In 2019 I took one of the most beautiful and exciting trips of my life: Israel, Palestine and Jordan. In Jordan I knew magical places like the treasure of Petra, a place I had dreamed of since as a child, I fell in love with the adventures of Indiana Jones or the endless desert of Wadi Rum from Lawrence D’Arabia, one of the most iconic films in the history of cinema. Never did I think, however, that 3 years later, it would be my work that would make me go back, on the occasion of the wedding of Zayda and Sami, a young Palestinian couple.
After months of emails, texts and video calls, getting to know each other was really special. An afternoon together on the streets of Amman, where a warm, enveloping light made our meeting even more magical. Right away I sensed the strong connection between these two young guys and couldn’t wait for the next day, where I would finally have the opportunity to photograph their wedding at the Dead Sea Marriott Resort.
As the wedding day arrived, I also finally met Zayda’s family. On a sunny morning, I then tiptoed into their beautiful home in Amman and after not even 5 minutes, I got to know the welcome, warmth and hospitality of the Palestinian people. They had welcomed me as one of the family.
I discovered a very large and, above all, really close-knit family, which, for someone like me who has always been interested in telling the story of connections between people, was really a welcome surprise. Music, laughter, tears, hugs…everywhere I turned there was a moment that captured my attention and that I, in turn, would forever try to capture with my camera.
It was when we left Sami’s house, however, that the real celebration began and I was catapulted into a ceremony that was very unusual compared to those I have been used to photographing in my 13-year career: the Zaffeh.
The Zaffeh is an Arabic musical wedding march with bagpipes, drums and Dabkeh dancers. It starts at the groom’s family home and then heads to the bride’s family home, where the couple celebrates with their loved ones, before heading to the reception venue.
Zayda and Sami’s families are the meeting of so many cultures: English, Palestinian, Turkish, Puerto Rican, and Jordanian. Both of them, however, were born Palestinians, and being very attached to their roots, they decided to celebrate their wedding on the Dead Sea, because the absolute closest place as the crow flies to their country. And so it was that as we headed to the Dead Sea Marriott Resort, I was totally enraptured by the incredible landscapes of what is by far, the lowest place on earth. Minus 435 meters above sea level. Unbelievable.
After a breathtaking sunset, the party continued at the Dead Sea Marriott Resort with wild dancing, typical Arab food, and really a lot of fun. Rarely have I seen people having so much fun!
What I have told you about was one of the strongest experiences since I have been doing this work, and I am more and more convinced that becoming a destination wedding photographer was really the right choice for me. Why? Because this way I never get bored. The people, the traditions and the landscapes are always different. Every time is a different adventure. An unforgettable adventure, just like the ones I dreamed of as a child watching Indiana Jones, but this time, the main character is me!
Se questo matrimonio al Dead Sea Marriott Resort vi è piaciuto, scoprite un’altra location fantastica in cui sono stato di recente: Santorini!
