“We’ve seen the sneak peek photos and they are wonderful. We’re so happy with them! Every time we’ve been looking through them, we’ve been screaming ‘Aaaah!’ We’re looking forward to the rest as well. Thank you!”
Sunny & Taja
Sunny and Taja’s two-day wedding gave each part of their celebration its own character. With Taja’s Caribbean heritage and Sunny’s Indian background, their choices of outfits and music helped make the occasion personal to them.
Friday brought white lace, an Oldbury wedding ceremony and close embraces. Saturday brought red-orange embroidery, speeches and a dance floor full of movement.
Their wedding began with a ceremony at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Oldbury. The following day, everyone came together again for their reception at the Holiday Inn Birmingham M6 J7 in Great Barr.
Looking through their photographs, what stands out most is how much of the story happens between the main events: helping hands during preparations, a shared smile in the car, and people holding one another close.
Friday: Getting Ready in Oldbury and Smethwick
Friday morning began with Sunny and his groomsmen at the Holiday Inn Express in Oldbury.
There were ties to adjust, a last bit of ironing and buttonholes to put straight. One photograph catches Sunny helping his groomsman buttonhole, both of them smiling as they get ready.
These everyday details are part of the wedding story too. They show the people around the couple contributing in small, practical ways before the ceremony, while over in Smethwick, Taja was finishing her preparations.
There were helping hands around her as the final touches were made to her hair, followed by help fastening her shoes once she was in her lace wedding dress. Then a final glance with her father before setting off for the ceremony.
Their Wedding Ceremony in Oldbury
One of my favourite photographs from the journey shows Taja sharing a broad smile with her father sitting beside her in the wedding car just before they enter for the wedding ceremony.
It makes a lovely introduction to the ceremony photographs: a moment of connection before she walks into a room full of guests.
Inside the Kingdom Hall, while all eyes we’re on her, her eyes were fixed on Sunny as he waited to see her.
I captured his first look and the smile said it all!
Congratulations, Close Embraces and Time Together
After the ceremony, there were plenty of people waiting to congratulate them. These photographs became an important part of my selection for their wedding story. Alongside the ceremony and portraits, they show how the celebration was experienced by the people around them, as storytelling, is not just recording who was there, but more importantly, how they felt.
We also made time for group photographs and portraits outdoors, despite the initial rain. The weather brightened up. So, although I’m a documentary photographer, there’s no problem capturing a few family groups or couple’s shots too.
Saturday: A Colourful Reception at Holiday Inn Birmingham M6 J7
Saturday’s reception at the Holiday Inn Birmingham M6 J7 brought a clear change in style.
After Friday’s white lace dress and checked suit, Sunny and Taja wore traditional Asian outfits reflecting Sunny’s Indian heritage. Taja’s red-orange embroidery and orange saree brought rich colour to the photographs alongside Sunny’s cream outfit.
Orange leaf decorations on the white wedding cake echoed those warm colours. A welcome sign featuring childhood photographs of the couple added another personal detail.
Around the room, guests greeted one another, shared jokes and caught up at the tables. Those moments help connect the reception’s main events into a fuller story.
Wedding Speeches: Laughter and Quieter Reactions
The speeches gave me plenty to watch, both at the couple’s table and around the room.
Pairing the speaker with the response gives this part of their story more depth. The person listening can be just as important to the photograph as the person addressing the room.
Cake cutting followed, with everyone enjoying the photobooth, which provided a change of pace before the dancing.
Two Cultures, One Busy Dance Floor
The evening music included a mixture of styles, with Caribbean and Indian classics helping to fill the dance floor.
As more guests joined in, the DJ, Music-JW knew how to fill the dance floor, so the photographs became busier. Arms went up, people danced with the night away. I enjoy being among the guests for this part of a wedding, watching for expressions and gestures as the action moves around me. Here, there was plenty happening in every direction.
A Quiet Portrait to Finish Their Wedding Story
After the crowded dance-floor photographs, the final image brings the focus back to Sunny and Taja.
It is a quiet ending to a lively sequence, and a fitting final photograph for a wedding that made room for both intimate moments and a shared celebration across two days.
These are just a few of my favourite images. The full gallery will be ready soon. Register here to find out when.
Planning Your Own Birmingham Wedding?
If you’re planning a multicultural wedding, a two-day celebration or a wedding elsewhere in the West Midlands, I’d love to hear about your plans.
My approach combines natural coverage of the day with time for the group photographs and portraits that matter to you.
Explore more of my real wedding stories or get in touch to tell me what you have in mind.
Wedding Details
Couple: Taja & Sunny
Wedding dates: 16 & 17 October 2026
Ceremony: Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Oldbury
Reception: Holiday Inn Birmingham M6 J7, Great Barr
Photography: Clive Blair Photography
Two cultures, two days and one beautiful celebration of love, family and togetherness.