Hindu Wedding | Euridge Manor | Cotswolds

Where do I begin trying to describe Jigar & Charlotte’s Hindu Wedding at Euridge Manor? It was probably the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever had the pleasure in photographing, not to mention one of the loveliest couples.

As a heads up, this is a pretty long post, so make sure you are sitting comfortably with your favourite drink or two.

I knew before the big day that their Multicultural Hindu Wedding at Euridge Manor would be a little different. Unfortunately due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Jigar & Charlotte had to postpone their wedding a couple of times and severely limit the number of guests attending. It was even more frustrating for Jigar as all of his immediate family were not able to fly over from India.

However this did not deter the couple in making the best out of a challenging situation.

It was the first time that I had the pleasure in photographing at Euridge Manor in the Cotswolds. It just so happened to be one of the hottest days of the summer with temperatures already hitting the late 20ºCs by early morning – easily the hottest wedding I have ever photographed.

I was instantly taken aback by the shear beauty of the Euridge Manor. Everywhere you turn, there is a hidden gem with beautiful Georgian-style outhouses and structures dotted all over the grounds. None more so than the Boat House, sitting beside a beautiful lake and a gorgeous view over the Cotswolds. This would also be where the Hindu Ceremony would take place.

With time on my side, I was able to walk around the grounds and familiarise myself with the layout. It was like a maze at first, but eventually I was able to scout out some spots for portraits later on.

Jigar & Charlotte were getting ready in separate locations in the venue, and I took the opportunity to spend some time with them individually to get some detail shots. Both were in a super relaxed mood and it was great seeing them both with their friends and family, excited to see each other and what was in store for the rest of the day.

A Unique Setting

So the time had come for the start of the Hindu ceremony. Jigar, along with his beautiful white husky, Spirit, and his friends, danced their way from his accommodation, down to the Boat House where Charlotte’s family were waiting. Meanwhile, this was all being live streamed to his family back home in India too.

It was a lovely welcome and after a short ceremony between Jigar and Charlotte’s parents, everyone was now waiting for the stunning bride, Charlotte, to make her entrance.

She looked amazing in her Indian wedding dress. With her bridesmaids alongside her, we captured a few formal portraits with them all together, before they made their way down to the Boat House with Spirit once again, to start the Hindu Wedding.

With the backdrop of the lake and the Georgian house in the background, I kept having to remind myself that this was not a destination wedding. It totally felt like we were somewhere in the Mediterranean as the temperature was truly scorching by then. It was a beautiful, intimate ceremony full of colour and happiness, and it was clear to see that the Jigar & Charlotte were loving every moment.

After the ceremony, it was a chance to explore the grounds of Euridge Manor for some couples portraits. They both looked great together and I was able to take natural portraits without too much direction.

An Emotional Ceremony

With time fast approaching for their Civil Ceremony, the couple departed to get changed again, leaving me the chance to take a much needed respite from the sun. By now, it was mid 30ºCs and my tan game was strong.

Guests made their way to where the ceremony was being held, at the Castle Arch, which has a chandelier hanging within it. It felt like a film set. With Jigar waiting at the front, Charlotte’s bridesmaids led the way for the bride to follow with her father. It was lovely to witness as she made her way steadily towards her husband-to-be.

It was a highly emotional ceremony, but the overriding one was love. So many little moments were captured, which all added up to a beautiful story.

An Unexpected Turn

After more portraits, this time their Civil outfits, the couple and their guests made their way down to the Boat House once again, and this time to get into the little row boat and paddle across the lake.

Well that was the plan. After about two minutes of rowing, I turned to one of the bridesmaids and observed “the boat seems to be tilting quite a bit”. Literally three seconds later, the boat capsized and Jigar & Charlotte both end up in the water. Thankfully, it was only waist height so no harm done. After an initial gasp from the guests followed but silence, they soon ended up in fits of laughter as Jigar and Charlotte embraced each other right in the middle of the lake.

When I thought this wedding couldn’t get any more memorable, it was now truly embedded in my mind, probably forever. I have witnessed a lot in my Wedding Photography career, but this has got to be up there with the most jaw-dropping moments I have ever captured.

I can imagine it must have been a refreshing dip in the water because it was so hot, and they both stayed in their wet clothes for a while after. In fact, Jigar’s suit was practically dry about 30 minutes later.

A Wedding To Remember

Despite all the setbacks the couple have had with their wedding being postponed and disrupted, it turned out to be an unforgettable day. They did such an amazing job with all the details and personalisation, not to mention choosing a beautiful venue in Euridge Manor. It goes without saying that they make an incredible couple and I am grateful that they chose me as their Multicultural Wedding Photographer to document their special day.

I truly had one of the best days as an Asian Wedding Photographer and I met some lovely people along the way, both guests and fellow suppliers. Everything came together as planned and it looked spectacular. 

So if you have made it this far in the blog without closing the tab, thank you! I hope my words conveyed what an amazing wedding this was. It has been really difficult selecting just a few images from their day, so I have thrown out the handbook and gone with my instinct. For me, every image from their wedding tells a story, and what a story it was.

Congratulations again to Jigar & Charlotte and thank you for letting me be a part of your day.

Here are a few (a lot of) highlights from their epic wedding.

UPDATE: I was super-thrilled that Jigar & Charlotte’s awesome wedding got picked up and showcased on the wedding blog platform, Rock My Wedding! You can read all about their day here (after you’ve seen my images obvs 🙂 )