Wedding photography at JW Marriott Khao Lak, Thailand
Against the enchanting backdrop of the traditional Thai architecture at JW Marriot Khao Lak, we got the opportunity to capture the beautiful love story of Priyal and Khalid, a celebration that transcended cultural and religious boundaries and embraced the beauty of diversity. Priyal’s dream of a beach wedding and Khalid’s authentic, raw nature perfectly aligned with our expertise as destination wedding photographers who specialise in documentary wedding photography.
Before we get into how much we enjoyed this wedding (well, to be honest, we always enjoy ourselves lol), a few quick words about the stars of the wedding: If we combine Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt in their swagger, style and x-factor, we get Khalid! And combine the elegance, grace and beauty of Audrey Hepburn with the added fashion sense of everyone in Bollywood, we get Priyal.
The photos may speak for themselves, but there’s something to be said about how opposites attract and how the Universe always works to maintain balance. While Priyal’s Haldi was a heart-warming and fun celebration of flower-petals, with her little nephew playfully throwing flowers at her and her uncles lifting her up during the ceremony, Khalid’s Haldi was pure IN-wait-for-it-SANITY! It looked less like a Haldi ceremony and more like an episode of Masterchef.
Eggs, Ketchup, Milk, Flour and a little bit of Haldi were flying everywhere. Nothing and no one was spared. Even Abhimanyu and his camera were having a tough time escaping the splattering eggs, so you can just guess what was happening to Khalid! And they didn’t let poor Ali get away either.
Everyone knew that a shower won’t be enough to remove the batter; it had to be a dip in the ocean. So obviously, we followed Khalid & his friends into the sea. Note to self : when you don’t know how to swim, are hydrophobic, your cameras are not water-proof and the waves are high – maybe don’t go into the water. But then again, anything for that shot! What happened to the cameras at the Haldi and inside the sea is a story for another day. (Full props to our trusted Canon cameras for always surviving our wild shenanigans!)
You may think that the haldi was the highlight of the wedding for us, and while that may be true to a small extent, our real motivation for going to Thailand was getting to meet Kunali, Shreekant, Amit Uncle, Jaimini Aunty, Akith (we missed you, Shruti!), Meha, Shamal, Harish Uncle, Harsha Aunty, Rohan, Tia, and everyone we were seeing again after Kunali-Shreekant and Meha-Shamal’s wedding! (We are trying our best to make Kenya 2024 happen haha!)
All through the celebrations, we saw Priyal’s sister Ashmali making sure that Priyal doesn’t get stressed, and her fiancé, Manraj, in turn making sure that Ashmali wouldn’t get too overwhelmed. Natasha, Khalid’s sister, took care of everyone and made sure that a fun time was had by all and that everyone (including us) was well fed. Special mention to Khalid’s brother, Ali, for the best one-liners! Needless to say, Ali’s statement of “The Dahyas can’t dance” was proven to be a lie as The Dahyas did indeed set the dance floor on fire!
The sweetest line of the entire celebration, though, was Khalid’s declaration: “I have been married to her for 13 years.” The celebrations became a testament to their love and the harmonious blend of Hindu and Muslim traditions. Two distinct weddings, each rich in cultural significance, unfolded seamlessly—a cultural fusion that left hearts brimming with love. Khalid’s aunt made sure that the Nikaah ceremony was a beautiful blend of solemnity and quiet laughs.
For months we had dreaded the August monsoon of Thailand and as we were preparing for the Hindu pheras, the rain gods decided to make it pour down with all their fury! The mandap was covered in plastic sheets to protect the décor and seats. But we all prayed in unison and by the time Priyal wore her rich-red Sabyasachi lehenga and got ready to enter, it completely stopped pouring – no doubt the Rain Gods spellbound by her elegance and grace. The dark, heavy clouds split apart and beautiful sun rays danced down to the tune of Khalid’s baraat and finally time stood still as Priyal made her indescribably beautiful bridal-entry along with her brothers.
The rain turned into a blessing, painting the sky with a breath-taking sunset on the beach during the pheras. Priyal & Khalid stood against the backdrop of the sea, creating a truly magical scene—a moment of eternal beauty captured on the shores of Khao Lak.
Dream team:
Planning & Decor: WizKim
Venue: JW Marriott, Khao Lak
Priyal’s hair and makeup: Simran Thakker
Priyal’s wedding lehenga: Sabyasachi Mukherjee
Priyal & Khalid’s destination wedding at JW Marriott, Khao Lak, Thailand:
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