Gemma & Matt: 2 Ceremonies, 2 Cultures. . . 1 Love
July 26, 2010 |
I have been dying to post Gemma and Matt’s wedding here on the blog. It was just so hard for me to cull it down. In fact I think it has taken me longer to cull this wedding than any other wedding I have ever shot. It is just so interesting and beautiful, it’s not many Saturdays that I get to shoot two ceremonies with the same couple. That is right, they had an Indian ceremony first and then a Catholic ceremony. Big huge thanks to Claudia Sasser Events for keeping things running smoothly!!!! Matt English met Gemma Patel when they were in high school and soon there after fell in love, and have been together since. Gemma grew up in Athens, GA with a great legacy of culture with her Indian daddy and her mum who is from across the pond, yep she is English. What are the chances she would fall in love with a guy with the last name English? It is all so inter-connected, and they are definitely the perfect match. Ok, so let’s get started…..
The wedding celebrations commenced at the beautiful Tucker Plantation in Colbert, GA. Here are a few details from the day. The elephant is one of the Indian Gods of good luck.
Two gorgeous dresses. . . the saris were imported from India and Gemma’s traditional white gown was so unique! 
So beautiful! 
The florals were designed by Gardenia Floral Designs out of Athens.
Gemma’s hair was done is two diffent dos by Jennifer Haddon of Mint Hair Boutique. Gemma’s aunt helped her into her sari.
Not every gal gets to have twice the bling. Since she had two different outfits she got to have twice the jewlery. The necklace on the left of the Indian Jewelry is the mangal sutra (sacred necklace). It is a symbol of his commitment to her.Traditionally, the black beads are believed to shield the bride from evil spirits, envy and sadness. Gemma and Matt also have an adorable dog. Of course she had to have some wedding jewelry too and this collar seemed appropriate for a dog named Coach! 
The beautiful bride
They both have dimples for miles.
Matt was lookin’ pretty good too!
These shots remind me of their engagement session. . . Gemma and Matt are always cracking each other up!
Love this one!
Of course we had to get some shots with Coach, the dog! And Gemma gave her bridesmaids Coach bags, so we had to get those in too!
A sweet moment before the ceremony
The Indian ceremony is symbolic and full of tradition. The bride and groom carry coconuts down the aisle instead of flowers to symbolize fertility. The bride is escorted down the aisle to the mandap by her father and uncle.
Check out the heart shaped hole in it!
This guy could really sing.
The dropping of the veil (Antarpat).
The couple exchanged flower garlands to represent the beauty and love they will bring each other. Then a Varmala (auspicious cord) is placed around their necks to protect them.The priest then ties the ends of their scarves together, which symbolizes the bond of marriage and the couple’s everlasting and flourishing love and friendship.
Gemma’s grandmother is so adorable. 
I had to take one with my polaroid!
The couple’s guests enjoyed a cocktail hour while Gemma and Matt got ready for the next ceremony.
They waited to see each other until Gemma walked down the aisle. It was a very sweet moment!
Gemma was stunning in both her bridal outfits.
And another.
Don’t be mad at me for posting these, Matt! I’m so glad that you waited to see your bride when she walked down the aisle because these pictures are priceless! P.S. you should see the ones I did not post. 
Exchanging the rings
Kiss the bride!
The happy family – Gemma, Matt and of course, Coach!
The wedding party
We took a few more romantic shots before the reception
I couldn’t resist snapping a few more with my Polaroid! I accidentally double-exposed that last one, but I think it turned out pretty cool!
Off to the reception and the delicious food was served up by Trump’s Catering. They had traditional meat and potatoes and some delicious Indian food! 
First dance. Where DJ, David Osborne kept things running smoothly. He not only arranged the music for both ceremonies, but also did a fab job with the reception.
Even Gemma’s mom and dad had to exchange an Indian sweet – kansaar. 
Gemma and Matt were able to sneak out and get a few gorgeous romantics at twilight. 
Gemma and Matt had a really fun photobooth provided by Athens Photo Booths. . . We had to get a couple of shots together. 
And of course, my lovely assistants, Amber and Kerinsa!
Gemma’s dad made a sweet speech thanking everyone.
Finally, the couple ended the evening with bubbles!
Gemma and Matt, I had such a good time capturing all the details of your day. I can’t wait to share all the rest of the images.
Jenny Evelyn
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