Surya Garigipati Photography & Films photographs Indian weddings in Jersey City and across Hudson County — Hoboken, Weehawken and the waterfront hotels that face Manhattan. Since 2013 Surya has photographed more than 400 South Asian celebrations, with photography and film from one in-house team, and the studio is rated 4.9 on Google by 38 families. Our studio is in Flemington, about an hour away, and Hudson County travel is included in every collection.
A wedding with Manhattan as the backdrop
What sets a Jersey City wedding apart is the view. From the New Jersey side of the river you face east toward Lower Manhattan and Midtown, so in the late afternoon the setting sun is behind the camera — lighting your faces and turning the towers gold — and twenty minutes later, at blue hour, the city lights come on. We plan the couple portraits for exactly that window, and when the muhurtham allows, the ceremony too.
The other side of it is logistics. Waterfront hotels are busy, parking is tight, and a baraat needs a route agreed with the venue in advance — through a forecourt or along a plaza, never into traffic. Our guide to planning your baraat for photographs covers the questions to ask, and many Hudson County weddings are fusion celebrations with two ceremonies in one day, which our guide to fusion and interfaith weddings walks through.
Venues in Jersey City and along the Hudson
- Hyatt Regency Jersey City — on the waterfront at the foot of Exchange Place. Kasturi & Benjamin's highlight film, made here, is one of the four films on our films page.
- Liberty House — a restaurant venue inside Liberty State Park, with Lower Manhattan straight across the water.
- Battello — on the Jersey City waterfront, where the skyline fills the windows for an intimate reception.
- Hilton Meadowlands, East Rutherford — the practical choice when a very large guest list is flying in: rooms on site and a ballroom that handles the numbers.
- The Venetian, Garfield — crystal, marble and a ballroom built for a stage entrance, about half an hour north.
- The Rockleigh — green lawns in the far corner of Bergen County, for an outdoor mandap close to the city.
- Crystal Plaza, Livingston — a classic ballroom for a fusion celebration with a black-tie feel.
Hotel ballrooms need more planning for portraits, so we scout the property and usually build in a first look by the water.
India Square, temples and gurdwaras
Jersey City is home to India Square, the stretch of Newark Avenue near Journal Square that is one of the best-known South Asian shopping streets in the region, and where many families buy the jewellery, the sweets and the outfits for the weekend. For the ceremony itself, Hudson County couples often hold it at the hotel with their own priest, choose a community temple close to home, or travel to the larger temples of Central Jersey. Sikh families frequently hold the Anand Karaj at the gurdwara in Glen Rock, in Bergen County, with the reception back on the waterfront that evening. Wherever it is, we confirm the temple's rules on flash, positions and dress before the day.
Where we take portraits on the waterfront
- Liberty State Park — a long promenade with Lower Manhattan across the water, the Statue of Liberty to one side and the old Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal behind you.
- Exchange Place — the riverside walkway, the piers and the glass towers; at its best after sunset, when Lower Manhattan lights up.
- Hoboken — Pier A Park and Frank Sinatra Drive look straight at Midtown, with brownstone streets a few blocks inland for a quieter second look.
- Weehawken — Hamilton Park and the lookouts along Boulevard East, high on the Palisades, give the widest Midtown panorama on the New Jersey side.
Many parks, gardens and campuses require a permit or a fee for professional photography, some do not allow it at all, and the rules change from year to year — we check every location and arrange the permit before the day, so nobody is asked to leave in the middle of golden hour. Our engagement locations guide has the full list.
What we cover at a Hudson County wedding
| Event | Where it usually happens | Typical coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Haldi or pithi | At home, or in a suite at the hotel | One photographer, window light |
| Mehndi and sangeet | A hotel function room or a restaurant venue on the water | Photographer and cinematographer, our own light on the dance floor |
| Baraat | A hotel forecourt or plaza, agreed with the venue | Two photographers — one ahead facing back, one inside the procession |
| Ceremony | The hotel ballroom, a waterfront terrace or a temple | Lead and second photographer, cinematographer |
| Portraits | Liberty State Park, Exchange Place, Hoboken or Weehawken | Timed to sunset and blue hour |
| Reception | A waterfront ballroom or a North Jersey hall | Two photographers and film, the speeches in full |
Every collection is built around your real event list rather than a fixed block of hours; the investment page explains how.
Travel from Flemington
Jersey City is about an hour from our studio, and all of Hudson County sits well inside the 90 miles of New Jersey included in every collection, so there is no travel charge. We plan the arrival around Turnpike traffic rather than the map.
What couples wrote on Google
Every review below is a public Google review, published under the family's own account. The rest are on the reviews page.
"Surya was absolutely exceptional for us! He went above and beyond in our engagement photoshoot, and on the day of, his team was awesome to work with. We’re very happy with the video and the photo book. His photos ended up being featured in the NYTimes! We also appreciated that he genuinely wanted to work with our inclusive wedding." — Chetan Jhaveri
"We had an incredible experience with Surya and his team for our wedding in April 2024! From start to finish, he and his team were professional, talented, and truly dedicated to capturing every special moment of our big day…" — Nikki N
"Surya and his team was amazing to work with! They were able to capture all of the beautiful moments of our wedding! Everyone made us so comfortable and were easy to work with!" — Karthiyayini Mahendrakumar
Questions Jersey City couples ask us
Do you photograph Indian weddings in Jersey City and Hoboken?
Yes. We photograph weddings across Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken and the rest of Hudson County, from the haldi at home to the reception on the waterfront. Our studio is in Flemington, about an hour away, and travel here is included in every collection.
Where are the best skyline portraits in Jersey City?
Liberty State Park for Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, Exchange Place for the city at blue hour, Pier A Park and Frank Sinatra Drive in Hoboken for Midtown, and Hamilton Park in Weehawken for the widest panorama. Facing Manhattan from New Jersey, the setting sun is behind the camera, so the last hour of light is the one to plan for.
Can we fly a drone for skyline shots?
Sometimes. We use a licensed drone only where the venue and the law allow it, and the airspace around Manhattan and the airports is tightly controlled, so on much of the waterfront it is not possible. We check for your date and location in advance and tell you honestly.
Can we have a baraat at a Jersey City hotel?
Usually, yes — through the forecourt or across a plaza, on a route agreed with the venue in writing. Anything that touches a public street may need a permit. We walk the route with your planner beforehand and put one photographer ahead of the procession and one inside it.
Do you photograph fusion and interfaith weddings?
Often. A Hindu ceremony in the morning and a Catholic, Sikh or Jewish one in the afternoon, each given the respect of its own timeline, is a normal day for us.
Your Jersey City wedding
Tell us your dates and your venue — we reply within a day with availability, a portrait plan for the light and a collection built for your weekend.
Check Your Date