Earlier today, we showcased a fantastically adorable couple—Neha and Michael and their beautiful wedding portraits at the Vinoy Renaissance in St. Petersburg. Carrie from Simply Blue Studios also shared with us some wonderful images of their reception hall decor. Neha worked with her decorator, Pinky of Nikun Events, to create a theme that consisted of all shades of pink and purple against a white backdrop. We love how tastefully the decor was done with carefully selected florals and centerpieces with just the right amount of pizazz for the stage.

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With names such as Abhishek and Rekha, the theme for their reception was a no-brainer:  Bollywood!

Rekha:
“As we started brainstorming ideas for our Bollywood night, we decided to create movie posters with us playing the leading roles. Then came the other accessories such as the red carpet, the step and repeat and the photo booth with our personalized photo book.” Read more

With the pre-wedding cruise and official engagement ceremony at Hari Om Mandir in Chicago done, it was time for Rekha and Abhishek to party Desi-style at their Sangeet!

When Abhishek and his family first visited Esplanade Lakes, they knew from the first impression that it would have to one of the venues. Esplande Lakes is nestled in a pond and the banquet hall is unique with its circular room, floor to ceiling windows, and breathtaking view. And to dress up this beautiful space, they brought in Drish Couture to work their magic!

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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

We love Etsy’s creative artists and never tire of featuring them on The Sari-Clad Bride. This week, we found perfect non-cliche South Asian wedding cake toppers. These personalized options are just too adorable for words! Click on the images for more information on where you can get one of your own.

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Who are you?
Amrit Dhillon-Bains, owner/creative director at Anaïs Event Planning & Design.
anaisevents.com

What do you do?
We are a full service event planning and design studio.

Where are you based?
Northern California. Read more

I am all about the decor, however, when it came time to plan my brother’s wedding–it was the aspect that was least budgeted for.   My father, the traditional Bangladeshi man that he is, insisted on food being his main priority and it was decided that that is what most of the budget for my brother’s wedding would go towards.  Needless to say, thousands and thousands of dollars were spent on food, while my ideas for decor seemed frivolous to my father.  When I contacted decorators for stagescapes and tablescapes that I *loved*, their ridiculous pricing seemed even more absurd to my parents.     My mother then insisted that we find someone cheaper to do the decor, a simple florist.  Then, it hit me–why not do all of the flowers and a simple stage myself?  I have always had a knack for creativity, crafting, and am a perfectionist and decided I would do  it all myself.

DIY Centerpieces and Stages seem like a tough task at first, but when you choose simple designs and easily accessible flowers–the task at hand becomes a lot easier.  I would suggest  that as a bride you do not do it all yourself, but if you have a creative bridesmaid, cousin, aunt, friend–give her the task of giving you a great visual display at your wedding!

When it came to the centerpieces, I wanted to use flowers that were the same color my sister-in-law would be wearing at the reception and when I found out it was a salmon–that as my the color of my flowers.  My mother and I loved traditional roses and they actually are a lot cheaper than other flowers such as hydrangeas, orchids, etc.  When we had our decision made, we headed straight to the Flower Mart in Downtown, Los Angeles.  Buying flowers wholesale in bulk can save you lots of money.   Also, to avoid costs always buy domestic flowers instead of imported flowers.  Domestic roses, I learned, have a scent and are cheaper while imported roses do not even have a scent and cost much more! My total cost ended up being $10 for two dozen roses–what a bargain!!

Ordering the flowers was the easy part… next came the vase.  Should we do taller centerpieces? Square vases? Circular vases? Shorter vases?  My mom and I wanted to keep it simple and chose a shorter vase that looked very clean and elegant  The centerpiece was quite easy–I suggest you have helpers that can assist you in de-leafing flowers.  We cut the flowers at a length that was perfect for the vase,  tied them with plastic ties (you can purchase these at your local Home Depot, or use flower ties–I find plastic ties easier and they stay tighter), and placed them in the vase.  Also, add Sprite or carbonated water to make your flowers last longer.  Lastly, add a special touch that makes your centerpiece stand out.  I had bought gold glitter sticks from Wal-Mart and cut them and placed them in the centerpiece.

And Viola! The final product of the centerpieces:

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