Asian Bride with her make-up and Jewellery - wedding Photographer Bristol and Leicestershire

Islamic weddings vary a great deal according to the traditions of the individuals concerned. I have been privileged to be invited to photograph at Muslim weddings and find the simplicity and tradition refreshing. The commitment to family and the values of the Islamic faith are a sharp contrast to some of the secular weddings I have attended.

Many people in the UK only think of the celebrations at a Pakistani or Bangladeshi wedding as an Islamic wedding. Muslims who marry in the UK are from very different cultures - for example Turkish, African, Malaysian, and European.

It is important to understand that the 'wedding' for many Muslims, it is the Islamic ceremony that is the genuine wedding, and not the affirmation of that wedding in a registry office. Although mosques are obviously places of worship, the majority of them in the UK have not been officially registered as such, and so any Islamic wedding that merely takes place at a mosque has to be registered legally with the UK law as well, in order to be a valid marriage in respect of the UK legal system.

This was the case with Fatima and her husband. The first step in the marriage process was the affirmation of that wedding in a registry office this was followed by a celebration that involved the bride’s family and female friends (for this part my daughter took the photographs) then the wedding itself with the prayers and blessing from the Imam.  So for the wedding was spread over a week and we had to take photograph at three location, the registry office in Loughborough, a hotel in Loughborough and the Empire in Leicester.

The Empire Hall is a distinctive venue for weddings & conferences. A Grade II listed building and a historic landmark of Leicester, this magnificent venue is an ideal venue for your wedding