Kolkata couples go big on pre-wedding shoots – Times of India

Dreamy locations, perfect lighting and a couple in love — making wedding announcements with candid pictures is a trend that is fast catching on and Kolkata couples are riding the wave. They are going all out to capture heartwarming moments with their partners as part of pre-wedding shoots. With normalcy setting in slowly, grand thematic pre-wedding functions are back. However, for the wedding day, a conventional set-up is the top preference. We asked wedding photographers and planners what’s trending this season. Here’s what they had to say…
KOLKATA, THE PERFECT BACKDROP
Says wedding photographer Siladitya Dutta, “We suggest locations depending on the pre-wedding concept. For example, if the couple wants a traditional set-up with generous amounts of Bangaliyana thrown in, we look for locations like Howrah Bridge, Vidyasagar Setu and Maidan. If the theme is glamorous, then the location has to be exotic. These include five-star properties or resorts.”
For those who are looking for something casual, we tend to look at locations like coffee shops or city by lanes. The idea is to follow the storyline of the couple’s courtship and bring that to life.” Veteran wedding photographer from Kolkata, Abhijit Dwibedi, concurs. “The storyline is extremely important. Random photographs that tell no story aren’t interesting. The uniqueness lies in the little detailing,” he says. Even though locations like Maidan and Victoria Memorial are overused, photographers feel there’s always are way to beat that boredom. “It all depends on how you are photographing. The lighting, the background elements can change how a familiar place looks,” says Abhijit, adding that NRIs mostly prefer iconic Kolkata locations for pre-wedding shoots.

OFFBEAT PRE-WEDDING SHOOT LOCATIONS IN DEMAND
Television actors Rudrajit Mukherjee & Promita Chakrabartty’s dreamy pre-engagement shoot could easily pass off as one that has been shot abroad. But hold that thought! The shoot location is actually Marble Lake on Ayodhya Hills in Purulia. “No one believes it until we convince them it really is Purulia,” shares Rudrajit. “I hail from Purulia and as an actor, I wanted to promote locations in and around the district for such shoots. There are many such beautiful, untapped locations in Bengal. It was a crisp February morning and the light was just perfect. The view was mesmerising. When we saw the final pictures, we couldn’t believe our eyes!”

POOL PARTIES, CARNIVALS, ROYAL SETUPS BIG HIT
Bhaskar Das, co-founder of a wedding planning and event management company in Kolkata, says, “It might sound strange, but in today’s time, intimate weddings generally translate into lavish and luxurious ones. The guest list might be limited but the luxury knows no bounds. Popular themes from wedding festivities include Hawaiian pool parties and carnivals. Couples now want the venue to look exactly like a discotheque on their sangeet night. Carnival-themed parties include food stalls and entertainment.”
Dipankar Saha, another wedding planner from the city, says that couples generally stick to conventional decor when it comes to their wedding day. “Many experiment with pre-wedding functions but for the D Day, they want to stick to traditional, albeit royal setups. In terms of colour combinations, pastels are trending big-time this season,” he shares.