Wedding: A & N - Coral Beach Club, Bermuda
Happy Anniversary to A & N - who travelled down from Newport, Rhode Island to “tie the knot” at the Coral Beach Club in Bermuda. With stunning Bermudaful weather - the two said, “we do” on the Putting Green followed by cocktails on the Longtail Terrace. Towards the end of the reception, there was a surprise appearance by the Gombays!
Happy Anniversary to A & N - who travelled down from Newport, Rhode Island to “tie the knot” at the Coral Beach Club in Bermuda. With stunning Bermudaful weather - the two said, “we do” on the Putting Green followed by cocktails on the Longtail Terrace. Towards the end of the reception, there was a surprise appearance by the Gombays!
Photography: Fiander Foto | Venue: Coral Beach & Tennis Club
Rentals & Decor: Class Act Designs | Florals: Demco
DJ: Lady E | Officiant: Rev. Alistair Bennett
Make-up: Serena Brangman | Hair: Morgan Bourne
Wedding: B & H - Rosewood Bermuda & the Unfinished Church
Bridget & Hunter - hands down - are one of the best couples I have had the pleasure of working with. I had the honor of capturing their Engagement Photos (here), their Welcome Dinner, and their Wedding - all at Rosewood Bermuda. Flying over from South Carolina - these two hosted a luxurious southern wedding with a tropical spin! I knew Bridget had a good eye for detail when she told me she wanted to ensure all the “looks” of the guests were captured. Their whole wedding celebration was certainly one to remember!
Happy Anniversary to B & H!
Bridget & Hunter - hands down - are one of the best couples I have had the pleasure of working with. I had the honor of capturing their Engagement Photos (here), their Welcome Dinner (here), and their Wedding - all at Rosewood Bermuda. Flying over from South Carolina - these two hosted a luxurious southern wedding with a tropical spin! I knew Bridget had a good eye for detail when she told me she wanted to ensure all the “looks” of the guests were captured. Their whole wedding celebration was certainly one to remember!
Photography: Fiander Foto | Content Creator: Fiander Foto
Venues: Rosewood Bermuda and the Unfinished Church | Florals: Helen Sawden Flowers
Planner / Decor / Rentals: Class Act Designs | Band: Working Title
Hair: Raquel from Blue Print Studio | Make-up: Paloma Makeup Artistry
Graphics: Dodeline Design |. Wedding Suite: Sweet Dates Prints
Bridal Dress: Lela Rose Bridal | Bridal Shoes: Manolo Blahnik | Groom’s Suit: Suits Supply
Wedding: K & B - Chanler at Cliff Walk - Newport, RI
Spring is the perfect time of year for daffodils, rabbits, and weddings in Rhode Island! Kayleigh and Brian tied the knot at The Chanler at Cliff Walk just as all the florals in Newport were bursting!
I first began working with K & B in May of 2019, while I was in Scotland photographing a wedding. Despite the time-zone difference, my initial phone call with Kayleigh was about two hours long; it felt as though I was speaking with an old friend who was planning her wedding. They came to Bermuda for a pre-planning trip and we scheduled an engagement session - that they nailed! Wedding plans were moving along “swimmingly” and then - Covid. Like so many other couples, Kayleigh and Brian held out hope that their April 2020 wedding in Bermuda would occur, although we know how that story went. So… K & B re-planned their wedding - not once, not twice, but three times; finally, moving the wedding from Bermuda to Rhode Island. So - off I went to join K & B in New England with my luggage, camera gear, my mom - aka my trusty travel companion to assist while Jim stayed home with our cats! K & B’s spring time New England wedding was magical - from the daffodils in bloom to the weather - the day could simply not be beat!
There are some couples you have the opportunity of working with who magically - become life-long friends. I can easily say this of Kayleigh & Brian. Many congrats to Kayleigh & Brian on this special time in their lives! Thank you both for allowing me to be a part of it!
Photographer: Fiander Foto | Venues: The Viking Hotel & The Chanler at Cliff Walk
Bride’s Dress: Maggie Sottero’s “McKenzie” | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Dresss: 3 Graces’ Bridal | Tuxes: Jos. A. Banks | Dinner Jacket: Ralph Lauren
Best Dog: Tucker | Flowers: Sayles Livingston Designs | Hair: Lindsay Cardinale from Natural Creation
Make-up: Michelle Vince | Band: Mark Greel Band | Harpist: Shelley Otis
Hindu Wedding: A & T - Hamilton Princess, Bermuda
Welcome to “Wedding Wednesday” ~ let’s check out this awesome wedding at the Hamilton Princess in Bermuda! The couples’ events took place over several days and I worked closely with an amazing team of vendors to make sure their wedding was perfect. My time with the couple started the day before the wedding at the “Making of the Bride” gathering. Later that same evening, I had the pleasure of capturing their Rehearsal Dinner. On the day of the actual wedding ~ I started with the Groom for his “getting ready” shots at 7:30am - just after sunrise… and what a glorious sunrise!
When this lovely Bride ( - we’ll call her “T”) and Groom ( - we’ll call him “A”) first got in touch with me about their Destination Hindu Wedding in Bermuda, I was excited to hear that their multi-day wedding was going to be a religious and cultural celebration; one that would tie them together spiritually as husband and wife. One of my favorite things about their Hindu wedding was getting to learn more about their religion and culture. With their event taking place over several days, I worked closely with the couple and an amazing team of vendors to make sure the wedding was perfect. My time with the couple started the day before the wedding at the “Making of the Bride” gathering, which took place at the bride’s house. Later that same evening, we gathered at the Hamilton Princess for the Rehearsal Dinner. On the day of the actual wedding, I started with the Groom for his “getting ready” shots at 7:30am - just after sunrise.
Afterwords, I made my way over to the Bride’s room. Upon my arrival, T was just about done with her hair - which was beautifully done by Stylz by Traci - and was getting ready to step into her mint sari, the first outfit for the day. Later on in the evening, the bride would wear a beautiful gold lehenga - which was accompanied by rubies, diamonds, and a pair of Yves Saint Laurent heels. The bride, her mom, aunts, and cousins all got ready together.
With the Bride’s father and family waiting just outside the ceremony door - it was time for the Groom’s Arrival, who was accompanied by his parents. From there, the Kashi Yatra began. During this time, it’s traditional for the Groom to pretend as though he’s not ready for matrimony and for the Bride’s father to have a “heart to heart” with him about the values of marriage; a few “words of wisdom” for a bit of encouragement if you will… Both the Groom and the Father of the Bride played out this traditional scene quite well. After a few laughs, the groom was offered gifts, his feet were washed, and everyone made their way to the ceremony space.
It’s important to note that the couple hosted their wedding in the middle of the day in the middle of the summer in Bermuda. Considering the heat and humidity, the couple thought it best to conduct most of the ceremony indoors, where everyone could benefit from the air conditioning. Cyniqua, the wedding planner, and her team at Just Dreams Event Planning & Decor did a wonderful job of setting up the ceremony space in the Trudeau Ballroom at the Hamilton Princess. Gold and white were the “theme colors” for the wedding; simple and classic.
Once the groom, families, and guests made their way into the ballroom, the priest continued with the Ganesha Pooja. This began at the mandapam, a stage or platform with four pillars, which represented the four elements of earth: land, water, fire, and air. During this time, prayers are said to Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles; these prayers ask for Ganesha’s blessing. The Punyahavachanam was the next step, which is a purification ritual that occurs before the Kanya Agaman, which is the arrival of the bride. T made her way down the aisle - coconut in hand, which represents selflessness & the couple giving each other selflessly in their relationship.
Once the Bride arrived at the mandapan, she found herself on one side of a curtain with her groom - or so she hoped was her groom - on the other side! With sacred hymns and Sannai Melam (drums) playing in the background (thank you DJ Rusty G) - it was time for the Kanyadaanam - the giving away of the bride. Only at the most appointed auspicious time does the Subha Muhurtham occur - still behind the curtain - the couple applied Jeelakarra (a paste of cumin seeds) and Bellam (hardened brown sugar) onto each other’s heads. The sweet sugar and bitter cumin represented the ups and downs the bride and groom may face together during their marriage.
With the curtain lifted and offering prayers stated, the Mangalya Pooja & Dharana - the Tying of the Knot - began. To the beat of drums and music of Naathaswarams, the Groom tied a thread necklace around the bride’s neck. Garlands were exchanged between the couple and clothing between the families.
I can’t say enough about the priest that conducted T & A’s ceremony; he was friendly, hilarious, and talked the couple through each stage of the ceremony. Throughout the two hour wedding, family and friends joined in on the fun; often coming up to the stage to partake in a game.
The Talambralu - the Showering of Rice - was one of my favorite parts of the wedding. During this time, the bride and groom pour rice on each other’s heads symbolizing the showering of good fortune and prosperity. Next up was the Homam - the Lighting of the Sacred Fire - during which the priest invokes the presence of Lord Agni, who brings divine energy and acts as a witness to the wedding ceremony. With the fire being lit, the Laja Homam began. The bride’s brother gave her a handful of rice, which was handed off to the groom, and was then “fed” to the fire. The significance of this act is the bride seeking a long life for her husband and the start of a family. The Saptapadi came next; the groom’s garment and bride’s sari are tied together in a knot and they take seven steps together around the sacred fire signifying their union and asking for the following seven blessings: sustenance, physical and mental health, spiritual observance, companionship and happiness, prosperity, longevity, and healthy descendants. The couple then played a little game of “Find the Ring” or “Ring Fishing”. In a silver basin full of oil and flowers, the engagement ring was dropped in. T & A both stuck their hand into the basin to find the ring; best out of three would win. (It’s safe to say - the bride won this game.)
With the bride’s victory in the “Find the Ring” game, the couple was ready to proceed with the Arundhati Darsanam. The couple went outside to view the Arundahati and Dhruva stars to request blessings for a long life and strength of their vows. The key thing to note about these two stars is that one star does not revolve around the other but instead, they both orbit around the same mass. Thus symbolizing how they will support each other and work towards a common goal.
Last but not least, the Aarathi & Asheervadam was performed. This was when the bride and groom received blessings and good wishes from the priest, their parents, family, and friends.
With the ceremony taking place in the morning, the reception occurred in the evening. The Harbourview Ballroom was beautifully decorated by “Just Dreams Bermuda Events & Decor” for dinner and dancing. Sticking with the white and gold theme, the centerpieces - which were created by “Flowers by GIMI” - looked stunning!
Remember the gold lehenga I mentioned earlier? The one that was accompanied by rubies, diamonds, and a pair of Yves Saint Laurent heels? Well… here it comes! The couple and I took about 25 minutes to capture some sunset bridal portraits around the Hamilton Princess Resort. By this time, the temperature had cooled down and the newlyweds could simply enjoy spending time together - one on one.
During the reception, there were quite a few speeches! The couple had hired Lara Smith from LDS Multimedia - who I love working with - as their videographer - which allowed for all of the speeches to be recorded. Towards the end of the speeches, the couple thanked everyone for coming and stepped onto the dance floor for their first dance.
This wedding reception was full of FUN - loads of awesome tunes for all to dance to (thank you again DJ Rusty G)! My lovely husband - Jim West - ran the photo booth, which was an absolute hit during the party. The photo booth is essentially a very large selfie stick; guests were able to take their own still photo or GIF, which were instantly delivered to their phones. T & A loved getting their online gallery of all the photo booth images.
A very special congratulations to the newlyweds! A big thank you to the couple’s families for making Jim and I feel so welcomed during your festivities. Last but not least - a big shout out to the wedding crew:
~ Vendors ~
Photography: Fiander Foto | Planner: Just Dreams Events & Decor
Venue: Hamilton Princess Resort | Florals & Garlands: Flowers by GIMI
Videography: LDS Multimedia | DJ: DJ Rusty | Photo Booth: Fiander Foto
Hair & Makeup: Stylz by Traci | Henna: Velina Wheatley of VWK Art
Wedding: Dee & Drew - Lowndes Grove - Charleston, SC
I had a wonderful time photographing Dee & Drew’s Wedding in Charleston, South Carolina - held right in the heart of the city at Lowndes Grove. There was no shortage of southern charm here, that’s for sure!
Photography: Fiander Foto
Venue: Lowndes Grove in Charleston, South Carolina
Wedding Planner: Erin Altman of Ooh! Events
Beauty: Ashley Campbell of Vanity Salon Bridal Hair/Make Up
Catering + Bar: Kailin Good of PPHG (Patrick Properties Hospitality Group)
Band: Soul Fish
Florals: Kaitlyn Haas of Out of the Garden
Rentals: Ooh! Events & Snyder Events
Transportation: Lowcountry Valet
Stylized Winter Wedding: Nashville, Tennessee
I had an amazing time working on this stylized shoot with Callie Lindsay! Check out the blog post to see our list of vendors!
I had an amazing time working on this stylized shoot with Callie Lindsay! Below are our list of vendors:
Venue #1: The Franklin Farmhouse | Venue #2: Harlinsdale Farm
Florals: Swank Floral & Interiors | Stationary: Empress Stationary
Models: Katelin & Chris August | Hair/Make-Up: Katelin August
Wedding: Janine & Karl - Errol Park Estate, Scotland
Many congrats to Janine & Karl! Your wedding was an absolute fairy-tale to photograph; thank you for letting me capture and be a part of your special day at Errol Park Estate!
Many congrats to Janine & Karl! Your wedding was an absolute fairy-tale to photograph; thank you for letting me capture and be a part of your special day!
Bridal Dress #1: Still White | Bridal Dress #2: Grandmother’s Wedding Dress Circa 1950
Bridesmaids’ PJs: Jean Alice | Hair: Carol Zarebski Duffy | Make Up: Catherine McCarter
Rings: T. Paterson Jewellers | Bridal Shoes: Prada | Groom’s Attire: Marc Darcy
Florals: Amy Annand | Cake: Abbie Dobson | Linen & Candleabras: 88 Events
Officiant: Lucie Johnston of Humanist Society Scotland
Venue: Errol Park Estate | Catering: Season Catering
Photography: Fiander Foto | Video: Little Films
String Quartet: Arta | Band: Northern Star