Bonnie Sen is a Washington DC wedding photographer who loves to travel and capture the essense of the party

Fashion Shoot in Kolkata with Bridelan

June 19, 2019

Kolkata Fashion Shoot with Bridelan © Bonnie Sen Photography

Calcutta Fashion Shoot Yellow Cabs with Bridelan © Bonnie Sen Photography

Kolkata High Fashion Shoot Yellow Cabs with Bridelan © Bonnie Sen Photography

Around town, another shoot with creative direction and styling by Bridelan. Bridelan and I both have roots in Kolkata and a strong fondness for the city. My parents were born and raised in the city, although their stories imply that it was a very different place. I still remember going to visit my relatives and taking these yellow ambassador cabs everywhere.

The first few steps from the train station were always in a yellow ambassador cab going across the bridge from the train station to the downtown of the city. Which is why the Howrah bridge as an iconic symbol of Kolkata so we has to be featured in the background of this fashion shoot around town.

Poised on the banks of the Hoogly river our model imitated the structure of the triangulated bridge. The colors in her jewels and her golden Lehenga by Raw Mango are a nod to the fact that the bridge is one of the jewels of the state and region.

Fashion Shoot Vendor Team

Fashion & Wardrobe Stylist: Nisha Kundani, Bridelan Makeup: Bhavani Kumar Jewelry: RaniWalla Jewelers Wardrobe Designer: Raw Mango Model: Helloise Cunha, Inega Models

Muslim Bride Styled Shoot in Calcutta India

May 1, 2019

The Backstory

I met the amazing fashion stylist, Bridelan India, on Instagram a few years ago and that meeting has been such a bright spot in my photography career. We have become friends through Instagram, all while being halfway across the world. It had finally come time to do a styled shoot together in India, and I immediately thought of my birthplace of Calcutta (Kolkata) India.

While the majority of the aforementioned shoot consisted of traditional Bengali wedding style (coming soon), we couldn’t help but pull together a Muslim bride fashion look to highlight the Islamic culture that is prevalent in so many neighborhoods in Calcutta.

Muslim Bride Styled Shoot Vendors:

Fashion & Wardrobe Stylist: Nisha Kundani, Bridelan Makeup: Bhavani Kumar Jewelry: RaniWalla Jewelers Banarasi Sari & Separates: Ekaya Banaras Model: Helloise Cunha, Inega Models

Italian Inspired Washington DC Engagement Shoot

April 17, 2019

This DC engagement shoot is straight out of Italy (scooter and all!). Nicole and Matt won an Instagram portrait session giveaway we did in partnership with a few of our favorite wedding industry friends vendors: makeup artist Makeup by Kevan, wardrobe stylist Naina Singla, florist Sophie Felts and hairstylist Jewel Hair Design.

DC Engagement Shoot Vendor Team

Nicole and Matt were recently engaged (you can read their whole engagement story here) and knew they wanted DC engagement photos but were open to styling ideas. A photographer and stylists’ dream! We got to run with our creative juices! The process started with a moodboard I created on Pinterest of the look and feel to set the tone for the shoot.

I knew we wanted to lean into Washington DC and the classical architecture reminiscent of old Europe – enter Union Station in DC. Union Station provided the perfect old world feel and backdrop to allow for other details to pop. When in Europe this past summer I remember images of puffy pink peonies wrapped in brown paper. Sophie Felts created the perfect bright cheery and puffy bouquet all wrapped in kraft paper just like I had seen in Milan.

The shoot glam team came together with a classic, romantic and edgy look for Nicole and Matt’s ensembles. Nicole wore a gorgeous black lace dress selected by Naina and perfectly complimenting Matt’s dapper suit. Kevan and Jewel brought the whole look together with a fashionable ponytail and makeup that enhanced Nicole’s natural beauty. Finally, add in a scooter to the mix and you’re instantly transported to Italy!

Photography: Bonnie Sen Photography Wardrobe Stylist: Naina Singla Florist: Sophie Felts Hairstylist: Jewel Hair Design Makeup Artist: Makeup by Kevan

Color-Filled Florentine Spring Fairmont DC Wedding

March 29, 2019

Where do we even begin to describe this gorgeous Fairmont DC wedding? You may remember Vanessa and Michael’s springtime engagement shoot posted a few weeks ago. Today we are back with their jaw-dropping wedding. If you couldn’t tell from their engagement attire, Vanessa’s style is incomparable! For the wedding day her taste, guts to be a little different and a dream team of vendors led by Laura of Grit & Grace combined to form pure perfection.

Florentine Spring Design

The wedding design was inspired by the Italian paper company Rossi. Rossi makes colorful prints that are classic, elegant and fun. Vanessa and Laura selected one specific print to serve as the inspiration for the rest of the wedding. This pattern featured blue, red, black and gold. The planning duo named the resulting design Florentine Spring. And I can’t think of a better way to describe the wedding day!

Vanessa and Laura carried the Florentine Spring feel throughout the whole wedding. This started with invitations from Haute Papier. The classic and ornate invites featured a Rossi paper, white calligraphy and Oscar de la Renta stamps. The stamps not only a gorgeous detail but also a nod to the bride’s dress. On to the wedding day Grit & Grace and Amaryllis designed an amazing La Dolce Vita escort card display with custom labeled San Pellegrino juice bottles.

There were too many beautiful and thoughtful details on the wedding day to mention but they all revolved around the Rossi paper colors. The soles of Vanessa’s shoes, poppies in her bouquet and glassware on the tables provided the perfect red. The mother of the bride’s dress, a denim linen and navy velvet drape throughout the ballroom pulled the hint of blue. Vanessa selected napkin rings and golden urns for the ceremony for the metallic accent. And finally black played a major role in the day of look from the black Louis chairs, custom black head table all the way to the monogrammed dancefloor.

The celebration wrapped up in the Fairmont DC ballroom with even more Italian details. A limoncello and prosecco specialty cocktail and pasta vegetarian entree. The icing on the cake was the Buttercream Bakeshop 4 tier wedding cake sitting atop a cake stand wrapped in Rossi paper. Truly La Dolce Vita!

Fairmont DC Wedding Vendors:

Springtime Washington DC Engagement Session

March 20, 2019

Vanessa and Michael’s love story is proof that sometimes office romances do work out. And we are so glad it did! This month we are going to take a peek back at both their Washington DC engagement shoot and their Florentine Spring wedding at the Fairmont Washington DC with Grit & Grace.

Back to Vanessa and Michael’s sweet story. Vanessa met Michael when she started at his company shortly before graduating from Georgetown University. The office was fittingly located at the notoriously scandalous Watergate building and they quickly realized there was something more to their relationship than work. So, on one balmy evening in June 2011, they broke the office ‘rules’ and went on a first date. Fast forward almost six years, Michael took Vanessa back to the Watergate rooftop to ask the question she had been waiting to hear.

After that yes, we headed back to the neighborhoods so dear to their hearts for a fun and light filled spring evening Washington DC engagement shoot. We started with a couple cocktails, a stroll down Georgetown’s iconic streets and finished up at the roof of the Kennedy Center (overlooking that fateful Watergate).

Vanessa killed the wardrobe game. The two started in a springy blue dress and blue suit and then changed in to a more evening black and white look. Vanessa’s pop red shoes were a close contender but I have to say both of her statement earring choices were a personal favorite.

Get ready to ogle over these two and check back for their dreamy wedding soon!

Attire:

Blue Lace Dress: Club Monaco Both Earrings: BaubleBar Silver Shoes: Valentino Striped Skirt: TY-LR from Rent the Runway Black Top: Club Monaco Red Shoes: Christian Louboutin