The 7 Things Every Indian-American Bride Wishes She Knew Before Booking Her Wedding Photographer

By Amy & Srinu Regeti — The Regeti’s | South Asian Wedded Life (SAWL)

The Regetis Legacy Portraits IndianDesiWeddingPhotographers

Let’s be real — planning an Indian or fusion wedding in America is not for the faint of heart.

You’re juggling two families, five events, three outfit changes, and about fifty people who all have opinions on how your day should look, sound, and feel. Somewhere between your Pinterest boards and your parent’s WhatsApp group, you’re expected to find a photographer who can not only document your wedding but understand it.

We get it.
After photographing more than 1,000 South Asian weddings across the U.S., we’ve seen it all — the calm, the chaos, the color, and the compromise. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s this:

Your wedding photographer isn’t just clicking a camera — they’re the only vendor who witnesses everything.From your haldi laughter to your vidaii tears.

So before you sign that contract, here are seven things every Indian-American bride wishes she knew first.

1. Multi-day coverage is not the same as “all-day coverage.”

South Asian weddings are marathons disguised as sprints. A typical weekend can include:

Mehndi (2–4 hours)
Sangeet (5+ hours)
Wedding ceremony (6–8 hours)
Reception (6 hours)
And a post-wedding brunch or grihapravesh (2–3 hours)

That’s 20+ hours of emotional, cultural, and family storytelling.

Many photographers unfamiliar with South Asian events offer “all-day coverage” — but that usually means one calendar day, not multiple cultural days. Your photographer should not just “cover it all” but know what matters most at each event.

Pro Tip: Ask your photographer if they can build a visual timeline for every event, ensuring coverage for both sides of the family.

(At The Regeti’s, we build a full-day playbook in advance so every parent, planner, and priest is looped in.)

2. Lighting isn’t just technical — it’s cultural.

If you’ve ever attended a Sangeet, you know — colored uplights, LED screens, and mirrored floors are a photographer’s love-hate relationship. Beautiful to the naked eye, disastrous for skin tones if you don’t know what you’re doing.

The truth?
Indian attire, gold jewelry, and candlelight require a different photographic language. Our brides glow when color temperature, lens choice, and timing align with the event’s natural energy.

Why this matters:
The same image shot by someone unfamiliar with our culture can flatten vibrance, wash out henna tones, or blow out reds.

You deserve a photographer who sees your skin tone as an art form, not a technical problem.

3. Family photos will test your patience (and your planner).

The biggest stress point we see? Family formals.
Everyone wants a photo with the bride and groom — but no one knows where they’re supposed to be or when.

Our rule: Photograph family first, chaos later.

We build a “PPP” (Pre-Post-Pre) list — meaning pre-ceremony, post-ceremony, and pre-reception groupings — so no relative is missed, and no moment feels rushed.

Pro Tip: Have your parents send us the family list two weeks before the wedding. That gives us time to structure flow and manage personalities gracefully.

(Yes, even that one auntie who’s always ten minutes late.)

4. Communication isn’t optional — it’s half the art.

If your photographer doesn’t know who’s who, what’s sacred, or what’s coming next — they’re reacting instead of anticipating.

We always ask our brides:

What’s most meaningful to your family?
Who should we prioritize in portraits?
Are there rituals specific to your region or faith?

These details let us capture what’s super important — like the way your mom adjusts your dupatta, or how your dad avoids eye contact during vidaii.

Because the best photos are never staged. They’re remembered.

5. Fusion doesn’t mean confusion.

Whether it’s a Hindu-Christian ceremony, Sikh-American reception, or a fusion of Tamil and Punjabi traditions — your wedding deserves to be seen as a whole story, not a series of fragmented scenes.

We specialize in blending cultural aesthetics:
the grandeur of Indian rituals with the intimacy of American storytelling.

The result?
Your album feels like a movie where both cultures shine — not compete.

(Fun fact: 40% of our couples are fusion. We love hearing how they met — and how they’re redefining modern marriage for the next generation.)

6. Price matters, but legacy matters more.

Yes, budgets matter. But 10 years from now, the only investment that still feels priceless will be your photos.

Your photographer should never nickel-and-dime you for the number of images, events, or file types.
They should deliver a complete narrative, not a curated highlight reel.

At The Regeti’s, we design heirloom albums built to last generations — and every story we deliver comes with digital access for your family worldwide.

Pro Tip: Choose experience over extras. A great photographer anticipates emotion; a cheap one often edits it out.

7. Your connection with your photographer changes everything.

More than anything — trust your gut.ar
You should like the people behind the camera.
They’ll be with you through every sacred, sweaty, emotional, unforgettable moment.

We always tell our brides:

“If you wouldn’t have a cup of chai with your photographer, don’t hire them for your wedding.”

This is why we meet every couple via Zoom first — so they can feel the energy, not just see the portfolio.

At the end of the day…

Indian weddings are about more than celebration — they’re about lineage, legacy, and love.
And the person you hire to document it should honor that with every frame.

So before you book your photographer, ask these questions.
Research their work.
And when you’re ready to feel seen, celebrated, and understood — we’re right here.

Ready to make magic together?

✨ Explore The Regeti’s Photography Experience →
🎙 Listen to our podcast SAWL — South Asian Wedded Life →

Because you deserve to feel as beautiful behind the camera as you look in front of it.