Luxury Sikh Indian wedding in London / Dina and Tarj

When Dina and Tarj emailed me about my wedding photography, I got curious. They’ve already had a western style wedding - a town hall and a Manor House reception and now they were planning their Indian wedding, celebrating the Sikh tradition of the Groom. I knew it would be amazing, but in my wildest dreams I didn’t expect this day to be so fantastically colourful, joyful, warm and fun! I loved it so much and I’m the biggest fan of Asian weddings in London! Hit me up guys, if you’re planning anything similar :-)

Indian couple kissing after a beautiful Sikh wedding ceremony. Bride is wearing a red sari and groom is holding a sward that has been in his family for generations

Asian wedding photography in London

As much as I’m not a traditional wedding photographer, I’m really drawn to colourful, multi-day celebrations like the Sikh wedding of Dina and Tarj - it was a feast for my eyes and soul, as everyone was so generous and warm and welcoming. The dance floor was wild from the first moments (loved it!!) and everyone made sure I stuffed my belly with the most delicious Indian food (once I spent 3 months travelling in India and the experience has never left me. I miss the people and the food and jump at every opportunity to indulge myself with some thali or samosas. But, let’s go back to Dina and Tarj. They wanted an editorial wedding photographer as they knew very well that apart from the traditional family portraits (I took a lot of these!) they also wanted someone to capture the joy, the colours, the atmosphere, the dancing and the feel of the day. So on their Sikh Ceremony Day, we started at the Groom’s house, where the traditional tying of the turban ritual takes place in the morning. It is called

Sehra Bandhi

and it is followed by the joyful arrival of both families in Gurudwara (the Sikh temple). Religiously called Anand Karaj, the wedding ceremony takes place in the presence of the Sikh holy book ‘Guru Granth Sahib Ji’. The ceremony starts with the morning hymn, Asa di var, and the prayers. The bride and groom take fours round trips (pheras or laavan) around the sacred Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Each circle has a verse associated with it which describes the various stages of the marital love and the joy and importance of a wedding. The wedding concludes with the final circling and after we take all the required family photos, the delicious meal is being served. Let’s see the photos from Tarj and Dina’s Sikh ceremony

Sikh couple in the traditional outfits pose for photos in London. The Bride kisses the groom

Luxury Asian wedding in London

After the Ceremony, the Bride goes back to her parents house and the Groom has to win her over - this super fun tradition is full of games and jokes. When the Groom is let into the house, more celebrations follow - some dancing, some gifts and of course - more delicious food. When the day comes to an end, another tradition awaits. It’s called Deli and it’s quite a tear-jerking moment - the Bride says goodbye to her parents and a family home. I have been lucky enough to capture it and I might or might not shed a tear myself.. ;-)

Choosing Your Sikh Wedding Photographer

Start looking for a wedding photographer as early as possible, as the best photographers get booked months, sometimes years, in advance! If you’re getting married outside of so called wedding season (which is, basically, the summer), you may be lucky. But if your ceremony is anywhere between May and October - I recommend enquiring at least a year in advance

What style of Wedding Photography do you want?

My style is editorial - it means I aim to capture your day’s atmosphere in a relaxed way, but using all my skills earned working in a fashion industry. IT doesn’t mean that I won’t take those family group photos, of course I will! But I will also take some Vogue-worthy editorial portraits and a couple’s session.

How many photographers?

I always recommend having a second photographer at Asian weddings, as there’s a lot going on and usually a lot of guests too.

Does the Sikh Wedding Photographer offer an engagement shoot?

Absolutely! A pre-wedding shoot is a great way to get to know your photographer and ‘warm up’ to being photographed by them. Plus, you get extra photos to share with family and friends.

I absolutely loved photographing the Sikh wedding in London - unforgettable experience! And if you are planning an Asian wedding and would love to have an editorial photographer to capture it all - do not hesitate to contact me! Just click HERE or head to the contact section of my website. I would love to have a chat!

Sikh and Punjabi wedding photography by Marta Ilardo Photography - an award winning editorial wedding photographer based in London.

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