Portugal Indian Destination Wedding at the Fox House

Meet Anmol & Amrik - the warmest, most charming, superstar couple we photographed at The Fox House in São Pedro do Sol (near Porto), Portugal. They brought together both Hindu and Sikh cultural elements for their Indian destination wedding, then hosted the most epic dance parties! Press play on the slideshow below to see the stories we captured through our cameras.

"We knew we wanted Raj & Sharul to photograph our wedding before we were engaged"

I knew I wanted Raj and Sharul to photograph our wedding before Amrik had even proposed. It was a dream come true when they were available on our wedding date and they far exceeded every expectation we had.

From start to finish they were not only extremely professional but also the sweetest, most supportive people. They made us feel so at ease from the moment we met them and they kept us calm despite the stress! So many of our friends and family also commented on how lovely they were throughout the weekend.

Our main reason for choosing Raj and Sharul was the way they capture pure emotion and my god did they deliver.

Somehow, without being obtrusive or in our faces, they were able to capture all the small moments and the essence of each event.

When we got the preview of our photos, we watched them again and again with enormous smiles on our faces. We laughed, we cried, we wanted to do the weekend all over again. We’re so grateful to be able to relive our wedding through their incredible photos.

We can’t thank them enough and would recommend them so highly to any couple.

Absolutely outstanding service and beautiful photos that we will cherish forever.

Anmol & Amrik

Haldi / Churra / Jaago

We started with a Haldi ceremony by the pool where not a single inch of them was left unscrubbed! The idea is to scrub and "beautify" the couple's skin to get them looking top notch on their big day.

Once Amrik had been dutifully chucked into the pool, the 'Churra' was underway. This ceremony celebrates the role of a maternal uncle and aunt. As Anmol's mama and mami blessed the choora (bangles) and put them on Anmol, we all found it pretty touching. This was then followed by a "tossing the bouquet" of sorts, where Anmol banged her bangles together over unmarried girls and if a trinket falls on them it's a sign they might be next to get married!

We then ended the night with some Jaago traditions. Jaago is traditionally a time for singing and dancing with decorated pots, the idea is to make noise and alert the village that the wedding is happening, and the guests certainly made sure they were heard in the entire valley of São Pedro do Sul.

We captured some split second moments here that we love! Notice Amrik's face as his dad is being tossed in the air!

Indian HIndu outdoor Wedding (with a Sikh custom twist)

The following day, we were in absolute AWE of how beautiful the space for their Indian / Hindu wedding ceremony was at the Fox House. Surrounded by water, with no over the top mandaps, we were about to witness a spiritual ceremony in the most natural surroundings. There was also a poignant Sikh reading (Ardas) to acknowledge the role of the divine. The ceremony was actually conducted by a female priest which is pretty rare. Massive respect to the couple, and the priestess, for choosing to take the path less trodden. 

Before the ceremony, we caught some really emotional moments as Anmol's dad saw her in her full bridal clothes for the first time (this was actually Anmol's mum's bridal sari bought by her grandfather in 1992!). Anmol entered the mandap area as Amrik was hidden behind a veil, and we managed to "layer" a photograph with both these elements together.

It may not be obvious, but wedding photography requires us to be totally present to the many stories unfolding around us. It isn't just about the big moments but also the smaller, more nuanced moments in between. This 'art of noticing' requires years of practice. But by doing our job well, we are able to give our couples and their families an heirloom that will serve their memories for decades.

The reception party needs no introductions - the couple cut their cake and toasted as fireworks went off from behind them. There were emotional speeches, then a big party with their friends and family!

Reception

THank you for Trusting us to photograph for you!

MOre photos coming soon