I met Hiral and Sam through Hiral’s cousin, who is a dear friend of mine. It was wonderful to finally meet her family, about whom I had heard so much over the years. Hiral and Sam are delightful, and I cannot say enough about how kind the extended Patel and Hudson families were to me! I spent about 22 hours over the course of three days photographing Hiral, Sam and their families, and I’m so grateful for their hospitality.
It was the first Hindu ceremony I’ve photographed, so I relied on the kindness of Hiral’s family to guide me through the most important aspects of the rituals. Since I don’t speak a lick of Gujarati, there were a few points during the Graha Shanti when I had no idea what was going to happen next. “Just follow the guy with the video camera,” I thought to myself, “He knows exactly what’s going to happen.”
Hiral and Sam combined their two religious and cultural traditions with grace and style. It was an honor to document their wedding day. These are some of my favorite photos from their wedding. I hope you will enjoy them too.
Kristi Sanford, Owner and Principal Photographer
The Graha Shanti at Hiral’s Home (One Week Before the Wedding)
The Hindu Ceremony
Hiral's mom welcomes Sam into the temple and into the family.
Hiral's mother sees her daughter adorned as a bride for the first time.
Hiral approaches the alter. On the right hand side, fabric separates the bride and groom.
The Christian Ceremony
Can you read the text on the fan?
show hide 2 comments