It was just a few months ago that I met Adhitya + Jessica here at our residential studio. Adhi and I geeked out a little, discussing things like storage solutions (he’s an expert on the matter) and camera gear. I found myself having to make a conscious effort to remain focused on the topic at hand: their wedding day. Or rather, their wedding days! The couple is preparing for their two wedding ceremonies: one traditional South Indian ceremony in Pune, India and the other stateside at Barclay Villa. The later is where I come in, although I did share my willingness to fly (a full days journey) to India in March, to no avail.
Adhi + Jessica decided to use downtown Raleigh as the backdrop for their engagement session. I was excited to see Jessica wearing the dress the Adhi’s parents gave her, including some traditional jewelry. We had a great time before I whisked off that evening to photograph a wedding in Beaufort, SC. I could’ve photographed them for another hour or two, and I’m thankful I’ll have that opportunity later this summer!
Share with us how you two met:
Adhitya: Online Dating – Speaking with her online made it so I wanted to get to know her more. I didn’t mind driving 40 miles to meet Jessica and take her out on a beautiful date.
Jessica: We chatted on and off for months, and finally met in July 2015. Adhi picked me up for a date and took me out to eat. It was like meeting an old friend, we just clicked! It was like we had known each other for a while.
Tell us about your proposal:
Adhitya: I really wanted to propose to Jessica in one of the finest places in the country, and there was no better choice than The Fearrington House Inn, in Pittsboro, NC. Since it was at a driving distance, it was easier to convince her that it was just a date night. I was extremely excited and nervous at the same time. I intentionally wanted to get there 45 minutes before the reservation. While she was in the restroom, I requested the staff to hide and take pictures if possible, when I propose. We took a glass of champagne each (which I was scared would give her a clue) and sat on the benches outside the restaurant facing the large green pastures with cows. After talking for awhile I built the courage to finally make it happen. I slowly got up from my chair and stood in front of her. She was in awe. I got down on one knee and from there it was pure joy. Her tears of joy made my day…made my life.
Jessica: I thought he was taking me on a date since we hadn’t been on one, with just the two of us in a while. I was excited to go and did not even look up the place in detail, and did not realize how fancy the restaurant was until we got there. Once we arrived, I had to use the restroom and when I came out, I noticed Adhi with two glasses of champagne. I asked him why he chose champagne and when he mentioned that they were just the special of the day, I did not think any more of it. We then went out by the pastures to wait for our table. We were sitting and talking, and then he slowly stood up and mentioned making our relationship permanent. I stood up and he got down on one knee and proposed. I had tears of joy and was amazed by the amount of preparation that was involved with friends and family, unbeknownst to me. He even drove a long distance to meet my parents and asked for my hand in marriage. I couldn’t have been more excited to say yes and marry my best friend.
How/why did you choose your wedding location?
As a religiously and culturally mixed couple, and having family in different parts of the world, we decided to have our wedding in two different locations.
The first wedding will be taking place in India in March. The wedding ceremony and celebrations will be taking place over 4 days (March 9th – 12th in Pune, India). The celebrations will include a Mehendi session (intricate Henna tattoos on the hands and feet for the bride and smaller hand designs for other women among family and friends), a Sangeet night (filled with music, dance, food and performances), an Indian style engagement ceremony, a reception (meet and greet for the bride and groom), followed by a traditional Indian wedding ceremony on the last day.
The US wedding will be taking place on June 16th at Barclay Villa in Angier, NC. It will remain mostly traditional with added Indian elements like food and traditional Indian wear, to symbolize the marriage of our two cultures.
Did you enjoy your engagement session?
Thoroughly enjoyed it!!! Working with Dajuan is very easy. He makes you feel extremely comfortable and produces gorgeous photos. Though it was our first experience with any photoshoot, his presence and high level of professionalism made it easier for us to enjoy the experience.
Any feedback you’d like to leave for our studio (anything at all)?:
5-star!!!!
