Photographing a Chicago Cultural Center Indian Wedding

This wedding ceremony was off the charts gorgeous. I photograph a wide range of weddings, all of which are beautiful in their own way, but Anika & Ishaan’s might be the most opulent to date. The day started early in the morning with getting ready at the Ritz Carlton, and using the atrium for the first look. The natural light was actually quite amazing, which is perfect for capturing the intimate and emotional moment of the bride and groom seeing each other for the first time.

We then headed to the Chicago Cultural Center which is one of the premier wedding venues in the city. The interior is both historic and stunning, especially with the ceremony taking place underneath the Tiffany Dome. The magnificent translucent dome, 38 feet in diameter and made of Tiffany Favrile glass, is cut in the shape of fish scales. At the top of the dome are the signs of the zodiac. It’s the largest Tiffany glass dome in the world and it was a treat to photograph their ceremony in such a setting. I also have to give credit HMR Designs for creating a mandap (ceremony site) that perfect complimented the space.

I had tons of fun creating portraits of the couple on the grand staircase and under the dome. Afterwards Ishaan headed back outside for the baraat. There are many reasons I love photographing Indian weddings, and the baraat is near the top of the list. It’s a ceremony meant to bring the groom to the wedding venue with as much pomp and fervor as possible. The groom is usually seated on a ceremonial horse (or a vintage / sports car) and his guests lead the way, dancing and cheering. Ishaan’s baraat was absolutely fantastic and I got to capture to some truly interesting vantages.

This lead to the ceremony upstairs. Again, it was unbelievably beautiful and the floral decor for the mandap was bursting with color. The mandap is a covered structure with pillars for Hindu weddings. The couple sits in royal chairs at the center, with both sets of parents seated to the sides. In addition to having ceremonial and religious functions, it is also the visual focal point for many Indian weddings. The natural light through the Tiffany Dome made everything, including the newlywed couple, glow perfectly. You could really feel the joy in the room!

Photography a Field Museum Wedding Reception

After a quick outfit change, the reception took place at another iconic Chicago wedding venue… the Field Museum. Photographing an event in such a grand space surrounded by dinosaurs and artifacts is both inspiring and challenging. It takes quite a bit of effort for me and my team to light such a huge space. The venue did have some personal meaning to the couple. They were engaged in the Grainger Hall of Gems on the second floor (see portrait further down).

It really was an amazing party. The weather worked out in our favor, so the cocktail hour was hosted outside with a view of the skyline and lake. As the sun was setting, guests moved indoors to get the party going. Everything from the introductions to the speeches to the dance party was flawless, and so much fun to photograph. I even got to create some creative final photos for the couple (see last photo).

One more thank you to Anika & Ishaan for allowing me to document their amazing Chicago wedding!

Thanks to these Chicago Wedding Vendors