As we stepped onto this quaint venue at the edge of a cliff in Kannur, Kerala, everything looked golden in the early morning sun – the Arabian Sea just below us and as far as the eye could see. One look at the warmly decorated mantapam with the backdrop of the ocean and we knew Natalia and Nakul’s Hindu Malayali wedding was going to be a dream.
When we arrived, Natalia was indoors with her best friends getting ready. She emerged in this pretty, crisp, traditional Malayali cream-coloured Kasavu sari & her friends adorned her neck with her grandmother’s gold necklace. Guests from Natalia’s side of the family had started trickling in and the slow buzz of excitement was building up. While everyone wanted to get a peek at the beautiful bride — her grandfather was the first one to see her in all her bridal finery & it was the most heartwarming and emotional moment. Natalia really impressed us when she took the last few moments of alone time for the day to snack on some biscuits, bananas and made sure she was hydrated (can’t stress enough the importance of this on wedding days!) while also sharing a few light moments with her girl gang.
Nakul arrived soon after, trailed by his malayali groomsmen who were all dressed in matching orange kurtas. He was received by Natalia’s younger brother and Nakul’s love for him shone brightly in his eyes. A line of gorgeous Thalam girls – Natalia’s mother, cousins, nieces, aunts, grandmothers and friends – then led him down the aisle. As Natalia stepped out, she positively dazzled in the light of the sun slowly setting over the sea. Nakul couldn’t keep his eyes off her as they met at the mantapam of their ocean wedding – but can’t blame him really – she looked absolutely stunning! It was a sweet, quick Malayali Hindu ceremony – with lots of laughter, a few teary eyes and love that was palpable.
The newlyweds then got changed for the evening festivities of the informal reception of this coastal wedding. Their friends and family went all out with their dance performances - ending with Natalia’s brothers fire-packed moves after which the guests couldn’t help but swarm the dance floor.
Drinks & laughter flowed freely; elders, children and everyone in between having a complete blast. Towards the end of the night, we got to witness Natalia’s father asking his daughter for an emotional dance, which cleared the floor. “I told you I was going to make everyone cry”, he said and then proceeded to embrace the newlyweds. There wasn’t a dry eye in sight. It was a glorious day of love and tears, punctuated by the sound of the sea making the day even more perfect. It was truly our pleasure to capture these moments, and we hope they look as beautiful to you as they felt to us.
