Confessions of a Celebrity Wedding Photographer

“One of my favourite weddings was of Karisma Kapoor. She was stunning.”

If you discount them being celebrities,they are really just ordinary people and their weddings are like any other—nervous brides, jittery grooms, weeping friends/family, sometimes the groom yawns… the works.
I have eight people on my team and I mainly take care of the editing and post-production work. Of course, I’m also on location for most assignments, ensuring it goes off smoothly. Most of my clients are also my friends, and I enjoy being there for their special day.

One of my favourite weddings was that of Karisma Kapoor. The history and memories in RK Studios mingled with the present to create an atmosphere hard to find. Karisma was stunning. There were Sikh priests singing beautiful hymns throughout. Those five days were the busiest I’ve ever had. Everywhere you looked, you had moments you just had to capture. It was simply beautiful.

Since my team were the only photographers and videographers allowed, there was a huge army of mediapersons outside the gates applying pressure on us. They offered us all sorts of bribes and pleaded endlessly to give them tidbits of information, bytes, pictures, whatever they could lay their hands on. It was quite tough. But in retrospect, it’s just funny how desperate they were.

The most secretive wedding I have done so far is that of Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna. With barely any notice, we were given an address— the terrace of some friends’ house. It turned out to be designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla’s. The wedding itself was a very small affair with just 50 people. 

The most fun wedding was of Perizaad Zorabian and Boman Irani. Perizaad was constantly laughing.
Celeb weddings these days are organised affairs with planners and destination weddings. Brides specify that they want pictures of the make-up being done or the sari being draped. But, during the mantras, we usually catch a glimpse of the father with a tear in his eye.

Most people think wedding photography is about posed, stylised pictures of the couple and family. For me, it is about being invisible. It’s about candid shots of the drama unfolding before you—with each picture telling a story, touching an emotional chord. 

(This person runs a wedding photography business)

As told to Aliefya Vahanavaty

About The Author

arindam