Love is MY MOST FAVORITE THING on warm spring days. Melissa and Paul are planning their wedding in New Jersey, from their home in London. We had a briefer than usual interlude in some West Village frolicking, as they were kind enough to squeeze me in among their feverish wedding planning! AND it was SUPPOSED to be 62 degrees, but I was definitely breaking a sweat, which excited me to no end. SPRINGTIME! It felt like a party outside! See?!
Whew! I suppose from my schedule it seems that I’m a little nutso lately, but when I find myself in between exotic locations, I am without much to do but read on my new Kindle (it’s awesome!), re(and re and re and re) watch this weeks episode of Lost, and go to the farmers market so I can pretend to be French. Well, I suppose it’s only really been the weekend that I’ve been lazing about… maybe it was only just yesterday, but I’ve been going for so long that when I stop to rest, it feels like my wheels are still spinning.
I consider myself completely and insanely lucky that I get to do some gallavanting around the world, photographing the cultural wonders that are weddings as set against so many vast and worldly backdrops. Today, Lana and Phil brought some of those cultural wonders to New York City. Hey! They cried! Want to shoot our Jewish Yemenite Henna Ceremony before our engagement session! (ps. a Jewish Yemenite Henna Ceremony is really just the amount of time it takes for the bride-to-be to get dressed. I mean, once you see the outfit you can understand that it in and of itself is quite an event!) Sure! I replied! Frakking of Course!
When I met Lana and Phil, it was a late evening in DC, and they invited me out for some drinks after. They hadn’t even hired me yet, but we threw back some rum and cokes together and had a grand time until about 2 am or so. It was awesome. And I have a feeling that their wedding is going to be one awesome party. In the meantime, here are a few shots from today. I feel very privileged to have been chosen by this beautiful, wonderful, open, in love couple of people. I mean, they certainly know how to get dressed for a party! (even though there was no party but the one in my camera!)
Wow…these are awesome. Good job.
Wow. Just…wow.
Unfreakinbelievable opportunity! Well done, Poo. Images 1 & 4 blow me away!!!
love them all. beautiful culture.
How do you manage to outdo yourself every.single.time? You astound me, Punam. Total rockstar!
genius!! the colors, the outfits, the shots and the couple – all just supremely perfect!!
Amazing, beautiful, breathtaking! The details on their outfits are just unbelievable. Love all of these!
wow! Their outfits are stunning!
Oh they are such a cute couple and they sound so warm and open. Can’t wait to see how their wedding unfolds.
OH!!! These photos are perfect!!! That was some party in your camera! 
U R 2 cute! I love how you captured the details and the intimate moments. A great tribute to this couple—without knowing them it feels like you really represented them well.
Oh man– this could be one of the raddest things I’ve ever seen. I’d hang that first shot in my living room.
Wow! Gorgeous!
LOVE IT!! LOVE IT!! LOVE IT!! AMAZING PHOTOS!! I AM LOST FOR WORDS!!
I love the ornate clothing they are wearing! You did such an aweseom job with their session!
The photos of Lana and Phil are amazing! The shots reflect the mutual feelings of love and affection they share for one another. Strawberry fields forever…
You had great subjects!
Beautiful photos! and I am glad I am not the only one re re re watching lost lately.
OMG! Their outfits are gorgeous!!!! You did amazing photographs for this couple!
That first shot is like National Geographic! And that last shot in the flowers just melts…sooooooooo sweet! Great looking couple as well!
FABULOUS!!!! It was all done so nicely. We all really enjoyed the photos – keep them coming…..
Killer daffodils! They’re a wonderful couple you’ve captured.
This blog post is pure eye candy and inspiration Punam!
I sit alone in my hotel room, in the little known (or so I surmised since no one in the gas station 15 miles from here could tell me where it was), town of Newark, Delaware, via Washington, DC where we made pictures today. I wait in this Fairfield for Husbone and his partner to join their travels with mine. Yes people! I am on the road again! We are, however, making a quick stop many moons away in New Jersey tomorrow for a small Easter extravaganza.
This happens to me sometimes. Sometimes, I have such a great time shooting a couple, I totally forget about the pictures. Krystle and Eric and I spoke and met for the first time today, my previous experience of both of them being email correspondence, exclusively. When this is the case, which it often is, I get a little nervous about meeting the couple that sounds so lovely in pixels. But I couldn’t have been more pleased that A. Krystle is stunningly gorgeous!, B. The two of them together are goofy in essence, which warms me. Also, C. They are a commercial for meeting people for to love on the Interweb, though their exploits began as a friendly meeting at the mall. A surgery for a deviated septum (for Eric) followed soon thereafter. So, in that delicate time, the first kiss was postponed for the bandages to be removed, and for all to be well with his face, I imagine, so they could go town, and paint it.
Oh, my friends. It’s late(ish), and I’m weary from the drive. So I’ll just show you what I mean when I say today was awesomongous.
Thank you for those wonderful pics. I’m Krystle’s grandmother in Arizona. Since I won’t be able to make her wedding, these pics. make me feel closer to her. Thank you
Joyce
hi punam! i’m a relatively newcomer to your site…i think this may be my first comment..ing…although i’ve been oohing and awing to myself for a bit now;)
always inspiring and fresh, honest and open, and of course beautiful imagery. thank you!
??the b/wphoto with the couple in front of the columns on bottom left…is that a 70-200??? 
g
Just wanted to drop a comment to let you know that I think your work is fantastic!
Simply BEAUTIFUL, Punam. These shots are awe-inspiring…your talent knows no bounds! Hard choice but my absolute favorite is shot#3. Wonderful! May you always be successful(and you know you will!). :]
I’ve just recently started reading your blog, and I can’t really remember how I found it. But I LOVE your work and I just had to comment because I live super close to Newark, DE! It’s where my husband and I both work. Too bad I didn’t know you’d be stopping in DE!!
Artistic work! I have a lot of favorites!
Your pictures take flight with all of spring’s fancy; they are aglow with love and reflections of intimacy.
P.S. I love trees…that you happen to shoot trees now and again with your subjects makes me love your pictures even more.
I REALLY Love the last one, and the one above it with the silhouette and the airplane! How awesome!!
WOW!! Sooo cute! Sorry I didn’t help with picking the outfit but you made a great choice! You two look wonderful!!! I can see now why you chose to go with Punam
May I just say that you take beautiful pictures! My sister krystle and Eric are Beautiful people and you captured it! Thank you!
I would DIE to have trees like that around for a shoot! LOVE IT Punam!
That silhouette with the plane- come oooooonnnn Punam! YOU ROCK!
beautiful. that 2nd to last shot is incredible.
What an amazing set. That second to last photo is incredible.
Geez – I have to agree with Sarah – that sunset photo is unbelievable. I love the small detail of the plane
I just adore the photos of them laughing in the sunset… dripping with gold & love.
That shot of the sunset with them is just killer Punam!!
I just adore Boomie and David. And the more time I’ve spent time with them, the more I absolutely adore them even more. I was so excited when we got to spend the whole day with them the day after the traditional ceremony. They picked us up and we frolicked on the beach for a half an hour, and it was awesome! I shot some film, too, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait, as I’m in Santa Fe with no means of developing any film. As David lives in Nigeria and has never even been to the states, and as the Yoruba ceremony was insanely chaotic (though amazingly vibrant), the Bones and I were very excited to make some pictures with no distractions in that special engagement way that I love so well to do. Yum.
Every now and then, I have a bride or groom that insists on making pictures of husbone and I in return. We don’t have many pictures of our selves, so we likey.
[...] a great job on telling a great story about the couple so you have to read and see for yourself at Engagement and wedding , i was going to copy and paste from Punam’s blog about the couple, but she tells [...]
I love the moment you caught in that second photo. So sweet. And you and your husband look sweet as well!
This e-session is AWESOME! Your work is beautiful! And cheers to the pic of of you and husbones.
very lovely shots.
Beautiful photographs……This couple and you both….I just love your work!
Wonderful photos, they look very much in love. So do you and your husband. LOVE your hair, btw! 
LOVE these, especially the second and third one – you are so talented!!!
I really love the third one. Great job, once again! I hope you have a bast at the Blend workshop, can’t wait to see your posts on how it goes.
Punam. Another great set of pics. I love the pic of David and Boomie, right before you and your hubby’s pic. The pic of the two of you is also awesome. Can’t wait to see wedding pics!
Gosh I’m so jealous! For 2 reasons: #1, because I want to be there right now, on the beach!! and #2, b/c you produce such colorfully vibrant and energetically CRISP photos that I can’t seem to do at all.
Hmm, I think Jay has some competition there. That’s an awesome picture of the two of you! I love seeing pictures of you guys. We don’t get to see many of them and there is definitely lots of love oozing out of the Bean duet for the camera to catch.
Punam these are so beautiful. I love the 3rd one…such great laughter and love in their faces.
Cute pic of you and your hubby as well
LOVE!!! the hues are gorgeous and so unique. wish my beach shots would come out like yours. hehe
Punam ~ I’m so grateful I fell upon your website yesterday… it’s totally reinvigorated my passion for making images of love & soul.
Bless you woman!
These photos are just so oh-exquisite…
you document beauty:love:connection:magic so deeply & truly,
blessings,
Leonie
Ah! The light is gorgeous there. Love love.
Husbone and I are at Charles de Gaulle Airport (my most favorite airport ever – gourmet cheese, fresh baked bread, various cured meats of the duck variety which I pine for a long while after I’ve left this place), and I am so excited to finally present to you, the first of a series, about Boomie and David, and Africa.
Boomie and David met over the phone, about a year ago. She was in Maryland, and he was in her hometown of Lagos, in Nigeria. They spoke on the phone quite a bit, and for quite a while, before Boomie decided to surprise David. She had her uncle meet him at Barcelos (an amazing made to order fast food chicken extravaganza), to give him a gift. The gift was her. She was hiding in the car. David had said to her in one of their talks, that when he finally sees her in the flesh, he’ll pick her up and spin her around. He was so shocked when he saw her emerge from the car that he totally forgot. And after some time, he told her to put down her things, and he delivered as promised. This, their wedding week, is only the third time she’s ever seen him. But the love just oozes from them. So much for each other, and for everyone else around them. Arriving at Murtala Muhammed Airport was the first time I ever (and finally!) met Boomie, and I was so taken with her brightness and sincerity that it feels like I’ve known her for a year.
David has never been to America, but he’ll be moving here next week, to be with his new wife. How awesome is that?!? Husbone and I look forward to having them as our dear friends.
Lagos is Probably one of the most vibrant, chaotic, visually rich places I’ve ever seen. And I have to say the same about their various wedding ceremonies. The first of which, was the traditional Yoruba ceremony. I am weary with travel, and I have three more flights left today until I arrive in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the Blend workshop, so I’ll let the pictures do the talking!
Yams!
An awesome tradition in Yoruba wedding ceremonies, and many other West African cultures, is that every one on a side of the family gets a fabric, and each person gets their outfit custom made. There were 1000 people at their Christian wedding, about 400 people at the Yoruba wedding. This way, you can look out onto a sea of people and know how many people on your side are there for you.
You might be able to spot me there in the back. And as you can see, I was very happy to be there. No matter how sweaty.
I love this shot.
it”s was great
[...] a great job on telling a great story about the couple so you have to read and see for yourself at Engagement and wedding , i was going to copy and paste from Punam’s blog about the couple, but she tells [...]
these are absolutely incredible! it would be a dream to shoot a wedding like this.
These are so lovely!
What I would do to photography a wedding like this! It makes me want to go back to Africa NOW! You did such an amazing job… way to not get lost in all the happy chaos!
Beautiful! Lovely work that really captured the excitement of the day!
Lovely shots, thanks for doing a great job for my lovely Sis. I wish I made it down for the wedding, I can’t wait to see more shots.
these shots are beautiful! I cant wait to see the rest! You have captured the mood very well.
Awwww….. great story and nice pictures…
Punam, it was so great to meet you tonight and get a glimpse of some of your work. It’s beautiful! I’m your newest fan!
These are amazing!!!! So beautiful, I feel like I am there! My favorite is the one of the groom kissing the bride’s chin
Amazing, Punam! The color is so gorgeous and the expressions on everyone’s faces are so joyful. It must’ve been amazing to witness!
You did it again Punam! Love all the details and intimate moments that you captured so beautifully! These couple is gorgeous and so are the pictures!
Wow, absolutely gorgeous! The love they have for each other is written all over their faces. Amazing images!!
Punam, these pictures are awesome! I have been so eager to see them and am so blessed by the beauty. I love the next to the last photo. It captures them perfectly. I also the love the black and white with you in the background. I have never seen a photographer have so much fun while working simultaneously. Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to see more. God bless you!
Whee, how exciting to see these (and what a wonderfully memorable trip for you)! Can’t wait for more!
Amazing photos, totally stunning couple….Their love story so touchable! I wish them long life in happiness and love!
Love it! Awesome, awesome! What a great opportunity for you both! Show us more!
Incredible work, Punam!
Oh. My. Word. Poo.
You knocked this one out of the park.
It would have been easy for most people to get overwhelmed, but as always you stayed true to yourself with the newness of the place, people and experience only inspiring you more.
WOW. I am impressed.
oh my goodness. such beautiful images of a beautiful wedding. just stunning.
Wow Punam! What beautiful people! And I thought Venezuelan weddings were colorful… boy they got us beat with all those vibrant hues! Love it Love it Love it!
Beautiful and inspiring.
Punam!!! soooo beautiful! I am so proud of you! what a neat experience you had!
*stunning* images, Punam!
Gorgeous Punam!!! What an experience- amazing work as always!
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I can just feel the excitement of the ceremony through these pictures!! LOVE the colors!!
You’re so lucky to have been a part of this!! What a beautiful people and culture! Great work – amazing photos!
Incredible what comes alive in your creativity when traveling in new places. Can’t wait for more.
These are awesome. I especially love the second to the last picture. Loved the yam pictures and glad you rocked it out in the heat
Talk about my dream wedding to photograph. BEAUTIFUL!!!
AMAZING!!! i love these! so vibrant! you did a fantastic job!
Absolutely amazingly gorgeous! i cannot wait to see more
Amazing!! And what a cool tradition to have everyone from one side wear the same fabric.. that must have been quite a sight!!
GORGEOUS.
BEAUTIFUL. This is a beautiful celebration!
by punambean
[...] Beautiful engagement shot. Really pretty. Another fantastic one. [...]
[...] Beautiful engagement shot. Really pretty. Another fantastic one. [...]
love (LOVE) those last two. can’t help it, I’m an emotion junkie.
Oh Punam, the one through the bike is amazing! Of course they all are, but your eye for detail is pure genius. Well done
Love these! Gorgeous as always.
Wow! I lovvvve the last two shots… and the one through the bike spokes made me say “wow” out loud! I am a photographer just starting out in portraits, and hopefully soon weddings… and I love your work!
This is a beautiful set of photos! I love all your angles – quite the eye you have
ai yi yi! your use of architecture is amazing girl! you have such an amazing eye! i love the buildings/bike, the trees reaching for the sky in a lacy tangle, and the up-close intimate moments! it’s all amazing! you are inspiring!
Your “through the bike spokes” shot is amazing!