Parsons Photography: Pooja & Will's Wedding Day

What an amazing day yesterday! Pooja & Will were married...twice! Yes, twice!

To honor Pooja's family and religion, the first ceremony was an abbreviated Hindu ceremony (it was only 1 1/2 hours long, not 4 days!) taken place in the church's hall. Pooja was dressed by her aunts and cousins and then adorned with beautiful sparking jewelry.

Then to honor Will's family and religion, a Catholic ceremony was performed in the church.

What a gorgeous bride with spectacular eyes!

Here she is being helped into her sari for the ceremony. I think it took her aunts at least 45 minutes to get the pleats and the wraps just right - the result was beautiful!

Waiting for Will's ceremonial arrival.

Will and his guys outside the church.

It is an Indian custom that the groom arrives at the ceremony on horse (the tradition is actually on an elephant...but Will couldn't find one in MA willing to walk through the parking lot!)...

...with his groomsmen dancing around him, and meeting family and friends to walk to the ceremony together.

The Hindu ceremony

Will is always so animated! This photo just makes me laugh!

This was a very touching part of the ceremony - where the bride and groom become one. I was fascinated with the explanations of the coconut representing the bride's ego (sorry, it does get smashed!), the leaf is currency from the bride's family, and the water is connecting the families together. The parents of the groom were presented with the coconut!

One of my favorite shots of the day. Pooja is placing some nuts into the ceremonial fire.

Now on to the Catholic ceremony!

Pooja's mother had passed but she was with her all day long, smiling at her. If you look closely at the photo, the reflection in the photo is of Pooja's sari that she wore at the end of the night.

Pooja left a bouquet of flowers in her mother's empty seat to honor her memory at the ceremony

I did not make that pedal into a heart! It was really there in front of me! Sometimes the signs are just there! :)

Pooja's bridesmaids were so much fun! As soon as I said the word "sassy" this was what I got! Love it!!

And the guys couldn't be outdone!

Now...on to the reception at the Boat House in downtown Hartford. Pooja's dad had received a call in the morning asking if cocktail hour could be pushed up a hald hour because of the rising river. No one understood the call until we got onsite...This photo was taken at 4:30 and tables were already pushed back 3 times. You can see the docks in the background, that's usually where the water comes to.

By the end of the night, this entire patio was flooded, the main parking lot and half of the secondary parking lot was flooded (guests had to be transported via Peter Pan bus to get to their cars)!

A spectacular view of the water...over the parking lot. No kidding, this is the parking lot that got flooded!

When life hands you lemons, make sure your photographer has a sense of humor! :) Yes, I floated their rings in the water! :)

The rising river did not dampen the party! What an awesome high energy reception! The DJ even played "Proud Mary" and dedicated it to the river ("rolling on the river")! Cute!