Kashi Yatra
The groom with his umbrella, fan and walking stick, and the bride’s father mid-persuasion. We want both faces in the frame, and the laughter around them.
South Indian Wedding Photography in New York and New Jersey
Photo and video for Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayali weddings, planned around your muhurtham, from Kashi Yatra and Oonjal to the Thaali tying and Talambralu.
South Indian weddings move to their own clock. The Muhurtham, the auspicious window your family’s priest sets, can fall at dawn and last less than an hour, and the most sacred moment of the day, the tying of the Thaali or Mangalsutra, takes only seconds. Verma Photography provides South Indian wedding photography and videography for Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayali families across New York and New Jersey, with a full-time team that plans around those windows instead of hoping for the best.
Whether your ceremony is in a temple hall in Queens, a banquet hall in Central Jersey or a hotel ballroom on Long Island, and whether it is followed by a lunch, a Western-style reception or both, we build coverage around the order of your rituals.
Why South Indian weddings need their own plan
Early muhurthams
Many ceremonies begin at or before sunrise. That means getting-ready coverage in the dark, travel planned the night before, and a team set up in the hall before the first guests arrive.Fast, sacred moments
Kashi Yatra, Maalai Maatral, Jeelakarra Bellam and the Thaali tying each happen quickly and in a fixed order. We learn that order from your family and priest ahead of time, so we are in position before each one starts.Temple rules
Many temples limit flash, restrict where photographers can stand near the mandapam, and ask for shoes off and quiet movement. We confirm the rules in advance, work with available light where flash is not allowed, and keep video equipment compact.A crowded mandapam
Family gathers close around the couple, especially for the Thaali tying and Talambralu. We plan angles from more than one side so faces are not lost behind the crowd.
Tamil weddings
A Tamil wedding often begins the evening before with the Nichayathartham or Janavasam. The morning brings the Kashi Yatra, when the groom sets off with an umbrella, a fan and a walking stick as if leaving for a life of study in Kashi, and the bride’s father persuades him to stay and marry his daughter. Then comes Maalai Maatral, the garland exchange, with uncles lifting the bride and groom so each has to reach to place the garland. On the Oonjal, the couple sit together on a swing while the women of the family sing and circle colored rice balls around them. We photograph the Kanyadaanam with the bride’s parents, and the Muhurtham itself, when the nadaswaram rises into the Getti Melam and the groom ties the Thaali. The Saptapadi follows: seven steps taken together, the groom guiding the bride’s foot.
Telugu weddings
Telugu weddings start days earlier, with Pellikuthuru for the bride and Pellikoduku for the groom, turmeric and oil ceremonies at home, and often a playful Nalugu. The groom’s Snathakam is followed by his own Kashi Yatra. In many families the bride is carried to the mandapam in a decorated bamboo basket by her maternal uncles. A cloth screen separates the couple until the Muhurtham, when they place Jeelakarra Bellam, a paste of cumin and jaggery, on each other’s heads and the screen comes down. That is the moment we plan the whole morning around. The groom ties the Mangalsutra, and then comes Talambralu, the couple showering each other with turmeric-colored rice, usually with friendly competition between the two sides. The ceremony closes with the Saptapadi and the couple being shown the Arundhati star, a symbol of a devoted marriage.
Kannada weddings
Kannada weddings share a lot with their Tamil and Telugu neighbors, with their own names and order. The groom’s Kashi Yatre is followed by Vara Pooje, the formal welcome of the groom, then Dhaare Herdu, when the bride’s parents give her hand with water poured over the joined hands, and Mangalya Dharane, the tying of the Mangalsutra. The Saptapadi and blessings from elders follow. We stay close through the rituals and leave time for the large family groups that Kannada weddings often include.
Malayali weddings
Hindu Malayali weddings from Kerala are often short and focused, and can be complete in well under an hour. The ceremony centers on the Thalikettu, when the groom ties the Thali at the auspicious moment, and the Pudamuri, when he presents the bride with a new saree. Garlands are exchanged and the couple walk around the lit lamp. Most take place in a morning muhurtham, at a temple or in a hall set up with a simple mandapam, so there is no time to reposition once it begins. For Kerala Christian families, we also photograph church weddings with the Minnu Kettu and Manthrakodi.
Fusion: a South Indian ceremony and an American reception
Many South Indian couples marry in the morning in silk and gold, then change for an evening reception with a first dance, toasts and a DJ. Some add a Western ceremony or a cocktail hour in between. We treat both halves as one wedding: the same team where possible, a consistent edit, and a schedule that allows for the gap between events. Our Indian wedding photography page explains how we cover multi-day weddings.
What you receive
Edited digital photos
of every ritual, family group and portrait session you book.Films
, from a highlight film to longer ceremony edits, when you add videography. The nadaswaram and the Getti Melam carry much of the feeling of the morning, so we record them carefully.Albums and canvas prints
for you and your parents.Drone photo and video
for outdoor settings, where the venue and airspace allow.
How planning works
We start with your events, dates, venues and the muhurtham time from your priest. Then we build a coverage plan: when the team needs to arrive, who covers the bride’s side and who covers the groom’s, and which rituals need both photo and video. Before the wedding we confirm the final order of ceremonies, the temple’s rules and your family portrait list. If you are not sure of the order yet, your priest’s schedule is the best place to start. Every package can be customized.
Why a team that knows the rituals matters
At a South Indian wedding, the Thaali is tied once, in a few seconds, inside a crowd, often at an hour when the light is poor. If the photographer does not know that the Getti Melam signals it, or that the screen is about to come down for Jeelakarra Bellam, the moment is gone. Knowing the rituals lets us stand in the right place, stay quiet when the priest needs quiet, and respect the temple and your elders while we work.
Where we photograph South Indian weddings
We are based in New York and cover all of New York and New Jersey. In New Jersey, many South Indian families celebrate around Edison and Princeton; see South Indian wedding photography in New Jersey. In New York, we work across Queens, Long Island and the rest of the city; see South Indian wedding photography in New York City. We also travel for destination weddings. Browse our portfolio or tell us your muhurtham date.
A dawn Muhurtham, from first alarm to lunch
How the morning runs for the camera when your Muhurtham is at sunrise.
- 01
The night before
We confirm the Muhurtham time with your family one last time, check the route to the hall and pack, so the team can leave in the dark without a rush. - 02
Before first light
Getting ready on both sides: jasmine being pinned into the bride’s hair, the jewelry laid out, the groom’s family helping with his veshti and angavastram. The windows are still dark, so we light these rooms gently ourselves. - 03
The empty mandapam
We photograph the kolam, the banana leaves, the brass lamps and the flowers before guests fill the hall. It is the only time those details are clear of people. - 04
The rituals before the Muhurtham
Kashi Yatra, Maalai Maatral, the Oonjal and the Kanyadaanam come one after another. One of us stays with the couple while another watches the families. - 05
The Muhurtham
When the nadaswaram rises into the Getti Melam, every camera is already in place for the Thaali tying, from more than one side of the mandapam. - 06
Blessings and family groups
Elders bless the two of you with akshata, and we work through your family portrait list while the silk is crisp and the flowers are fresh. - 07
Lunch and a pause
We photograph the meal served on banana leaves, then you can rest before the reception or the next event.
Silk, jasmine and gold in the morning light
A South Indian wedding is full of color before most of the city is awake. We plan the light as carefully as the rituals.
Tamil and Telugu weddings: what changes for your photographer
The two traditions share a lot. These are the differences that change how we plan the day.
Tamil weddings
Most of the photography sits in one morning, often an early one, with the Nichayathartham or Janavasam the evening before.
- An early Muhurtham, so getting ready often happens before sunrise
- Maalai Maatral, with uncles lifting the couple, needs a wide frame and a quick reaction
- The Oonjal is photographed from low down, so the swing, the singing and the rice balls all read
- Some brides change into a nine-yard madisar for the Muhurtham, so we leave time for a second set of portraits
Telugu weddings
Coverage often starts days earlier at home, and the Muhurtham can fall in the morning or late at night, depending on the time your priest sets.
- Pellikuthuru and Pellikoduku are separate home events, sometimes on the same day in two houses
- If the bride arrives in a bamboo basket carried by her uncles, we are at the entrance first
- The cloth screen means we cover both sides until Jeelakarra Bellam, then the moment it comes down
- Talambralu rice in the air needs a fast shutter and room to move as the friendly contest builds
Key South Indian rituals, and the photo we aim for
What we make sure each frame holds.
Temple etiquette our team follows
What you can expect from us inside a temple or a temple hall.
- Shoes off wherever the temple asks
- Modest, plain clothing for every member of the team
- No flash unless the temple allows it
- No photographs inside the sanctum unless the priests say so
- We stay off the mandapam unless the priest invites us up
- Compact video kit, with nothing left in walkways
- We keep clear of the homam and the priest’s working space
- Quiet, slow movement during mantras
- Rules confirmed with the temple office before the day
- Room for other devotees and other families using the temple
- No drone at or above the temple
What Couples Say About Working With Jay’s Team
In their own words on Google: four-day weddings, Diwali parties, anniversaries and more.
A Virk
From start to finish, Jay and his entire team made our wedding experience effortless, joyful, and incredibly special. We had a four-day wedding celebration with a mix of Indian and American events, and somehow they captured everything, every emotion, every ritual, every candid moment, without ever feeling intrusive or stressful. Jay is not only an insanely talented photographer, but also a calm, organized, and reassuring presence. His team kept everything running smoothly, helped guide us when needed, and truly understood the flow and importance of both cultures. From Punjabi ceremonies to the American wedding events, they knew exactly what moments mattered and how to document them beautifully. What stood out most was how easy they made the entire process. During a long, multi-day wedding, that peace of mind is priceless. If you are looking for a photography team that is professional, culturally fluent, incredibly hardworking, and genuinely invested in your experience, I cannot recommend Verma Photography enough. We would choose them again in a heartbeat and recommend them to anyone and everyone.
Naresh Kumar
We recently had the pleasure of booking Verma Photography for our anniversary, and we couldn't be happier with the results! From start to finish, the team was professional, friendly, and attentive to every detail. They captured every moment beautifully, from the candid smiles to the emotional vows, with a perfect mix of traditional and creative angles. We highly recommend Verma Photography & Videography for anyone looking to capture their wedding day in a truly stunning way and look forward to working with them again soon!
Rahual Kumar
I recently booked Verma photography for my brother's wedding. Jay and his team were beyond amazing and so easy to work with. They were very professional and the photos/videos were delivered on time with such great attention to detail. Would recommend Jay and his team to anyone for top quality service
Saajan Shah
When you work with Verma Photography, you don't just get amazing photos and videos to remember your events by. You also have a lot of fun and feel valued as a client. We hired Verma Photography for our destination wedding and we had a wonderful time working with them. They all were kind and professional, they kept us smiling and laughing throughout the whole weekend, they were respectful of our time and our schedule, and they interacted very well with our guests and vendors. They understand that it isn't just about the photos and videos, but also being able to read the clients' needs, energy, comfort level, and vision. Leading up to our wedding, they took the time to understand what our vision was. They showed great enthusiasm and professionalism from start to finish. They were always prepared and on time, and they handled challenges very well. The entire Verma Photography team works really hard while striving to give the best results. We enjoyed working with them, we loved the photos and videos they delivered, and we know we'll be looking to hire them again in the future. The entire experience that we had working with Verma Photography exceeded our expectations and we highly recommend them for any of your photo and video needs!
Frequently asked questions
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