Aug 07 2007

I know everyone is patiently waiting for news on the ceremony. I won't get the video uploaded tonight (keep in mind, it is 2am here!) but I've been able to get a number of photos posted. These are in their raw format, unedited, and completely out of order, but I figured time was of the essence and I could always go back and clean things up later. I'm also quite pleased with how some of Meg's portrait shots came out. After the disaster that was the turmeric ceremony and my complete inability to use my flash I spent the afternoon reading up on the web.

A larger gallery can be found here on http://redinkphotography.phanfare.com

I will be cleaning these photos up, so don't rush to order copies.

Let me say that the ceremony was beautiful. Megan was absolutely stunning, hard to imaging that's my little sister who used to bug us to watch bad tv when she was growing up and I had to pick up from daycare. I couldn't have been more proud to see the fine young lady she's become. And Sean was quite handsome as well, decked out in his traditional attire.

A Bengali wedding is nothing like the "white dress" ceremony those of us in the states are used to. Very little script, the guests are talking amongst themselves and moving around, and sometimes it seems like they are making up things on the fly! Which, after spending time in India you realize mirrors the culture and makes the ceremony fit right in.

I would say the highlight was probably the fire ceremony, in that they lit a mini bonfire right there in the hotel ballrom, and even if they did move to ensure they didn't set of the sprinklers, I'm still surprised they didn't!

Sean's family was absolutely wonderful and has gone out of their way to make us feel like part of the family. I told Megan she better not let this get to her head, after tomorrow she's no longer going to be treated like a princess (and don't let her tell you different...she definitely was treated like a princess this entire week!). It was amazing to what lengths Sean's family went to make sure we were comfortable, and his cousins (sisters) were the perfect partners for Megan during what had to be, at times, an overwhelming experience.

I'll write more later, and maybe give Megan and Sean a chance to post something tomorrow if they feel up to it.

I'm going to try and figure out how to upload the video to my PC and then get it uploaded to the web, hopefully I can have this done tomorrow.

Kolkata, India
August 2007