Indian Wedding in Aruba, A Photo Story
Part 2: Welcome Party at
the Hilton Aruba Resort
A Hindu Wedding Welcome Party, with Style
When you hear “destination wedding photography,” you might think of a beach-side ceremony followed by a sunset dinner and drinks. But what about destination pre-wedding celebrations? For couples like Sachin and Nitu, who planned a 5-day Indian destination wedding, a pre-wedding welcome party can be just as important as the ceremony itself—and arguably much more fun! With over 400 guests in attendance from all over the world, Sachin and Nitu kicked off their wedding week with an unforgettable evening at the Hilton Aruba Resort on the beautiful island of Aruba. This is a photo story about the incredible Hindu wedding celebration.
This part 2 in a four part series about an amazing destination Indian wedding photography story on the Caribbean island of Aruba. Click any of the links below to jump to a different part of the series:
- Part 1 is an epic adventure photo session we did with Sachin and Nitu all over the island of Aruba.
- Part 2 is the Indian Wedding Welcome Party at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort.
- Part 3 is the Indian and Hindu Wedding ceremony on the beach at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort.
- Part 4 is the evening wedding reception at Tierra Del Sol on the island of Aruba.
Hilton Aruba Wedding Photos
Walking along the palm tree lined path next to the pool and entering the outdoor wedding space, it was clear that this was no ordinary welcome party. The entire area had been transformed into an exotic wonderland inspired by Sachin and Nitu’s culture and heritage. From dazzling decor to classic South Asian flavors, every detail had been carefully planned to create a lavish yet intimate atmosphere for welcoming their friends and family to Aruba.
The evening began with cocktails and mingling at sunset. As the sun disappeared over the ocean, speeches and elaborate performances from family members set the tone for the evening. There was laughter and tears and passionate embraces. Henna tattoo artists designed and painted beautiful designs onto attendee’s hands and arms. The cocktails were flowing and hookah pipes were shared in wonderfully designed open air tents adorned with pillows and chairs. In short, it was an ideal setting for creating documentary style wedding photos.
((See a special post about The Art of Storytelling with Wedding Photography))
Include Photography for your Wedding Welcome Party
Throughout the night, dancing was currency that made this Hindu wedding welcome party thrive. A live DJ kept everyone on their feet until well after midnight. Multiple professional dance troupes performed – some were adorned in ornate Brazilian style Carnival outfits. My team and I become part of the experience, blending in to photograph the festivities in a way that was honest, real, and that captured the spirit and energy of the wedding welcome party. We had a 3 person creative team for the week – two professional wedding photographers and one photo assistant to help with equipment, off camera flash, and when it was really hot out – saving our lives by bringing us ice cold towels to wrap around our necks!
We highly recommend including professional wedding photography for a wedding welcome party or other pre-wedding day gathering. It’s a fabulous way to start a photo story. It’s also a really great way for your guests and family to become comfortable with our photography team. Building that trust is a win-win that helps allow us access to photograph more intimate moments and to create a wedding photo story with deeper quality and beauty.
((See a full portfolio gallery with photos from some of our favorite wedding welcome parties))
“Some of my favorite photos from any wedding are these energy filled moments of connection that bubble up for a moment and then move swiftly into the past. If documented artistically with still photography, these are the photos of real moments that - many years from now - will remind you of what your wedding day felt like.”
– Drew Bird. SF Bay Area Photographer
specializing in South asian and Indian Weddings
“Drew! We are in awe of the photos you captured!!! We are so grateful to have you be part of our wedding story. You captured our friends and family so honestly and beautifully.”
– Sachin and Nitu
"Indian weddings are amazing. As professional wedding photographers and documentary style storytellers, we LOVE photographing Hindu weddings. South Asian weddings have such robust character and flare. The colors are rich, the textures and layers are dramatic, the aromas and flavors are mesmerizing. In addition, the symbology of every ritual, every flower petal and adornment, and each moment are imbued with deep historical and cultural meaning.”
– Drew Bird, SF Bay Area Photographer specializing in Hindu and INdian Weddings
Closing Thoughts After a Fun Night in Aruba
When it comes to South Asian and Indian weddings, pre-wedding welcome parties like this are becoming increasingly popular among couples looking for unique ways to celebrate their love story. If you’re planning an Indian wedding or a destination wedding of your own my team and I would love to connect with you. We are based in the San Francisco Bay Area (California, USA) and have experience photographing travel weddings throughout California, all over the United States, and all around the world. Our team of professional wedding photographers & visual storytellers are here to make the photographic experience easy, stress-free, and most importantly – FUN! So grab your dancing shoes (and maybe some samosas!) and get ready for an unforgettable celebration.
This part 2 in a four part series about an amazing Hindu and South Asian destination wedding in Aruba, Caribbean. Click the following links to jump to any other post in the series:
Part 1 is an epic adventure photo session we did with Sachin and Nitu all over the island of Aruba.
Part 2 is the Indian Wedding Welcome Party at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort.
Part 3 is the Indian and Hindu Wedding ceremony on the beach at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort.
Part 4 is the evening wedding reception at Tierra Del Sol on the island of Aruba.
**All photos in this post by Drew and Stan for Drew Bird Photography. Special help from Emily, our Photo Assistant and Lighting Magician.
Drew Bird is recognized as one of the top 10 wedding photographers in California and one of the top 100 Destination Wedding Photographers in the world by the Wedding Photojournalist Association. He is currently based in Oakland and the San Francisco Bay Area and creates destination wedding photography stories for clients world-wide. Get in touch with Drew.
WOW. The Indian wedding colors are mesmerizing. And those dancers outfits!! Thanks for sharing such a beautiful wedding. I wish I could have been there for the party ; )