Marigold Events – Indian Wedding Inspirations, Wedding Lenghas, Invitations, Cake, Decor, Wedding Blog and Website

We are so excited to feature the engagement pictures of Preethi and Mani. Thank You Photographick Studios for sharing beautiful photos of the couple with us!

How They Met:

Preethi and Mani both attended the University of Maryland, College Park. They met when Preethi tried out for the on campus Indian A-capella group, Anokha, which Mani was a part of. During the course of their college years, from countless Anokha practices to Business and Statistics classes they had together, Preethi and Mani developed a sound friendship. They remained friends after college, and would often chat online. In the fall of 2007, Mani was invited to a high school friends’ wedding. With the encouragement of a close friend, Mani worked up enough courage to ask Preethi to be his date. Multiple dates and years later, the two are engaged and will be married this June!

How He Proposed:

It was New Year’s Eve and Preethi and Mani were getting ready for a night out with friends and family. Mani surprised Preethi with a huge gift box; Preethi assumed it was a late Christmas gift. Little did she know that inside the huge box was a smaller box, which had her beautiful ring! With champagne and chocolate hearts, Mani got down on one knee and proposed.

Preethi and Mani had a very traditional and elegant engagement ceremony at the Murugan Temple in Lanham, MD. The engagement ceremony was planned and performed by Mani’s family – from arranging the venue, catering and decoration for this beautiful event. The gorgeous saris worn by Preethi on the occasion were bought in India. There was a beautifully arranged assortment of mithai brought and made by Preethi’s family.

Getting Ready Pictures

Check out the beautiful silk sari Preethi wore for her engagement. I love the orange, fuchsia and purple combination, and the stone & sequins work is just delightful:

Accessories can really add glamour to your look. Check out these beautiful bangles that Preethi wore:

Beautiful gajra (jasmine flowers) and jewels on the braid accented Preethi’s hair! Her teeka is absolutely gorgeous. I love the traditional South Indian Temple jewelry.

Check out the beautiful amulet that Preethi wore – It matches her sari perfectly!

Engagement Ceremony:

Two beautiful dolls dressed to look like Preethi and Mani were handmade by Preethi’s uncle. What a nice touch! Check out the beautiful array of mithai:

Getting Showered with Rice:

These spectacular images were taken by Sunny Mathur of Photographick Studios in Alexandria, Virginia. Sunny’s eye for detail is unbelievable, it’s no wonder Photographick has climbed up the ladder and become an industry leader. The bright, vivid colors practically pop off the screen. The candid imagery makes us feel like we were actually at the ceremony in person. Thank you for sharing this elegant ceremony, we cannot wait to see more fantastic images!

We wish Preethi and Mani a very happy and joyful life together! Congratulations!

When it comes to selecting your wedding sari, the varieties are endless. It is always in your benefit to know the different varieties of saris that are available to you when shopping for your Bridal Sari. An informed shopper is always a happy shopper. Your ceremony type, kind of jewelry, the colors, the material and kind of work/embroidery you are looking for will all help you narrow down the kind of sari you are looking for.

In this blog post, I will introduce five most popular varieties of Indian Wedding Saris:

Banarasi Brocade Sari: Banarasi Brocade Saris are made of silk and woven with gold and/or silver threads, which is also known as “zari” work. The designs of Banarasi Brocades have strong Mughal influence, where the patterns and motifs on the saris draw from nature, poetry and great legends. Banarasi Saris come in many different color combinations, but usually brides choose red, which is known to be the color of love, along with gold “zari” work. Banarsi Saris are also very comfortable and a must for a bridal trousseau.

South Indian Kanjeevaram Sari: Kanjeevaram Saris are made of pure heavy silk and are known for their durability. The sari is very traditional, where it is not affected by the latest fashion fads. The borders are woven with gold thread, and have motifs like elephants, flowers, paisleys, peacocks and parrots. They come in gorgeous color combinations and look good on everyone.

Baluchari Sari from Bengal: Baluchari is a traditional type of Bengali Handloom Sari. Baluchari Saris come in a wide range of colors like bright red, white, cream, yellow, green, purple, blue etc. The most common color combination of this type of Sari is bright red and white/cream. Baluchari Saris have small patterns or “butis” all over, beautiful floral borders, and gorgeous “pallu“, which are decorated with narrative motifs. When worn in a traditional Bengali Way with a kumkum red bindi, Baluchari Sari is bound to get you many compliments.

Embroidered Zardozi Saris: An ancient Persian art, “Zardozi” literally translates to gold embroidery. It is the buzz word for many top fashion designers today. The art was popularized by Mughals and used to adorn the costume of royalty and monarchs. The embroidery is studded with pearls and jewels to enhance the look of the silk, velvet or brocade. These handmade saris can take anywhere between 4-6 months to make depending on the intricacy of design. Zardozi Saris are fabulous and look very regal.

Ghatchola/Bandhani Sari from Gujarat: Traditionally red in color, Ghatchola or Bandhani Saris are made of cotton or silk and real gold thread and are a great choice for brides. The entire sari is designed with “bandhej” or tie-and-dye, where checks are woven out of gold bands of “zari” and have small motifs like peacock, elephant, or flowers in the center. These days beautiful golden borders adorned by “kundan” and sequins work are used on the Sari, which adds a little glitz and glamor to a very traditional number.

You are now equipped with the basic information to go Sari Shopping. Your chosen Bridal Sari will definitely add to your charm and elegance on your Wedding Day! Happy Shopping!

Congratulations on your engagement! Wondering where to start from? Here is a checklist of items which will walk you through your wedding planning process. According to 2008 Wedding Industry Facts, the average length of engagement is 16 months (Courtesy: Hudson Valley Weddings). For this checklist I am going to assume an eight month engagement and wedding planning period, since Indian engagements are usually shorter. Your first month planning will definitely be the busiest. Even though the list is top heavy, don’t be afraid as the more work you do in the beginning, the less you will have to worry later.

Week 1

1. Pick a Date/Weekend: Give yourself enough time for preparation when picking a date. Also, think about the season you would prefer to get married in.
2. Estimate your Wedding Budget: Are you planning on using your own savings for the wedding? Are the parents chipping in? Now is a good time to get to talk to your fiance and both families to get the finances together for the wedding.
3. Finalize all the events: There are many events associated with an Indian Wedding Celebration. Do you want to have an engagement party, haldi, mehendi, sangeet in addition to the wedding and reception? Now is a good time to decide.
   • Tip: Take your budget into consideration when deciding the number of events and how they will be scheduled on the weekend to accommodate your out of town guests.
4. Estimate the number of guests and start a guestlist: Once you have a set budget in mind, you should estimate how big of a wedding you want. This will help you decide the other planning aspects of your wedding.
   • Tip: Make a spreadsheet of all the guests. I would suggest using Google Docs and use the following heading items for your spreadsheet, which accounts for all the details related to your guests: Guest Family, Number of people invited, Address, Email Address, Phone Number, Events invited for, Out of Town?, Save-the-Date sent?, Invitation Sent?, Gift received, Thank You Card Sent?
5. Hire a Wedding Planner (optional): If you want a planner to assist you find you your venue and other vendors, go ahead and book your wedding planner in the first week itself. This will ensure that you get maximum benefit out of hiring a planner. Make sure you get referrals from family and friends. Yelp and Wedding Wire are great places to start looking as well. A lot of planners have negotiated (discounted) rates with vendors, which can work in your favor. On the flip side, they may steer you towards the vendors with whom they have a relationship.
   • Tip: Most planners and even other vendors offer a discount if you pay them the full amount when you sign the contract. Consider doing so only if you are sure about your planner/vendor selection.
6. Start researching Venues: Finding venues for all your wedding events, which are open for the dates you picked can be very trying. Get a head start so that you can book the wedding venue of your dreams!  Schedule appointments to go visit the selected venues and start shortlisting.
   • Tip: Find out the venue requirements and policies for lighting candles, havan rituals/ fire, alcohol, parking, vendor and event insurance, cancellation or postponing the event.

Week 2

1. Choose your bridesmaids and groomsmen (optional): If you choose to do so, select your bridesmaids and groomsmen and invite them to be in your wedding party. It is always nice to send a hand written note to invite your friend/relative to your wedding party, followed by a phone call. Once they confirm, it’s a good idea to get their measurements for their outfits.
2. Pick a theme/colors and start collecting ideas: If you choose to do so, pick your colors/theme for your wedding. Regardless of whether you are having a theme of not, start gathering ideas for your wedding. Look through magazines, wedding planning blogs, even talking to your friends and cousins who recently planned their wedding.
3. Send out Save-the-Dates: Once the guestlist is finalized, send out your Save-the-Dates. You could go with something which you Do-it-Yourself, or even go to a local paperie/paper store and get them ready to be sent out. Often times, brides go with magnets with a picture of them and their fiance, or even very creative DIY Save-the-Dates according to their theme.
4. Plan your Engagement Party (optional): If you decide to do so, start planning your engagement party. You may want to have it at your parent’s house or backyard if the weather is nice, after taking the guestlist into consideration. Think about what kind of party you want: Brunch/ Hors d’oeuvres/Dinner.

Week 3

1. Finalize the Venue: By this time you should have selected your venue. Sign the contract and make the deposits.
2. Start your Wedding Registry: Decide the stores or online website where you would like to set up your wedding registry.
   • Tip: Most people go with Macy’s, Crate and Barrell, Bed Bath, Target,  Beyond and other big department stores. Personally, I recommend online websites like myregistry.com for setting up your wedding registry, as it gives you a lot more flexibility. You can add any product online and place it on your registry. Moreover, if you are a smart shopper, you can shop for the best deal to save your guests money!
3. Wedding Website (optional): Set up your wedding website with all the details of your wedding. You can purchase a domain and server space from website hosting companies like bluehost.com, godaddy.com, 1and1.com with your and your fiance’s name, for example: nehaandkart.com. Once you have the domain, you can have a friend/cousin/web developer or even yourself create a wedding website with details such as how you met, proposal, photo gallery, wedding venue and details, link to registry, RSVP, guestbook etc. Alternatively, there are many wedding planning websites, like weddingwire.com, which already have templates for wedding websites, and all you have to do is enter the content and the website is automatically created for you. You can choose to forward it to your own domain rather than the one generated by the website company. Email the website link to your friends and relatives.

Week 4

1. Start Researching Caterers: Put a little thought into your wedding menu. Are you thinking live stations, ice sculptures, chocolate fountain, fondue, specialty appetizers and drinks or simple buffet? Browse through directories of local restaurants, which fit your requirements and schedule tastings. Get per person estimates when you go for the tasting. You might also want to talk to your caterer about drink packages. Make sure that the caterer is licensed by your venue.
2. Start Researching Event Decorator/ Florists/ Mandap: Based on your theme, ideas and colors, start thinking of decor ideas. Make a list of things you need from a decorator/florist. Are you going to have special lighting for your events? Talk to various florists for centerpieces and flowers for the ceremony and reception. Also start looking for overlays, Indian event decorations, Mandap, stage for Sangeet and Sweetheart table set up etc. Get estimates for everything.
3. Start Researching Photographers: Good photographers are often booked months in advance. Get on your game and schedule meetings to book your photographer. You should definitely look at the samples of the different photographers so that you know their style (posed, photojournalistic etc.). You should also try to negotiate a photo package for all your wedding events as you don’t want to miss the special moments. Important occasions for photos include Engagement Portraits, Engagement Party, Mehendi, Sangeet, Getting Ready Pictures, Pictures of just Bride and Groom on the Wedding Day, Pictures with the Bridal Party, Ceremony, and Reception. You might want to ask the photographer for the rates of an assistant, should you need one.
4. Start Researching Videographers: Go for a videographer who has shot Indian Weddings before because they will have a good idea about the lineup of events on your wedding day and would not miss shooting your important moments. Also you would want to discuss how the media of the video: HD/ Blue Ray DVD/ Video Tape etc, whether you want raw footage or the edited video or both etc. Decide which events you need the videographer for and whether they need to have assistants or not.
5. Start Researching DJs: Do your homework to find a good DJ. Talk to different DJs to get a vibe of what kind of music they play and how often they switch it up. If you need a projector for slideshow, cables to hook up your computer to the projector, special sound system, other tech equipment, you might want to talk to the DJ and negotiate a package for that and all your other events. Also, ask the DJ if he can provide dhol/ entertainment/ music for the Baraat. It is best to select a DJ based on a performance that you have seen.
6. Start Researching Event Rentals (depends on the venue): If you are having your wedding at a museum, hall or a special location, most probably you would need to rent out everything needed for your event, from china, glassware, tableware, tablecloths to tables and chairs. This can get pricey depending on your guestlist and you definitely need the correct estimates for the number of each item to be rented with extras to spare. Do your utmost to research the most reasonable event rental company in terms of finding the best choice of rentals, as well as a company which has relaxed policies. Sometimes your caterer can provide some good referrals for the event rental companies.
7. Pick out your invitations: Start looking at different Indian Invitations Websites to look for the perfect invitation. Also, read our article on how to select a wedding invitation for some useful tips. Once you have a winner, finalize the invitation text (include your website and registry information on the invitation), and order the invitations as it takes a couple weeks for the order to be processed and shipped. You want the invitations at least 4-5 months before the wedding, so that you have enough time to address them.

Month 2

1. Finalize your Caterer, Event Decorator/ Florist/ Mandap, Photographer, Videographer, DJ, Event Rentals: You should have these vendors finalized and locked in so that you can start planning the wedding details with them. Review the contracts thoroughly before signing. Make sure they provide a reasonable alternative person/company to fill in case they are sick or under circumstances beyond their control.
2. Book your Priest/ Pundit: Based on the kind of ceremony you want, book your priest. Its always good if the priest can speak in English and translate the ceremony for the guests. Confirm their dakshina or honorarium and also the date of the wedding.
3. Select you Cake Vendor and Cake Design: If your venue or caterer does not provide one, then start looking for a cake vendor. Regardless, you will need to pick a design for your cake.
4. Make the Arrangements for Baraat and other transportation: Reserve the horse carriage, get permits if need be for the Baraat and make arrangements for limo/transportation for the day of your wedding. You may also want to book a shuttle to transport your guests to the wedding venue if different from the accommodation.
5. Book your trip to India (optional): If you are doing your wedding trousseau shopping in India, then book your plane tickets and make appropriate arrangements to take time off of work etc.

Month 3

1. Select a vendor for your Mehendi, Hair, Make up and Arranging your Dupatta or Sari: Make sure you have make up and hair trials, before you select the vendor. Interview them to make sure that they can arrange transportation to come to where you are. Also, you might want to bring pictures and discuss with them the way you want your mehendi, make up, hair, and dupatta arranged.
2. Select Wedding Outfits for the entire bridal party and Jewelry Sets for yourself: If not going to India, find a local store or travel to a city with huge Indian diaspora in the US to purchase jewelry sets for yourself and traditional outfits for yourself, your fiance and your entire bridal party. Also start looking into suits and tuxedos for the groom and groomsmen.
3. Travel to India to purchase your Wedding Trousseau (optional): Read our article on how to shop for your wedding in India for special tips.
4. Block Hotel Rooms for out of town guests: Get a block of rooms for a discounted rate for all of your out of town guests. Update your website to include the hotel information and the code to get the discount.
5. Honeymoon Suite: Book accommodations for your wedding night.

Month 4

1. Purchase your Accessories: If not going to India, then start looking for matching purse, bindis, bangles, and footwear.
2. Start planning and book your honeymoon: Decide on a destination, and book your travel, and hotel for the honeymoon. If you are traveling internationally, make sure you have valid passports and appropriate visas/ other travel papers, vaccinations etc.
3. Finalize your Menu and Service details with your caterer
4. Finalize your Decor Arrangements

Month 5

1. Get your invitations ready and Mail them: Address all your invitations and put stamps. This process can take a good week, especially if you are still in process of compiling addresses and have a huge guestlist. Use vellum or metallic labels to print addresses. You might also want to consider calligraphy.
2. Order your wedding rings/bands
3. Start looking for favors: Read our article on suggestions for special wedding favors.
4. Childcare for your Ceremony and Reception (optional): If you have many guests with babies and small  children, you might consider making arrangements for them.

Month 6

1. Alcohol and Bar Arrangements: Order liquor/alcohol for your event if you are not getting it from the caterer or venue. You might have to get a permit to serve your own alcohol at your venue and hire bartender as well.
2. Prepare Ceremony Programs and Other Stationary: Design the proof of concept for your ceremony programs. If you are designing any other stationary, scrapbooks for display etc., you should consider doing it now.
3. Research Marriage License Requiremnts: Also schedule a blood test appointment, if required by your state.
4. Song for First Dance: Select the song for your First Dance. Consider taking dance lessons or choreographing it yourself.

Month 7

1. Purchase your Guestbook, Pen and Pen Holder
2. Purchase gifts for your bridal party and close family members
3. Contact close family and friends for Sangeet Performances (optional)
4. Get all the sari and lehenga blouses stitched: You should do this for yourself and your bridesmaids.
5. Make sure that all your outfits fit properly: You still have some time to get the outfits tailored to fit you in case there have been a size change.

Month of the Wedding!

4 Weeks Before

1. Have Sangeet Performers submit their music to you
2. Send a Song List to the DJ: Make a list of your must-play songs and do-not-play song list and send it to your DJ. You should also send all the sangeet songs and the song for your First Dance to make sure the DJ has all of your music.

3 Weeks Before

1. Call guests who have not yet RSVP’d and get the final head count
2. Determine the order of your receiving line, if you are having one
3. Prepare a timeline for all your wedding events
4. Prepare a list of assignments for your bridal party and family members

2 Weeks Before

1. Give the final head count to all your vendors
2. Give the timeline of wedding events to all the vendors, members of your bridal party and family members helping
3. Create your seating chart and make the place cards: Give your seating chart to the vendors in charge of directing guests to their tables, arranging the chairs, tables, table numbers and place cards.
4. Prepare your toasts and thanks to family and friends
5. Confirm all your final payments and have them ready to be mailed out or handed over to the vendor

Week of the Wedding!

1. Hand over all the favors, guestbook, placecards, programs etc. to the event planner or the person in charge of arranging them
2. Put together an emergency kit: This should contain Aspirin, Hairspray, Make up, Safety Pins, Mints etc.
3. Pack your suitcase for the honeymoon
4. Get pampered at a Spa
5. Enjoy your Wedding Celebrations!

After you come back from your honeymoon

1. Ensure all your vendors have been fully paid: As a courtesy you may review them on wedding planning websites.
2. Arrange for your outfits to be cleaned and preserved
3. Write all your Thank You Notes: Traditional etiquette gives you an 8 week grace period.
4. If you choose to do so: Do all the paperwork to change your name, and arranging to combine finances, insurance policies etc.

I hope this checklist is comprehensive enough and will be useful for you in planning your wedding. As usual, please comment on this entry with your suggestions or email me  at neha@marigoldevents.com.

Couples do meet in unique places and situations, and so is the story of our featured couple, Sneha and Rajat. Sneha and Rajat met in college during a fire drill! Once the two were ready to tie the knot, Rajat proposed Sneha on an Eastern Caribbean Cruise after asking her parents for permission. I had the pleasure to talk to Sneha about her engagement and wedding planning experience. I will share the highlights of her wedding and some of her planning tips with you.

When starting to plan their wedding, the first thing Rajat and Sneha did was have their engagement portraits taken. Tip #1: Engagement portraits are great for when you are designing your Save-the-Dates, Favors, Guestbook or just for display at the wedding/reception. The couple planned their engagement party at the Heritage Club in the DC Metro Area.

As a part of their engagement celebration, Sneha and Rajat hired a limo to go on a tour of DC with their friends. Here is a beautiful shot of both at the Washington Memorial taken by one of their friends:

As is the dilemma of most couples, Sneha and Rajat were faced with the same: Venue for the wedding! The couple wanted a small and intimate wedding with their close family and friends and were not having any luck finding a venue in the DC area. While Sneha and Rajat were visiting Sneha’s parents in California, they decided to take trips to the wineries nearby. They were fascinated by this one winery in particular called Hecker Pass Winery in Gilroy, California. The weather there was gorgeous and the owner of the winery was very hospitable. Sneha and Rajat were sold and decided that they wanted to have a destination wedding at the winery. Tip #2: A unique destination wedding venue could be a Winery; the weather is gorgeous and its perfect for a scenic and intimate wedding.

The wedding was a 3 day affair, where the couple had Haldi, Mehendi, Sangeet, Wedding and Reception. The Sangeet was held at the winery, where the decor was a typical Indian seating set up of “gaddas” and cushions. Sneha stressed how this was a group effort and everyone contributed towards the Sangeet arrangements. Tip #3: Don’t be afraid to ask for help and delegate the responsibilities, group effort often has the best results!

For the Sangeet entertainment, the couple hired live singers combining Punjabi Dhol, folk, bollywood and dance in a unique live performance. They sang Bhangra, typical Sangeet songs, Bari Barsi, Kala Shah and many other numbers, which all the guests really enjoyed. They had a lovely favor basket of “chudis” and “bindis” for the ladies.

Sneha chose very trendy and unique colors for her wedding: pink and chocolate brown. The colors are rarely seen in Indian wedding, and I must say that everything was put together beautifully at the wedding using that color scheme. One can tell how meticulously Sneha planned the wedding by the attention to detail. Sneha made some beautiful welcome baskets using the colors of her wedding for the guests staying at the hotel. The basket contained a wine bottle from the winery with a custom label designed by the couple, and some chocolates. Tip #4: Apply your wedding color scheme also to the details like gift bags, money envelopes, programs, welcome baskets etc.

I loved the way the pink organza fabric was draped around the chivari chairs that were used in the ceremony. For the decoration along the aisle, floral balls made of roses were hung on shepherd’s hooks. Tip #5: You can add beautiful aisle decorations by using shepherd hooks. You can use floral balls, lanterns, ribbons – the choices are endless!

Sneha, along with her bridemsaids, spent hours designing the concept for her wedding program. The end result was fabulous! Tip #5: Using ribbons hang your wedding programs from the ceremony chairs. This adds to your decor.

Rajat and Sneha had five bridesmaids and groomsmen. The bridesmaids wore coordinated pink saris with golden sequins border and small flower shaped motifs stitched all over it. Sneha said that she was having the hardest time finding coordinated saris for all her bridesmaids in India. She said it’s nearly impossible to get two saris with exactly same color and design ready made. So on her shopping trip to India, Sneha got the saris made from scratch! She had to buy the sari material, get it dyed pink, and finally get the border and motifs stitched to each sari. I think this is a great idea for all the brides who want the exact same sari for their bridesmaids. Tip #6: Simplest way to have the same sari for every bridesmaid – Buy white material, borders and trimmings, Dye the material with your choice of color, get the borders and trimmings stitched on to the sari.

Sneha wanted a brown mandap for the wedding, to go with the colors chosen by her for the wedding. It was impossible to get one in the States, and so on her trip to India, she got one stitched. She got the measurements and instructions for the mandap from her decorator and got them stitched for a very reasonable cost in India. During the wedding, the mandap was draped on pillars and hooked on for extra protection. Tip #7: If you have unique wedding colors, consider getting your mandap stitched in India. Ask your decorator for the measurements. Check out the beautiful mandap:

Sneha mentioned that one her memorable moments from the wedding was from the “joota chupai” ceremony. She said that the groomsmen and bridesmaids were going back and forth with the shoes and negotiating the amount for the shoes. The final deal between the two sides was for all the bridesmaids to dance around Rajat to “Joote do Paise lo” and then get the money!

Since the wedding was at the winery, that ended up being the underlying theme – from the welcome baskets, to the table numbers, which were named after different wines. Tip #8: To add a unique touch, consider having table names instead of table numbers based on your theme.

Another DIY project that Sneha did was putting together their favors. Sneha put together a CD of her and Rajat’s favorite songs and put them in a beautiful case that she designed herself. Sneha used cdprintexpress.com for the production of the favors.

Here are some beautiful pictures of Sneha and Rajat’s Reception:

Hope Sneha and Rajat’s gorgeous wedding photos and planning tips will be useful and give you ideas to plan your beautiful wedding!  (Photo Credits: Sandhya Photography)

If you would like to submit your wedding, please contact us through this form or email me at neha@marigoldevents.com.

In the Haldi ceremony (also known as Tel Baan in some cultures), the family members  ‘prepare’ the bride and groom (in their respective homes) for the forthcoming wedding. They apply a paste, also known as ubtan, made from herbs, vegetable oils, fresh milk curds, sandalwood powder and primarily turmeric on the face, arms and feet of the bride and the groom. The ingredients used in this ceremony are known to be good for complexion and have been used for many ages. Its almost like an ancient Indian Spa Treatment!

All the ingredients for the ceremony are separately put in bowls made of clay, put together in a plate. The ingredients are applied by the means of brushes made of grass. The family members of the bride/groom take these grass brushes and dip them in the ingredients and apply it symbolically to their feet, knees, hands, shoulders and head seven times from bottom to top and then top to bottom. This is accompanied by some singing of folk songs.

As the ubtan is applied, it can get very playful for the bride/groom as well as the family members. At this time, the bride/groom are also supposed to give a portion of the paste to the unmarried girls/boys in the family. This is supposed to bring them a good looking husband/wife soon.

During the ceremony, kangana or sacred thread is tied on the right wrists of the bride and groom. The kangana is a red thread strung through an iron chaaku (small iron knife for protection), turmeric sticks, supari (areca nut, but commonly known as betel nut) and kaudis (shells). These are all symbols of good luck and to protect the bride and the groom from the evil eye and so that wedding happens without any obstacles.
Enjoy this haldi folk song: Banno teri ankhiyan.

One of the big decisions that brides struggle with is whether they should go to India to shop for the wedding or not. Brides like to go to India because they get much more variety and also get it for a better price. However, the plane tickets can get expensive, especially if going with other friends or members of family, and it can be hard to take off from work. So how do you make the trip worth your while and rationalize your decision to go for shopping in India? I think a trip to India, if planned well, can not only save you a lot of money, but can also help you find the exact things you are looking for. Here are a few tips on how you can take full advantage of your shopping trip to India:

1. Research and Prepare: Research and preparing for your trip can’t be stressed enough. It is very important to prepare an itinerary for your trip before you go. Get as much information as you can before you leave. If you have relatives, call them to make trip arrangements, like accommodations, transportation, and may be even ask them if they can accompany you on your shopping trips. If you don’t have relatives, then you have to be on top of all the arrangements for your trip. Research shopping areas in the city you are planning on going to, talk to other brides, read about latest Indian styles, and bring color swatches and samples on your trip. You want to make sure that you don’t fall sick on the trip, so make sure you take all your shots before you go, and also drink bottled water. Carry an emergency medicine kit and also dress modestly when going to shop.

2. Pick up your Wedding Invitations: It might be a good idea to bring back your wedding invitations from India yourself, so that you can save on the shipping/courier costs.

3. Wedding Trousseau: Get outfits for yourself and your fiance to wear at all of the wedding functions. If your fiance is not coming with you, then make sure that you take all of his measurements required to order his sherwani/suit. You might want to pick up a couple extra sarees and salwar kameez while you are in India as a part of your trousseau. You should also take care of all your tailoring such as blouse stitching, saree falls etc. while you are in India, so that you don’t have to worry about in when you get back. You might consider buying saree pins as well.

4. Jewelry: Read about the latest jewelry styles in Indian Fashion Magazines and Websites. Although, gold is traditionally bought during weddings, but you might also want to consider Polki, Diamond, Jadau or even Semi Precious Costume Jewelry. Necklace and earrings are a must! You can also add special touches to your look by getting a maatha patti/teeka, amulets (baaju bandh) and anklets (payal).

5. Accessories – Bindis, Bangles, Shoes and Purses: You can gorgeous matching accessories in India for reasonable prices. You can’t get better bindis and bangles anywhere else, but India. There is a huge selection to choose from and you can mix and match very easily. Embellished shoes and clutch bags are also available in great varieties and good prices.

6. Bridal Party’s Outfits: You should definitely purchase bridemsaids’ sarees and groomsmens’ sherwanis in India. Not only will this save you a lot of money, but also hassle. This is the first thing you should shop for when going to India, because finding identical outfits can be a pain and you might have to get them custom made. Hence, it is also important to carry your bridal party’s measurements. For women, also get the blouses stitched in India.You could also get your immediate family’s outfits from India as well.

7. Mandap drapes: If your wedding colors are unique, you might consider getting your mandap drapery stiched in India. You can beautiful embellishments and trimmings on your mandap, which will look exclusive. All you would need to do is talk to your decorator and get the measurements.

8. Money Envelopes, Gifts and Welcome Bags: You can purchase beautiful stationary while in India for your wedding. You have a huge choice when it comes to Money Envelopes and Bags – You can get them in organza, gorgeous hand made paper, and they come embellished with stones and trimmings. You might consider purchasing gifts for members of family, bridesmaids and groomsmen. Danglers/Earrings for women and ties/cufflinks for men make great gifts and take up less luggage room as well.

9. Overlays/ Table cloths: You might consider getting table cloths or overlays to accent your decor. You can get premium table cloths (organza, brocade etc.) stitched in India for less than the rental price of simple white table linen in the US. Overlays are even cheaper! So if you know your wedding colors, carry some swatches and look up table meaurements in order to get your overlays and table cloths custom tailored in India.

10. Favors: Another way to cut on costs by shopping in India could be purchasing favors. You can get beautiful favors ranging from $1 – $5 per piece. If you buy in bulk quantity, you can negotiate the price with the vendor. Jewelry and Trinket boxes, Incense stick holders, Diffusers etc. all make great favors!

If you are thinking of throwing an engagement party in India, it might be a good idea to combine your shopping trip with that. While you are in India, you might also want to take advantage of the reasonable beauty and spa treatments. Please share your India shopping experiences with us here!

One of my favorite traditions in Indian weddings is that of “Joota Chupai” or stealing shoes. So the tradition starts when the groom sits for the puja, he takes off his shoes. At that point, his saalis or the bride’s sisters/cousins/bridesmaids steal the shoes and return them for some money. It is the job of groomsmen/groom’s brothers/cousins to not let the bride’s entourage to steal the shoes, and at the same time the bride’s side has to try their best to get the shoes and hide them.

It is not about the money, but the fun that comes along with the tradition. The bride’s side usually comes up with crafty ways of hiding the shoes. In the movie “Hum Aapke Hain Kaun“, Madhuri Dixit and other cousins of the bride hid the shoes in a “laddoo” box. Once the time comes to return the shoes to the groom, the “saalis” negotiate with the groom and his side for the money.

The tradition of “joota chupai” is a really fun way of involving the family and friends in the wedding. I will end this post with the video of “Joote De Do, Paise Le Lo” for your entertainment. We would love to hear about your “joota chupai” experiences!

I still remember the day when my husband proposed; it’s the most special and cherished moment of my life. Each year a number of couples enter marital bliss. In 2007, 2,197,000 couples decided to tie the knot in the United States (National Center for Health Statistics). So once you hear the wedding bells, what does it take to plan a wedding? What does it take to have a wedding that you dreamed about since you were a little girl? Where do you start from? There are many decisions that will have to be made and it can all seem like a daunting task.

Small or Big Wedding: Start planning a wedding by deciding if the wedding of your dreams will be small and intimate, or extravagant where you want to wow your guests. Once that decision is made, you can estimate your budget and the number of guests and vendors accordingly.

Picking a Venue: From personal experience, the importance of picking a venue earlier in the wedding planning process can’t be stressed enough. It can be hard to get the venue on the exact date if you don’t plan properly. Try to book your venue at least 8-12 months in advance.

Making vendor choices: When looking for vendors, it is important to research them thoroughly. Whether you come across the vendors on the internet, yellow pages or word of mouth, it is essential that you have a meeting with them face to face before signing a contract. Don’t get rushed into selecting a vendor just because they say that they are providing you the best deal. Often they will have some catch in the contract which you may overlook in the rush of locking them in. There is no lack of competitive vendors who you will be able to negotiate with. Make sure that the vendor you select is able to provide services to your exact specifications. For example, when selecting a photographer, make sure that they don’t have any hidden clauses about not taking pictures in more than one location. Also, specify in vendor contracts that a competitive replacement will be provided in case of a health emergency.

Staying Organized: Keeping on top of your wedding planning can be simple if you get in the habit of documenting your research. Record your appointments on your calendar; I find google calendar very helpful as it sends appointment reminders to your email. When you go for a vendor meeting, take meticulous notes. Tabulate your notes in a spreadsheet so that you can compare different vendors easily and make an informed decision. Also, have a binder with wedding magazine articles, pictures of cake/decor etc. and print outs that you find while doing your research. There are three essential spreadsheets that every bride should have:

• Budget Spreadsheet: Come up with a figure that you want to spend on your wedding. Categorize and list your known expenses. Determine how you would like to structure your budget; which categories you would like to spend more on etc. Based on that and market research, come up with realistic numbers. This would be your estimated cost. Keep an actual costs column to track when your costs are higher than estimated.
• Wedding Planning Checklist: Make a things-to-do list for the period of your wedding planning. Come up with a list of key events and tasks and make a schedule for them. Strike them off once you are done with a task as this will help in boosting your morale as you know that things are getting done.
• Wedding Timeline: Don’t wait till the day before your wedding to make your timeline. Start working on it once you have your vendors finalized and refine it as you go along. Make a list of the important events and the scheduled times for them for the wedding day. Record the names, contact persons and phone numbers of all the vendors in that spreadsheet. One week before the wedding, circulate the timeline to your vendors, family and bridal party.

Fiance, Family, Friends and Delegating: Involving your fiance in the wedding planning process cannot be stressed enough. You can do with all the support and encouragement from him during this hectic period. Dealing with family and your bridal party can also take a toll on you at times, but the key is to maintain your cool and be thankful for their help. Their excessive attempts at helping you can seem intrusive and can be an added stress. However, if you are able to politely communicate to them that you will ask them for help when you need it, then you would avoid a lot of heartache. Once in a while, it is important to delegate and ask for help. And when you do that of your family and friends, not only will they appreciate it, but will go out of the way to do the task well.

Honestly speaking, planning a wedding can be a wonderful and enjoyable experience or an overwhelming one. You could be an organized or agonized. When starting a new life, having a pleasant wedding planning experience will not only ensure that you have a great wedding, but will also bring you closer to your partner.

Happy Holi to all my lovely readers! Let us take inspiration from some beautiful colors on this day of “festival of colors” and talk about how they can enliven your wedding decor. We will start with some beautiful flower topiaries:

Courtesy: Flickr - Idea by Sandra Austoni (L'espirit Sud Magazine)

Let us look at pink, white and green for a color combination. This combination is perfect for an outdoors/day/destination wedding! We will apply this color combo to a floral topiary centerpiece idea. Floral Topiary Trees are “in” when it comes to wedding decor. They create a very elegant ambience. Having topiary as your centerpieces will definitely wow your guests and will get you abundant compliments! You can use green hydrangeas, green, pink and white roses/ carnations/ crysanthemums to decorate your floral topiaries. If you want to glamorize these, you can use accessories, such as crystal beads to it. Here is a tutorial on how to make your own topiary trees .

Orange is one of my favorite colors! Shades of orange look beautiful and festive in Indian Weddings. Let us look at an orange and blue color pallette. In the picture below, we see many kinds of flowers with orange hues potted in metallic blue containers. The contrast stands out and adds a lot of glitz to the room. You can choose from a wide range of orange flowers: Mokara Orchid Stems, Asiastic Lilies, Gerberas, Birds of Paradise, and of course Marigold! For another way to add blue to your orange centerpieces, you can use blue glass vases, or even blue glass stones and beads around your arrangements.

Courtesy: Flickr - Orange and Blue Centerpieces

These splendid colors and ideas are bound to catch the eye of your guests! Enjoy and share some of your unique color combinations and centerpiece ideas.