by thearpan | Sep 9, 2015 | Articles |
From lavish designs and bold colors to pastel florals and subtle centerpieces, weddings can be the ultimate expression of a couple’s personality. Through intricately designed mandaps, lush, fragrant florals, and creative use of color, couples can personalize nearly every aspect of their wedding decorations. While the type of venue and the choice of colors and foods can shape the feel of a wedding, the overall design and decorations tie all the pieces together creating an event to remember.
Finding a decorator, next to choosing a photographer, may be one of the most important tasks of wedding planning. Selecting a decorator should not be an after thought, but rather, a thorough search for a designer who understands your personality, style, and likes and dislikes. Madhu Anand of Anand Event Services shares that a decorator “…should understand their personality and be able to reflect it in the decorations.” Remember, you will be spending quite a bit of time working through your ideas for your dream wedding, so personality (yours and the vendor’s!) is a crucial aspect of the selection process. Choose a vendor that not only understands your personality, but also grasps your vision and ideas for a memorable occasion.
Factors to Consider
As with all your wedding vendors, budget is an important consideration for many couples and can determine the intricacy and detail of your design. Factor in whether you will do some or most of the decorations on your own. If you choose to rely heavily on a wedding decorator, pay close attention to their portfolio. Are they a full service decorator offering florals, lighting, and design? If your dream is a personalized and unique event, be sure to
share all details with your chosen decorator. Anand emphasizes that couples should “make sure the decorator understands their style – whether it is going to be traditional or modern, simple or elaborate.”
Whether you choose to do-ityourself or enlist the help of a decorator, you will need to be mindful of several factors when creating your design. The timing of your event, type of venue, and experience of your chosen decorator will influence the end result.
Timing: Be sure to consider the time of year, as this will influence the choice of colors and florals. Jilna Jasani of Suhaag Garden reminds couples to “… choose flowers based on the season … Rather than have your heart set on a particular type of a flower, start by asking for available options and then determine whether your heart is still set on those “must-have” white calla lilies.”
Also think about the time of day the event will take place. An outdoor, morning wedding will have a significantly different feel than an indoor, evening event. Your wedding decorator will be able to create a design that incorporates natural elements (such as lighting) as well as fabrics and other decor pieces.
Venue: Will the wedding be indoors or outdoors? What type of lighting will be available? Do you Decorator: Anand Photo & Video, Photo Courtesy: Anand Event Servicesneed to work around any unchangeable items, such as pillars or carpet color? Experienced wedding decorators will not only know how to work with a venue’s lighting and shortcomings, but also with the venue’s staff. Previous experience with a venue puts the decorator at a great advantage, ensuring your vision will come about easily and efficiently.
Experience: As with any wedding vendor, experience matters. Remmal Karamsadkar of Occasions by Shangri-la believes that couples should “ … first look for a reputable company with a good reputation who has venue and client references. The second tip is to make sure the décor company has a portfolio of unique concepts. Our third tip is to find a company with years of experience and highly trained specialist.” An experienced decorator has likely not only worked at number of venues with a wide range of materials, but also has a wide and varied design portfolio.
Prepare for Your First Meeting
Most couples (or the bride, at the very least!) already have a vision for their desired dream wedding. After scouring Pinterest and trolling through friends’ Facebook feeds, you are probably drawn to a specific style of mandap and type of floral and fabrics. Jasani advises that “sites like Pinterest and Lover.ly are great for creating your vision board for your big day. Having visuals will greatly help ensure you and your decorator are on the same page.” The visuals are a starting point for you and your decorator to create a unique and personalized design.
Don’t forget to share any details of your proposal and how you met with your decorator! Karamsadkar adds “Before meeting with your decorator, couples should prepare to think about and discuss their wedding event vision and inspirations. Decide if there are colors or a theme that you would like to incorporate into your décor.” The more details, the better. A decorator must truly understand the concepts you have in mind to be able to create a design that leaves you speechless.
Favorite Wedding Moments
The experts share their favorite wedding moments.
Jilna (SG): The wedding day is full of firsts: the first time you refer to your beloved as husband (or wife), the first time you get dolled up from head to toe, etc. We strive to add to that list of heartwarming first moments. The bride and groom-to-be do walkthroughs at the venue number of times before the big day, but they don’t see the space transformed until that day. That look of awe and sound of excitement when the bride and groom walk into their own wedding is what drives us (and gives us a big sigh of relief!).
Madhu (AES): There are somany favorite moments, but the excitement truly lies in seeing the bride in all her finery for the first time when she enters!
Remmal (OBS): Our staff’s favorite wedding moment is when the Bride and Groom enter their event for the first time. We love to see the happy look on their faces. At that point, we feel that we kept our promise to make your event a true expression of your taste and vision.
Experts
Special thanks to the decorators who contributed their thoughts and advice to this article.
Anand Event Services
Madhu Anand
Tel: 954-332-1560
www.anandeventservices.com
Occasions by Shangri-la
Remmal Karamsadkar
Tel: 407-355-7700
www.occasionsbyshangrila.com
Suhaag Garden
Jilna Jasani
Tel: 813-478-9283
www.suhaaggarden.com
About the Author
Rina Shah is the CEO and founder of The Arpan Group, a boutique ad agency and public relations firm that specializes in capturing untouched ethnic markets. From press releases and media kits to marketing materials and by-line articles, The Arpan Group customizes solutions based on the client’s needs. For more information, visit www.thearpangroup.com or call (703) 651-6670.
Article appeared in September 2015 Desh-Videsh.
by thearpan | Mar 3, 2015 | Articles |
Once a couple is engaged, along with the many congratulations and best wishes from family and friends, comes the inevitable onslaught of questions. When is the big day? Have you picked a place yet? Where you choose to host your wedding will likely be one of the most difficult decisions during the planning process. The venue should not only be able to comfortably host guests, but also be a reflection of the couple’s personality. Venues are not one size fit all – a space that is the perfect choice for one couple may be limiting for another.
Though there are many available choices for a wedding venue, most couples have a general idea of how they want the day to unfold as well as the look and feel of the event. Kim Johnston, Director of Catering at the Marriott Palm Beach Gardens in Florida, believes that seeing the venue in person is most helpful. Choosing a venue can be a “‘we’ll know it when we see it’ moment. Everyone has a vision of their perfect venue. Choose a venue where you are the focus of their attention. If you don’t want to be one of many events, but one-of-a-kind, pick a venue that accommodates that special request.”
Narrowing the Choices
Couples should begin by creating a list of their top choices. Start with your budget. Be reasonable in what you can afford while still comfortably hosting your guests. While some venues provide linen and décor services or catering, others may not, so factor these items into your budget. Consider the main aspects of a venue needed to make it your ideal space – high ceilings, lots of light, outdoor options, in-house or outside catering, accommodations, hometown or a destination wedding, etc. Andrea Constatinou, Senior Sales Catering Manager at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek & Waldorf Astoria Orlando adds, “Be selective in the number of venues that you visit. Don’t go crazy visiting more than 3-4 venues – as often this just causes confusion.”
When considering from the many options available, couples should focus on:
Guest list: Along with venue, this item ranks high on the list of priorities. While the number does not need to be exact, a strong estimate will help establish the size of venue needed as well as other basics like invitations, catering, and accommodations.
Logistics: Will guests be from the local area or from out-of-town? Will all events be held in once place or at multiple sites? Will the events be indoors or outdoors? What time of day will the event take place? Take all of these into account as you narrow the possibilities.
Catering: Take a look at options for food and drink. Do you have dietary or cultural restrictions? Will you need an outside caterer?
Style: Part of the fun of planning a wedding is the perfect opportunity to show off your personality. While the idea of hosting a wedding in the lobby of an art museum might sound appealing, be sure toconsider all the logistics. Will the space hold not only the guests, but also equipment for caterers? If your fantasy venue is not possible, find ways to infuse your style. As you visit venues, ask the catering or event manager to help you visualize different layouts and unique options.
For South Asian weddings, couples should carefully consider whether the venue is aware of and can accommodate cultural needs. Teresa Bernstein, Director of Catering at the Hilton Orlando in Florida shares, “We have conversations with the family to and talk through the various cultural needs and expectations to ensure we are all on the same page. The Hilton Orlando is very familiar with cultural weddings, and we take pride is exceeding our guests expectations by immersing ourselves in the culture. The entire Hotel is engaged throughout the process, which permeates throughout the wedding.”
Preparing for First Visit
Once the list of venues has been narrowed down, begin making appointments to see the space in person. Be sure to allow adequate time to walk through the property and ask all of your questions. Michelle Shulman, Marketing Director at the Bonaventure Resort & Spa in Weston, Florida, also advises couples to “have an outline of what you think you would like your dream wedding to encompass. Use Pinterest and magazines with pictures of what you would like. The more details the better.” Catering and event managers have an eye both for detail and for how a space can be transformed, so share your ideas and thoughts for your wedding vision.
Be sure to have an approximate number of guests, number of events, and list of date options with you. The more details you are able to provide, the more comprehensive the proposal, which will give you a good sense of pricing and services. Rick Galipault, Director of Catering at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, reminds couples to “Be consistent in what you ask for so any proposals you receive are true ‘apples to apples’ comparisons.” By asking the same questions at each venue, couples will be able to adequately compare the price, size, room options, and catering to get a better of sense of which space is truly the right fit.
Favorite Wedding Moments
The experts share their favorite wedding moments.
Bernstein: I always admire the fact that I get to meet so many family members since the marriage symbolizes not only the union of the Bride and Groom, but also the two families. I love getting to know both sides of the family and seeing the love that goes into planning the Bride and Groom’s special day.
Constantinou: The first look…I love that moment when a couple sees each other for the first time privately…I still tear up.
Galipault: I really enjoy the Baraats; the enthusiasm and joy put into the Baraat is always amazing to see!
Johnston: When I finally get to see the bride and groom in their traditional wedding attire. So beautiful, so colorful!
Shulman: The Baraat, hands down. The joy, the music, the color and the elephant!
Featured Venues
Special thanks to the properties, all of which are well-versed in hosting successful Indian weddings, for participating in this article.
Bonaventure Resort & Spa
www.BonaventureResortandSpa.com
Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club
www.innisbrookresort.com
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando
www.hiltonorlandobonnetcreek.com
www.waldorfastoriaorlando.com
Hilton Orlando
www.thehiltonorlando.com
Marriott Palm Beach Gardens
www.Marriott.com/PBIPG
About the Author
Rina Shah is the CEO and founder of The Arpan Group, a boutique ad agency and public relations firm that specializes in capturing untouched ethnic markets. From press releases and media kits to marketing materials and by-line articles, The Arpan Group customizes solutions based on the client’s needs. For more information, visit www.thearpangroup.com or call (703) 651-6670.
Article appeared in Desh-Videsh March 2015