WEDDING

I’ve been staring at the screen for a while now, because how to find the right words to write about something that brings up soooo many feelings all at once! SIGH. Let me try.

Sometimes we shoot an engagement and think “Hey, it would be nice to work with these guys again - I hope they hire us for their wedding.” At Raghavi and Deepak’s engagement, I remember Rahul and I discussing, “We HAVE to shoot their wedding somehow - how do we make it happen?”

Here was a couple, and a family, that aligned perfectly in putting together a celebration of love in ways that were the most personal and meaningful to them. They adored their loved ones who had come from far and near for the wedding, and it showed in the familiarity and sillies in their interactions.

During the first evening of dancing, singing, and playing many a party game, Raghavi said that they had chosen to get married this way (that was to happen the next morning) to ensure that their single mothers got to be front and centre at their wedding, celebrating and being there with their children as they rightly should. By this point, we were already on a “Oooh, neenga vandhuteengala, super! Firstu poi saapdunga!” level with both their mothers, so it’s safe to say all of us were emotional ourselves even as we stood behind our cameras. I remember feeling how wonderful it was, getting to know the stories of people like this, slowly piecing together why things were the way they were, and marvelling at how with the right people, how all of that could culminate into getting to see something was beautiful as this wedding.

The following day, INDeco woke up to a bright sunny morning. There was a very infectious excitement in the air. I complimented Raghavi’s attire and choice of jewellery again (after the engagement, if you remember), and she smiled and said, “All of this was put together in a couple of weeks, it was all my friends and cousins,” again. The beauty of travelling so long in life with friendships that nourish you, and build you, and hold you, and celebrate you can never be stated enough. I couldn’t help but look at this beautiful group of women who buzzed around her in feverish excitement with wonder and almost pride.

The guests gathered under the banyan tree in a burst of wedding colours, like any Tamil wedding really should be. Mr. Muthukumaran conducted the tailor-made ceremony, keeping the guests entertained and educated at once about forgotten old, local Tamil words. Raghavi and Deepak’s mothers gave them their wedding garrlands and rings. Friends and family hooted and cheered with such might, And lo and behold, they were married :)

The entire wedding party danced their hearts out with the artisans who performed Mayilaattam, Poi kaal kudhirai, Puliyaattam, and Karagaattam. Kids and adults swung joyfully on the aerial roots of the banyan tree. Raghavi, Deepak, and their friends animatedly made many reels they had planned and rehearsed for.

I remember feeling so tired, and so incredibly content after shooting this wedding, rolling the camera bag by its wheels across the beauty of this resort, observing the red of the sand and the green around everywhere. As you are about to see pictures from here, I think this poem from Kurunthogai is an apt piece to leave you with:

யாயும் ஞாயும் யார் ஆகியரோ
எந்தையும் நுந்தையும் எம் முறைக் கேளிர்
யானும் நீயும் எவ் வழி அறிதும்,
செம் புலப் பெயல் நீர் போல,
அன்புடை நெஞ்சம் தாம் கலந்தனவே.

What could my mother be
to yours? What kin is my father
to yours anyway? And how
did you and I meet ever?
But in love our hearts are as red
earth and pouring rain:mingled beyond parting.

Photos: Siva Ksk, Earnest Edison, Pravin
Video: Sathish Amruth, Suriya, Selvam
Thazhaya thazhaya blog layout: Pravin

Venue: INDeco, Swamimalai & Shelter Beach Resort, Chennai
MUA: Salomi R Diamond
Sangeet lehenga rented from: Kuro India