Sivagangai contains Chettinad, and Chettinad is unlike anywhere else in Tamil Nadu for weddings. Karaikudi and the surrounding villages are full of the old Nattukottai Chettiar mansions, with their tiled courtyards, carved pillars and deep verandahs, and a good number of these houses now host weddings.
They are extraordinary places to photograph, and they also present a specific problem: the light is beautiful but uneven, bright in the courtyard and much darker under the verandah, often within a few steps. A base has to read correctly in both, which is a real consideration rather than a stylistic preference.
Chettinad weddings are traditional and jewellery-heavy, with substantial silk and long ceremonies. Saree draping and hair styling with extensions are included with the bridal booking, and both matter a great deal in this district.
