Samira & Faraz Holman Ranch Wedding

Samira and Faraz had a multi-day event in keeping with their Pakastini background. The mehndi party was held a day before the wedding, at the Portola Hotel in Monterey. The couple's friends had put together some highly entertaining performances and some choreographed Bollywood style dances. Colored glow sticks being waved around artfully made for some really great photographs, using a slower shutter speed to capture the movement. The cultural rituals and games made the evening fun for all. Every wedding is different and has it’s own set of challenges, but one of the most dreaded challenges for any photographer shooting weddings is rain, especially cold rain. When we arrived at the Holman Ranch wedding venue the next day, we were greeted by a cold drizzle and occasional showers. Thanks to modern smart phones and surprisingly good 3G reception at Holman Ranch we kept checking the weather radar every 10 minutes to get a sense of the situation. The ceremony (Nikka) was held outside as planned with bucolic views of the Carmel Valley. A rainbow appeared just before the couple took their vows, a sign of good things to come! The weather never fully cleared, but the threat of heavy rain had subsided. The ceremony was touching and beautiful. It goes without saying that Holman Ranch is absolutely gorgeous, indoors and out. After the ceremony Samira had a dress change, while the guests enjoyed some hors d’oeuvres and mingling in the cozy rooms at the ranch. Needless to say the rain and the delays it caused, put a serious dent into the planned schedule, in fact we never got to do our photo session with Samira and Faraz during daylight. Fortunately, we always come prepared and bring our own lights. Pressed for time, we managed a “blitz” portrait session with them, which may have set some kind of  speed shooting record! : -) Working in the dark is always a challenge, working in the dark with a cold drizzle and having no time  . . . well let's say it keeps you on your toes! Fortunately Samira and Faraz didn’t let a little bad weather get in the way, and lit up the scenes with their beauty and radiant love for each other. It was great working again with Filmmaker and wedding videographer Martin Meyer.