempt. The skies were the most beautiful shade of blue and there was plenty of fantastic sunlight which complimented Janelle's radiant glow.

They were kind enough to escort me through the areas surrounding their home in Pearland and when we weren't busy catching up we were able to sneak in a few photos as well.

Now that Emerson has arrived, I hope I get a chance to meet her and perhaps she'll be featured on the blog herself. ;)

After meeting Dara and Chuma it seemed like we should have met long ago--the Nigerian community in Houston is notoriously small--and it also felt like we had known each other for a while. After an engagement session, a bridal session and finally the wedding day, it truly seems like we know them and their families well. My wife and I even got a chance to attend a pre-wedding event where we ran into many of our friends including my friend Olu and Erica & Jan whose wedding I was preparing to photograph in the Dominican Republic in a few weeks.
Their wedding day was effortlessly elegant but the reception was what you would expect from a Nigerian wedding: lively, tons of dancing, and vibrant attire.

EVENT DETAILS
Ceremony Venue: Sugar Land First United Methodist Church
Reception Venue: La Colombe d'Or
Wedding Coordinator: Robert Shipman & Associates
Floral and Decor: Bergner & Johnson
Band: Such and Such Band
DJ: DJ Tunes
Lighting: Brightstar Productions
Bride's Shoes: Christian Louboutin

Below are some of my favorite images from Scott, Alyssa, and myself:

After I photographed their engagement session in Houston, Erica let it slip that they were planning a destination wedding in the Dominican Republic. I had such a great time with them that it seemed meant to be that I'd photograph their wedding also. We finally confirmed I'd be joining them and the excitement continued to build because I kept running into them! At Anat and Jay's wedding in Houston as well as Dara & Chuma's.

I was greeted by beautiful weather when I arrived at the Punta Cana airport. That weather would continue until just moments after the ceremony concluded. Fortunately the reception was in a covered space on the resort grounds and in between dodging rain drops we snuck in a few portraits of their family and friends on the beach as well.

The night before their wedding, I also had a great time photographing their rehearsal dinner. I don't often get a chance to photograph these events but love it when I do because you learn so much about the history of the couple with their family and friends and get a chance to know the guests in a more relaxed setting.

Below are some highlights from their wedding weekend:

Any bride will tell you that putting together a wedding is quite a task. Coordinating a destination wedding when your wedding location is thousands of miles away is even tougher. When Anat first contacted me about photographing her wedding in Jerusalem I was incredibly excited about the chance to travel there (I'd never been) but I was even more excited for Anat because it represented a chance for her to wed in her home country. The amount of logistics to be coordinated for the wedding must have been daunting but I knew it would pay off for her. In an effort to be good hosts, Anat, Jay and her brother Yoav even put together a tour of Israel that would serve as a companion experience for those traveling in for the wedding.

So as I was on the way to the airport and I got a call from Jay that the wedding was being postponed-my heart sank. In the days leading up to the wedding, tensions between Israel and Gaza flared and Anat, who was already in Israel, decided for everyone's safety they'd reschedule.

After they chose their new wedding date I let them know that as long as I was available I would be there without a doubt. So when the new date was finalized I happily joined them in Jerusalem.

I was honored to be a part of this now smaller, more intimate affair and it allowed me plenty of time to get to know both the bride and groom's families. These photos will always be a reminder of a special wedding and a special trip.

EVENT DETAILS
Ceremony & Reception Venue: King David Hotel
Videography: Omer Yadgar Films
Makeup: Adi Nissim

Below are a few selected images:

Mary and Karl's wedding day was a classic fusion of cultures blending both Cambodian and Indian traditions. Our day started at the bride's parents' home and gave us our first opportunity to photograph a Cambodian ceremony. Scott and I were able to grab several emotional moments as the ceremony unfolded, ending, of course, with Mary and Karl united.

After an intermission the reception commenced at The Bell Tower on 34th which remains one of Houston's most in-demand venues. After an initial entrance, dancing, and cake cutting, the couple then changed into traditional Indian attire and joined their friends on the dance floor.

It's always a pleasure to work with Audrey and this wedding was no different. And thanks to Alyssa who also contributed some photos below.

EVENT DETAILS
Ceremony Venue: Residence
Reception Venue: The Bell Tower on 34th
Wedding Coordinator: Events by Audrey
Floral: Floral Events
Linens: The Perfect Touch Linens
Cake: Cakes by Gina
Videography: A & A Video
DJ: DJ Scoop

Jyotsna and Shailesh's wedding was without a doubt one of my favorite weddings that I've photographed. So it's quite a shame that in the months following their wedding I was so busy running around I didn't even have time to share them here on the blog. Though it's been quite some time it's still one of my favorites because it's my first Indian (Hindu) wedding and represents us rising to the challenge of telling a different type of wedding day story.

You can see photos from their Sangeet which was a prelude to the wedding ceremony and reception, here. You can see photos from their engagement photos in New York City here.

EVENT DETAILS
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Briscoe Manor
Ceremony Decor: Decor One
DJ: DJ Chani
Videography: A & A Video

And just below are some from their vibrant and perfect wedding day:

Jyotnsa and Shailesh gave me my first opportunity to work with an Indian couple for a Hindu wedding. It took a lot of trust on their part because while I did have the documentary photography style they were looking for I hadn't photographed a wedding quite like the one they were presenting me with. For starters, there were several events set across multiple days.

My first opportunity to take photos for them was the Sangeet, a dance party which precedes the ceremony. As I was on the way home from this amazing event and was preparing for the wedding to come, I sent a text to my second photographer, Scott, that said: "We are going to need more (CompactFlash) cards."

Photos from the even more amazing wedding day will follow, but for now please enjoy some fabulous photos of people having an amazing time at the Sangeet:

Christine contacted me very close to the date of her wedding saying she had been continuously looking for a photographer and thought she found the right fit when she landed on my website. She talked more about her wedding and how her fiance's family would be flying in from France, they had a bridal party and friends that were about fun and, the deal-sealer for me, a mac and cheese station, and I knew that this would be a wedding that would be a good fit for me too.

Their wedding took us to West University United Methodist Church and afterward we all headed downtown for the reception at the Grove which features great views of downtown Houston on its upper deck.

The one thing I'll remember about this wedding is the venue basically had to shut the lights off; no one wanted to leave. It says a lot about the fun atmosphere if people can't tear themselves away.

After her engagement photos with her (then) fiancé‎, Chuma, Dara invited me back out so I could take her bridal photos in a majestic Sugar Land home. Below are just a few selections:

I started teaching group fitness classes in my free time a few years back and it's been an incredible way to stay in shape and much like wedding photography, I get to meet tons of great people. One of the facilities I frequent for these classes is Westside Tennis and Fitness and it's there that I met Tracy who also instructs when she's not working.

I don't always get a chance to work with clients prior to the wedding day, but in Tracy's case we had a chance to get together for her bridal session. So combining that session with our familiarity from the Westside days, we had a great relationship and trust by the time of the wedding day.

Tracy and Paul seem to be perfect for each other and they exchanged very sincere and emotional vows at The Gallery. All of their family and friends were excited and happy and their accompanying emotion and energy during the reception reflected it.

I'm happily sharing a few images from their special day below:

My history with Anat stretches far, far back. After seeing the engagement photos of my previous clients Amber and Vicente she referred her older brother Yoav to me for engagement photos. I met her boyfriend (then fiance, now husband) Jay at Amber and Vicente's wedding where they were tearing up the dance floor.

Anat and Jay brought me to the almost obnoxiously picturesque Inn at Dos Brisas. On the drive there we had plenty of time to talk about their wedding plans (they had wedding events in both Jerusalem and here in Houston) and get a feel for their personalities. The grounds at Dos Brisas allowed us plenty of options for great photos and even an opportunity for Anat, who loves horses, to interact with the other tenants of the property. ;-)

A few images from their engagement session: