Say Cheese, Say Forever

MARWAR India went behind the camera with wedding photographers to uncover their craft.

- Text * Sonakshi Kurbah

In the grand spectacle of Indian weddings, where emotions run high and décor budgets run even higher, there's one group of heroes who turn fleeting moments into forever memories. From capturing pheras without the déjà vu of the same shot, different couple, to making grooms look like royalty, Manvi Gandotra (Founder, 1Plus1 Studio), Apoorv Mohan Shrivastav and Sanyogita Sao (Founders, Plush Affairs), and Priya Maganti (CEO and Co-Founder, RVR PRO) spill their secret sauce, tricks and what it really takes to frame love in its most candid form.

Q. Grooms sometimes get overshadowed by the bridal grandeur. What's your secret sauce for making them look like heroes and capturing them beyond the usual getting-ready and baraat moments?

Manvi: Honestly, groom energy is underrated. I love catching them in moments when they're not performing — that deep breath before walking in, fixing a friend's safa or looking for the bride in a crowd when they think no one's watching. I talk to them. When they feel seen, they open up and that's when the hero shot happens. Sometimes, it's just a look, a laugh or that one second when he sees his mother tear up.

Apoorv and Sanyogita: It's true, weddings often focus heavily on the bride, but we genuinely believe the groom deserves his own narrative too. Our approach is to look beyond the stereotypical "getting ready" and baraat shots. We spend time understanding who he is, his vibe, his bond with friends and family, and those quiet or goofy moments that define him. Whether it's a candid laugh with his childhood buddies, an emotional exchange with his parents, or the calm confidence before he walks into the