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I’ve filmed Indian weddings before—but this one hit different. From the first moment, it felt more rooted, more traditional, more intentional. Less of a show, more of a story—and I was lucky enough to step into it.
Day one: the Sangeet. A celebration that somehow blurs the line between pre-party and sacred ritual. Not just a prelude—it carried the weight of the whole weekend.
I met Anita and Saumya at Chicago’s historic Congress Hotel. One handshake and we were headed to the roof. No time for small talk, no easing in. Just straight to the top.
As a Chicago native, being on top of the Congress Hotel—this familiar Lolla weekend landmark—just felt like a nice full-circle moment. Anita and Saumya stepped into that sunset skyline like royalty. No hesitation. Me? I needed a second to wipe my palms and brace myself—heights aren’t my thing. From a garage underground to the heavens above in under ten minutes. That contrast alone earned this shoot a place in my top portfolio pieces.
Right after we got those rooftop shots, I turned to the details—and even up there, they spoke just as loudly. Anita’s henna told a full story—personal symbols, meaningful locations, woven together across her hands like fine art. Saumya matched in full regal fashion: gold and deep green/blue sherwani, the kind of look that renders a tux obsolete.
Then came the performances. A custom lineup of skits, dances, and jokes delivered by friends and family—culminating in a theatrical retelling of their love story. Anita and Saumya sat on a stage throne, front-row for the saga of how they met. The final skit: Saumya the good guy, caught in a love triangle, levels up and wins her heart. It was rom-com gold, and the crowd roared.
And that was just the pre-party. The next day, the wedding itself unfolded at the Garfield Park Conservatory. It began with the Baraat—a full parade of color, sound, and energy. Live drums, flower petals, incense, the whole cinematic spectrum.
The ceremony took place under a Mandap as the sun dipped. Parents tossed petals, light filtered through leaves, and the scene closed like a film’s final frame.
Cocktail hour? Inside the conservatory. A jungle masquerading as a venue. Guests wandered koi ponds and waterfalls with drinks in hand, lost in a maze of greenery.
And finally, the reception. A ballroom wind-down that felt more like a family reunion. The pressure was gone. We danced. We laughed. I stopped feeling like a vendor and more like a friend. After a weekend of storybook highs, the ending landed exactly where it needed to: joyful, real, and full of heart.
Congress Hotel Rooftop
Where it started. High above the noise, with the skyline wide open and the cold wind cutting through. A clean, quiet canvas for the first shots of the weekend—and a perfect first impression of Anita and Saumya. No crowds, no chaos. Just calm and confidence with the city behind them.
The Gold Room
This ballroom in the Congress Hotel drips with old-world elegance—painted ceilings, gilded trim, towering columns, and massive chandeliers. It was the second act of the day, and somehow felt even more elevated than the rooftop. A classic backdrop for tradition and family, captured with all the richness it deserves.
Garfield Park Conservatory – Horticulture Hall
For the ceremony and cocktail hour, we stepped into a different world entirely. Lush greenery, glowing lanterns, and an ambient warmth that turned every corner into a scene from a dream. The Horticulture Hall, with its low light and glass dome, made the entire space feel alive. A jungle wrapped around a love story—and the most cinematic way to close it all out.
Behind the Lens
From the jump, this shoot felt less like a job and more like an invitation. I wasn’t just documenting a wedding—I was dropped into the middle of a cultural celebration that moved with rhythm, story, and soul.
The challenge? Pacing. There were no breaks. No controlled moments. The energy flowed fast and layered—like filming a concert, ceremony, and theatrical show all at once.
I had a floating setup for the performances—handheld at ground level while a tripod stayed upstairs to catch wide angles and crowd reactions. For the Baraat, I was weaving through drums and dancers like a war reporter with a stabilizer. For the ceremony, I played it quieter—switching into stealth mode, hugging the edges of the Mandap without interrupting the moment.
Lighting was its own journey. Natural sun on the rooftop. Golden tones in the Gold Room. Soft, filtered shadows in the conservatory. Every location felt like a different set, and every set demanded its own style of movement.
I walked out of that weekend with a memory card full of wild contrasts: skyscraper skyline shots, floral closeups, henna details, firelit dances, and jungle vows. If ever there was a shoot that taught me how to move through space without getting in the way—it was this one.
A Defining Moment
It wasn’t one shot. It was a feeling that kept returning in different forms.
On the rooftop—watching Anita and Saumya step into the wind like they owned the skyline. During the performances—capturing their reactions as friends turned their love story into a full-on stage production. And again, during the ceremony—when sunset hit the Mandap just right, and flower petals floated through light like a movie finale.
But the moment that really stuck? The skit. That rom-com reenactment of how they met. Something about watching your own love story acted out in front of everyone—flawed, funny, and totally honest—just hits different. I saw it in their faces. In the way they looked at each other. That’s when I knew this was more than a wedding. It was a celebration of everything it took to get here.
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