UPDATE:
Bhavika in her dress (nanammaβs gift last year) wearing for the first time and probably last time as she has gotten bigβ¦
My favourite picture of Bradley:
Ok as a follow-up to Brittneyβs picture I posted, here are rest of my kidsβ¦
Bhavika
Brijesh
Bradley
That look right after the jaimala goes on β you can see it here. Garlands still settling, and they`re already stealing a glance like nobody else is on that sidewalk. This is one of my favorite in-between moments to catch because it`s not posed, it`s not planned, it`s just two people who can`t help but smile at each other.
Fusion weddings like this one are so special to shoot β two families, two traditions, blending into one really beautiful day. If you`re planning a wedding that mixes cultures (or doesn`t fit in a box), let`s talk about how we`d tell your story. Comment or DM us!
Theyβre not just sticking a colorful piece of wood into the ground. And this may be one of my favorite examples of how much meaning can hide inside a Gujarati wedding.
If youβve grown up around Gujarati weddings, you may have seen some version of this ritual your entire life.
The decorated post is associated with the Manek Stambh and Mandap Ropan / Mandap Muhurat β the ceremonial establishing of the mandap before the wedding.
Before it is placed into the earth, the post may be wrapped with sacred thread and blessed as part of the familyβs ritual. Then it is carried outside and planted into the ground.
But hereβs the part I love:
Before we build the place where two people will be married, we acknowledge the earth upon which it will stand.
The Manek Stambh becomes more than a little wooden post. It represents the establishment of the mandap β the sacred space beneath which a new marriage will begin.
And depending upon the family, region and Gujarati community, the customs surrounding it may look a little different. Thatβs something Iβve learned after more than two decades of photographing South Asian families: there is rarely just one Indian way of doing anything.
Sometimes even the bride or groom knows what their family does because theyβve watched their parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles do it their entire livesβ¦
β¦but theyβve never actually been told why.
Thatβs the part that gets me.
Because one day, someone is going to look at photographs like this and ask:
βWhat were they doing here?β
And I donβt want the answer to simply be, βOh, that was something we did before the wedding.β
I want someone to remember.
The name.
The reason.
Who held it.
Who tied the thread.
Who taught them how to do it.
Because somewhere between tradition being practiced and tradition being explained is where legacy either gets passed downβor quietly disappears.
And THAT is why we photograph the little things. π€
The gasp. The hands flying up. The one friend who literally cannot keep it together. THIS is what we live for.
There`s something so pure about the moment a bride`s crew sees her for the first time, all dressed up, before anyone else does. Coordinated olive sharara sets, then that red and gold lehenga glowing against them as she walks in β it`s real, it`s unscripted, and it happens exactly once. We just have to be standing in the right spot to catch it.
Who would you want to see you first β your person, your parents, or your crew? Tell us below, and if you`re planning a day full of moments like this, DM us to chat.
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Madhu is ready to get this baraat started - nothing like a morning baraat to really get you moving! There`s something so joyful about a daytime baraat - the sun`s out, the dhol is going, and the groom is dancing his way to the mandap surrounded by the people who`ve known him his whole life. That arms-wide, head-back energy? For some it might be McDonald`s but for us --- t`s why we wakeup early in the morning on the weekends.
If you`re planning a baraat and want photos that capture the actual joy (not just posed smiles), let`s talk. DM us or drop a comment below!
There will always be a place for a macro lens in our bag. π These are the bride`s bangles, and in Indian culture, they carry so much meaning β often gifted by family, symbolizing blessings, prosperity, and the beginning of a new chapter. Getting close enough to catch every sparkle and reflection like this is one of our favorite parts of wedding day details.
What`s a piece of jewelry or heirloom from your family that means the most to you? Tell us in the comments β or DM us to chat about capturing yours on your big day! β¨
@pinnacle_live @uthsaav @omnihomestead @diegostuartfilms @abhishekdecorators
Maya + Zach, somewhere between Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone and happily ever after. πΏ
There are some sessions that donβt need much of a storyline because they already feel like one.
A quiet summer morning.
Lotus flowers in bloom.
Barefoot-in-the-garden kind of romance.
A little running, a little dancing, and the kind of laughter that makes you forget someone is photographing you.
Maya + Zach β you two made this one ridiculously easy to romanticize. π€
That view, though. Shatakshi and Madhu chose the Omni in Hot Springs, VA for their sangeet celebrations, and honestly, those mountains rolling out behind the property? Chef`s kiss. There`s something about getting a little distance from the everyday that makes a sangeet weekend feel even more special β everyone`s there, phones are (mostly) down, and it`s just family, dancing, and stories.
@shakess09 @uthsaav @abhishekdecorators @diegostuartfilms @pinnacle_live @omnihomestead @carolinaeliteevents @cbcatering.usa
We love when a venue becomes part of the celebration instead of just a backdrop. Got a mountain wedding or sangeet in the works? Drop a comment or DM us β we`d love to hear about it.
There`s a very short list of moments that can rival a mother`s joy on her daughter`s wedding weekend β and this forehead-to-forehead hug is definitely on it. Maybe her birthday gives it a run for its money, but honestly? I`m not so sure. The way she cupped her Mom`s face just as Mom was getting emotional, mehndi and all, said everything words couldn`t.
Moments like these are exactly why we do what we do, why we want to be present for you and YOUR family. Have a mother-daughter moment from your wedding you`ll never forget? Tell us about it in the comments, or DM us to chat about capturing yours.
@abhishekdecorators @cbcatering.usa @diegostuartfilms @pinnacle_live @omnihomestead @uthsaav
That little pause before someone reaches for a keepsake β that`s the moment I always watch for. This gorgeous mirrored cart full of favors got me thinking about what guests actually remember from a wedding. Is it the food? The dance floor? Or is it these small, thoughtful touches that make you feel like you were truly hosted, not just invited? Uthsaav, Abhishek Decorators, CB Catering and the couple all nailed it here.
I`m an experience person through and through. Give me something that makes me pause, smile, and feel a little cared for, and I`m sold. What`s a wedding favor or keepsake that`s stuck with you over the years? Tell me in the comments, or DM us if you`re planning something special and want it documented right.
#SouthAsianWeddings #IndianWeddings #WeddingPhotographersInVirginia #IndianWeddingPhotographersInVirginia #IndianWedding #DesiWedding #FusionWedding #DesiWeddingVibes #WeddingPhotography #RegetisPhotography #WeddingDetails #IndianBride
@abhishekdecorators @cbcatering.usa @diegostuartfilms @pinnacle_live @omnihomestead @uthsaav
That laugh. That stride. That candid, can`t-fake-it energy β this is the stuff we chase every single wedding season. π
So... if you`re getting married in 2027, we need to know! Drop your date below π and tell us β are you thinking just photo + cinema, or are you ready to go full Legacy Makers experience with The Regeti`s and Diego Stuart Films? Either way, we`d love to chat. DM us or book a consult β let`s make your walk this good too.
@abhishekdecorators @cbcatering.usa @diegostuartfilms @pinnacle_live @omnihomestead @uthsaav
Don`t make a daddy`s girl call her dad on you - landline and all. Riddhi is ALL grown up and getting married and we are just... not ready. We`ve watched this happen a hundred times and it still gets us every single time, especially when the couple in front of our lens is this cute together. And the fact that she chose us for this?? We`re still smiling about it.
Sweet, playful, completely themselves - this is exactly the kind of energy we help bring from behind the camera. Got a proposal story or an engagement session on your mind? Drop a comment or send us a DM, we`d love to hear about it.
These are the shots that get me every time β not the couple, not the decor, but this. The parents, cousins, fiends, a little one in pink, perfectly content in her grandmother`s lap while everyone around her watches the sangeet unfold. She won`t remember this moment, but her family will, forever.
This is what we mean when we say wedding photography isn`t about trends β it`s about catching the in-between. The speeches, the performances, the glances between generations. Your joy was never meant to stand alone; it was always meant to be witnessed, held, and celebrated by the people who raised you. If that`s the kind of story you want told, we should definitely have a conversation.
Okay, we said it. Somebody had to.
After 20 years and more weddings than we can count, here`s what we`ve learned: the couples we click with best aren`t chasing trends or a perfectly styled feed β they want photos that still mean something at their 25th anniversary, when grandparents aren`t in the room anymore and that mandap is the only place they still "are." If that`s not you, no hard feelings, truly. But if it is... we`d love to hear about your day. Drop a comment or DM us β let`s talk.
The bride told us: don`t miss the little things. So when the caterer started serving ice cream person to person instead of setting it out on the table, we did what we do best β a little hide and seek to catch it before it melted (literally and figuratively). Pink kulfi in martini glasses, mithai on the side, a potli bag waiting for its moment β this is the kind of detail that disappears in about four minutes flat if nobody`s chasing it.
I scream, you scream... you get the idea. Got a detail you`re worried we`ll miss? Tell us in the comments or send us a DM β we love a good challenge.
@abhishekdecorators @cbcatering.usa @diegostuartfilms @pinnacle_live @omnihomestead @uthsaav
That laugh right there? That`s exactly what we`re after. Shatakshi and Madhu carved out a little time with us right after their venue walkthrough at The Omni Homestead, and what started as a quick coaching session turned into pure joy in front of the camera.
Honestly, we push all our couples to do this before the wedding day. It`s less about the photos (though obviously, yes) and more about us learning each other - how you laugh, how you lean into each other, what natural actually looks like on you two. We trade our time for yours because it always pays off tenfold on the big day. Which it did!
@omnihomestead @uthsaav
Anjali and Eric got up before the sun for this one β and honestly? So worth it. We had Occoquan almost entirely to ourselves, just soft golden light and these two being goofy and in love. Piggyback rides included. π
We love this match-up extra because they came to us through a past bride, Abigail β and if you know us, you know referrals from our couples mean everything. Bonus: their big day is being planned by the talented Ani Sandhu of Ace of Events, so we already know it`s going to be special.
Engagement sessions like this are our favorite kind of proof β that the best light (and the best laughs) happen when you`re brave enough to set an early alarm. Thinking about your own session, The Regeti`s include them! Drop a comment or DM us β let`s talk sunrise.
@aceofevents
That smell right before a wedding starts? Jasmine. Trays and trays of it, strung tight into garlands, waiting to be placed in the bride`s hair or wrapped around a wrist. It`s such a small detail in the grand scheme of a wedding day, but it`s everywhere in Indian culture β poojas, weddings, welcoming guests, even just Sunday mornings at home. There`s something about fresh jasmine that makes a moment feel official, like the day has really begun.
We always try to get a frame of it before the flowers go anywhere near the bride β the texture, the fragrance you can almost feel through the photo.
Have jasmine flowers been part of your family`s traditions? Tell us in the comments, or DM us if you`re planning a wedding and want photos that catch these small, fragrant details too.
That look on his face β half amused, half "do I have to do this again?" β while someone (probably an uncle or family friend) rubs turmeric into his hair mid-haldi. This is exactly the kind of moment I mean when I say kids learn what they live.
Every family does haldi a little differently β who sits where, who applies it first, how long the teasing lasts before someone finally wipes their face. Even families from the same town, same language, same background β it`s never identical. That`s what I love photographing. This little guy is absorbing all of it, and someday he`ll be the one holding the turmeric for someone else.
Want photos that catch these in-between moments, not just the posed ones? Send us a DM β we`d love to hear about your day.
Wow, only a year ago I saw all the kids, they grow up so fast.