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Sikh wedding in Coventry at Gurdwara Guru Nanak Parkash.

In a Sikh temple everyone must cover their heads. Men must wear a rumala and women, a chunni. There are so many bright colours, it’s a real joy to photograph. In image 2 you can see the priest conducting the prayers outside the temple as part of milni. Milni is the greeting of the groom and his family by the bride's family. Once prayers are said, the families of the bride and groom exchange garlands to celebrate the creation of the new relationships. The garlands add even more colour! After milni, everyone has tea and something to eat. Guests then take off their shoes, wash their hands and enter the hall where the ceremony is conducted. Shortly afterwards, the Bride arrives accompanied by her brothers and family.

To symbolise the giving away of the bride, her father hands her one end of a scarf while the groom holds the other end. You can see Rajinder holding the scarf in image 6. The couple then circle the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy book) which demonstrates the central role that the holy book will have in their lives. Hymns (laavans) are sung during each circle of the Guru Granth Sahinb. The bride is escorted around the Guru Granth Sahib by male famliy members.

After the ceremony, gifts of money are presented to the couple (salamia) and all the guests wait in line to greet them. Lots of smiles and hugs! Dancing also plays a big part of the celebrations - there’s certainly a lot of it! The bride and groom were led into the room by dholl drums and a lot of the dancing was accompanied by the dholl drummers. You can see Gideon and Rajinder during their first dance, swamped by confetti!

All photographs by Alison Purvis-Gisborne & Stephen Gisborne, documentary wedding photographers based in Dronfield, Derbyshire travelling to weddings and civil partnership ceremonies over the whole of the UK.

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Purvis-Gisborne Photography are a husband and wife team specialising in modern contemporary documentary reportage wedding and civil partnership photography.

Purvis-Gisborne Photography are based in Derbyshire, East Midlands, England, UK. covering weddings nationwide across the UK. Purvis-Gisborne Photography are based in North East Derbyshire, between Sheffield and Chesterfield. Photograph weddings throughout the UK and primary photographers in the regions of the East Midlands, Essex, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Leeds, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, London, Merseyside, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, South Yorkshire, West Midlands, Warwickshire. Alison and Steve Purvis-Gisborne photograph weddings and civil partnerships in the towns and cities of Ashbourne, Bakewell, Birmingham, Buxton, Chelmsford, Chesterfield, Grantham, Harrogate, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, London, Knaresborough, Manchester, Market Harborough, Matlock, Newark, Northampton, Nottingham, Peterborough, Sheffield, Tadcaster, and York.

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