I am not sure of where to begin with this post.  To say that we were excited for Raj and Pia’s wedding is an understatement – I think the feeling was more like ecstatic and giddy!!  Aaron went to highschool with Rajan and before he and Pia ever contacted us about shooting their wedding his name would come up Aaron and anyone else who knew him would always say what an incredibly nice person he is – they are so right!!  And lucky for him he has married a beautiful person inside and out in Pia.  You might remember these two from the engagement session we did with them back in March. We had a great time with them on their engagement shoot but we could not have anticipated the amazing experience of spending three days with them and their families. We are still savouring every memory as it was an event that we will forever cherish and remember.  We really can’t thank the Nagpal and Dhariwal families and Raj and Pia’s friends enough for welcoming us so warmly, feeding us at every turn, and for leaving us blessed with lasting memories and friendships.  Rajan is Sikh and Pia is Hindu so their wedding combined traditions from both by having two ceremonies on one day and their reception the following day.  Before the wedding ceremonies, family and friends gathered at each of the parents homes to celebrate the ladies Sanjeet and the Maiyaan. I also went earlier in the day to cover Pia having her Mendhi {henna} applied to her hands and feet. Pia’s sister Nidhi, her mom, aunties and cousins came in and out watching, chatting as she sat patiently still while the intricate work was completed.  Behind her on the mantle I noticed a beautiful old photo of past generations of her family, watching over the room and all the preparations. In the evening I returned to the Nagpal home and Aaron went to the Dhariwal home to cover the Sanjeet and Maiyaan.  At both Raj and Pia were greeted by friends and family who rubbed their skin with spice paste and Pia was given her wedding bangles by her Uncle and Aunt.  The evening at both homes ended in food and dancing which for us was only a glimpse of what was to come in the following days. We were both struck by how close all of the extended family members are and how so many friends and family came to this evening to celebrate Raj and Pia. Because there was so much more going on in this wedding than in others we have covered, and because we took more photos than we ever thought possible for one couple! – we are splitting our usual blog post into three separate posts to show the three main days that we spent with Raj and Pia.  This post focuses on the Sangeet and Maiyaan for both Raj and Pia. We will have a post on the Hindu and Sikh ceremonies soon with more stories of our adventures with Raj and Pia so check back soon as there are more amazing images to come!!

Pia’s Ladies Sanjeet and Maiyaan

Rajan’s Maiyaan