NCR couples head to Greater Noida farms for desi pre-wedding shoots

Running through the fields, among the crops, walking hand-in-hand or simply lying down in the middle of the green fields – pre-wedding photo shoots seem to have gone desi. Young couples in NCR are increasingly looking to get such pre-wedding shoots done and are heading to the fields outlining the small villages of Greater Noida .

They are closer home and picturesque, which means that couples can get beautiful shoots done, with minimum hassles.

Couples want lush green locations, away from the concrete jungle
Photographers say the demand for having a desi shoot has increased in the last two years. “Earlier, I used to suggest locations in Delhi for couples looking to do outdoor pre-wedding photo shoots. However, for the last two years, many couples have expressed their desire to shoot at farms in Greater Noida with a desi set-up. The natural and bright settings bring out some of the best pre-wedding pictures and now I have started suggesting it to all couples and many of them opt for it,” says Deepak Trehan, who has a photo studio in Greater Noida.

According to couples, shooting in the lush green farms provides them with a refreshing break from life among the towering high rises in the city.
“We are living in a concrete jungle and I wanted my pre-wedding shoot to be straight out of a book – with nature and beauty all around. Greater Noida has a beautiful landscape, so we jumped at the idea of shooting at the farms,” says Ankita Khandelwal, a resident of Sector 71.
For others, it is a time to live their ' Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'

moment. “I am a big SRK fan and since childhood, I had the dream of reliving that scene from ' DDLJ' in which Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan are romancing in a mustard field. I was able to make that real here in Greater Noida. I had no idea earlier that the city has such beautiful locales,” says Rakhi Bedi, a resident of Sector 93, Noida.

Delhi Times Fresh Face 2018 finalist Shaurya Kohli and Delhi Times Fresh Face 2018 finalist Kashish Kapoor pose for us at a farm in Greater Noida

Cheaper option, no permission hassle

With most of them located in isolated places around the city, the farms in Greater Noida are also chosen for pre-wedding shoots because there is no fee involved. “Shooting at monuments or even in studios for that matter is more expensive than shooting at a farm since there is zero cost involved, in terms of location. So obviously shoot costs are considerably lower and are preferred by couples who don’t really want to splurge on pre-wedding shoots,” says Ajay Sapra, who has a photo studio in Sector 25, Noida.

Though the farms belong to local villagers, photographers say there is no problem in getting permissions. “As long as we are not damaging crops, locals don’t mind us shooting in the farms. In fact, I have now developed friendship with the caretaker of a farm in Greater Noida and he always allows us to shoot,” says Vicky Mehta, who has a photo studio in Sector 51. Photographers add that they always shoot during early morning as that ensures better lighting and there is less trespassing.

Farms spell home advantage for Noida, Greater noida residents
Some people consciously decide to shoot in their “own city”. “My fiancé and I live in this city, work here, met each other here and we are getting married here itself. So it only seems logical to have our pre-wedding shoot right here. When we told this to our photographer and he immediately suggested us to do the shoot at the farms in Greater Noida and we really liked the location,” says Manjari Bhatia, a resident of Sector 37.

With the locations just a few kilometers from Noida city, the farms in Greater Noida also come to the rescue of couples who are short of time and can’t go for elaborate shoots in other cities. “It takes barely 30 minutes to reach the farms from Noida and for couples who want to get done with the shoot during the first half of the day, the Greater Noida farms become the best option,” adds Trehan.