Indian Engagement Photographer | Poconos Waterfall | Indian Wedding Photographer New Jersey
Why do Indian engagement photos at a waterfall? Because why the heck not?!
And Pennsylvania’s Poconos
are the perfect place for them.
From Meeting Online to Playing in Poconos Waterfalls
Meet Vandana and Venkatesh, two traveling, outdoorsy folks who jumped at the chance to get IN the water for their Pennsylvania engagement photos. And once you see the photos, it will seem less crazy of an idea!
If you’re Vandana and Venkatesh, and you’ve already gone the traditional route, you know it’s time to get some nontraditional engagement photos. And on a beautiful summer day in the Poconos, that’s exactly what we did
Vandana and Venkatesh met online—Vandana from New Jersey and Venkatesh from India. They traveled the world (pre-covid, of course) and had already gotten beautiful engagement photos done in Paris. But these two adventurers jumped at the chance to do something different—in the water.
Nontraditional Indian Engagement Photos
Traditionally, Indian engagement photos are taken in a formal setting, and have their own ceremonies to go with it. When you take Indian engagement photos—as in several cultures—it’s something that typically comes with a lot of family preparation and celebration. Quiet it is not.
So for these rather nontraditional Indian engagement photos for this New Jersey bride and groom, I picked a lesser-known spot at a series of waterfalls in the Poconos. If you’ve never spent time exploring the Poconos—stretching from the Delaware Water Gap and Stroudsburg to Jim Thorpe, PA and all around—then you should. Poconos waterfalls, hiking destinations, tours, biking trails, boat trips…it’s all here.
Many of the best spots in the Poconos (especially Poconos waterfalls) take some hunting though, and in my efforts to not clog trails or ruin beautiful places that are often littered on and graffitied, I won’t list the exact locations, though I’ll take my clients here as long as we Leave No Trace. That said, if you happen to know the area, please continue to keep it on the DL!
So, we met in a parking lot and trekked to this beautiful woodsy area, Vandana in a red saree. Now chances are that unless you’re an Indian woman or have spent time in India or at an Indian wedding, you’ve never worn a saree. Now try hiking in one! She was a champ for sure.
We had this beautiful rocky area with streams and almost-fall leaves surrounding us, so I snapped quite a few photos as we hiked around. We then headed to an area I absolutely love, with a series of small falls with rhododendron trees and greenery surrounding a clear pool. The champs that they are, Vandana and Venkatesh got in for these glimmering shots.
I thought she was a trooper to be wading through this wild cold water, but as Vandana recalls, “I watched Bollywood movies growing up, and it was always my dream to be a goddess in the water like this.” After that, I hiked around and up a steep bit to get an overview of some beautiful little waterfall pools. A quick clothing change out of a wet saree (at least this one was made of a lighter mesh material!) and into an emerald green dress, and we got some unique angles with the gorgeous water. In fact, it even caught the attention of one of my favorite publications, Offbeat Bride!
We hiked our way over to the main waterfall, and the goal was to get beautiful yet modest Indian engagement shots. One request from this NJ bride and groom was to not be sexy, but to be romantic in a less overt way. And that is 100% fantastic. There are ways to show your love without making it sexy, and there are couples who want to be sexy—all are okay!
For these two who were definitely my vibe, we had fun with the sunset taking place behind the waterfall. I got some moodier shots with the sun’s rays shining down through the forest on them. What a gorgeous place, right?!
After our hike back up, we left this beautiful little spot in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains and went our separate ways—me to my AirBnB in the Poconos, and them back to New Jersey. I really loved this waterfall photoshoot and can’t wait to do another. But really, how often does one get to photograph Indian engagement photos in a Poconos waterfall?! Or any waterfall, really!
What to Do for Your Engagement Photos? Head to a Waterfall!
Waterfalls are one of my favorite things in the world, and if you’re a fan of waterfall weddings, waterfall elopements, or waterfall engagements, check out this post on another waterfall engagement session (also done right in a Poconos waterfall!)
Whether you live in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or any other state or area, you’ll want to experience the Poconos. Crowds are rare, the summer and fall weather is great, and there are so many outdoor activities to be had. The fact that this gorgeous area is just under 90 minutes from metropolitan New Jersey, and under 2 hours from New York City, is just…well, come find out for yourself!
Kathryn Cooper Weddings: Creative Wedding Photographer & Destination Wedding Photographer
Indian Engagement Photos | Engagement Photos in Waterfall | Poconos Wedding Photographer
The forest is an absolutely stunning backdrop for this Poconos session!