If you’ve never attended or photographed a Mehndi party before, it’s a fun and festive pre-wedding celebration in Hindu and Sikh culture.

Couple Maysun and Nathaniel’s Mehndi event, held the night before their wedding reception, took place in Selangor, Malaysia, and as wedding photographer Qay recounts, “they decided to do a classic Malay wedding and introduce the culture to the in-law family and friends that traveled mostly from the U.S. to attend the wedding.”

Everything ran smoothly and seamlessly. “The ceremony and reception, held the following night, was held at K’Seena House in Sungal Buloh, and I just loved how true the couple stayed to the classic Malaysian culture,” Qay says. “Nowadays, everyone wants to do a modern-style wedding—rustic, hobo, chic—which I get to shoot a lot, so this was a refreshing change. And most of all, I loved how they looked at each other all night. You can see the love in their eyes and the way they smile. It comes from the heart.”

GEAR OF THE DAY
CAMERA: Sony A7 III
LENSES: Samyang 35mm f/1.4, Sony 55mm f/.8

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