Immediately after my wedding in California, I began thinking of all the things that were necessary in a long distance wedding and started feeling extremely overwhelmed.  I was about to learn that though planning a wedding is difficult process, a long distance wedding is much more difficult!

Having been through the process, here are a few things I would like to tell fellow brides about planning a long distance wedding:

1. Before you begin anything, make sure to do all of your research! While it made sense to have our wedding in Dhaka as most of our guests lived in Dhaka, pick a central location that is accommodating to all your guests.

2. It is extremely important to either be at the location approximately 3-6 months before or have liaisons that will carry out your wishes. I was lucky enough to have my mother-in-law in Dhaka at the time, along with my own mother who had traveled three months prior to our Reception date to ensure that all the details were accurate and would please a perfectionist like myself.

3.  If you have time, trial your hair and makeup at your location.  However, if that is not feasible, go with a reputable Beauty Salon and ensure that you have seen pictures of their work.  I loved Farzana Shakil and was able to book  her before our ceremony, and she perfected the look I wanted, thank god!

4.  Allow time for rest and relaxation before a long distance wedding. This becomes a very important factor when you are traveling to a different country for a destination wedding.  Make sure that you arrive at least a week or two prior to your events so that you are able to relax, get everything settled, get over jet lag, and this will prevent dark circles under the eyes (which you definitely don’t want to appear in your Wedding shots!)

5. Do not try to micro-manage everything. In a long distance wedding, it is helpful to hire a local wedding planner if possible.  If not, do not stress the little details, it is nearly impossible to get everything done when you are planning from thousands of miles away!

6.  Begin planning EARLY. The earlier you plan, the more organized and flawless your event will be.  Also, for a destination wedding, there are a lot more factors involved than a regular wedding, so be sure to start early!

7.  If you have guests flying in similar to yourself, make sure you make a spreadsheet of all of their arrival times and hotels that they will be staying so that you can make accommodations for them in terms of attending your ceremonies. For out of town guests, it is important to coordinate buses, taxis, or other transportation that ensures their timely arrival and attendance at your events.

8. Trust your gut instincts when planning a destination weddings. Locals may give you advice (which may or may not be valuable), but if you have done the research, do not let that pestering aunty guide your decisions! Remember, this is your wedding and your decision should be the last one!

9.  Most importantly, enjoy your wedding! Destination weddings can add a lot of stress on the couple, but weddings happen only once in a lifetime.  Enjoy the destination wedding and everything the location has to offer!

courtesy of Yamoni Bari

Who are you?
YB Image
Fine art Photography
Ybimage.com
yamoni@ybimage.com

What do you do?
I am a fine art photographer who recently jumped into the world of event photography. I provide a unique vision through my lens to capture moments in life. My unique style is to capture the event and let the people involved in it be the story.

Where are you based?
Everywhere and anywhere. I live in New York City as well as Detroit, Michigan. I travel anywhere in the states and if possible out of the states.

When and how did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?
Well it started with friends and family requesting my services. During the planning of my own wedding, quality photographers were very hard to find as well as very expensive. Also being a Bangladeshi, my wedding consisted of many events and long hours which made it unaffordable and next to impossible to photograph my entire event.  Needless to say, I had to compromise quality for affordability and at the end I was not satisfied.

Why do you do what you do?
Photography has always been my escape. I have always been someone who notices detail and beauty in the most mundane things.

Do you work exclusively on South Asian weddings?
Absolutely not, but I do understand them best. Being South Asian myself, I understand the work that goes on beyond the wedding which in my opinion tells a beautiful story which must be captured.

Describe some of your inspirations.
This is a tough one because there are so many things that contribute to why I do what I do. I love life and the beauty that is all around us and I love the way things change because of circumstances. My inspiration is my surrounding.

What are some mistakes you see most South Asian brides (and families) make?
They should always remember that it’s one of the most important days of their lives so they should enjoy it and not stress out. Also, photography is the best way to archive your wedding so every bride should take the time to get to know what type of work the photographer produces and what type of service best suites you.

courtesy of Yamoni Bari

Do you only cater to certain budgets only?
I cater to all who enjoy my work; I offer an a la carte menu as well as many affordable packages.  I also volunteer my services for non-profit and animal adoption centers.

Tell us about your strongest area.
I am not very intrusive. I believe a good photographer captures the event as it happens and tells the story that is happening and not created through artificial means. Though if a client wants a different style I believe I am more than capable of producing the style they desire.

Tell us about your weakest area.
I am a horrible free throw shooter when I play basketball and I have completely lost my dominating gaming skills the past few years…. You didn’t really think I would reveal any weakness did you?

How would you describe your working style?
My ultimate goal is to create a friendship with my clients. I want to be approachable and keep an open line of communication; I truly want the best for my client and will always work towards that goal.

Describe a particularly memorable wedding you’ve worked in.
The most memorable wedding was a wedding which I had full access to all of the bride’s events. I was able to capture intimate moments between the families, the preparations and the dressing up of the bride. It was the most memorable because it was the most fun. I was able to tell a complete story without compromise and it ended up being the most intimate wedding I had covered.

What’s your number one wedding tip?
Enlist a good photographer!! They archive your day so you can view them for the rest of your life.

courtesy of Yamoni Bari