It’s easy to see why New York natives Monica and Shail chose Jamaica as the backdrop for their gorgeous 3-day destination Indian wedding celebration. Of all the Caribbean islands, its one of the most beautiful, inviting, and fun; a perfect way to describe this fun loving couple and their families. Although at first glance you might assume Monica and Shail were selected straight from central casting, but these two aren’t actually movie stars (yet). When the two decided to leave their normal lives behind, gather family and friends, and embark on a destination wedding adventure in Jamaica, we were honored to take part and commemorate the festivities in very unique and cinematic ways.

Held at Half Moon in Montego Bay, Monica and Shail’s celebration was the perfect hybrid of a traditional Indian wedding with a lush, island paradise. From the bright, tropical color palette, to the groom’s baraat by motorboat, to the giving of the coconut picked straight from a local palm, to the wedding ceremony on the beach, even their priest, an Indian pandit, was a local of Jamaica. Perhaps none of these elements celebrated both the island destination and the traditions of a Hindu wedding more appropriately then the couples’ wedding garlands. Made from the beautiful, local tropical flowers that pepper the Jamaican landscape, these garlands, or “Jai Mala,” gave Monica and Shail a poignant way to welcome each other and their newly joined families, one of the first and most integral traditions to begin a Hindu wedding. Documenting the creation of Monica and Shail’s Jai Malas with local flowers gave us the opportunity to showcase the blending of location with tradition that their wedding did so well. Production assisted by Joshua Moore. Special thanks to Style by Susmita, Keith Cephus, and Trisha Cranor of Working Brides.

Shot with the Canon 5D Mark II and EOS L-Series lenses
Additional support gear by KesslerCrane.com, Cinevate.com, & Glidecam.com

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