VITHYA & PETER
Locations:
- Getting ready location: Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa in La Jolla, CA
- Ceremony and reception location: Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa in La Jolla, CA
Wedding photos at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa:
It’s not often I get to photograph a wedding featuring an elephant, but that’s exactly what happened at Vithya and Peter’s Hindu wedding at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa. I already worked with this wonderful couple during their e-sessions in Downtown LA, Venice Canals and the Santa Monica Pier and was excited to reconnect in the beautiful coastal town of La Jolla for their traditional Hindu celebrations.
Vithya and Peter kiss beneath the trunk of an elephant during their Hindu wedding celebrations at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Getting ready photos at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa:
My wife Charlene and I drove down early last Saturday morning on what was a cool and quiet morning to photograph Vithya as she was getting ready with her female family and friends. I captured the last minute alterations which were being made to her gorgeous sari, as well as a few portraits of her looking absolutely stunning.
Meanwhile, in another suite at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa, Peter was getting ready and being treated to a few traditional Hindu rituals by Vithya’s family. It was great to see Peter’s father getting in on the action as the groom was cleansed with a special concoction, before he got into the bath for a final shower.
I also documented Vithya’s brother helping him get dressed in his traditional sherwani, as well as one of Vithya’s mom placing a bindi on his forehead.
A candid shot of Vithya getting ready for her Hindu wedding, surrounded by her family, at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
A softly focused portrait of Vithya as she prepared for her Hindu wedding at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya’s mom getting ready in a suite at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa for the Hindu wedding ceremony.
Vithya having her sash fixed on her gorgeous sari as she prepared for the Hindu wedding at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
A creative shot looking through the hotel suite window as Vithya prepared for her wedding at Estancia La Jolla.
Peter’s father performs a Hindu cleansing ritual over his son as they prepared for the wedding at Estancia La Jolla.
A cleansing concoction is poured over Peter’s head in what is a traditional Hindu wedding ritual at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Peter has water poured over his head in the bathtub as he prepared for his wedding at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Peter puts on his traditional Hindu sherwani in a suite at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya’s brother helps to fix Peter’s sherwani as they were getting ready for the Hindu wedding celebrations.
Vithya’s mother places a red bindi on Peter’s forehead in the lead up to the Hindu wedding ceremony.
Pre-ceremony portraits at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa:
Vithya and Peter decided on a first look which we had on a shaded walkway in the gardens of Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa. It was a pleasure to capture their emotional, joyous reactions at seeing each other in their stunning traditional Hindu attire, and we used the time available for some romantic portraits of them in this intimate moment.
We were then treated to something extra special as their elephant and mahout trainer arrived for the Baraat and we managed to squeeze in a few portraits of the couple with this gentle animal. She was 49 years old and incredibly well behaved, allowing Vithya and Peter to stroke her trunk and embrace in the shade beneath her.
Vithya walks towards Peter during their first look session at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Peter turns around to see his beautiful bride during their first look in the gardens of Estancia La Jolla.
An emotional embrace between Vithya and Peter during their first look at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya and Peter admire one another in front of the lush greenery of Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa’s gardens.
Vithya and Peter look lovingly into each other’s eyes during their wedding portrait session at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya and Peter walk hand-in-hand along a pathway at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
An intimate close-up portrait of the couple during their Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa wedding photo session.
Vithya and Peter kiss during their wedding portrait session at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya and Peter say “hello” to the elephant that will feature in their traditional Hindu wedding.
The soon-to-be-married couple stand beneath the trunk of an elephant in the gardens of Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya and Peter stand either side of an elephant trunk during their Estancia La Jolla wedding portrait session.
Vithya and Peter embrace while admiring their magnificent elephant in the gardens of Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Ceremony photos at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa:
It was then time for the official proceedings to begin, starting with the Baraat as Peter’s entourage danced their way towards Vithya’s family and friends with Peter on the elephant’s back. There was a lot of color and vibrancy as Vithya’s dad placed a garland around Peter’s neck and the bride’s family performed some traditional rituals, before the groom stepped up onto the mandap platform.
Then Vithya was escorted down the aisle by her parents to meet Peter, who offered her a new set of clothes in what is a symbolic gesture for their new life together. I love capturing the different cultural rituals which take place during weddings and there were a few completely new ones for me during Vithya and Peter’s wedding at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
After Peter placed a necklace around Vithya’s neck, they were escorted around the mandap by Vithya’s brother and wife before playing a game where they both tried to be the first to find their wedding rings in a pot. Not only did I document these traditions up close, but Charlene also captured a few bird’s eye shots looking down across this gorgeous outdoor wedding celebration.
Peter’s entourage make their entrance during the Baraat in what is a traditional Hindu wedding ritual.
Peter makes his grand Baraat entrance on an elephant at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Peter arrives to his Hindu wedding ceremony by elephant during the traditional Baraat ceremony.
Vithya’s father puts a garland around Peter’s neck at the start of the Hindu wedding ceremony.
Vithya’s family performs customary rituals at the start of the Hindu wedding ceremony.
The sadhu places a bindi on Peter’s forehead at the start of the Hindu wedding at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya and her parents arrive at the Hindu wedding ceremony at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Capturing Peter’s reaction as he watches his bride walk down the aisle at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
A bird’s eye view looking across Vithya and Peter’s wedding ceremony at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Capturing a candid moment between Vithya and Peter during their traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.
Peter offers Vithya a new set of clothes as a symbolic gesture during their traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.
Looking down the aisle at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa during Vithya and Peter’s wedding ceremony.
Peter puts a necklace on Vithya in what is a traditional Hindu ritual while family members throw rice on the couple.
Capturing a special exchange between the couple and a cute flower girl during the wedding ceremony.
Vithya and Peter place garlands around one another’s necks during their Hindu wedding ceremony.
Vithya and Peter are escorted around the mandap by family members during their traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.
Peter lovingly places a bindi on Vithya’s forehead during their traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.
Vithya and Peter both try to find their wedding rings in a pot during their traditional Hindu ceremony.
The couple look lovingly into each other’s eyes during their Hindu wedding ceremony at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Capturing a special moment between Vithya and Peter’s dad during her wedding at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya and Peter kiss after being pronounced “husband and wife” during their La Jolla wedding.
Reception photos at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa:
Vithya changed into another sari and Peter into a classic suit to make their grand entrance into the ballroom reception at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa. After performing their first dance and a “cake smashing” ceremony, there were a number of speeches and toasts, followed by the parental dances.
Then everyone hit the dance floor to celebrate this new union and I tried to capture all the energy and love which radiated throughout the ballroom. The DJ/MC even got down on the dance floor to lead a synchronized group dance of “Cupid’s Shuffle”.
Before the reception started, I snuck outside with Vithya and Peter for some romantic nighttime couple portraits around Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa, ending what was an incredible day.
The newly married couple make their grand entrance into the ballroom at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya and Peter perform their first dance at the Estancia La Jolla ballroom reception.
The couple embrace family and friends during their reception in the ballroom of Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya stuffs cake into Peter’s mouth during their playful cake cutting ceremony at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Capturing Vithya and Peter’s reactions as speeches and toasts are made during their Estancia La Jolla reception.
The best man makes a speech during Vithya and Peter’s Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa wedding reception.
A black and white photo of the father-daughter dance during Vithya’s Estancia La Jolla wedding reception.
Peter enjoying the mother-son dance during his wedding reception at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya enjoying the dance floor with her father-in-law at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Young wedding guests getting down on the dance floor during the ballroom reception at Estancia La Jolla.
Peter and his groomsmen letting loose on the dance floor at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya’s brother and his wife enjoying the ballroom dance floor at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Wedding guests getting down on the dance floor during Vithya and Peter’s wedding reception.
The newly married couple on the ballroom dance floor, surrounded by their family and friends.
Two of Peter’s groomsmen doing a synchronized dance during the lively wedding reception.
The DJ/MC leads Vithya and Peter’s wedding guests in the “Cupid Shuffle” during the Estancia La Jolla reception.
Wedding guests during the “Cupid Shuffle” during Vithya and Peter’s reception at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
Vithya enjoying the dance floor at Estancia La Jolla, surrounded by her family and friends.
Peter concentrating hard on the dance floor during a synchronized “Cupid Shuffle” routine.
A wedding guest doing a backbend on the dance floor during Vithya and Peter’s reception.
Vithya smiles before her bouquet toss at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa wedding reception.
A romantic nighttime couple portrait of Vithya and Peter outside Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa.
The newly engaged couple embrace outside Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa during their nighttime portrait session.
Wedding photos at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa:
I want to thank Vithya and Peter for selecting me as their photographer to capture this unforgettable Hindu wedding at Estancia La Jolla Hotel And Spa. I know they are off to Chile for their honeymoon and wish them all the joy and happiness in their married life together.
March 21, 2017
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