I’m really excited to share these images from Holly’s and Vinay’s Indian Wedding.  This might be the first time that I’ve ever had to split up a wedding into two blog posts.  There are just too many cool shots that I want to share.  We shot for three days.  What you’re looking at now in this blog post are the shots from the pre-wedding ceremonies and celebrations– the Haldi ceremony and Ganesh Puja (at Holly’s parents’ house in Lexington on Thursday) and the Grah Shanti and the Mehndi Sangeet (at the Lexington Center on Friday).

Shooting this wedding was a photographer’s dream-come-true.  Everywhere I turned, there was beauty.  Uninhibited emotion, sacred rituals, warm people, over-the-top decor.  Sensory overload!  I loved it!

I’ve put a few of my favorites below, but I really want you to check out the slideshow.  There are plenty more images in there that best tell the story of those two days leading up to the wedding.

And be sure to check back in a couple of days.  I’ll be posting the images from the actual wedding day.  This is just the beginning!

The Haldi ceremony:

Holly’s and Vinay’s grandmothers were holding hands during much of this ceremony. So sweet.

During the Haldi ceremony, a turmeric paste is applied (quite generously this time) to the bride.  It’s supposed to give the bride glowing skin on the day of the wedding.  It worked, because Holly was gorgeous!

One of my favorite shots of Holly’s mother.

Once Holly had cleaned up from the Haldi, she and her parents took part in the Ganesh Puja ceremony.  Ganesh is the Hindu god known as the “remover of obstacles.”

Friday, we were at The Lexington Center (connected to the Hyatt Regency) for the Grah Shanti ceremony.

A cold refreshment is given to the guests during the ceremony.  What a great tradition.

Holly and her bridesmaids.

OMG.  Stunning, right?

The whole crew.

The fellas.

After the Grah Shanti, we moved to an adjoining section of the Lexington Center that had been setup for the Mehndi Sangeet.  It’s the big celebration preceding the actual wedding day.  It’s a great time for both families to meet, enjoy good food, dance, and have Mehndi artists apply henna to the hands of the women.

Funny story?  After I took this next picture, I thought, “Man, that particular dish looks awesome.  Must be an entree of some sort.  I have no idea what it is, but I’m going to make sure to get a large helping of it when I go through the buffet line.”  For those more familiar with Indian cuisine, you can imagine my shock after eating that large helping of pickle.

Holly with her bro Victor.

One of my favorite shots ever.

Holly and Vinay enjoying a dance performance put on by one of their family members.

These guys know how to dance.

Magnus grabbed this shot.  Pretty cool, eh?

Before you watch the slideshow, please go ahead and preregister HERE to see all of the images.  Once they’re released to the public view, you’ll be notified by email so that you can look through them and purchase prints.

And here’s the slideshow with almost 200 images!  Depending on your internet connection, it might take a few extra seconds to load.  It’s worth the wait!  Enjoy, and be sure to check back soon for the actual wedding day post. In the meantime, leave a comment below and connect with me through Facebook and Twitter.  Thanks! -shaun