Anisha and Will’s Sangeet was the commencement of their three day destination wedding at the beautiful Leela Palace in Udaipur, India. The couple encouraged the guests to go all out with jewel-toned Indian outfits. We did a small portrait shoot with the bride and groom before the guests arrived. One of my favorite images from the set is a pulled back shot where you get a sense of how many cameras and lights were on them.
Guests arrived by boat to the Leela Palace, and gathered in the gardens. During the Sangeet, there were choreographed dances performed by small groups of close friends and family members, including the bride and groom. These dances were taught by the talented choreographer, Chetan Rajani. In Indian tradition, the Sangeet acts as a way to break the ice between the groom’s side and the bride’s side, bringing them together through friendly dance competitions. Anisha opted for a custom green lengha from Shaveta & Anuj that she knew would sparkle under the stage lighting. The original version of the lengha was silvery blue with long sleeves. However, Anisha wanted a bolder color for the Sangeet since she planned to wear ivory or cream for the wedding. Together with the Shaveta & Anuj team, she redesigned the lengha with the same embroidery but in a stunning green shade that was reminiscent of emerald or teal. Will wanted to exude regal charm while still maintaining his youthful and authentic look. He chose to wear a navy suit by Shantanu & Nikhil, known for their contemporary Indian wear.
After the Sangeet program concluded, guests were served a variety of traditional Indian dishes. After dinner, the real party began – guests moved into the dancing space and enjoyed a DJ and laser light show until the early hours of the morning.
Make sure to see day two, the Colorful Mehndi, and the spectacular Wedding Day.
