Gokul Dham Lawn Varanasi: Sonu & Rashmi's Engagement Photos

Sonu and Rashmi got engaged at Gokul Dham Lawn, a marriage lawn and banquet in Rohania, Varanasi. The evening had everything a family sagai should have, from the bride getting ready and the proposal to the ring exchange, the cake and a few couple portraits at the end. Photographed by The WeddingShoot, wedding photographer in Varanasi.

Before the guests arrived, we spent some relaxed time with Rashmi. Most brides remember this part of the day later, the jewellery going on and the last look in the mirror before stepping out. We set up a corner with soft, warm light behind her and asked her to look down at her hands rather than at the camera. Once she relaxed, her smile came on its own, and that portrait is still one we keep coming back to. We also asked her to peek out from behind the curtains, the way a bride waits for her turn, and shot it in black and white. A few close-ups of her mehndi and jewellery finished the set.

Sonu and Rashmi arrived together, surrounded by family, with everyone talking at once. We waited near the hall so we could photograph them as they walked in towards their relatives. Inside the banquet hall, cold sparks went up on both sides as they walked in through a light layer of fog, and the guests clapped them in. Sparks only last a few seconds, so we were in position before they were lit. The proposal on the stage came a few minutes later.

In many North Indian families the ring ceremony, or sagai, is the evening the match becomes official in front of everyone. The rings come out on a decorated platter, often carried by the younger girls of the family, and the couple exchange them while parents and relatives gather close to give their blessings. Sonu and Rashmi's stage was framed in pink and white roses with their initials behind them. When the rings went on, the hall broke into claps and cheers. We stayed a little back during the exchange so we never stood between the couple and their families, then stepped in close for their hands and the new rings. After the rings came the cake, with the couple's initials on it and a candle on top. Cake cutting moves fast and half the guests have their phones up, so we stood slightly to the side, where the flowers still framed Sonu and Rashmi. Family photos followed with parents, cousins and the girls holding up the ring platter between the bride and groom. These usually end up on the wall at home, so we take our time with them.

Once the rasm was done and the music started, we asked the couple for ten minutes away from the crowd. After a long evening of greeting relatives, this is often the first time they really get to look at each other as an engaged couple. We found a peaceful spot in the garden and set up our own soft light. Both of them were very easy to work with and happy to try whatever we suggested. It turned into one of the sweetest couple portrait sessions we have had at an engagement, with lots of candid photos in between the posed ones and hardly a stiff smile in the whole set. We asked them to walk and talk to each other. Sonu turned to look at Rashmi and she started laughing before he said anything. In another photo they are standing side by side with the new ring on her hand. We did not pose either of these. We picked the spot and waited.

GokulDham Marriage Lawn & Banquet, also searched as Gokul Dham Lawn Varanasi or Gokul Dham Marriage Lawn Varanasi, is a marriage lawn in Varanasi with an indoor banquet hall. It stands in front of Jagatpur Degree College, on the Balirampur and Jagatpur side of Rohania, Uttar Pradesh 221302. It sits away from the old city lanes, so once you are inside, the venue feels peaceful and private, which suits both engagements and full weddings. Seen through a camera, the venue gives you several different looks in one function:

• The building and lawn. A cream, Rajasthani-style front with carved arches and small balcony-style windows, facing an open lawn. It photographs best in daylight or the last hour before sunset, and the lawn leaves room for wide family groups.
• The banquet hall. An indoor hall with large windows along one side. Fog and spark fountains look better here because the hall is closed on all sides.
• The garden. Calm spots away from the stage, good for a few relaxed couple portraits once the ceremony is over. It gets dark at night, so evening portraits need the photographer's own lighting.

If you are planning an engagement or wedding at Gokul Dham Lawn or any wedding lawn in Varanasi, and the candid moments matter to you as much as the stage photos, this is the kind of work our team enjoys most. We plan for the small things, like the smile just before the ring, your parents' faces during the blessings and the first look between the two of you after the ceremony. You can see more of our wedding photography in Varanasi, and message us whenever you are ready. Comparing marriage lawns in Varanasi? See our wedding photos from R R Palace Marriage Lawn, The Banaras Lawn & Banquet photos and Chaudhary Lawn. For a hotel setting, there is our engagement shoot at The Clarks Varanasi and a five-star celebration at Taj Ganges. Still deciding on poses and outfits? Our engagement photoshoot ideas post has a few that work in any banquet hall.