If you were impressed by the Kentucky-themed welcome party from Part 3, then you won’t be disappointed by how cool the this pre-wedding day Mendhi (Henna) party was.

First, let me provide some background that I alluded to in an earlier post…

Sheena came to know me through her sisters Nisha and Priya, who I met at Holly’s and Vinay’s wedding back in 2010. I’m a big fan of those two. Not just because they pimp my photography (though I certainly don’t mind!), but because they’re some of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. The whole family is.

With Sheena and Sameer in New Jersey, we initially used Skype to get to know each other  and discuss the possibility of me being their photographer. But as luck would have it, I ended up being in New York in November of last year for a commercial shoot. We were able to meet up for Spanish tapas at Alta, and it was there that I realized these two were not only my kind of people, but they had mad style. Crazy, mad style.

They told me all about their plans for the decor, food, clothing and programming. How they’d be hiring Sima and Ragini Patel (Weddings InStyle) to handle all the design and decor at the Lexington Center and Hyatt. Sima and I have worked with each other before, so I knew this was going to be over-the-top incredible.  They’re THE BEST.

Here are some of my faves:

I love this stuff.

Thanks to Nidhi Talati, Abdhija Joshi, Mayaben Kalathia and Nileshwari Patel for providing all the beautiful Henna.

Banana Leaf provided dinner. Excellent. I had my fair share.

The highlight of the night was when groups of family /friends performed for Sheena and Sameer.

Thanks to the DJ Kamlesh Kothari for laying down the funk so that Sameer could show off his dance prowess.

And before I end this post, let me take a second to make a re-introduction…

Betsy started shooting with me in the fall of 2007, fresh out of high school and on her way to college. We shot a ton of weddings together back then and ended up becoming good friends along the way. A couple years ago, though, she had to back off from shooting with me because she was living in Atlanta while finishing her photography degree from the prestigious SCAD. I was sad to see her go, but so, so proud of her growth in photography.

Well Betsy’s graduated. And she’s back. Betsy 2.0, y’all!

Check out Part 5. The final day—-the wedding day! And if you haven’t yet connected with me, here’s a great place to start. Thanks!

If you’ve been keeping up with the story from Part 1 and Part 2, then you’ve already watched as Sheena and Sameer were reacquainted with their close family and friends. The mood so far was relaxed and fun, but Friday morning brought a different feel. The Pooja ceremonies leading up to the wedding day are quiet. Stirring. From the outside looking in, I’m always in awe of these ancient traditions that are alive and well. To know that you’re a part of a bigger whole is a wonderful thing.

A HUGE thank-you goes to Kinnari Shah who provided all the hair and makeup for Sheena Thursday and Friday. I’ve worked with her before, and she’s the bomb-shizzle.

Here’s Part 4! It’s the Mehndi before the big day. And please connect with me HERE!

It’s true what they say—You can take a girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl. Sheena grew up in Hazard, KY, and though she and Sameer now live in Hoboken, New Jersey, she still bleeds blue and is outspoken of her affection for Kentucky. To provide her many out-of-town guests an opportunity to experience Kentucky, the welcome party Thursday evening was held at Talon Winery. Complete with cowboy boots,  moonshine and line-dancing.

But before the party came some bonding time for Sameer and the fellas at Greenbriar.

Another fellow Mt. Sterling native, Paul Martin, teeing off.

I know jack squat about golf. But this looks pretty good to me, Sameer!

I’m a sucker for awesome wedding videography. There’s something video captures across seconds that won’t ever be caught by a still-camera in a fraction one. Chuck and Megan own ICVideo. They’re at the top of their field, and there’s simply no other wedding videography team I know of that’s better equipped with experience, resources and professionalism—-especially for large-scale Indian weddings. I highly recommend them.

Sherry Spradlin was the event coordinator for the week. Her demeanor was a perfect compliment to the week.

Love this!

This was a really cool idea. Wine and love letters nailed shut in a box. Only to be opened after their first inevitable big argument.

Sheena with her sisters Nisha and Priya. Nisha and Priya

Here’s Part 3! And here’s a link to Part 1, just in case you missed it. Take care, and please connect with me here!