The capital really is the country’s cultural melting pot and, as a London wedding photographer, I’m often asked to photograph ceremonies and receptions that follow different traditions to what we’ve become accustomed to. Reem and Vijay’s Syriac Orthodox wedding was one of these occasions, and it was a great opportunity for me to not only learn more about common Syriac wedding practices, but also to use my wedding photography techniques to really show off the bright and vibrant colours of the day – particularly in terms of some of the guests’ traditional attire which really contrasted well with the dark woods of the Syriac Orthodox Church in London.
Reem and Vijay both kept their cool during the ceremony, and had seemed anything but nervous when I’d met up with them separately beforehand. Reem had been surrounded by her friends and family at home as she donned her beautiful white dress, her Jimmy Choos, and her gana – a red string tied around her wrist to protect against bad omens. I’d bumped into Vijay just outside the church after I’d left Reem to complete the finishing touches to her bridal look – he was as cool as a cucumber, joking with family, and looking forward to the sweet dessert balls that would be passed around to guests following the ceremony as part of the Syriac traditions.
Afterwards, we all made our way across to the Grand Hall at the Grand Connaught Rooms by Covent Garden. Let’s just say that the Grand Hall doesn’t get its name for nothing. The venue is massive, holding up to 550 people which was ideal for this large wedding reception. Reem and Vijay had chosen a white and silver theme throughout, with pink, purple, and blue mood lighting that not only matched the four bridesmaids’ dresses, but also made Reem’s white dress and Vijay’s deep blue suit really stand out. Natural contrasts like this are a dream for a London wedding photographer like myself – it allows me to really hone my dramatic photography skills.
Not only was there dancing all night long, but there was also lively and energetic dhol drum performances that really had to be seen to be believed. Reem changed into a traditional light pink dress for the cake cutting, and for the evening of dancing, and I continued to document the day right through to when finally some of the guests were starting to show signs of slowing down. Not the bride and groom though – I imagine they’re still dancing!
Thank you to Reem and Vijay for asking me to photograph their wedding.
Here’s their story
Iain
The capital really is the country’s cultural melting pot and, as a London wedding photographer, I’m often asked to photograph ceremonies and receptions that follow different traditions to what we’ve become accustomed to. Reem and Vijay’s Syriac Orthodox wedding was one of these occasions, and it was a great opportunity for me to not only learn more about common Syrian wedding practices, but also to use dramatic wedding photography techniques that really showed off the bright and vibrant colours of the day – particularly in terms of some of the guests’ traditional attire which really contrasted well with the dark woods of the Syriac Orthodox Church in London.
Reem and Vijay both kept their cool during the ceremony, and had seemed anything but nervous when I’d met up with them separately beforehand. Reem had been surrounded by her friends and family at home as she donned her beautiful white dress, her Jimmy Choos, and her gana – a red string tied around her wrist to protect against bad omens. I’d bumped into Vijay just outside the church after I’d left Reem to complete the finishing touches to her bridal look – he was as cool as a cucumber, joking with family, and looking forward to the sweet dessert balls that would be passed around to guests following the ceremony as part of the Syriac traditions.
Afterwards, we all made our way across to the Grand Hall at the Grand Connaught Rooms by Covent Garden. Let’s just say that the Grand Hall doesn’t get its name for nothing. The venue is massive, holding up to 550 people which was ideal for this large Syriac Orthodox wedding. Reem and Vijay had chosen a white and silver theme throughout, with pink, purple, and blue mood lighting that not only matched the four bridesmaids’ dresses, but also made Reem’s white dress and Vijay’s deep blue suit really stand out. Natural contrasts like this are a dream for a London wedding photographer like myself – it allows me to really hone my dramatic photography skills.
If you’ve never been to a Syriac Orthodox wedding before, let me tell you this – they’re one big party. Not only was there dancing all night long, but there was also lively and energetic dhol drum performances that really had to be seen to be believed. Reem changed into a traditional light pink dress for the cake cutting, and for the evening of dancing, and I continued to document the day right through to 11.30pm when finally some of the guests were starting to show signs of slowing down. Not the bride and groom though – I imagine they’re still dancing!
