The Sikh Wedding in Oliver Sampler

It’s not often I get the opportunity to photograph a Sikh wedding. I was contacted by the bride about a year ago, and of course I jumped at the chance. I’m crazy about weddings in general, and that goes for any kind of wedding. This one was nothing short of incredible, I was buzzing the whole drive home. Even now, going through my pictures, I’m actually ecstatic to share them with the world. For now though, you’ll have to be happy with little sneak peak.

We’ll start with a few simple photos. I’m a huge fan of detail shots, and the more things I can use to showcase the story of the day, the better. That’s the joy too – I LOVE delivering a large album. With a variety of shots, it makes for an interesting album.

We start out with red and gold. For the photographers reading this, this would count as analogous colour theory – where two colours are next to each other on the colour wheel. You can see a gentle graduation of shadows, from the right of the image into the left. That’s to create depth – the photo pops, in other words.

Our bride is ready. Our venue was the Bhavsagar Sikh Temple, in Oliver. It was large and in charge, with colours everywhere. Colour theory is a huge part of my photographic process, and being given so much to work with was sublime.

The families met in the Shagun, and after covering my head it was time to enter the ceremony room in the temple. Everyone was anxious to get seated. The floors were a plush blue, comfortable to sit in and walk around barefoot.

The ceremony was entertaining and heartfelt. There was colour everywhere. This is one of those times I wish I could slow time and really get in there. Every direction I looked, there was something to draw the eye.

It went quickly. The Palla, Laava, and even the Sagaan was speedy – especially given the amount of people there! As you can see, we were packed wall to wall. Little kids wandering around, and adults sat crossed legged.

And before we knew it, we had a married couple on our hands! Sikh weddings are particularily fantastic because I’ve got extra time for my formals. With extra time, we can get more locations, and extra travel time to unique locations. Travel time steals photo time, and I’m all about the big albums.

I led our brand new bride and groom into an abandoned farmhouse out in the woods. We used some smoke effects to make shards of light you see coming through the holes in the ceiling. You can only get shards of light when you specifically have hard light, I was poised to take full advantage.

The 2pm came through at the perfect angle. I specifically wanted a roof with holes, because the image I had envisioned. It was just so much better than anything I had imagined.

A strong start to the photos is what I like to see. To get those unique looking photos, you need an adventurous crew. Our Bride and Groom were down for anything, and to be honest we were just having a blast. I was already getting pretty excited, looking at the back of my camera. Time to get back into the car and get to the next location!

Even the formal shots, I just love. With the colourful dress and the sword, every photo was a keeper. There was this feeling in the air of excitement, a good energy everyone around us felt. All together, we got four locations down, which is just fantastic.

Our last location was a bridge. I shot it from behind our couple, then in front.

The mountains looked positively painted in high noon, and the water contrasted the blue in the sky perfectly. Before long, it was time to get changed to evening outfits and find our evening venue!

The venue was something else. All-out would be a word I’d use to describe it. The DJ’s were incredible, later using smoke machines, lasers, and some pretty big speakers.

At every table, we had sparklers. The guests waved the sparklers and cheered at the top of their lungs when our bride and groom arrived. The DJ’s blasted the music, making for one of the most exciting entrances I’ve ever witnessed.

Another thing I loved about this wedding is that there was food, always. In the morning, they served food at the temple right as I got there. At the reception, the food just kept on coming. Everyone was so welcoming too, I felt like I was part of the family. Guests found me a spot to eat close to the action. Every time I went back to the table, I’d have a plate loaded with food for me. I felt as if every mother there made it her personal mission to see that I was well fed. I ate till I was full, then I just kept on eating until it was physically impossible. I love indian food as it is, but most of my experience has been in restaurants. This food was vastly better than anything I’ve ordered in a restaurant.

And then, we partied.

The DJ’s were epic. All-out would be the word I’d use to describe it again. The music blared through high quality speakers, and the fog machine rumbled. There were lasers in every direction, and the crowd went wild.

No one was safe, the music was infectious. Heavy beats shook the floor, and every guest, young and old, hit the dance floor. The lineup to the bar was short, thanks to the speediest bartenders in Oliver. They kept the food coming, the music going, and the party just got wilder as the evening progressed.

And so this is where I’ll have to leave you! Keep in mind, this is only a sampler – for the full gallery, you’ll have to wait a few weeks! Expect a highlights album in two weeks (or so). If you personally know the bride and groom, feel free to contact me here. Let me know who you are, and I’ll make sure you get a link to the finished album!

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