We finish off Sonia and Deepak’s incredible wedding journey in the next installment!

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.”

Like true Bollywood celebs, Rekha and Abhishek had a star-studded affair for their last event. Decorating dream-team Dream Occasions created a starry night inside the reception hall!

Venue: Chicago Marriot Oak Brook
Planner: Drish Couture Events
Decorator: Dream Occasions
Videographer: Delack Media Group
Photographer: High Dynamic Photography

Rekha’s finale outfit is gorgeous beyond words. Stay tuned for it!

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!

Sangeet Venue: Esplanade Lakes by DoubleTree Suites Chicago-Downers Grove
Planner: Drish Couture Events
Decorator: Dream Occasions
Photographer: High Dynamic Photography
Videographer: Delack Media Group

Stay tuned to see Rekha’s stunning Sangeet Neeta Lulla lehenga!

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

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.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?
I’d like to claim that I had it all figured out when at the age of 11, I told my mom that I was going to be a famous artist one day but there were elements of luck and destiny that made my credentials in Graphic Design and Business Management just the right foundation for starting Anaïs Events. A visual junkie at heart with an intense passion for design, I started out in this industry doing custom stationery work for friends while also honing my project management skills in a corporate career. I earned my way with hundreds of hours of managing complex and detailed projects, endless pro-bono work, tightly controlled work schedules, intensely demanding consulting for private and commercial interior design clients , and all things design oriented. Later, graduating with an MBA reminded me that I was willing to jump through hoops and persevere through intense demands to do things right.

Why do you do what you do?
Simple–because I love every aspect of it! The blend of creativity, people at their emotional best and worst, endless details, our contribution to lifelong memories is all too powerful and enticing. I am fortunate to have found (and enjoy) the career I am married to.

Do you work exclusively on South Asian weddings?
Not exclusively but a strong majority of our events are cross-cultural and Southeast Asian weddings and celebrations.

Describe some of your inspirations.
Nikki Khan of Exquisite Events has always been my idol but our fabulous clients and the talents of all the vendors we are fortunate to work with are an endless source of inspiration every day!

What are some mistakes you see most South Asian brides (and families) make?
We need to wean ourselves from the cultural obsession with a “deal”! You absolutely get what you pay for in this industry, so spend wisely! Yes, it’s your hard-earned money and doesn’t need to be blown away on a few hours but remember it is your BIG day. Photography is the meat of your wedding simply because that’s what memories are made of–don’t skimp on this critical essential! Also, remember that as the host, how you plan for and treat your guests at the event is akin to inviting them into your home. They probably won’t remember the flowers but they will certainly remember waiting in line for a drink or their meal!

Do you only cater to certain budgets?
Every event has its own identity and we attempt to discover that expectation and ensure that it is expressed to its intent. This can be accomplished with a modest budget or an extravagant one, in a small intimate gathering or embraced by a large guest attendance.

Tell us about your strongest area.
Design

Tell us about your weakest area.

Giving away more bang for the buck! I am guilty of providing more than the paid scope of work to avoid compromising the overall design aesthetic.

How would you describe your working style?
Efficient, organized and dependable.

Describe a particularly memorable wedding you’ve worked on.
Every wedding we’ve done holds a special place in my heart so each was exciting, interesting, specific and special.

What’s your number one wedding tip?
Start planning early.

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:

The centerpieces were the easy part, but I had set my heart on using manzanita trees, which have become increasingly popular in the wedding industry, for the stage.  Manzanita trees are hard to come by (if you’re not already a decorator), but I had found them again in the Flower District in Downtown, Los Angeles–purely by chance.  They are usually very expensive at stores, but you can get a great deal if you find a wholesaler.  I bought the base, the trees themselves, and sponge balls to put my flowers in.  I also bought beads from a local craft store to put on my tree.  This tedious process produced the most beautiful trees!  I also rented two simple white columns to place the trees on and created a very simple, yet elegant stage!

My total budget for the decor, the flower, and rentals for the reception added to approximately $350!! That is certainly a lot less than what you would have to pay an arm and a leg for a decorator to do!

Stay tuned for DIY Decor Ideas for your Sangeet/Dholki/Mehendi/Holud!

A special thank you to Ahmed at AA Creation Photography for these fabulous images!

And the final product for the stage & manzanita trees:

Hi there! My question is regarding Indian themed wedding furniture (bride and groom’s chair/swings, etc). Do you guys have any insight on that? On google, there are list of vendors and rental places that seem to be either outside of the U.S or in New Jersey. Any suggestions of places closer to home (NY)? Thanks in advance!

Well dear reader, there are so many ideas to choose from, where shall we begin?! Back in the day, it used to be that there simply was a stage with some pillows for the bride and groom to sit on, along with a hundred of the bride’s sahelis (girlfriends) . Today’s wedding planners and decorators can offer you so much more than that. From simple sitting arrangements such as a ‘dais’ or ‘piri’ for the gayer holud/mehndi ceremony to just two  royal thrones for a wedding stage to more elegant arrangements such as a swing or a curved wedding throne or love seat – the choices are endless. Although most of the time, the  venue of the ceremony most certainly will be able to provide the furniture required, bringing in a wedding planner or decorator for this particular service just might be worth it!

Borrow some ideas from the following examples to create your own special wedding stage.

traditional bengali gayer holud stage

another take on a bengali gaye holud stage

mehndi stage

bengali gaye holud stage with swing

wedding stage

A non-traditional color-schemed reception stage

wedding stage (photo: contemporary creations)

wedding stage for a hindu ceremony (photo: contemporary creations)

moguel-era inspired wedding stage (photo: 2create designs)

contemporary reception stage (photo: 2create designs)

floral-themed wedding stage (photo: 2create designs)

We have recently covered some wedding planners/decorators under our vendor spotlight such as 2CreateDesigns, Contemporary Creations, and Planning Elegance, who are exceptional at mandap/stage setup as well at providing the necessary furniture. We will soon bring you more vendor spotlights within the New York Tristate area. So stay tuned!

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http://www.desistore.com/bangles.html

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