Need a wedding favor that’s pretty to look at and yummy to eat? Consider a candy buffet! Amrit Dhillon-Bains of Anaïs Event Planning & Design outlines the who, what, where, when and how of choosing a candy buffet for your wedding.

Selecting: Take your favorites into account, the colors of the wedding, or the way the candies complement the dessert or wedding cake being served. Given the breadth of possibilities, plan the candy buffet in conjunction with the menu planning, reception layout and color choices. A good rule of thumb is to select coordinated candy colors for a more effective display!

Ordering: Too many is never a problem but too few will absolutely be! First, determine how many jars and types of candies you want based on your guest count, available table space etc. I recommend 7-10 (or more, depending on budget) types of candies and 15-20 pounds of each variety. A great place to find all types and colors of candy is CandyWarehouse.com.

Be Considerate: Label each jar and place within easy reach. Also take into account any special dietary considerations when preparing a candy buffet for your guests.
A few ideas: gluten-free candies, vegan/vegetarian candies, sugar-free candies, dried fruits and nuts etc.

Containers: Select glassware, crystal and other jars in varying shapes/sizes to match the theme and quality of items being used. Also remember to get scoops or tongs for each container.

Bags: Get crafty with paper lunch bags, half-mint takeout containers, clear cellophane bags etc. Personalize these items as much as you can!

Display: Mini floral arrangements spread out through the display provide wonderful accents. Also consider adding a few photographs from your times as children along the table or other fun and clever signage!

Photos: Elle Jae Weddings, Rich Frye Photography

Just Married (Wed Loft)

Making Henna Cookies (The Big Fat Indian Wedding)

Tricks of the Trade: Red Carpet Makeup Trends from IIFA Toronto 2011 (Aaina Bridal)

British Trends for Indian Weddings (Marry Me Weddings)

The sexy men of the wedding party (Offbeat Bride)

Who are you?
We are Kumari Photography by Monty & Sangeeta. Two professional full time photographers who have a passion for the creative process and love for emotion.
kumariphotoanddesign.com

What do you do?
We are friends, listeners and creative visual artists…. we are photographers. We build relationship and capture the true personalities of our wonderful couples.

Where are you based?
Our studio is based in Toronto, however we are available to shoot internationally.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?
Kumari started as a vision nearly 5 years ago and flourished into a full-fledged photography company pretty quickly. We realized very quickly how much we complimented each others skills and personality in photography and life. Building a relationship and business out of our passion has been a remarkable journey which we are blessed to share with many amazing couples.

Why do you do what you do?
It is our passion. The opportunity to share in one’s very special day is a unique and rare opportunity. Capturing the day in a creative and storytelling so that the couples grandchildren feel like they were there, is what we strive for. D

Read more

By Sabrina Ali

Red henna, black henna, Arabic henna, Moroccan henna, the list of all the mehndi terms you’ve ever heard could go on endlessly. Every South Asian bride wants her hands and feet to be hennaed perfectly for her big day, but not knowing some very important fundamentals can not only cause your plans to backfire, it could be dangerous! Know what your henna artist is putting on your skin before you hire—it could make the difference between a bridal debut and a bridal disaster!

photo: IWP Photography

Preparing for Your Bridal Henna
As you start looking around for a good henna artist, make sure she knows her stuff. Henna artists should be able to show you pictures of their own work without a problem so you can get an idea of what styles they’re capable of. Talk to your henna artist before hiring to see if they would be comfortable with new designs, or ask if they would mind sketching the design they’ll be doing on you. Once you’ve booked an artist, pick a date. Many brides make the mistake of applying their henna the night before the wedding, as tradition dictates. We freak out the day of the wedding because the henna hasn’t darkened as much as we’d hoped. If you want your henna to be the darkest possible, have it put on two days before the wedding—this way, it has 24 hours to darken to maximum capacity.

photo: Sephi Bergerson Photography

What’s In Your Henna?
Henna is created from ‘Lawsonia Inermis’, a flowering shrub native to the subtropical regions of Africa, Southern Asia, and some parts of northern Australia. The word “henna” comes from the Arabic name for this plant. The leaves from the henna plant are dried and ground into a fine powder and are packaged to be sold, or mixed with various natural ingredients and sold in ready-made cones. Be careful when buying ready-made cones, because many companies add cheap chemicals like gasoline into the paste to speed up the staining process, but this can be potentially harmful to your skin! The allergic reactions that people may have from henna most often result from unknown chemicals that were mixed into the paste before it was applied. Your henna artist should always be able to tell you exactly what is in the henna going on your skin. If she can’t, don’t use her henna! Make your own, or find an all-natural brand that lists ingredients on the cone or container.

photo: Serendipity Photography

Read more

Sometimes family does know best, as was the case with Somaira and Abbas. The gorgeous couple was set up by Abbas’ aunt who attends the same mosque as Somaira and her family in South Florida. After the two youngins were introduced, the rest was history!

Venue: Ocean Manor Ft. Lauderdale
Hair & Makeup: Sumaiya Waheed
Photography: Nami Dadlani Photography
Engagement Date: February 26, 2011
Wedding: Summer 2011 in Pakistan

From the Photographer’s blog:
“I cannot tell you what a fun experience it was working with Somaira and Abbas at the Engagement Party. From the minute you meet them it becomes clear that they are best friends and madly in love. Have I mentioned how lucky I am to get such amazing clients? Somaira is composed, breathtakingly beautiful and exudes a confidence that photographs like a dream. Then there is Abbas who is spontaneous, compassionate and articulate.”

Read more

Who are you?
Nathan Delack, President & Lead Cinematographer Delack Media Group
DelackMediaGroup.com
delackmediagroup.com/blog
facebook.com/delackmediagroup

What do you do?
We are a boutique international wedding cinematography studio. We film some of the most beautiful weddings and turn them into mini-movies.

Where are you based?
We are based out of the Chicagoland area. Although the majority of our wedding film commissions originate from the Midwest, we do travel around the United States and internationally to film weddings.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?
Our first South Asian wedding was in 2009. A very enthusiastic bride heard about our work and unique style of storytelling. After seeing our wedding trailers online, she was sold and booked right away.

Read more

photo: anais events

The History of Henna (The Big Fat Indian Wedding)

What’s In, What’s Out (Divanee Weddings)

Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair (Inspirational Laddu)

Wedding Day Details (Yes Bride)

Four Terrible Things to Tell a Bride-to-be (Brides.com)