RHIPO Photography
The Sikh Centre of Seattle is a gurdwara in Bothell, north of Seattle and a short drive from Redmond and Bellevue. We photographed Ananya and John’s Anand Karaj here, the Sikh ceremony at the heart of a wedding that also included Hindu and Christian ceremonies.
This page shows how the morning unfolded at the gurdwara and what we plan in advance when we photograph a wedding here. If you are getting married at the Sikh Centre of Seattle, it should help you picture the day.
Dates are filling fast for 2027
Is your wedding date still available?
Arriving at the gurdwara
The families gathered outside the gurdwara on the wedding morning. John arrived with his family in a pink turban and a cream sherwani, holding a kirpan, and the two families greeted each other at the door before going in.
The arrival happens fast and outdoors, so we agree beforehand where the families will meet. That way we can be in front of the groom’s party as they walk up, not behind them.
Kaleere and the walk into the prayer hall
Before the ceremony, family tied pearl kaleere to Ananya’s chooda. She then walked into the prayer hall under a phulkari held above her by her family: one of the most photographed moments of any Anand Karaj, and over in seconds.
The Anand Karaj in the prayer hall
Ananya and John sat before the Guru Granth Sahib while the ragis sang, then walked the four Lavan around it together, with the sangat seated close on every side.
A gurdwara is a place of worship first. We cover our heads, take off our shoes, move quietly along the edges of the hall and never step between the couple and the Guru Granth Sahib. Before the day we ask the gurdwara committee where photographers may stand and whether flash is allowed, and plan our positions around their answer.
After the Lavan: langar and the first steps out
After the ceremony the families shared langar together, and Ananya and John stepped out of the gurdwara as a married couple. These are some of the warmest family photos of the day, and they are easy to miss if the photographer leaves straight after the Lavan.
Planning your photos at the Sikh Centre of Seattle
- Confirm the ceremony time with the gurdwara. The Anand Karaj usually takes place in the morning, so getting-ready photos often start early.
- Ask the gurdwara committee about photography rules in the prayer hall, including where photographers can stand and whether flash is allowed. We are happy to ask on your behalf.
- Plan family group photos outside, before or after the ceremony, rather than in the prayer hall.
- Leave time after the Lavan for langar and the couple’s first steps out together.
- If you have more than one ceremony, as Ananya and John did, give each its own coverage window.
More on how we cover Sikh weddings is on our Sikh wedding photographer page. The full story of Ananya and John’s three ceremonies is in their real wedding, and every photo is in the full gallery.
Questions couples ask
- Have you photographed a wedding at the Sikh Centre of Seattle?
- Yes. We photographed Ananya and John’s Anand Karaj at the Sikh Centre of Seattle gurdwara in Bothell, from the arrival through the Lavan to langar. The photos on this page are from that wedding.
- Can photographers use flash inside the gurdwara?
- It depends on the gurdwara’s own rules, so we ask the committee before the wedding and plan around their answer. We work quietly and keep our movement in the prayer hall to a minimum either way.
- Do you also photograph the other events of a Sikh wedding?
- Yes. We cover the Mehndi, Sangeet, reception and other events as well as the Anand Karaj, and we can cover multiple days. For Ananya and John that included a Choodah at home before the ceremony.
Getting married at the Sikh Centre of Seattle?