Usama reached out to me in mid-February 2025 to cover his wedding in Stavanger, Norway. The big day was set for June 14, 2025, and as the months passed, the couple (Usama & Alexandra) kept me updated with more details about their preparations. The ceremony was planned outdoors at Holmeegenes: Eiganesveien 64, 4009 Stavanger, Norway.
I packed my camera gear, drone, and microphones and flew straight from Copenhagen to Stavanger on June 13. Staying at a friend’s place, I charged all my equipment for the wedding day. My main task was to film the couple’s outdoor shoot first, then capture the wedding as it unfolded.
I arrived early at the Stavanger Botanical Garden, the location for the pre-wedding shoot, where I met another photographer, egnaphoto, who was already taking pictures. He helped me a lot in different scenarios and supported me with ideas. About 10 minutes later, the couple arrived—Alexandra in a classic white wedding dress and Usama in a sharp black Pakistani sherwani. They looked absolutely adorable together. After congratulating them, I started filming from different angles while the photographer handled the stills.
This was a truly unique wedding—a beautiful blend of cultures, with a Pakistani groom and a Norwegian bride. The ceremony began at 13:00 at Holmeegenes, officiated by both a female priest from the bride’s side and a male imam from the groom’s side. Around 70 guests from both families gathered for the heartfelt union.
At one point, Usama asked if I could fly the drone during the ceremony while still keeping the handheld camera rolling. It was tricky, but I took on the challenge—I set my gimbal-stabilized camera on a steady chair, quickly launched the drone to capture some stunning aerial shots, then smoothly transitioned back to the ground camera before the speeches ended.
After the ceremony, everyone moved into the museum venue for speeches, activities, and a delicious spread of Pakistani food and homemade cakes (made by Alexandra herself!). The celebration wrapped up around 20:00, and after saying goodbye to the couple and some familiar faces, I headed back to my friend’s place by bus.
Once back in Copenhagen, I spent the entire weekend editing and delivered both the full wedding film and a highlight reel within a week. The couple had chosen the songs for the video, and it was an incredible experience capturing their special day. I’ve attached the link to the wedding film below.
