Anika & Vijay's Wedding | Suryagarh Palace | India Travel Photography, Part 5 of 5

The final day of Anika and Vijay’s wedding may well have been the most spectacular of the three, which is no small feat when you look back on it all. Our day started with a tour of Jaisalmer, and then we came back for the Baraat, which did indeed include Vijay riding in on an elephant. After that, a religious ceremony known as the Pheras, and later that evening, the formal dinner reception. So here we go!

Morning at the palace!

I managed to drape my own sari! Hooray!

The Baraat is like a parade for the groom, when he is brought to the bride’s family and greeted by her parents.

Elephant! Painted with colorful lotus flowers. This was not a small elephant, and it was also flanked by two white horses.

Since I was actually a guest of the groom’s side, we got to go out to the elephant and dance our way in with the parade.

Anika’s mom and her immediate family awaited Vijay at the palace entrance. Rose petals showered down like confetti.

Inside the palace, Rajasthani dancers stood between the pillars on all four sides, dressed in traditional clothing. They all danced together as the bride was introduced.

There’s Anika, being carried in on a shoulder carriage! The walked her all around the perimeter of the courtyard.

After a brief ceremony in the courtyard, we headed outside to the Pheras ceremony with this beautiful mandap setting… surrounded by a moat and tiered seating all around.

Anika incorporated the western tradition of bridesmaids, and they all wore matching hot pink saris.

Love, love, love. Then we took a little break between the Pheras ceremony and the formal dinner reception later that night.

The palace was lit in purple for the reception.

As with every wedding event, this one took place in a whole new area of the palace, with entirely different lighting, flowers, and food. No two entrees were ever repeated, and the staff almost doubled the number of guests, as they worked around the clock to set up these magnificent sets.

We each had individual place settings, completely with our own escort cards and individual bouquets surrounding the main centerpiece.

They released lanterns into the sky too!

Anika came out in an amazing hot pink Vera Wang gown. As Taz said in her bridesmaid’s speech, “Anika has looked stunning all week. And Vijay, you’ve looked appropriately stunned.”

And that was it! We danced until the wee hours of the morning and then took a nap before heading out at sunrise to make the 4-6 hour trek back to the airport in Jodhpur, and then back to Delhi, and then back to the United States.

I snapped some final shots around the palace at sunrise.

The end!

A million thanks to Anika & Vijay for hosting us on this amazing wedding adventure. Congratulations to you both!

Anna Wu is a wedding and portrait photographer based in San Francisco but often jetsetting around the world. Follow her on facebook for more photography and travel adventures.

India Wedding Extravaganza

Delhi | India Travel Photography, Part 1 of 5

Anika & Vijay’s Wedding | Suryagarh Palace | India Travel Photography, Part 2 of 5

Camel Rides at Sunset | Sam Sand Dunes | India Travel Photography, Part 3 of 5

The Golden City | Jaisalmer | India Travel Photography, Part 4