When this lovely Bride ( - we’ll call her “T”) and Groom ( - we’ll call him “A”) first got in touch with me about their Destination Hindu Wedding in Bermuda, I was excited to hear that their multi-day wedding was going to be a religious and cultural celebration; one that would tie them together spiritually as husband and wife. One of my favorite things about their Hindu wedding was getting to learn more about their religion and culture. With their event taking place over several days, I worked closely with the couple and an amazing team of vendors to make sure the wedding was perfect. My time with the couple started the day before the wedding at the “Making of the Bride” gathering, which took place at the bride’s house. Later that same evening, we gathered at the Hamilton Princess for the Rehearsal Dinner. On the day of the actual wedding, I started with the Groom for his “getting ready” shots at 7:30am - just after sunrise.
Afterwords, I made my way over to the Bride’s room. Upon my arrival, T was just about done with her hair - which was beautifully done by Stylz by Traci - and was getting ready to step into her mint sari, the first outfit for the day. Later on in the evening, the bride would wear a beautiful gold lehenga - which was accompanied by rubies, diamonds, and a pair of Yves Saint Laurent heels. The bride, her mom, aunts, and cousins all got ready together.
With the Bride’s father and family waiting just outside the ceremony door - it was time for the Groom’s Arrival, who was accompanied by his parents. From there, the Kashi Yatra began. During this time, it’s traditional for the Groom to pretend as though he’s not ready for matrimony and for the Bride’s father to have a “heart to heart” with him about the values of marriage; a few “words of wisdom” for a bit of encouragement if you will… Both the Groom and the Father of the Bride played out this traditional scene quite well. After a few laughs, the groom was offered gifts, his feet were washed, and everyone made their way to the ceremony space.
It’s important to note that the couple hosted their wedding in the middle of the day in the middle of the summer in Bermuda. Considering the heat and humidity, the couple thought it best to conduct most of the ceremony indoors, where everyone could benefit from the air conditioning. Cyniqua, the wedding planner, and her team at Just Dreams Event Planning & Decor did a wonderful job of setting up the ceremony space in the Trudeau Ballroom at the Hamilton Princess. Gold and white were the “theme colors” for the wedding; simple and classic.
Once the groom, families, and guests made their way into the ballroom, the priest continued with the Ganesha Pooja. This began at the mandapam, a stage or platform with four pillars, which represented the four elements of earth: land, water, fire, and air. During this time, prayers are said to Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles; these prayers ask for Ganesha’s blessing. The Punyahavachanam was the next step, which is a purification ritual that occurs before the Kanya Agaman, which is the arrival of the bride. T made her way down the aisle - coconut in hand, which represents selflessness & the couple giving each other selflessly in their relationship.
Once the Bride arrived at the mandapan, she found herself on one side of a curtain with her groom - or so she hoped was her groom - on the other side! With sacred hymns and Sannai Melam (drums) playing in the background (thank you DJ Rusty G) - it was time for the Kanyadaanam - the giving away of the bride. Only at the most appointed auspicious time does the Subha Muhurtham occur - still behind the curtain - the couple applied Jeelakarra (a paste of cumin seeds) and Bellam (hardened brown sugar) onto each other’s heads. The sweet sugar and bitter cumin represented the ups and downs the bride and groom may face together during their marriage.
With the curtain lifted and offering prayers stated, the Mangalya Pooja & Dharana - the Tying of the Knot - began. To the beat of drums and music of Naathaswarams, the Groom tied a thread necklace around the bride’s neck. Garlands were exchanged between the couple and clothing between the families.
I can’t say enough about the priest that conducted T & A’s ceremony; he was friendly, hilarious, and talked the couple through each stage of the ceremony. Throughout the two hour wedding, family and friends joined in on the fun; often coming up to the stage to partake in a game.
The Talambralu - the Showering of Rice - was one of my favorite parts of the wedding. During this time, the bride and groom pour rice on each other’s heads symbolizing the showering of good fortune and prosperity. Next up was the Homam - the Lighting of the Sacred Fire - during which the priest invokes the presence of Lord Agni, who brings divine energy and acts as a witness to the wedding ceremony. With the fire being lit, the Laja Homam began. The bride’s brother gave her a handful of rice, which was handed off to the groom, and was then “fed” to the fire. The significance of this act is the bride seeking a long life for her husband and the start of a family. The Saptapadi came next; the groom’s garment and bride’s sari are tied together in a knot and they take seven steps together around the sacred fire signifying their union and asking for the following seven blessings: sustenance, physical and mental health, spiritual observance, companionship and happiness, prosperity, longevity, and healthy descendants. The couple then played a little game of “Find the Ring” or “Ring Fishing”. In a silver basin full of oil and flowers, the engagement ring was dropped in. T & A both stuck their hand into the basin to find the ring; best out of three would win. (It’s safe to say - the bride won this game.)
With the bride’s victory in the “Find the Ring” game, the couple was ready to proceed with the Arundhati Darsanam. The couple went outside to view the Arundahati and Dhruva stars to request blessings for a long life and strength of their vows. The key thing to note about these two stars is that one star does not revolve around the other but instead, they both orbit around the same mass. Thus symbolizing how they will support each other and work towards a common goal.
Last but not least, the Aarathi & Asheervadam was performed. This was when the bride and groom received blessings and good wishes from the priest, their parents, family, and friends.
With the ceremony taking place in the morning, the reception occurred in the evening. The Harbourview Ballroom was beautifully decorated by “Just Dreams Bermuda Events & Decor” for dinner and dancing. Sticking with the white and gold theme, the centerpieces - which were created by “Flowers by GIMI” - looked stunning!
Remember the gold lehenga I mentioned earlier? The one that was accompanied by rubies, diamonds, and a pair of Yves Saint Laurent heels? Well… here it comes! The couple and I took about 25 minutes to capture some sunset bridal portraits around the Hamilton Princess Resort. By this time, the temperature had cooled down and the newlyweds could simply enjoy spending time together - one on one.
During the reception, there were quite a few speeches! The couple had hired Lara Smith from LDS Multimedia - who I love working with - as their videographer - which allowed for all of the speeches to be recorded. Towards the end of the speeches, the couple thanked everyone for coming and stepped onto the dance floor for their first dance.
This wedding reception was full of FUN - loads of awesome tunes for all to dance to (thank you again DJ Rusty G)! My lovely husband - Jim West - ran the photo booth, which was an absolute hit during the party. The photo booth is essentially a very large selfie stick; guests were able to take their own still photo or GIF, which were instantly delivered to their phones. T & A loved getting their online gallery of all the photo booth images.
A very special congratulations to the newlyweds! A big thank you to the couple’s families for making Jim and I feel so welcomed during your festivities. Last but not least - a big shout out to the wedding crew:
~ Vendors ~
Photography: Fiander Foto | Planner: Just Dreams Events & Decor
Venue: Hamilton Princess Resort | Florals & Garlands: Flowers by GIMI
Videography: LDS Multimedia | DJ: DJ Rusty | Photo Booth: Fiander Foto
Hair & Makeup: Stylz by Traci | Henna: Velina Wheatley of VWK Art
