From a welcome Mehndi party with a jaw-dropping view over Tuscan countryside to an interfaith Hindu and Sikh wedding immersed in The Villa Lecchi’s park, the weekend spent photographing the event was the true definition of an Italian destination for the perfect Indian wedding.
Eshana and Manraj are a young couple from the UK who grew up in Sikh and Hindu households. In celebration of their special union, Eshana and Manraj wanted to celebrate both ceremonies with an intimate indian wedding in Tuscany.
This multicultural Hindu and Sikh wedding in Tuscany thoughtfully brought together the ancient Punjabi culture and the Italian location, cuisine and architecture. Having been professional wedding photographers in Italy since 2004, we have had some truly breath-taking locations and people to photograph, but we are always seeking new backdrops and the perfect lighting, and we, of course, absolutely adore capturing that raw, intimate emotion in our photography.
Seeing vibrant colours popping up around the old-fashioned 1700s liberty-style Villa Lecchi, we were only too excited to be taking photographs at this beautiful ceremony, which was full of candid moments. It only fuelled and inspired our creativity more and more! Interestingly, this wedding portrayed how the ancient rituals are constantly changing and evolving to produce new ways of exploring new cultures and beliefs.
The Hindu and Sikh Wedding Ceremony
The day started in the early hours of the morning with Manni and Eshana getting ready in the two Frescoes’ Junior Suites of Villa Lecchi. The Turban ritual was something very new to us, and it was truly exceptional to watch. We loved capturing the moment they adorned themselves in beautiful jewellery, too.
Manni welcomed their guests with a Milni Ceremony whereby after a small prayer, the relatives were introduced and gifts exchanged.
Guests, with their shoes removed and heads covered, entered the stunning wedding, followed by the bridge and groom who sat side-by-side facing the Holy Scripture. An important ritual that we looked out for as wedding photographers was the moment during the Pulla Ceremony when the father of the bride placed a ceremonial scarf around the newlyweds as a physical union. This was such a special, poignant moment to capture.
During the Sikh ceremony, Manni and Eshana made four rounds, circling the Holy Siri Guru Granth Sahib book to solidify the bond between them. The clockwise walk around the Holy book was introduced by the four Laavan-Nuptual Vows, which were: Be Kind, Be New, Be Open, Be Wise. Thanks to the Sikh wedding priest, the wedding ritual was celebrated in English, and it was not only a religious ceremony but a deep spiritual moment that embraced not just the Sikh part of the family but all of the guests – photographers included! With dances, hymns and music, it was an immersive and deeply touching experience.
The Hindu ceremony was just as enthralling. The mantras offered to Gods, the flower garland exchange, the Saptapadi, which involved seven rounds around a sacred fire, and not forgetting the Vidai ritual. Everything was so new to us but such a joy to watch!
After the ceremonies, a food buffet was offered to all of the guests. Sun-kissed by the peaceful August afternoon, Manni and Eshana now had time for some creative couple portraits, and we thoroughly enjoyed photographing them.
What to wear to an indian wedding
The way they were dressed was such a poignant, powerful part of the wedding day. While wearing the typical Indian wedding attire, Manni and Eshana owned a kind of royalty. After a brief break, the newlyweds rejoined their guests at sunset and were already changed into their evening outfits for the night-long party.
Eshana’s bridal dress was an exclusive piece from the My Trousseau civil range created with a 100% custom-design. It had a hand-crafted stonework blouse paired with a ballgown in imported silk. My Trousseau is a bespoke London-based fashion house, which specialises in Indian wear as well as western gowns enriched with the heritage of Indian craftmanship. Manni wore a soft pink dress with silver decorations and of course the Turban. Indian grooms used to carry a sword as a symbol of protection of their new family.
The wedding of Eshana and Manni was not only a day to remember but also a day of many firsts for us. We adored being part of their day and capturing the special moments.
Photographers: Framelines Wedding Photographers
Videographers: Denis de Luca Filmaker
Wedding Planner: Anand Vivaah
Venue: Villa Lecchi
Sikh Priest: Dr. Freedom Singh & Leela
Hindu Priest: Guru Parth
Make Up and Hair Stylist: Barbara Corso
Bridal dress: My Trousseau
Turban Maker: Harsar Bhangra Group
