Kelowna Wedding at Cedar Creek Estate

Outdoor Summer Sikh Wedding

Akshita & Chad

Kelowna Wedding at Cedar Creek Estate

This Kelowna wedding at Cedar Creek Estate Winery was such a beautifully planned intimate celebration. We first met Akshita and Chad and their pup Zara in Canmore for their amazing sunrise hiking engagement session. You can see more about this adventure on our blog here.

While hiking with Akshita she told us all about her childhood dreams of having an outdoor Sikh wedding, filled with flowers and surrounded by her loved ones. With the unpredictable nature of the year, she was unsure what their wedding would look like later that year. They were both exploring the idea of eloping in the mountains and possibly planning a helicopter ceremony in the Banff area.

As the pandemic restrictions began to ease throughout the summer Akshita’s dreams of having her outdoor ceremony started to become possible again. They both found a perfect venue in Chad’s hometown of Kelowna perched high above Okanogan Lake and surrounded by vineyards. Cedar Creek Estate had all the features to make their dream wedding possible and we were thrilled when they asked us to be a part of it all.

Royally Dressed Bride and Groom Surrounded by an Incredible Landscape

Akshita planned her day with a modern and relaxed take on her Indian heritage. She wore a stunning gold dress with red accents matching Chad’s accessories. It was so dramatic against the yellow grasses and rocky landscapes. We spent the morning exploring some beautiful spots around the lake for their portraits. Taking time to explore the windswept golden fields and rugged lookouts of this unique area.

This day was all about the details. The carefully selected jewellery and intricate textures in their fabrics, the flowers scattered throughout the setting and the ever-changing weather. All of these elements came together to make for such a beautiful day and this made it so much fun to photograph.

An Outdoor Sikh Ceremony Filled with Flowers and Sun Showers

We are fairly inexperienced with Indian weddings and we were so grateful to have the opportunity to photograph this amazing ceremony. Akshita sent us through some information on what to expect for a Sikh ceremony so we knew what important moments not to miss. To be honest, every second was so beautiful that we didn’t put our cameras down at all!

Rain clouds blew through the sky creating the most beautiful changes in light as Akshita and Chad made their way through each ritual. One of the main events of the ceremony is the Palla Rasam where the father of the bride places the rose scarf of the groom onto the bride, symbolising that he is giving his daughter away. The Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Scripture) a key focus of the ceremony. The bride and groom circle it four times at set intervals, bowing at the beginning and end of each stanza. Each stanza is accompanied by a hymn which embodies a promise or declaration of marriage. When completed the bride and groom are devoted to one another as two bodies, one light.

After the ceremony, everyone celebrated with food and drinks while exploring the stunning setting of Cedar Creek Winery. We wondered through the vineyards picking grapes and enjoying a beautiful sunset. We hope you enjoy looking through this amazing wedding and we are so thankful to be able to have told Akshita and Chad’s story.