Courtesy of Contemporary Creations

Who are you?

Contemporary Creations
1907 Oak Tree Road
Edison, NJ 08820
973-759-4365
contemporarycreations.net
info@contemporarycreations.net

What do you do?
Mallavika: I provide event décor for weddings, corporate events, home parties, sweet sixteens and baby showers.  I do custom designing for the event with fabric draping and fresh floral arrangements are my forte.

Where are you based?
Mallavika: I am in the heart of the South Asian Market in Edison, New Jersey.  I have my showroom/flower shop at 1907 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ 08820.  I also have my home office in Iselin, NJ from where I operate all my meetings and paper work.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?
Mallavika: I started serving the South Asian Community in Dec.  2006.  I bought a flower shop in June 2006 and then found out that not many Indian vendors were proving their own flowers for weddings. I wanted to start a décor business where I could provide everything under one roof as it is cheaper for the brides to get the whole package deal from one vendor instead of shopping from two to three different vendors for various needs.

Why do you do what you do?
Mallavika: I wanted to profess in a field that I enjoy working in without having the feeling that I am working.  It was passion for decorating and making things look beautiful which made me join this industry.

Do you work exclusively on South Asian weddings?
Mallavika: No, I cater to all kinds of communities

Describe some of your inspirations.
Mallavika: I have worked In India doing stage designing and show settings which have inspired me to do something more in the field of wedding décor apart from the custom requirements of the wedding.  My flair with arts and crafts was an added inspiration to join the wedding industry as a vendor.  Also, the smiles I see each time I decorate, inspires me even more to create an ambience which is pure heavenly.

What are some mistakes you see most South Asian brides (and families) make?
Mallavika: One thing is that they follow each others footsteps without wanting to go out and try to so something new.  Each family sees some décor in a wedding they have attended and they want the same type of setup for their event.   I think brides and their families must look at their personal requirements first instead of following someone else’s footsteps.  Each individual’s personality must be portrayed at their weddings as the wedding is their special day.  The wedding day pictures, when looked back at, should make the bride feel that the atmosphere created was very much what she is made up of.  I have worked with many families in the past for whom the finance was not even a thought, but the bride was such a simple girl and wanted everything to be very simple and elegant.  I think this must be the major theme of any wedding, being oneself.

Do you only cater to certain budgets only?
Mallavika: I basically work around anyone’s budget. No wedding is too small for me. I treat every bride with equal importance and try to capture their dreams into their wedding day décor.

Courtesy of Contemporary Creations

Tell us about your strongest area.
Mallavika: My strongest area is that I provide a one stop event décor.  From the Mandap, to flowers, to chair covers, bows, ballonery and much more.  I am very versatile when it comes to travelling to any city or state.  I do not do more than two events per day and am always present for every event personally.  My work is neat and modern and is always custom designed.  I work a lot with fabrics and lighting with a touch of fresh flowers.  I am my own florist, so I can wrap up a decent proposal to match any bride’s pocket.  Also, I am very punctual and always available for discussions, advice and references even if it is not in my Genre.  I build a relationship so strong with the bride, that even after the event, they look me up just to exchange a hello.  If I can achieve this kind of a rapport with my clients, I believe, I have accomplished the word of mouth advertising for life.

Tell us about your weakest area.
Mallavika: I have yet to figure that out.

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How would you describe your working style?
Mallavika: I am extremely professional and I like to build a relationship with my clients instead of treating them as one-time customers.  I keep a low profile and let my work do all the talking.  I am very reachable at all hours, I keep everything on paper and a straight- forward attitude with financial matters.  I meet with the client numerous times and make sure their satisfaction is of prior importance.  I always like to deliver more than I have promised.  My team and crew are equally important to me and I take utmost care of my employees.  I can describe my style as friendly yet professional.

Describe a particularly memorable wedding you’ve worked in.
Mallavika: One such wedding last May, and another in August, where I worked from the home décor, tent décor for the Garba, Mehendi, Wedding and Reception.  Everything I owned, I was using at these weddings and the hours my team worked were long.  We stayed awake for 72 hours straight up doing one event after the other for the bride, but were winners at the end.  Everything turned out to look so beautiful, and comments on the décor, was like putting fuel into our energy level.  I loved every moment of those two weddings and more so, after they were over, the relief and appreciation left me nonplus

What’s your number one wedding tip?
Mallavika: Keep it simple, yet elegant.

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