Colorful Mehndi Ceremony in Schenectady NY | Navita + Jeremy

Some weddings are more than a single day, and Navita and Jeremy’s celebration was an incredible three-day experience filled with family, traditions, music, color, and so many meaningful moments.

When Navita and Jeremy reached out about having me photograph their Hindu wedding celebration, I was beyond excited. I had always wanted the opportunity to photograph a multi-day Hindu wedding, and being invited to document all three days was such an honor.

Their celebration began with Navita’s beautiful Mehndi ceremony.

A Mehndi Ceremony in Schenectady NY

Navita’s Mehndi ceremony was held at her parents’ home, where their backyard had been completely transformed for the celebration. A tent filled with beautiful decorations created a colorful and intimate setting for family and friends to gather and officially begin the wedding festivities.

One of the most incredible parts of the day was, of course, Navita’s henna.

The intricate designs covered her hands and feet and took an incredible seven hours to complete!

Seeing the finished design up close was amazing. The amount of detail was absolutely beautiful, and photographing all of those little details was definitely one of my favorite parts of the day.

The Tradition of Mehndi

Mehndi is a beautiful pre-wedding tradition in which intricate henna designs are applied to the bride’s hands and feet.

Beyond being incredibly beautiful, the henna carries meaning and tradition, with Mehndi associated with blessings, good fortune, health, prosperity, and happiness as the bride prepares for marriage.

I love photographing wedding traditions like this because the details are only part of the story. It’s also about documenting the people surrounding the couple—the parents watching, family members celebrating, the laughter between everyone, and all of those little interactions happening throughout the event.

An Evening Filled With Family, Music + Celebration

After Navita was presented by her family, she joined Jeremy on stage and the celebration continued.

The evening was filled with beautiful music and singing as their family surrounded them with love and well wishes for the days ahead.

It was such a wonderful way to begin their wedding celebrations.

Instead of immediately jumping into the wedding day itself, I had the opportunity to spend time with Navita and Jeremy’s families and document the traditions leading up to their marriage. By the end of the first evening, I already felt like I knew so many of the people who would be part of the next two days.

And we were only getting started!

Three Days of Hindu Wedding Traditions

One of my favorite parts about photographing a multi-day Hindu wedding is that each celebration has its own story to tell.

The Mehndi ceremony was just the beginning for Navita and Jeremy.

Day two would bring their colorful and emotional Haldi ceremony, followed by their wedding day at The Mansion at Cedar Hill, where their families and traditions would come together for an absolutely beautiful celebration.

Being trusted to photograph all three days allowed me to capture so much more than a wedding ceremony and reception. I was able to document the traditions, relationships, emotions, and family moments that surrounded Navita and Jeremy throughout the entire experience.

Navita and Jeremy, thank you for welcoming me into your celebration and trusting me to document such meaningful traditions for you and your families.

And this was only Day One!

Planning a Hindu, Indian, or multicultural wedding in Schenectady, NY or Upstate New York? I would love to hear about the traditions you’re incorporating into your celebration and help you document the entire story—from the events leading up to your wedding through the moment you finally become husband and wife.

Wedding Coordinator: Linda from Your Day, Your Way
Music: Rooh Musicals

View Jeremy and Navita’s engagement session in downtown Albany here.