Muslim Weddings

Muslim Weddings

Have taken bookings for a plethora of weddings this year, consisting of English, Sikh, Hindu and Polish to name a few, I thought I would give you an insight into my most recent and upcoming Muslim wedding and the rituals and ceremonies that go with it.

Muslim Weddings are very vibrant and exciting. There are many rituals and ceremonies that mark the traditional Muslim Wedding and pre-wedding celebrations and there are also post wedding celebrations too.

PRE–WEDDING

LEGAN CHIR – Once the date for the NIKAH is set, the Groom’s father sends a cash present to the Bride’s father. This ritual is known as LEGAN CHIR.

DAY 1 & 2 CEREMONIES

* Day 1 – The Bride’s family attend he Groom’s home carrying Mehndi Paste on a plate. The young children bring the candles to be lit before entering the home. Afterwards a meal is served and there is much singing.
* Day 2 – The Groom’s family follow the same routine

MANJHA CEREMONY – On the third day the Bride is seated on a square table and is annointed with Haldi provided by the groom’s family. The Bride will wear yellow clothes and no jewellery. After this ritual a married, female friend must accompany the bride at all times. This friend will also rub haldi over the Bride before the Bride bathes. The family will sing until the night ends.

MEHNDI CEREMONY – The Mehndi ceremony is traditionally held the evening before the wedding and usually takes place at the Bride’s home. A Mehndi artist will apply Mehndi to the Bride’s hands and feet in a brightly decorated pattern. Family and friends, mainly women will sing traditonal wedding songs. The Bride wears plain clothes at this time and it is customary for the Bride to now remain at home until her marriage.

If the Groom has a Mehndi party, it will be very similar with the exception of having a mehndi artist, Instead, a dot of Mehndi will be applied to his palm or on a leaf that is placed in his palm by the Bride’s cousins, his own family, friends and well wishers.

THE WEDDING /NIKAH – Starts at the venue when the Groom and wedding procession known as the BARAAT is welcomed by the Bride’s family. There is music to announce the Groom’s arrival. The Groom and the Bride’s brother share a drink of Sherbert. There is fun and games as the Bride’s sisters playfully slap the guests with wands made of flowers! The Muslim Wedding comprises of the proposal, usually from the Groom’s side which is called the LJAB and acceptance from the Bride’s side known as the QUBUL. The consent of both Bride and Groom is of utmost importance to make the marriage legal.

MEHAR – A compulsory marital gift that both families will have agreed upon that is given from the Groom’s family to the Bride. The QAZI or law officer will ask the Bride if she agrees to the marriage and if she agrees to the amount of MEHAR. Once the Bride agrees, the QAZI will then read the NIKAH contract to the Groom. When the Groom agrees; the Bride, Groom, their fathers, the witnesses and the QAZI must all sign the NIKAH contract. Verses from the Quran called KHUTBA are delivered by the QAZI, these verses emphasise the care and obligations towards the women and the rights and duties that Bride and Groom have toward each other.

DINNER, PRAYERS AND AARSIMASHAF – Dinner is an extremely lavish spread and it is the first time that the newlyweds will sit together. The Bride and Groom’s head is covered with a scarf as they pray and the Quran is paced between the couple.
POST WEDDING

RUKSATTY - This is the Bride’s official departure from their family home. Sometimes this is done from the reception venue. The close relatives of the Bride and Groom will go to her parent’s home where there are some traditional rituals, one of which is the Bride’s throwing of handfuls of rice to the left and right of her and behind her. This is symbolic of her wishes of prosperity for the family she leaves behind. This is a very important and significant this moment as the Bride is now married and a new chapter in her life and her family’s life begins. She left in the morning as a single woman and leaves in the evening as a newlywed.

CHAUTI – The fourth day after the wedding, it is customary for the Bride to visit her parents. The bride is enthusiastically and joyously welcomed.

VALIMA – The Valima is an after party that is to officially welcome the Bride and the union of both families. Valima is not obligatory but it is generally a custom that is usually adhered to.


Keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming Muslim Wedding Photography samples!

Preparation is the key...

...How many time have you heard the saying.. "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail".

Well, with the start of a new year and the first 3 months having been so inspiring and busy, there's been loads going on in preparing for the exciting and year ahead of us. Having met some really touching and inspirational people over the last year, my first aim was to surround myself with a family of inspirational and fantastic people who will push me to be the best I can be.. And I'm on my way to getting there. Secondly it was to upgrade my equipment, not because I needed to but because it's a way of improving and bettering the quality of my work in order for me to compete at the highest level -And not have any limitations. Photography is my life now and the most beautiful thing about it is that by having the necessary equipment at my peril I can express myself without feeling restricted and in turn, my friends (yes you, the people who I photograph) can feel they have been given a gift and not been part of a business transaction, where if they paid more they would have got a better photographer with a better camera and a better service.

The FOCUS ON IMAGING SHOW is europe's biggest annual imaging show open to the public and photographer's.

Over 200 exhibitors and product launches galore - including all the very latest digital cameras and processing equipment. Feel free to click on the link to find out more information about the show. http://www.focus-on-imaging.co.uk/index.htm

Happy New Year..!

Hey friends and followers..

Firstly, I'd like to start by saying that I wish you all had a very merry christmas and a happy new and prosperous new year!

I offer my apologies for not being a better blogger over the past month but I must say that it's been hectic to say the least..! I think I must've done 3 studio shoots with no less than 10 people in each family, one even consisted of 15..! So editing, colour correcting, printing, delivering as well as celebrating the festivities and enjoying all of the gorgeous food and drink that this time of year brings, I hope you'll excuse my absence..!

I've attached a few photo's on here for you to see some of the work I've been doing...

Now I know we all try out best to make new year's resolutions for ourselves (or maybe even others!) and I won't bore you with the long list of mine, however one of them will be too definitely alot more regularly so you can know exactly what I'm upto..!

And as they say in Toon Town.. That's all Folks..! I hope you enjoy the start of your 2010 as much as I plan too..!

What a result..!!

Weddings..!! I've got some great responses and feedback from couples regarding my style of wedding photography and with this in mind, I'm really trying hard to break into the weddings for the coming season and have done a fair few this year but really want to take the market by storm in the coming years..I feel like I've got the X Factor..! ;-) From looking at photographers websites, I just feel that majority of the current crop of photographers out there are really doing the same basic traditional photography that they've done for the past 20 years, forcing smiles and having a rigid and formal procedure to the days' events and in turn not giving couples the opportunity to have something that's alot more current and versatile..!

Well fear not.. I've now booked 5 weddings for next year up and down the country with a possible 2 more depending on dates so keep your peepers peeled for new galleries and samples of some beautiful wedding photography..!!

On that note, if your getting married or know anyone getting married, what are you waiting for, tell them to get in touch..!! He he..

Over and out..!!

What a busy month it's been..!

What a month..!

Where shall I start.. Wedding, (A prospective contract with a record label to photography all of their artists!) and asked to photograph 15 nights of event photography in the run up to Christmas..! Oh and also looking into Trash the Dress service..!!

Right then, Martin and Traceys wedding..! I recieved a call from Martin one tuesday evening in the first week of September and he said he'd seen my work, liked it and would like to know if I was available to photograph their wedding for them. I thought "fab, of course I'll love to!". I asked him when it was and he said "September 18th". I thought that's weird I'm going to Spain this September 18th so it must be next September and that's great because it gives me a year's notice..! He said, "no, this September". Martin must have been more prepared for my reaction than I was. :-)

After speaking further with Martin, I really felt touched by their story and quickly re-arranged my holiday to the following day so that I could capture their special day - it was my pleasure!

Record Label - Unfortunately I'm going to have to remain tight lipped about this as I don't want to blow my chances but you will be kept updated with the outcome..!! Fingers crossed..!!

I was asked to photography 15 nights of event photography in the run up to Christmas and New Year but I chose to turn this down. ;-( As much as the money (especially at this time of year and with the current climate) would have been great and it wouldve been great to see people having a jolly ol' time, I feel that spending time with my family and friends is something that won't come round again til this time next year, y'know when all the family come down from afar, sit round the table having a good time, hearing stories and suppin' away on some of mama's eggnog, I just felt that with all the badness happening in the world, I just think that we should take the opportunites we have to spend quality time together.. So there. :)

Trash the Dress - Having been away from the internet for a while I've recently started to read more and more about trash the dress concepts and how selective couples are really hooked on them..! You crazy people..! Lol.. Digging a lil' deeper I think I really like it too..!! So to all the wedding couples out there who are reading this and thinking of trashing their really expensive wedding dress and would like me to capture it on camera - It'd be a pleasure..!! Email me now..!!

Shottle Hall Wedding..

Some friend's of mine (Marcin & Claire) were getting married at Shottle Hall and asked me if I'd be happy to take some photo's for them of their special day. I immediately jumped at the opportunity, not only because there were friends of mine but because I knew they were so in love, it would look beautiful if I could capture this on camera..! The location they chose was the very glam and picturesque Shottle Hall in Ashbourne, set in the gentle rolling landscape on the edge of the Peak District National Park and forming part of the famous and exquisite Chatsworth House Estate. Shottle Hall is a quintessentially English country house offering a stylish blend of traditional elegance in a contemporary setting. The day went swimmingly well from start to finish and photographing it was a complete pleasure. It all ended with the groom whisking the gorgeous elegant bride away in a VW ol' skool camper van for a honeymoon on the road to bonny scotland..! :)

Improvisation is key...

I recieved an email through my site from a lady asking if I'd be able to photograph her extended family, mum and dad and grandkids - 15 people in total . I thought 'yeah that should be no problem'.. Little did I know how 15 people look all in one room..! Lol.. When they all arrived, I had to count them twice over as it seemed like there were more like 30 people, not 15..!

Luckily for me, they were the loveliest family you could meet from the co-operative mum and dad to the very well behaved kids who were a joy to work..! With a little improvisation I got some really good photo's of the whole family on one photo..! Improvisation is key in situations, not only like this but in all of the jobs I do.. It's what makes my job so enjoyable..!