35mmcandids on Wedding Photography, Emotion and Storytelling
A wedding is more than an event. It is an abundance of emotions and fleeting moments that deserve to be captured in their truest form.
This is the philosophy behind 35mmcandids, the award-winning wedding photography and visual storytelling studio founded by Aakash Tanwani and Sagar Thackar. Started in 2014, the duo’s venture wasn’t merely a hobby but a passion project born from their desire to “freeze special moments into frames and weave them together to form a cinematic masterpiece”.
From grand mandaps in Udaipur to intimate beachside vows in Thailand, Aakash and Sagar bring two distinct yet harmonised perspectives to every celebration. Their work sits at the intersection of candid wedding photography, cinematic storytelling and emotional observation.
The Intuitive Lens
How do experienced wedding photographers capture the heart of a moment even before it unfolds?
For 35mmcandids, the process begins the moment they walk into a wedding space. For Sagar, the first thing he notices is “the light, always the light” and how it affects the mood, while Aakash is drawn to people, observing the energy of the family members and the rhythm of the event.
Sagar muses that “that first breath in tells me how I’ll frame the day,” while Aakash adds, “It tells me what rhythm we’re stepping into, and how we can guide it without ever intruding”. They are always waiting for key moments, no matter how small. Sagar looks for the “shift in the air right before the varmala,” a small but sacred breath of stillness before emotion floods in.
Aakash, on the other hand, waits for the unexpected, like a groom tearing up or a best friend hiding laughter, because these “smaller things that are unfiltered” make the moment real. Their ability to anticipate these moments is a blend of instinct and experience. With over 550 weddings behind him, Sagar explains, “Your body knows before your mind does. You just learn to listen”.
That emotional connection often becomes part of the photograph itself. Sagar once captured a groom who had been told “yes,” “no,” and “maybe” for nine years. When he finally saw his bride walking towards him, he wept without shame. Sagar recalls, “I didn’t just shoot it, I felt it”.
When it comes to balancing aesthetics with authenticity, Aakash says they achieve this by listening to families and understanding what they value long before the wedding begins. Sagar adds that “the frame always follows the feeling. The aesthetic is just the costume. Emotion is the story”.
Beyond the Wedding Frame
Wedding photography offers an unusually intimate view into a family’s most meaningful moments.
For Aakash, it is a privilege to be “an observer and participant at once,” feeling the nerves, joy and surrender with the family. Across different cultures and continents, he has found that the emotion remains remarkably similar. There are also moments when they have to pause, not for the shot, but because they feel something deeply.
Sagar describes these as moments when a bride holds her grandfather’s hand or a mother brushes back her son’s hair. He says, “You pause not because it’s perfect, but because it’s real. It just reminds us why we do this”. This practice of holding space for a couple’s most vulnerable moments is rooted in empathy, presence and reverence.
Aakash notes that by the time the pheras begin, they aren’t just photographers anymore. They are “part of the emotion” and carry that responsibility with grace. That trust is often built well before the wedding ceremony. Quiet pre-wedding conversations, family dinners and inside jokes give the photographers a better understanding of what will matter when the rituals begin.
Aakash reflects that many of their clients have become friends for life, with stories that “don’t end with delivery”.
Crafting a Distinct Wedding Photography Language
What defines the visual language of 35mmcandids? It is a blend of “cinematic craft and editorial finesse” that earned the studio four major awards at the EEMA Spotlight Awards 2025, including gold for Wedding Videography and Wedding Photography.
Their approach blends “cinema with sentiment,” layering emotions with storytelling to create visuals that are both “grand and grounded”.
Aakash highlights how they “tune into each story’s cultural heartbeat,” acknowledging that a Marwari wedding in Jaipur has a different rhythm from a Nikah in Dubai. For Sagar, his favourite part of the storytelling process is the edit, calling it “alchemy” where everything comes alive. Aakash’s favourite part is the moment they show the couple their film, and they cry, laugh or sit in stunned silence.
When offering advice to couples, Sagar encourages them not to “perform” but to “be, live in the moment” because their truth is what they’re there to capture. Aakash notes that comfort is what makes a couple’s chemistry shine through naturally. He also points out common mistakes couples make, such as underestimating time, forgetting to brief family members, and ignoring light and colour in the planning stages.
Sagar advises a balance between planning and flow, as the day always brings surprises, which is “where the magic lies”. The ultimate prep tip from Aakash is to “just focus on living the moment, feeling it. We’ll take care of everything else”.
Ultimately, Aakash believes wedding photography isn’t just about taking “pretty pictures” but about understanding people, their families, cultures and dynamics. That requires sensitivity, not just skill.
An Eternal Frame
Beginning with “one camera and a shared dream,” 35mmcandids has grown to cover over 550 weddings across more than 10 countries.
They have captured a 1,200-guest wedding across three countries and a pre-wedding shoot on three different continents. Yet, for Sagar, even a backyard mandap “feels epic when the love is real”. If their journey could be summed up in one frame, Sagar says it would be “A bride wiping her dad’s tears. No prep. Just pure presence”.
He adds, “That tenderness, that timelessness; that’s what we chase”. For 35mmcandids, wedding photography is ultimately less about creating perfect images. It is more about preserving what might otherwise disappear in seconds.
It is that instinct, to notice the quiet moment inside the grand celebration, that continues to shape their work as visual storytellers and “designers of legacies”.
Wedding Photography Dos and Don’ts for Couple
The expert duo from 35mmcandids share a few practical ways to help wedding photographs feel natural, emotional and timeless.
Do…
Be Present: Focus on living and feeling the moment rather than performing for the camera. The goal is to capture your authentic truth.
Embrace Comfort: True chemistry glows when you are fully present with each other and with the photographers.
Plan and Flow: Discuss preferences and key moments with your photographers in advance, but also be open to the spontaneous surprises of the day. That’s where the magic lies.
Trust Your Team: Once you’ve chosen your photographers, trust them to take care of everything else so you can simply enjoy your day.
Don’t…
Perform: Avoid trying to pose or act for the camera. Your natural self is what will make the photos timeless.
Underestimate Time: Budget enough time for photography and key moments during the planning stage.
Forget to Brief Family: Make sure key family members are aware of photo schedules and plans.
Ignore Light and Colours: Consider how light and colour will affect your photos during the planning process.
Featured on the cover of Regal Celebrations’ August-September 2026 issue, this story is part of our curated edit of ideas, people and perspectives shaping the world of contemporary celebrations and luxury living. Discover the full feature and explore what makes it one of the defining stories of this issue.
