As a wedding photographer in Ayrshire this was a great privilege to witness and photograph. Arrowa and Sameer were also a little nervous about posing for formal photographs, so they were very keen on my natural wedding photography approach which let them relax and enjoy the day.
‘The photos were fabulous! Thanks for the lovely photos and shots.’
Arrowa and Sameer
The wedding day started with Arrowa getting ready with her bridesmaids in the bridal suite at Ayrshire’s Seamill Hydro, which is very spacious and provided lots of room for everyone to get ready as well as dance! This wasn’t the first time I’ve photographed a bride dancing with her bridesmaids but I hadn’t witnessed middle eastern dancing before which was a treat to photograph!
Sunglasses
While the girls were getting into their dresses I popped over to where Sameer and his Best Man and Groomsmen were getting ready. I started by taking some candid shots and then we headed outside so I could get some shots of them in their suits. As there were quite a few of them, I thought the steps at the back of the hotel would work well. Sameer wanted a few shots of them all with their sunglasses, so I got those as well some natural shots of them all walking along. When we’d finished doing this it was time to head back to the bridal suite to take some shots of Arrowa in her dress along with shots of her Mum and Dad and her bridesmaids.
Relaxed Atmosphere
Their wedding ceremony was held in the upstairs function room at Seamill Hydro which is a fairly recent addition to the hotel. The addition of this room means that the main function room for the dinner and evening reception doesn’t need to be turned around after the ceremony unlike other wedding venues. This makes for a more relaxed atmosphere and also provides a room which can be used for photos if the weather isn’t good.
Dramatic Entrance
The ceremony started with Sameer and his groomsmen making a dramatic entrance followed by a beautiful recorded message from Arrowa where she talked about her feelings for Sameer and how much she was looking forward to walking down the aisle. There were quite a few tears of joy listening to it before Arrowa came down the aisle looking stunning in her dress. During this part of the day I captured everything candidly, capturing Arrowa and Sameer’s reactions.
Big Group Photo
When we met at Seamill Hydro before the wedding to discuss the wedding photography, Arrowa and Sameer said they wanted a group photo of all their wedding guests, so after the ceremony I guided everyone to the steps outside and arranged everyone which made for a great shot. As everyone was already outside it was more practical to do some family group photos in the gardens.
As the weather looked as if it was closing in, I felt it was better to do Arrowa and Sameer’s photoshoot straight away. Usually, I like to give couples a little time to great guests after the ceremony but if the weather looks as if it’s about to change for the worst I always consult with them first to see what they want to do.
Amazing Shots
Fortunately, the beach is very close to the back of Seamill Hydro, so it was very easy to pop down a few steps to the beach. Although the sky was getting darker there was some lovely soft light coming across the beach. I suggested a spot for them to stand and then just encouraged them to enjoy the moment while I took shots. Arrowa and Sameer were very keen not to have posed photos so this approach was ideal for them. It also make for some amazing shots.
Heartfelt Moments
As the photoshoot and the family shots had happened fairly quickly after the ceremony, it meant that there was lots of time for everyone to relax, so I spend quite a bit of time taking candid shots of the drinks reception before it was time for the speeches which were very entertaining and heartfelt which were great to capture.
Arabic Music
The evening reception proved to be as special as the rest of the day with lots of surprises and great moments to capture. One these was Arrow and Sameer pouring champagne into a fountain of champagne glasses. After that it was onto the dance floor with sparkler fountains and dry ice. For me the highlight was the music from the band who played traditional Arabic music with a modern twist. This got everyone up on the dance floor doing a style of Arabic dancing which I’d only ever seen in movies or on TV before but was extra special to witness live and a privilege to photograph. It was a very special end to a very special day.
