Priya and Lionel brought a touch of Indian majesty to their international wedding at Christchurch College. India and its culture holds a special place in my heart (find out more about this here) and I am so in love with these images. The jewel tones of their outfits manages to transform the stones of this most quintessentially English of venues into something a lot more exotic. Look at that image above – we could be in a temple on the other side of the world from Oxford and its dreaming spires!

A Perfect Team

Lionel is half Ethiopian and half French, and Priya’s family hail from the tropical serenity of Kerala in India, so this was a truly global wedding. I love how much of a team these two are. They met online and immediately felt a spark and a connection. They approach everything in life as a unit, and wedding planning was no different. The level of detail during their Indian wedding at Christchurch College was seriously impressive. Not only did Priya source the material for the gorgeous emerald, gold and ivory wedding outfits from the textile markets of Delhi, she actually designed the outfits for her bridesmaids and flower girls. She said:

“We chose to get married in emerald green, because it happens to be our favourite colour. Also, the symbolism of getting married in white was just a bit too traditional for us. For our bridal party, we chose ivory and gold, because we thought it would compliment the emerald green of our outfits, and everyone got green accessories to tie it all together.”

The couple celebrated their marriage with a traditional Indian catholic ceremony in Christchurch cathedral. As well as the exchanging of rings, Priya and Lionel’s ceremony incorporated the ceremonial tying of a thaali necklace around Priya’s neck, and the gentle placement of a sari on her head by her new husband. It was emotional to watch, and powerful to experience in such a spectacular location.

Then it was on to the reception. Their marquee was decorated in beautifully sculptural flowers with lots of lovely trailing foliage, and after a delicious meal, guests were able to visit the amazing chocolate bar – including handmade chocolates from a friend of the couple. Delicious!

I love all the images from Priya and Lionel’s international wedding, but I have to say the group shots are some of my favourites. I love the compositions we used outside the cathedral, and that green just pops beautifully against the sunlit stonework. The finished images are striking and artistic, and I think some of my favourites from the whole year!

Check out the favourites gallery below (good grief it was tough to cut this one down!). If you’re planning a wedding with some international flair, whether in Oxford, London, Kerala or Timbuktu, get in touch and let’s chat about your photography. I’d love to hear about what you’ve got planned.

Save