The Bride to Be...
March 2007
What I'm Listening To: Be My Escape (Acoustic) by Relient K
Last night I went to a Mendhi night/Bridal Shower for my friend Kimiko. A Mendhi night is South Asian celebration where women get together to bless the bride for her upcoming marriage. The Christian charity we work with here in the UK has very close ties to the South Asian community. That being said, we were all donning our traditional Indian clothing. The colors were amazing....rich and vibrant. The fabrics, the sounds and the smells...what a beautiful culture they have.
Kimiko as well as her guests, had the traditional henna done on their hands and feet as a part of the festivities. It is a beautiful form of Indian body art. We listened to bhangra music into the night and toasted this much loved friend through skits and dancing.
I snapped this first image as her friends were coming down the stairs with her to present her to her guests waiting below. Kimiko is the one dressed in the pink looking radiant. The photo below is one of the young girls there that we know well. Also dressed in a punjabi suit, the only time she stopped dancing was to get the henna put on her hands. It was precious to watch her throughout the night.
As Kimiko gets ready to leave tomorrow to head back to the States, I want to wish her love and blessings from our family. While it will be hard on her to leave behind her friends and family that are here, she is embarking on a new and adventurous chapter in her life. She has prayed for this time in her life and God has clearly answered her.
Kimiko, to you and Garrett I can say one thing. Love the Lord and love each other well. He will surely bless that.
~take care and I will see you on the webcam! 
Smiles All Around
March 2007
3.04.2007
East Meets West
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28 comments:
Wow, Kimiko looks gorgeous!! So exciting :)
Love all the colors...
How fun & different! I would love to go to something like that, just to see how differently they do things! Very cool!
Hey again, Anna!
Haha, I wasn't sure if you'd come to see my response to your comment on my blog, so I'm responding here. :)
First, thanks for your comments! I totally understand what you meant by how when you're limited to where you take your pictures, you become more creative. That gives me hope, haha. :)
You're more than welcome to link my Blogger. May I do the same for yours? And I'd love to give you access to my other Blogger; I'll need your e-mail to invite you though.
Thanks again, Anna! I look foward to posting my comments to all your great pictures and blog entries! And seeing how you feel about mine! :)
Sarah
Incredible.
These people look so happy in the moment.
Anna I see photos in magazines on a daily basis that do not touch the quality and polish of yours. God has something in store here....
And... I totally just posted a comment with my other Blogger. Haha, sorry. :/
Sarah
i always love seeing motherskylark's photos and slideshows from the indian community there....such a vibrant, rich, and celebratory culture! and so full of tradition.... is kimiko your interpreter or is she a team member? motherskylark talked of a grad student there that was helping with interpreting.
bluemountainmama...Kimiko is another member of our team here
and Sarch....thanks...you are so kind!
and Sarah....welcome! Thanks for your comments!
Anna! :)
I linked you and I also invited you to my other Blogger. :)
Thanks so much for your interest.
Sarah
I love the amazing colors and the sheer joy just jumps out of the picture!
Outstanding! Portraits may be your thing!
the little girl at the bottom is adorable. great job!
dan.
i heard you will be in London this summer, will you go see Minerva? I think you should consider it.
Nice shots Anna!
I love the soft quality.
Joel
What a great story Anna, must have been a wonderful time. Kimiko does look radiant, I hope you are able to keep in contact with her and that she is very happy.
I loved yesterday's self portrait, wonderful eye once again, boy I wish I had your natural talent.
Keep em comin'
Lori
That seems like an amazing experience!
I love other cultures and the way other people live their lives.
I think that is why I am leaning towards an occupation in Anthropology.
Anyway, thanks for your kind words about my friends. Sometimes I feel like they don't care for me as much as I care for them.
Love the colors and the blurring technique!
Love that picture of Kimiko.
You again captured this soft light.
Great work Anna :)
It looks like you had a lot of fun, Anna, and the intense colors and sounds must have been inspiring. Good luck to Kimiko.
What an exciting and interesting story about Kimiko! I really like the way you captured her beauty!
Lovely images!
Delightful pictures of a special time. Your pictures are a feast for the eyes.
What stunning photos - Kimiko is beautifl! Looks like a wonderful celebration full of music, laughter, love and joy.
I so love the shot of the little girl, what a fantastic portrait!
Am off to Birmingham on my course this week, so will catch up with you on Thursday! {{HUGS}}
Wonderful photos. I love the bright colors. Sounds like you all had a great time.
In words and images, you've captured the warmth and beauty of this important event. Kimiko's happiness practically jumps off of the screen.
I love the tradition of tradition, and I love learning about traditions that, though they are new to me, have been around for time immemorial.
You are a great storyteller, Anna.
Beautiful shots.Great colors and light.Great smiles.Good job!
The colours are so vibrant - must have been a wonderful night. I am sad that you'll miss your friend but the Internet is wonderful for helping friends stay in close touch how ever far apart they may be!
The colors are gorgeous and so are your pictures. They were having such fun and you can tell.
The woman in yellow has such a beautiful face, Anna, and I love the colors in the picture. I hope Kimiko has a wonderful wedding and marriage!
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