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Apr
13
Hijabi Wedding Dress Styles
As Hijabi wedding photographers, our team at Saiaf Films has captured stunning photos for a number of Hijabi wedding events. If you are planning a Hijabi wedding, we would like to share our ideas for Hijabi wedding fashion and what it takes to look- and feel- amazing on your wedding day. Finding the perfect Hijabi wedding dress can be somewhat difficult while trying to keep the balance between modesty and fashion. In a world filled with strapless, halter top and backless wedding gowns, and may seem impossible to find the ideal wedding dress for your special day. Here, we will share some examples to help you find your dream dress without compromising on modesty or style.
Hijabi Dress With Sleeves:
Over the years, a large number of wedding dress designers have begun incorporating wedding dresses with sleeves. Instead of having to wear a strapless dress with a long sleeve shirt underneath, consider searching for one that already has the sleeves attached.
Hijabi Dress With Lace:
Lace always been a popular and widely used material when it comes to wedding dresses. Lace adds an elegant touch while still providing modest coverage. As a Hijabi bride, you may consider a wedding gown with a detailed lace sleeve pattern, that way it won’t be too sheer.
Simple Hijab Wedding Dress Style
The main goal of a Hijabi dress is to give an elegant appearance while staying modest and simple. This can be achieved with subtle jewelry or accessories that compliment your Hijabi style rather than distract from your elegance. Consider pairing your outfit with a cascading bouquet or a complimenting Hijab headpiece.
Would you like to see some stunning photos of Hijabi brides? Feel free to browse our gallery for some Hijabi wedding inspiration!
Mar
02
Indian Wedding Rituals (Part Two)
Last week we shared a feature about the first portion of Indian wedding traditions. If you caught up with that post, then you already have an idea of how culture rich an Indian wedding can be. With a deep focus on family and the bonding or joining of both sides, an Indian wedding hosts a variety of meaningful rituals. In today’s article, we are going to cover the remaining portion of Indian wedding rituals- that way, in case you are planning an Indian wedding- or just attending one- you will have an idea of what to expect.
Vivah Havan (The Lighting of the Sacred Fire)- Following the Kanyadaan and Hasta Melap, the priest will then light the sacred fire or Agni. The Agni symbolizes the divine presence as a witness 
for the ceremony. When a commitment is made in the presence of Agni, they are considered to have been made in the presence of God.
Mangal Phere: The bride and groom will then walk around the sacred fire seven times. At this time, they will be thinking about the four aspirations in life: the Dharma- their duty to each other, their family, and God.), Artha- prosperity, Karma- energy and passion, and Moshka- their salvation. At first, the bride will lead the groom for the first three rounds, then the groom will lead the last four rounds. Rice grains will be placed in the bride’s hands (usually by her brother) as she completes each round. This signifies his pledge to support her or protect her in any time of need.
Saptapadi: Also known as the Seven Sacred Steps, the couple will take seven steps together while takings a sacred vow with each step. The vow varies depending on personal preference or belief. A detailed example can be found here. 
As they return to their seats, the bride will sit on the groom’s left side. This signifies her taking the closest position to his heart. The groom will then place a mangalsutra, a sacred necklace, around her neck while offering her lifelong protection. He will also apply sindoor, red vermilion powder, on her forehead. It is at this time that they will exchange rings and feed each other sweets.
Aashirvaad: It is then time to bless the married couple. The women from both sides of the family will proceed to whisper blessings into the bride’s ear. After, the couple will bow to the priest, their parents and their older relatives in order to receive their final blessings. Afterwards, the guests will shower the bride and groom with rice and flowers while wishing them a happy and long marriage.
When these beautiful and meaningful rituals are complete, it is then time to celebrate! There is dancing, live performances and festivities to celebrate their union. The excitement is intriguing and makes for amazing wedding photos! If you would like to see more, feel free to browse our impressive selection of Indian weddings.
Feb
22
Indian Wedding Ceremony Events
Last week, our team shared some detailed information about typical pre-ceremony events at Indian weddings. This week, we would like to share some facts about what takes place at the Indian wedding ceremony. As you may have noticed, Indian wedding are full of meaningful traditions. Whether you are planning your own or have been invited to one, it’s nice to know what to expect. Keep reading for a detailed list of Indian wedding ceremony events.
A traditional Indian wedding ceremony involves a host of religious and spiritual rituals that are used to unite the couple as well as their families. The ceremony kicks off with the arrival of the groom.
Baraat (Aka: The Groom’s Procession)
On the day of the wedding, the groom makes a grand entrance to the wedding venue. Traditionally, the groom would arrive on a white horse. Over the years, some grooms have taken a more creative approach and arrived on jet skis, helicopters, etc. When the groom arrives, he is met with excitement from his friends and family. There is usually music played by a professional dhol and dancing. The bride’s family meets the baraat at the entrance of the wedding venue to take part in the celebrations.
Milni: The milni is a welcoming ritual between the bride’s mother and the groom. Relatives from both sides will greet one another with garlands. The bride’s family will accompany the groom to a canopied altar, called a mandap. The mandap is used to symbolize the home that the couple will build together.
Ganesh Puja: At the start of the ceremony, a priest will guide the couple’s parents in offering sweets, flowers and prayer to Lord Ganesh, the destroyer of all obstacles.
Kanya Aagaman (The Bride’s Arrival): At this moment, the bride will enter the hall to be escorted to the mandap by her maternal aunt and uncle. This tradition varies in an Indian wedding ceremony and can vary on whom escorts the bride.
Jai Mala: Here, the couple will exchange floral garlands that signify their acceptance of each other.
Kanyadaan and Hasta Melap: The bride’s father will then pour sacred water into her hand. Then, he will place her hand into the groom’s, officially giving her away to the groom. This is always a very meaningful and emotional moment at an Indian wedding ceremony- the kind our team loves to capture on film! After this, the groom’s sister will tie the end of the groom’s scarf to the bride’s sari.
As you can tell, an Indian wedding ceremony is packed full of wonderful moments. There’s even more than what we have listed here. Stay tuned for our next post about Indian wedding ceremony events. Meanwhile, feel free to browse our impressive Indian wedding photo gallery from some great visuals on Indian wedding events!
Feb
17
What Goes Into the Pre-Ceremony Events of an Indian Wedding?
As Indian wedding photographers and videographers, our team understands the grandeur and excitement that comes with an Indian wedding. But, we also understand the enormous amount of planning that it takes to organize such an event. We also know that not everyone quite understands all the amazing and meaningful moments that go into an Indian wedding. We would like to share the basics of an Indian wedding to help anyone who may be planning- or plans to attend- an Indian wedding.
Obviously, Indian weddings are full of rich and meaningful traditions. In order to cover them all, we will be breaking down basics of Indian weddings into two separate posts. Here, we will showcase the Pre-Wedding/Ceremony traditions followed by the ceremony itself in a future post. So keep an eye out for the additional information!
Pre-Wedding Events
The pre-wedding rituals are a very important part of the entire Indian wedding event. They are believed to hold an enormous amount of importance and are used to set the tone and promise of the impending wedding. Normally, these events last for about a week and do an amazing job of drumming up the excitement and joy for the bride and groom as well as their friends and family.
Pithi: A pithi is a good luck ceremony where friends and family apply a pithi to bride and groom’s skin. Pithi is a yellow paste made of turmeric, rose water and chickpea flour and is believed to brighten the skin tone.
Mehndi: This is a vibrant and exciting celebration that is normally held the night before the wedding. There is usually a professional mehndi artist that applies henna to the hands and feet of the bride in intricate and meaningful designs. These designs are believed to symbolize beauty, joy and spiritual awakening and offering. Looking for more information about planning a mehndi? Check out our posts about the basics of a mehndi.
As professional Indian wedding photographers and videographers, we have had an enormous privilege capturing some really amazing Indian wedding events and traditions. Our team has a skillful eye for the important and key moments that go along with the traditions and cultural aspects of an Indian wedding. Feel free to check out our impressive Indian wedding photography to see the beauty and grandeur of Indian weddings.
Feb
12
Elegant Wedding Hijab Styles
Chicago Muslim Wedding Photographer / Indian Wedding Photographer / Muslim Wedding Photographer Posted by Saiaf Films
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Beautiful Wedding Hijab Looks
As a wedding photography and videography team that specializes in multicultural weddings, Saiaf Films has had the privilege of capturing some of the most beautiful brides! Our experience has provided us with a deep understanding of the beauty and elegance behind the wedding hijab and the brides who wear them. The hijab is a type of veil worn by a bride to symbolize spiritual aspiration. Over the years, it has been adapted for brides to express their own style by adorning the hijab with different drapings or accessories. Here, our team shares the beauty and elegance in a variety of wedding hijab styles and the beautiful brides who wore them.
Elegant Turban Style Hijab
Words can’t even describe the beauty and elegance of this particular hijab style. It provides the perfect combination of lace, pearl and tulle all in a gorgeous bright white. The bride is wearing a white under-scarf beneath an elegant lace accented fabric. Placed into a turban style hijab, the bride is complimented perfectly by the vibrancy of the white material. We love this chic elegant style which gave this bride a classic and timeless appeal!
Jeweled Hijab
This bride selected an elegant, simple white hijab that is accented with a eye-catching jeweled headband. The hijab itself is topped with single tier, tulle veil that drapes behind her perfectly. The soft cream colored wedding hijab frames her face in a subtle, yet beautiful way. Her jeweled headband pairs with the elegant jeweled belt of her wedding dress adding a unique combination of accents.
The Lifted Hijab
This stunning bride is adorned with a hijab that is lifted towards the back to provide a heightened effect. The hijab itself is draped in multiple folds towards the front in order to create a subtle cascading look. Her face is framed beautifully by this particular hijab style.
The Regal Hijab
This hijabi bride looks majestic with her heavily embroidered dupatta. This particular hijab is exquisitely accented with an abundance of jewels, which complement her wedding style perfectly. She looks stunningly regal as the wedding hijab lays loosely over her shoulders. Elegance and beauty are obvious with this gorgeous style.
Feb
11
An Epic New Orleans Sikh Engagement Party
After years of experience in the wedding photography and videography industry, the Saiaf Films Team has visited some incredible and memorable locations across the United States. One thing we have learned, there is no place quite like New Orleans. In December, our team visited New Orleans to take part in an epic Sikh Engagement party for one of the nicest, genuine and hospitable couples we have ever worked with, Aman and Jaspal. Not only are Aman and Jaspal extremely kind and intriguing, they are also exciting and dedicated to their plans for the amazing events surrounding their union.
Originally, Aman and Jaspal contacted Saiaf Films in search of a team that could cover all aspects of their Sikh wedding events. They wanted a dedicated team that would be there for their proposal, Sikh engagement party and even the grand wedding event. Our team was there to capture the proposal which took place at the beautiful Tempe Town Lake in Arizona. From there, we planned for their epic New Orleans Sikh Engagement party.
Aman and Jaspal’s event took place on a beautiful three story boat, the Creole Queen. It was unlike any engagement party our team had ever seen! The boat was breathtaking and captured all the elegance of the surrounding New Orleans area. Once the couple’s 100-120 guests had arrived, the boat set sail from the bay. The view of the New Orlean’s city lights was incredible and provided a breathtaking scenery for our Sikh engagement photographers as well as the couple’s friends and family. While on the boat, the guests enjoyed an amazing engagement party dinner followed by energetic and entertaining dancing.
Meanwhile, even while the their Sikh engagement party was taking place, Aman and Jaspal took the time to have our Sikh engagement photographers capture some amazing shots of them in downtown New Orleans. At one particular moment, a New Orlean’s local allowed our team to capture some memorable photos of the couple on a cycle rickshaw. The images were mesmerizing and did an exceptional job at capturing the feel and ambiance of Downtown New Orleans.
From the couple’s amazing hospitality, to their epic Sikh engagement party on the boat, all the way to the beautiful and unforgettable photography and videography- our team genuinely enjoys working with Aman and Jaspal. We are anticipating their amazing Sikh wedding event that will be taking place in April at a mountaintop Colorado castle. We can only imagine the grand scale beauty that we will be capturing while there! Thank you, Aman and Jaspal, for selecting our team to capture your wedding events and allowing us the beautiful opportunity to take part in them!
Nov
13
Wedding Spotlight: Anum and Asim’s Wedding Videography
Chicago Muslim Wedding Photographer / Indian Wedding Photographer / Muslim Wedding Photographer Posted by Saiaf Films
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Wedding Spotlight: Anum and Asim’s Wedding Videography
When we first met with Anum and her mother, they were in the midst of planning Anum and Asim’s extravagant three day Muslim-Indian wedding. We were pleased with their humility and loved their personalities right away. They expressed their desire to have an extremely elegant wedding video captured by our company. Anum was very specific in describing the things that would make her and Asim’s wedding videography re-watchable time and time again. Knowing how important this was to her, our team took special care in guiding her to choosing a wedding video package that would make her vision a reality.
Wedding Ceremony & Reception
Anum and Asim had a lavishly elegant wedding in luxurious Scottsdale, Arizona. When we first arrived to their venue, we were amazed as we entered the wedding hall. The breathtaking wedding hall was decorated beautifully. Mesmerizing glass centerpieces and floral arrangements were perfectly placed throughout, creating a gorgeous and surreal ambiance. While at the wedding, the Saiaf Films team focused on special details in the wedding decor, wedding favors and the dress design. Additionally, we paid special attention to the traditional Indian wedding dances that took place at the mehndi. With such wonderful friends and family, our team had the opportunity to capture key memorable moments that Anum and Asim will cherish forever.
Wedding Videography
The wedding videography from this night was magical! We could not be more pleased with Anum and Asim for being such lovely people. Their wedding designer was second to none and made our job look easy compared to what she was capable of! With all the beautiful and dynamic footage that we captured, the rest of the magic happened in our editing room.
For Anum and Asim’s special wedding story, we wanted the combination of Indian wedding traditions with Muslim wedding traditions to be as beautiful as the day we filmed it. To do so, our wedding video editor began by creating a wedding montage for the newlyweds. Then, the montage is synced to perfectly selected music and takes the viewer through the wedding as if they were reliving these special moments all over again. A wedding montage is ideal for sharing on social media sites providing relatives and friends the opportunity to enjoy the wedding if they were unable to attend.
Once complete, Anum and Asim were presented with a custom made wedding DVD case with their one of a kind wedding videography showcasing the true essence of their wedding night. Our team thoroughly enjoyed the privilege of working with this beautiful couple and creating wedding videography to last them a lifetime. Congratulations Anum and Asim. We hope you cherish your wedding memories for years to come!
Oct
09
Wedding Spotlight: Sandeep & Mital’s Indian Wedding
Chicago Muslim Wedding Photographer / Hindu Wedding Photographer / Indian Wedding Photographer Posted by Saiaf Films
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Sandeep & Mital: Crowne Plaza in Peoria, AZ
When Sandeep and Mital came into our office for the first time, we were captivated by their presence. Together, they were full of energy and love. There wasn’t a moment where they stopped smiling at each other. During our first consultation with Sandeep and Mital, we asked them to describe what they envisioned for their wedding photography and video. Their response came easy to them. They were planning a traditional Indian Wedding and wanted a special focus on the
ir family. Eager to capture their request, our team paid extra attention to special candid moments with family on day of the wedding.
Wedding Decorations/Attire:
Sandeep and Mital followed the traditional Indian wedding theme and made use of bright and vibrant colors throughout their decor. Their main color was a dynamic red accented with gold. They chose a matching palette of flowers that were perfectly placed throughout the wedding venue.
Mital was beautifully dressed in a designer saree from India that was complemented with vibrant red fabrics. She was perfectly accessorized in glowing-gold Indian jewelry complete with gorgeous bangle bracelets and artistically applied henna. Her wedding shoes were complimenting silver stilettos that completed her wedding attire perfectly. Sandeep accompanied his beautiful wife to be with a stunning traditional sherwani complete with a gorgeously jeweled turban. He was also accessorized with a variety of impressive Indian jewelry. Both wore traditional Indian flower garlands to complete their eye catching attire.
The Ceremony & Reception:
Taking place at the Crowne Plaza in Peoria, the 200 person wedding commenced with Sandeep’s procession, known as a baraat. His family danced and sang as he made a grand entrance on a beautiful white stallion. During the milni, Mital’s family met Sandeep and his family at the entrance of the vibrantly green outdoor venue. There, they entered in union as part of the traditional Indian welcoming ceremony. The glowing Mital made a royal entrance as she was carried in on a doli. The night continued beautifully. It was full of traditions and rituals as the families came together as 
one and blessed Sandeep and Mital’s Hindu matrimony.
The wedding photos and video that our team captured on this magical night is breathtaking! Sandeep and Mital’s wedding was vibrant and full of life. Sandeep and Mitals traditional Hindu wedding ceremony exemplified the true union between two families and a wonderful couple.
The night ended with Sandeep, Mital and their family dancing the night away. We wish them the best in their lives and thank them for their hospitality and warmness.
