Roma & Jas got married on the beaches of Muscat, Oman. It was a celebration where we felt like we were transported to another world, a perfect one where the wind gently blows under the perfect blue skies, with the sound of the waves crawling up to the shore. It is undoubtedly, among the most beautiful ceremonies we have had the honour of documenting. This is the story leading up to, and of the day of #IsntitJASROMAntic!
Day One: The Haldi & Casual Dinner
Roma & Jas’s wedding celebrations began with a lovely traditional Omani welcome. Their loved ones checked in at The Al Bustan Palace, but not before they sang and danced with the local artists.
As the guests settled in, Roma & Jas went to their respective rooms, both of which had this incredible view of the ocean
Jas and his boys opened up a few beers and shared a couple of laughs
Roma clearly, was the more emotional one, much to the amusement of her friends
They walked hand-in-hand to the venue of their haldi ceremony, which was at a little garden adjacent to the beach
There was so much joy in their friends faces, it was unbelievable
Jas’s family gets the traditions started. Haldi ceremonies are a unique mix of fun, messiness & emotion, this one was too, with an unexpected twist right at the end
‘Noooooo’, Roma shouts as Jas goes for her with haldi-filled hands
Right from the start, Roma told us how much she loved flowers and so she had them wherever possible across her ceremonies
Jas broke into a bhangra, and then started hunting his friends down to give them a big haldi-filled hug
And so they threw him into the pool
In the meantime, Roma started having shots with her friends. ‘Stay Strong’, one of their tattoos said
While Jas was thrown into the pool, Rahul carefully got Roma’s haldi off
Don’t know what these guys were laughing at, but knowing these girls, it’s probably an Instagram story of the haldi with hilarious captions
This haldi merged with a casual cocktail dinner, and this last photo that we got at the haldi venue was a good sign of what was to come. These guys were too much fun!
Roma & Jas changed for the cocktail dinner. While Jas was among the first few to arrive at the dinner, Roma was welcomed by a packed house
There was no time to waste. Shots appeared almost instantly
And then this followed
And this…
Jas & Niraj broke into a bhangra
There are two kinds of people in this world…
Day Two: The Welcome Dinner & Tribal Night
We woke up to the sounds of Roma & her gang chilling in the pool. ‘How is it possible for these guys to wake up so early’, we thought. Turns out, they hadn’t slept!
After the pizza & beer in the pool, Roma started getting her mehendi (henna) done. Her incredible friends made sure that they kept her company throughout
In the evening, Roma & Jas’s friends began their dance practice for the sangeet which was supposed to happen the next day
It is now time to properly introduce Amalia. Roma has two sisters, Nisha & Roshni. Nisha is married to Jiten, and Amalia is their daughter. Not only do Amalia & Roma share a special bond, but throughout the wedding, Amalia was incredibly fascinated with what Roma is up to.
While doing a quick photograph of Jas & his boys, I figured out that they are Gators fans. Not surprising since most of them are from Orlando
And so we all had an idea to make this photograph
One of the lovely folks we worked alongside in this wedding was Natasha Moor, not only an amazing make up artist, but an incredible photographer too! Here, you can see a glimpse of her behind the camera, getting a quick shot of Roma as she is getting ready
These beautiful lit arches made for a great location to get a few portraits of these guys and their families before the dinner began
The dinner seemed to be a warm up for the Tribal Night that was to start a couple of hours later
Acrobatic dancers & surreal models welcomed everyone to the Tribal Night
Roma & Jas entered together, to huge cheers…
And to DJ Rampa’s incredible beats
True to the theme, the Tribal Night brought out an animal energy. The lights, dancers, beats & shots made for a heady mix and we can still hear the sounds and feel the vibe, even so many months after the wedding. A special thank you to Roma & Jas for introducing us to the amazing talent of DJ Rampa
Day Three: The Mehendi & Sangeet
As Roma got ready for her mehendi, with her mum stepping in to help her when needed, Roma’s girls were most likely reliving the memories from the previous night’s Tribal party
At the same time, Jas and his boys were planning a surprise entry for themselves, for the mehendi
Roma walked to the venue gracefully, being cheered on by her squad, and being greeted with hugs and kisses
On the other hand, Jas & his boys (led by David), were practicing an entry unlike anything we have ever (or will ever) see - on the lines of ‘Swag Surfing’ by F.L.Y.
Now here is where it gets interesting. While these boys practiced the entry to the T, when they got to the venue, their formation dissolved even before they could reach the crowd. David, in a moment of divine inspiration, then decided to lead the pack in a jiggly walk right to the bar counter where the boys continued to dance for a while. All this was never planned, but somehow it worked brilliantly!
And then Jas got flowers for Roma
Hari & Sukhmani took the stage shortly after, building such a beautiful vibe. The warm afternoon, the sound of the waves and their music - all came together beautifully, and inspired us to make some interesting photographs
We spotted Roma’s friends going to their rooms, and so we invited them in for a photograph. The more the merrier, always
The anticipation for the evening was really high. It was time for the Sangeet. We got 10 minutes with Roma & Jas for their portraits, so we decided to make the best of it and kept it quick and elegant. Once the Sangeet began, we didn’t want to pull them off the floor. Over time, we are simplifying our approach to portraits, so that the bride & groom get to spend as much time enjoying their own wedding as possible.
These are some photographs scattered across the performances. Trust us when we say that the dances were at the next level. A special mention must go to Jas’s bhangra troupe - we’d never seen this kind of energy on stage till then.
After the finale, Diljit took charge. It was some next level magic
There were two people at Diljit’s concert who stole everyone’s hearts - Diljit, and this baby. And kudos to the parents for the noise cancelling headphones!
Seen below - Vishal Punjabi (AKA The Wedding Filmer) doing his thing
Can’t figure out who had a fanboy moment here - Roma & Jas, or Diljit. What a lovely guy!
Day Four: The Wedding
This was among the most soulful days Ekta and I have ever witnessed. There was something special happening on the shores of Muscat that day. It truly felt like the universe came together to witness Roma & Jas’s wedding ceremony and bless them wholeheartedly.
Jas started getting ready for his Anand Karaj ceremony by fixing one detail at a time, starting with his sword, and ending with his turban. The history of carrying a Sword during the Anand Karaj ceremony dates back to early 19th Century, it was a sign of getting blessings from the Almighty and used for protection during one’s auspicious occasion.
Roma’s transformation into a bride began with a lot of good cheer and laughs
Things slowly got increasingly emotional though
Roshni & Amalia got so emotional, that they were actually asked to go compose themselves or else Roma would end up crying all through.
Below - Roshni & Amalia find a comfortable corner to hug it out and let it out
The brothers, Jas & Sundip looked dapper as they posed for their portrait at Jas’s suite overlooking the beach
It was time for the groom to go lead the baraat
But only after another photograph dedicated to the Gators
As Jas was leading his baraat, Roma and her bridesmaids (plus Nico) were getting some happy photographs
Roma’s family welcomed Jas & his family, as the Granthis said a beautiful prayer
Jas said his prayers, and sat down at the mandap with Sundip along side him. It was time for Roma to walk down the aisle
Below - Innayat (of Innaz Communique) helps Roma to the aisle
Roma’s brothers hold up the ‘phoolon ki chadar’ (the carpet of flowers) as she begins her walk down the aisle
They meet each other with beaming smiles, and then their wedding ceremony begins
As Roma gets emotional, she finds support in Jas. Nisha and Roshni too, get close to comfort her
See? We told you the universe came together for this wedding.
Thank you so much for having us, Roma & Jas. It means the world
This celebration was held over four days, where we worked alongside some of the best in the business. This set of photographs, and this story could only be what it is, thanks to the empathy, sensitivity & care shown by each of these professionals. So thank you, all of you
Filmed by: The Wedding Filmer
Planned & Managed by: Innaz Communique & Weddings by Vivaah
Bridal makeup: Natasha Moor
Decor: Mosaic events
Venue: The Al Bustan Palace, Muscat
Hospitality & Logistics: HEMH Hospitality & Logistic
Music: Awaaz entertainment, DJ Rampa, Hari & Sukhmani
Shot By: Sam & Ekta with Manish, Anushree & Ronit
All images have been processed via our own mix built on the DVLOP engine