Arthi & Greg's Roger Williams Botanical Center Wedding

Arthi and Greg’s wedding took place on a cold, rainy day in early March. In March, Rhode Island is at its greyest point - in between the snow-covered bluebird days of winter and the first signs of green and blossoms of Spring. It’s mostly cold still, and the trees are bare and the ground is usually sort of muddy. Even on the most beautiful of days, it’s hard for me to love March in New England. Stepping into the ceremony space at Roger Williams Botanical Center made me completely forget all of that. The floral-scented air was humid and warm, and lush, green plants covered every inch of the space. My serotonin levels were instantly boosted.

As a Boston wedding photographer, I love discovering new venues all over New England. As fun as it is to return to New England wedding venues I know and love, there’s something about photographing at a venue I’ve never been to that sparks a special sort of creativity in me. I’m framing photos with fresh eyes and am constantly seeing new angles and new possibilities wherever I turn my camera.

Arthi and Greg decided that I was a good fit because I was a wedding photojournalist and therefore, shot in a way that matched the vision that they had for their wedding day. It was important to them that they could enjoy their day with their family and friends and not spend too much time on posed photos, which I always love to hear and am happy to accommodate. They wanted mostly candid wedding photography and wanted me to capture authentic personalities and emotion throughout their day. Easy!

Arthi and Greg got ready at The Graduate in Providence. They also performed the Ganesha Puja at the hotel with family before heading to the venue for the rest of their ceremony and reception. The Puja is offered for good luck as Lord Ganesha is believed to be the destroyer of obstacles and evils.

Once the Puja was complete, we headed to Roger Williams Botanical Center for some portraits before the ceremony. We explored the lush greenhouses and the couple enjoyed a moment away before the ceremony began.

The ceremony space in the greenhouse was gorgeous; tall palm trees and greenery acting as a backdrop to the bright colors of the Indian dress, garlands, and flowers. The ceremony incorporated a lot of aspects of a traditional Indian ceremony, but also included some “Americanized” touches like a ring exchange.

After their ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktail hour among the greenery, then headed into the reception space for the rest of the festivities. Throughout the toasts (one including giving the couple a literal piece of toast “you asked me to give you a toast…”), the delicious Indian buffet dinner, and the dancing, I had a great time capturing candid moments and documenting the pure joy that filled the room.