Wedding guide

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The

Wedding Planner

presentation

Contents PAPRIKA MEDIA PVT LTD Essar House, 11 KK Marg, PO Box 7964, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai 400 034

April - May 2010 General Enquiries and Listings (91 22) 6660-1111 Subscriptions (91 22) 6660-1200 feedback@paprikamedia.com

Editorial Manager : Chetna Chakravarthy Deputy Editor: Neha Ghosh Assistant Editor : Poulomi Chakravarty Trainee Writer : Kamna Malik

OPTIONS LOKHANDWALA

Art

The Wedding planner Summer weddings can be a lot more cumbersome than the December ones.

If planning the nitty-gritty’s of various ceremonies doesn’t drain you out, the soaring temperature surely will. Ensuring that the guests are well taken care of is just one half of the process; the other half is to make sure you look your best. Wedding planners, caterers, decorators, designers and make-up artists are just some of the people you will need at your beck and call.

Time Out makes a quick checklist of things, people you will need and where to find them, be it food, music, clothes or jewellery.

Cover photo: Ritu Kumar, Bridal Collection Disclaimer: This booklet aims to give readers maximum options in limited space and is not a comprehensive guide.

4 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

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The Wedding Planner’s Checklist All the things you will need when planning your wedding and where to find it.

It’s all in this one compact booklet. So flip through Time Out’s guide to planning that fairytale wedding.

Keeping traditions alive

APPARELS & ACCESSORIES Weddings are all about beautiful clothes, lovely drapes and stylish silhouettes.

Trousseau shopping is one of the main tasks for the bride and her family. A lot of effort goes into planning and budgeting in order to buy the perfect things for the bride and the groom. Here is a list of few stores that will boost your shopping plans.

Aishwarya Design Studio Aishwarya Design Studio has a dazzling range of saris, chaniya cholis, exclusive bridal wear, salwar suits and dress materials. You will also find an ensemble of intricate embroidery of zardosi dabka, and mukeish on indo-western silhouettes. With 6 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

the use of royal colors like bottle green, plums, camilion blue, grey, maroon, deep pinks and lime greens coupled with layered silhouettes, the outfits are richly adorned and embellished using vibrant crystals and sequins. Aishwarya has a vast collection that caters to the bride as well as her entourage.

Ruby house, Irla Society Road, opp Alfa, Vile Parle (W) (2628-4545)

Millionaire Millionaire specializes in custom made outfits for the bride and groom. Their ready-to wear range includes lehenga, saris, salwaar-kameez,kurtis, embellished

designs and cutwork. If you are the traditional kind, you will find a wide range to pick and choose from. For the brides who are willing to experiment check out their indo-western collection. Gota border with zari and resham motifs come together in a range of fabrics like silk, georgette, mul silk and brocade. Catering to the big fat Indian wedding, Seasons has different collections to suit the different occasions.

Plaza Asiad, Ground Floor, Station Road, Santacruz (W) (6042-798)

Kimaya

Nandita Thirani’s collection at Kimaya

gowns and more for women. The grooms can choose from readymade outfits to custom tailored jodhpuri sherwanis, sherwani suits and much more. The store also has a wide range for the bridal couple’s family and friends.

30/B, High Tide, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu, (2660-4243)

Seasons Seasons presents a collection where feminine elegance meets quirky bohemian chic and comprises of heavy intricate

Kimaya’s varied collection by designers such as Rohit Bal, Surily Goel, Pam Mehta, Hemant and Nandita, Meena Mehra, Kamaali, Vikramjit, as well as Kiran and Shruti and gives you the option to choose from different genres of bridal wear. The wedding collection is filled with bright coloured apparels laid with artistic motifs. The new line is a beautiful mix of festive outfits- mainly kurtis, graceful Anarkalis with lots of panels adding to the feminine flare. The colours range from pretty pastels to jeweled tones.

The embroidery used enhances the outfit adding a touch of glamour yet not making it look over the top. Rohit Bal’s collection includes vast variety of metallic’s. Symbolising its indigenousness, the designer has incorporated Indian elements in terms of the fabrics, embroidery, and liberal use of specially created handcrafted ‘Gota’.

Kemps Corner 3 Delstar, Below Kemps Corner Flyover (2386-2432)

Signed, sealed, delivered Is the knot suddenly feeling more like a noose? Take the fast track to marital bliss and opt for a court marriage instead. There are two ways of acquiring legal recognition for your marriage. The first case is called Registration and is done over the religious ceremony.

You’ll need to go with your spouse and two witnesses to the registrar’s office with proof of the wedding in the form of an affidavit and photographs or a copy of the invitation to the ceremony.

In the second kind, called Solemnisation, the union is legalised by a government officer under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. For this, you and your partner need to carry proof of age and residence to the registrar’s office. One month later, you need to go back to the office with two witnesses for the ceremony.

Family Court, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (E) (2659-1081). Mon-Sat 10.30am-5.30pm.

Second and fourth Saturday closed.

8 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

Libaz

excels in quality by using only the best of vegetable tanned leather. For the urban working man, Hidesign’s Diving collection is a great way to smarten up any suit. For the sporty ones, it offers a range of large strap duffle size bags, which easily double up from an every day gym bag to the perfect size weekender bags. For the more adventurous ones, it has created a line of bags that adorn a variety of funky zips to give it an edge. Queen bag will take you ladies from Boardroom to Bar, perfect accessory for your work wardrobe and to bring out your inner party girl. These styles are always contemporary, sophisticated and ideal for the successful lifestyle.

Latest collection will be available at all Hidesign stores nationwide.

Riyaz Gangji’s flagship store boasts of a glamorous collection in royal colours such as turquoise, deep purple, red, magenta and jaipuri orange. They offer an extensive range of ethnic bridal lehengas in various styles like fish cut, umbrella cut, and Aline, apt for formal occasions. Contrast thread embroidery with designer motif is used in the collection of lehengas.

Handmade designs add elegance to the designs. The entire collection is an assortment of rich and luxurious fabrics with an emphasis on embellished straight silhouettes in a range of vivid colors and baroque prints. The Zardozi technique which is used in some of the designs compliments the Options old heritage textiles used. The Since 20 years, sherwanis range Options has been a from a mix of one -stop destination contemporary, for all wedding traditional accessories.

Kurtis, salwardesigns to kameez, lehengas, crystal and sarees, clutches and diamond bridal jewellery. You studded can find everything sherwanis that under one roof. sport a long Hidesign’s Summer Love collection Specially for the groom to v-neck which are a be, they have an extensive suit and rage this season. sherwani collection at reasonable rates. For Opp. SNDT College,Juhu Village road the fashion conscious, all the sherwanis ,Juhu,(4965-542) come with custom made jootis that match the colour of the sherwani. You can even Hidesign find the grooms Sehra in different colours Hidesign’s new Spring/Summer collection, to match the sherwani or suit. The store “Summer of Love”, showcases an array of also offers gift items such bags, perfumes, vibrant colours and the latest styles, from shoes, cufflinks, ties, shirts, trousers, edgy zips to solid classics perfect for sunglasses and more. summer. Besides casual wear, they are a Andheri/ 9, Raheja Classique, great collection to compliment any Lokhandwala, Andheri (W).(2633-4477) wedding trousseau. Handbags, clutches, shoulder bags, they have a vast range of Amarsons bags with classic yet cool designs. For the Amarsons is a popular store amongst the soon to be brides Hidesign’s bags are bride to be and the entire family. They offer constantly changing and keeping up to a huge variety of wedding merchandise for date with the international trends as seen the couple as well as the extended family. on the ramps of Milan, New York,London Its a complete family shopping experience. and Paris. Choose from Fiori range which April - May 2010 The Wedding Planner 9

collection of garments which includes Formals to Casuals, Shervanis, Jodhpuris, Suits, Blazers and designer shirts.

342, Kalbadevi Road, (22050-7161, www. carronnx.com)

Amara

Men’s wedding wear from Options.

Besides the wedding apparels for the bride and groom, the store also stocks, jewellery (imitation, silver, gold plated), bangles, bindis, hair accessories and more.

269, Linking Road, Bandra (W) (2641-8880)

Carrron NX One needs no introduction to the store Carron NX. After the grand success of the parent store CARRON-the fashion avenue, Carron NX was launched in the year 1995 specially to meet the rising demands of ready made men’s apparel. The chain of stores was founded in the year 1988, at a time when the concept of ready-made garments was unheard of. From weeding apprel to casual wear today, CARRON NX has everything under one roof including tops, shirts, T-shirts, kurtis, and kurtas, but also perfumes, shampoo, accessories, household items, and cloth by the meter.

For the soon to be grooms, everything is available under one roof. According to Pappu Chahadwa of CARRON NX, “Since the last 15 years the store has been a symbol of excellence and craftsmanship.

We believe in the trendiest of designs and ensure that every customer leaves the store happy”. CARRON NX showcases a 10 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

Gone are the days when draping a sari was just the pleats and the pallu, it’s now a symbol of oomph, sensuality and drop dead gorgeous style. Amara’s Banaras collection is ideal for traditional brides who love the zari work and rich colours of the silk Banarasi saris. Amara houses creations of more than 60 designers, the store is known for the variety they offer to their customers in all genres – from ethnic to westerns. The store also stocks Kurtis, salwar- kameez, lehengas, sarees, clutches and artificial jewelery, and jootis .

Kemps Boulevard 1-3-5, Kemps Corner (2387-2537)

Ritu Kumar The bridal collection by Ritu Kumar comprises of lehengas, pehwaz, embroidered saris, brocade inlay saris, gold and net lehengas ,rich burgundy and maroon bridal range and single kurti pieces as well. The chooridaars - kurtas are all made of brocades from Benaras, adding a further touch of colour to the ensembles.

The bridal line also has a stunning look in paithani and fuscia which are inspired from the weaves of Ahmednagar .These made to order ensembles are worth the wait. The cholis and corsets are most interesting in their patchwork look which is inspired by a folk tradition put together in unexpected pattern. The bride also has an option of black, smoky topaz and vegetable coloured saris and are co-ordinated with exciting blouses.

High Street Phoenix9, Annexe, Phoenix high street 462 senapati bapat marg ,Lower Parel (6666-9901)

Nalli Sarees Synonymous with silk, Nalli has been a leader in the textile and retail business for over 80 years. Nalli’s success story has a fairy tale ring to it. Started as a small retail

store for silk Sarees in Chennai by a young man called Nalli Chinnasami Chetty in 1928, the family-run shop did steady business for thirty years after which the grandson, Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti took over. Today, Nalli’s business focus has broadened, becoming not only a leading sari-retailer, but also one of the foremost manufactures and exporters of fabrics, apparel and home furnishings. The store offers everything from traditional wedding silks to lightweight versions like crepe and chiffons to even designer saris. It has a huge collection of weeding saris, blouse pieces also boasts of an apparel line for women and ready-to-wear menswear - with a sizeable private-label collection - costume jewellery and accessories, stoles, dupattas and some soft furnishings. Recently, Nalli has opened a store at Oberoi Mall Goregaon East in Mumbai. With 80 years of considerable brand equity, Nallis weeding collection is a must have for any bride who wishes for a traditional touch to her ensemble. An iconic heritage brand steeped in tradition, Nalli upholds the core values of high quality, creative designs thus, converting generations of new sariowners into loyal Nalli patrons.

The Benarasi collection from Amara

Shop No 7, Thirupathi Apartments, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Opp. Mahalakshmi Temple (2353-5577) Also at G-18, Ground Floor, Oberoi Mall, Goregaon (W) (4276-3377)

WEDDING JEWELLERY The glitz is everywhere. Casual jewellery has become available at malls over the last decade, while the last couple of years have seen the rise of nationwide firms selling bridal jewellery worth lakhs of rupees in boutiques and busy streets. These brands are modern, edgy and distinctive. There are a lot of options in the market for the traditional as well as the contemporary bride.

Jaipur Gems Jaipur Gems collection is inspired by its home state; these large, soft edged pieces have been accented with jade, emerald, rubies and even mirrors, which often make the centrepiece of large rings. This wedding season Jaipur Gems flaunts a whole range of contemporary, traditional

and custom made designs for their jewellery patrons. Pieces include delicate hand made necklaces, earrings, and more.

Jaipur Gems designs draws inspirations from classic techniques Dharam Palace, Shop No 2, Hughes Road, Grant Road (2361-9510)

Zoya The most beautiful pieces in the latest collection by Zoya are the ones that take one big step towards contemporary design from a traditional approach. In these peices demure polka and kundan get some attitude and the back of these pieces have intricate meenakari work . The store deals primarily in diamonds, apart from the traditional and fusion polki & kundan jewellery.

April - May 2010 The Wedding Planner 11

106, Dhunabad Building, near St Stephens Church, Bhulabahi Desai Road (6525-9605)

Tanishq

uncut diamonds and cabochon emeralds, and the pieces from the collection are set in a traditional rub-over setting, which evoke a rich, colourful and grand look. The collection includes necklaces, earrings and rings. The pieces reflect traditional styles and patterns. The Heritage collection complements colours such as royal blue, red,deep purple,green, orange and maroon.

Ganjam, Mumbai, India Boutique Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Apollo Bunder, ( 3264-8434)

Check out the latest contemporary Gold jewellery collection from Tanishq. The Glam Gold collection incorporates contemporary designs in geometric styles, meant for women who want to look glamorous at the same time look at jewellery as an investment option. The collection is a daring fusion of different looks and Amrapali techniques. With this eclectic range of earrings, Synonymous with gold necklaces, brooches, and silver jewellery. waist belts, ornaments Amrapalis Jadau and for the back, arm bands Meenakari collection are and shoulder encrusted with pearls and ornaments the Glam rubies as well as uncut gold collection is ideal faceted diamonds, accented for the with gold. Scenes from contemporary Hindu epics are bride. carved into large Bulding, Shop No pendants in 3, next to Moti vintage-finished Mahal, gold set with Turner Road, Bandra emeralds. Their (W) (6161-4122) Also at tribal and ethnic Ganjam’s Heritage Collection Tanishq boutiques neck pieces in around the city. Visit chunky gold have www.tanishq.co.in for the list of outlets. playful touches.

Phoolwari Cottage, near Prithvi Theatre, Ganjam Juhu Road (2612-5001, www.amrapalijewels.com) Also at New Ganjam Heritage Collection pays tribute to Oberoi Shopping Arcade, Shop No 39/62, the rich cultural artistic history of India.

Using rubies from the old Burmese mines, The Oberoi, Nariman Point, (2284-3687)

Choreographers It’s all Bollywood’s fault. If only they hadn’t taken the simple sangeet and blown it out of proportion in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. But then again, it probably wouldn’t be as much fun. Today, more planning seems to go into organising one of these evenings than into the wedding ceremony and no one assumes more importance than the choreographer. They’re often booked months in advance. “These things take time,” said Unnaati Atit, who has been a wedding choreographer for over four year. “We once did a spoof of Kaun Banega Crorepati called Kaun Banega Mera Pati, which was hilarious. Some people have a whole competition like Nach Baliye.” While the practice sessions are meant to be fun, choreographers are also known to get pretty intimidating near D-Day. Unnaati Atit (98208-46264), Angela from Terrence Lewis Academy (98200-86546), Rekha Solani (98202-18262) and Aanchal Gupta from Arts in Motion (98201-83231).

12 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

BEAUTY AND SPA

Blissful treatments at Myrah Spa

The date for the big day has been decided and the preparations have begun.

Trousseau, jewellery, arrangements, honeymoon, guest lists and more, but don’t forget to include the most important thing on the list. Looking after yourself. We made your decision slightly easier by making a list of the places you can visit to recharge and feel good.

Jean Claude Biguine If you’re a regular at Bandra, then you wont be surprised to know that they also have a full bridal beautification regime.

This French salon knows the importance of your wedding day and the need to look your very best. The experts understand every customers need and know how to make you feel good and look even better.

From taking care of your tresses, haircolouring, styling, back polishing, skin and make-up, spa treatments, everything is customised to ensure that you look stunning on your wedding day. Customised packages , special attention and a relaxing atmosphere will re-charge your mind and body in no time. It’s difficult to ignore the exclusivity that gleams from the polished 14 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

mirrors at this House of Beauty. The threestorey space on Chapel Road in Bandra with its trained hairdressers and beauticians is a one-stop-beauty-shop, which will transform you to a diva on your big day.

68, Chapel Road, Bandra (W) (6522-2211) Prices start at Rs, 2000.

Myrah Spa Even an army of make-up minions can’t help if you’re a nervous wreck a few days before the wedding. Thankfully, city spas understand the trials of wedding planning and have designed packages that cater to the bride and groom’s needs. All it takes is a few hours of daily bliss for a week before D-Day. You’ll be slathered with an assortment of concoctions until your skin glows and you tresses sparkle. There are also couple treatments, which mean candle-lit suites and double bed-sized Jacuzzis. Also starting this summer, the Divine Skin Care Wheel. This Wheel has facials such as the uber Luxurious Diamond Caviar facial, and The Gold Facial that protects against external factors such as weather and pollution,

rehydrating the skin with radiance. The Oxygen Facial and The Olive Facial evens out the skin tone, and works on the appearance of any fine lines. After all, you cant take a chance on your big day.

Palm Springs Society, opposite Chandan Cinema parking, JVPD, Juhu (670-5694) Prices vary according to packages.

Enrich Salon Your wedding day is a day you want to look and feel your absolute best. With all eyes on you from the beginning to the end of the day preparation is the key. And that’s where Enrich Salon comes in with its long list of skin, hair and other beauty treatments. From back polishing to acne treatment to ensuring that you make a statement with your nails, Feel no stress or anxiety as the salon has it all. Enrich first appeared in the beauty circuit in 1997.

Converted into a private limited company in 2004, it is one of the largest chain of L Oreal certified unisex salons in Mumbai today. Considered as the melting pot of creative styling concepts along with beauty awareness, skin and hair treatment techniques.

8/9, Patel Mahal, Opposite Maheshwari Udyan, Matunga (2403 2928) Prices start at Rs 1,000.

Mud pack therapy at Antara Spa

16 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

Kaya Skin Clinic Worried about your skin? Don’t be as Kaya Skin Clinic, offers special wedding packages for brides to be, mothers of the bride, family and friends and even for grooms to be. Its not just about artificial glow as these skin care therapies are all aimed at promoting natural beauty and ensuring beautiful, healthy skin for the allimportant wedding day. There are a variety of packages, customized for specific skin type which are delivered by the skilled skin practitioners under the supervision of the in-clinic dermatologists. There are special packages customised by the in house dermatologist to suit every individual’s skin type.

1st Floor, Waterfield Road, Bandra West (66680888) Prices vary according to packages.

Mudd Spa & Salon Mudd occupies the building that housed Shahnaz Hussain Beauty Care and Grooming Centre almost a year ago and has since undergone a drastic makeover. The sea-facing spa has a large central room filled with quirky décor, such as a large seventies-style, cherry-red lounge chair, pop-art and, black-and-white posters.

Wedding cards Whether your invitations are sparkle-dusted affairs featuring cherubic bridal couples locked in an embrace, bronze and gold cards featuring Ganesha, hyper-stylised Arabic calligraphy or a permutation of baraat-meets-doli, you’ll do well to head down Khandilkar Road. The stretch between CP Tank and Thakurdwar is home to some 200 stores that cater to most budgets even if they aren’t the last word in creativity. Priya Mulchandani, invitation designer to the rich and famous, can take up to ten months to create a new style, while Delhi’s Ravish Kapoor does a booming business in Mumbai with invites that have included pop up artwork, boxes containing chocolates, wine or oil lamps and even gift bags full of invites to a week’s worth of wedding events. Digital fantasy has helped spread the wedding word by printing wedding invitations on the petals of real and artificial flowers.

Khandilkar Road is opposite Gaiwadi in Girgaum, near Charni Road (E). Walk down and browse through.

Digital Fantasy Shubangini, Shop No 2, near Milan Subway, Santa Cruz (W) (98210-68214, www.digitalfantasyin.com). Prices start at Rs 10 and vary according to the size of the order and the kind of flowers used.

Ikon 1D Vulcan Insurance Building, 77 Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate (2282-0666/22820769, Ikoncards.com).

The funky interiors coupled with the dark teak wood furnishings, potted plants and a hot-pink wallpaper give Mudd an inviting blend of the cozy and the eclectic. In addition to the full-body treatments that most spas offer, Mudd specialises in hairspa treatments like protein masks and deep conditioning for hair that is “stressed” by excessive colouring, drying or extreme neglect. They waste no time here and, a quick and oily head massage with slathering of a paste that looks suspiciously like mud is all that is needed for damage repair. The hair mask has ingredients like curd, egg and herbs like amla, shikakai, neem and pudina. The back-treatment promises to cleanse, exfoliate and release fatigue leaving anyone who enters completely stress-free.

Sea Bird, Bandstand, Bandra (W).

(022-2642-8756/ 2645-3309) Prices start at Rs 1,000.

Jiva Spa If your family is large and connected, several hundred people could see you in the weeks around your wedding. Save your face, despite a thousand jaw-numbing grins. The trick is staying calm and what better way to do that, then to spend some time in a spa. Rejuvenate, relax and take some time out from a hectic schedule by visiting Jiva Spa. Treatments are offered

using unique products made from pure Indian herbs, Indian aromatherapy oils, natural creams and special ingredients. All the Ayurveda and aromatherapy oils are exclusively hand-blended for Jiva Spas and the 100% natural range of Beauty products are made with a deep understanding of the therapeutic benefits of Indian herbs.

Taj Wellington Mews Luxury Residences, 33 Nathalal Perekh Marg, Colaba (66569494). Also at Taj President, Cuffe Parade (6665-0303).

Antara Spa Summer is here and our skin can go through quite a difficult time if the bride does not take the utmost care. To hydrate and nourish skin, try the Summer High Package which includes a rejuvenating Sandalwood Body Polish for 30 minutes, the Antara Balinese Massage for 60 minutes followed by a Food Reflexology treatment of 30 minutes. And you finish off with the 30 minutes Cold Marine Facial.

The facial firms, hydrates and smoothes the skin leaving you revived and refreshed while the reflexology rejuvenates, moisturises and refreshes your feet so they are sandal ready.

97, DN Nagar, Near DN Nagar Police Station, Andheri (W) (022-6693-9999).

Daily 9am-9pm.

April - May 2010 The Wedding Planner 17

WEDDING PLANNERS It may still be more likely for us to see a wedding planner in the movies than on the mandap in India, but for those who can afford it, a planner may be just the calm voice needed to handle the emergencies and ruffled emotions that are the masala for a great Indian wedding.

Nikhil Bhide – The Wedding Planner Wedding consultants and planners, their services include arranging destination weddings in exotic locales of India such as royal palaces, wildlife sanctuaries, adventure destinations and pristine beaches. They take care of all aspects of your wedding arrangements and work within your earmarked budget to deliver a perfect cost effective wedding. They also help plan honeymoons all over the world and will take care of everything including flights and hotels booking.

B-109, Saideep 1, Sindhi Society, Chembur (98207-45404, www.nikhilbhidetheweddingplanner.com)

Knot Forever KnotForever is a Mumbai-based wedding management company, established in 2003 to meet the growing demand for professionally managed weddings. Besides organising the Sangeet, Cocktail and Wedding ceremonies at different venues, their services involve personally

welcoming guests at the airport, arranging hotel transfers, organising guided and chauffeured tours within Mumbai, fashioning a ‘doli’ (palanquin) from flowers which was used to seat the bride in the traditional ‘bidai’ ceremony after the wedding and designing a special information book to the best of restaurants, shopping, nightlife and sight seeing in Mumbai for the benefit of the outstation guests. Post-wedding organisation includes working closely with the selected travel agent for guests who are traveling onwards throughout the country.

303 Panju Mahal, Bandstand, Bandra (W) (98202-33012, www.knotforever.com)

Marry Me-The Wedding Planners To ensure a stress free big day, Marry Me’s Wedding Planning Services range from creating a budget, wedding checklist, providing ideas, helping choose the right wedding vendors, and much more. They also assist with complete trousseau planning, shopping and packing. They take care of travel and hotel bookings, and specially designed tours for guests covering sightseeing, personal shopping and nightlife in and around the city.

5AA Pali Hill, Near Learners Academy, Bandra (W) (65248821, www. marrymeweddings.in)

Be image conscious The camera’s digital, so why shouldn’t the album be too? Putting your wedding photos and videos online means that you’ll be spared from having to politely smile as your third cousin watches footage of him ogling the “third cousin from the girl’s side”. It will also allow more guests to view the images at their convenience and even save copies for themselves without pestering you for prints. While photo-hosting sites like Flickr, Photobucket, Picasa and Shutterfly offer basic caption-and-upload features, specialised wedding sites fall into two categories: free and paid. The free ones obviously offer fewer features, perhaps a limited bandwidth that allows for only low-resolution pictures, a limited hosting time and limited options to interact with your guests. Our tip: Upload the video on to YouTube and create a Gmail account with the couple’s name as the username, fill the inbox with wedding pictures and email your friends the password. All comments go into the reply sections and, with over 7,000 MB of storage on Gmail, the pictures have a home for ever.

18 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

CATERERS

Culinary display

Try and deny it, but the truth stays that no wedding is complete without food. Thus, finding the right caterer is of the utmost importance when organising an Indian wedding. No need to fret as we have already done the task of shortlisting for you. Every community needs a specialised caterer.

Zaffran Zaffran is a place where nothing is taken seriously except for food and sheesha. The cuisine at Zaffran is sort of North by North-West – featuring various venerables from North Indian and Frontier cuisine – raan and gilauti kabab, handi gosht and nihari, khubani ka meetha and zaffrani phirni. His chain of restaurants specialises in Indian and American food with detours to popular items like pasta. However, when Munib Birya and Chetan Sethi take on outdoor catering, they have a menu that includes Mexican, Chinese and chaat. The rate is Rs 500 per head, dropping as the numbers increase.

Link Plaza Commercial Complex, Oshiwara Link Road, Jogeshwari (W)(6450-2828).

Also at Crawford Market (2344-2690).

Kailash Parbat Known for Sindhi specialities, sweets, giant bhature with a serving of chole, chats, and spicy paani puri and Sindi food Kailash Parbat is not just a hub for snacks and quick grubs. Their menu stretches to include Chinese, Italian, Meixcan and more for outdoor catering services. Kailash Parbat caters to groups of 100 people and more. So whether you are having a loud ceremony or just a quite one with close friends and family, the food from Kialash Parbat is a sure shot and easy way to make everyone happy and craving for more. The charges start at Rs 250 per head.

7A/8A A Wing, Crystal Plaza, New Link Road, Andheri (W) (98201-07272).

Catering & Allied Grilled asian herbal chicken, Pepper Encrusted chicken with Garlic butter glaze, Lobster a la parisienne…drooling already? These are just some of the offerings from the vast menu of Catering & allied. Started by Farrokh Khambata, chief-owner of Joss, items for weddings April - May 2010 The Wedding Planner 19

Healthy appetisers

The company’s website has a catering section (www.jossbanguets/catering) that has hundreds of dishes listed under European, Asian, Indian and regional dishes.

Next to Rhythm House, opposite Jehnagir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda, Fort (6161-0403)

BJN The company that owns restaurants such as Firangi Paani and Aromas of China, Bombay Post, CafĂŠ Masala, also caters to almost all types of cuisines for wedding and parties. With the help of expert master chefs specialising in cooking authentic Indian, Gujarati, Marwari, Sindhi, South Indian, Bengali, Chinese and Continental cuisines, your special day is bound to make waves. The hospitality specialists will take care of all your needs by catering right up to your doorstep anywhere in India, with a catering capacity to serve 60 to 5,000 guests. BJN caterers also arrange for beautiful wedding cutlery to add to the ambience and experience.

Fun Republic, Andheri (W) (61615595/2674-0101, www.bjngroup.in) 20 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

Sweet delights

BAND BAJA

Traditional bands at work

If you haven’t signed up a brass band or an orchestra to drown out proceedings at your wedding, think again. No Indian wedding is complete without a live and loud background score.

Wedding Bands When it comes to wedding bands, you can’t get more traditional than the A Noor Mohammed Band or Crimson Rage.

Pydhonie’s A Noor Mohammed Band,

which was started in 1840 by Abdul Rehman Noor Mohammed, and is the oldest brass band in the city. They have boogied up baraats for both royalty and Bollywood over the years. Their repertoire covers everything from classical ragas to Hindi film tunes.

Crimson Rage, which was formed in 1971, is the city’s longest-running Catholic wedding band. Frontman Titus Mendes said that during the festivities, the band is almost as busy as the couple getting married. They often have to play for four hours straight, starting off with the bridal march, moving on to the first dance (performed by the bride and groom), and then gradually speeding up the tempo till they get to the crowd-pleasing “masala” tracks. If you want to keep it authentic, he suggests leaving out Bollywood .Call Titus Mendes on 98217-87526. Catholic wedding bands charge Rs 25,000-Rs 40,000. Call Samir Surti on 98205-51972 for the A Noor Mohammed Band. Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 for two hours.

HONEYMOON PACKAGES After the excitement dies and the music fades; all celebrations draw to a close and it’s finally just the two of you. Tradition calls for romantic getaways to exotic locales. So here are some packages offered by the city’s travel agents.

Raj Travels 6 nights, 7 days in Mauritius This Island in the Indian Ocean is a favourite with honeymooning couples. Raj Travels has put together an interesting itinerary that not only lets you take in the sights but also makes room for many romantic moments. Return tickets, a choice of hotels and, daily breakfast and dinner are some of the inclusions. Take a tour of Port Louis, the island’s capital, shop at Caudan Waterfront, walk through Pamplemousses garden and watch the sun

Honeymoon travels

April - May 2010 The Wedding Planner 21

Capturing memories

set on the beaches of Ile Aux Cerfs.

This package starts at Rs. 66,999/- and will vary depending on the choice of hotel.

15 nights / 16 days in Mauritius and South Africa This one is meant for couples who want to start their married life with a long and exciting holiday. Starting with Mauritius, you can spend four days on the picturesque island. Discover the island and also enjoy water sports at Ile Aux Cerfs including the undersea walk, parasailing, tube ride and speed boat ride to the waterfall. On the fifth day fly out to Johannesburg. Spend the next 10 days amidst the rich South African history and culture, wildlife as well as adventure sports. Mabula, Sun City, Cape Town and many other exotic cities are on the itinerary.

This package costs Rs 2,49,999/- and includes airfare, accommodation as well as sight-seeing and certain meals.

SOTC 5 nights, 6 days in Malaysia Romantic flower bath, cosy dinners and exotic cocktails, SOTC is pulling out all the 22 The Wedding Planner April - May 2010

stops to make this a short but unforgettable honeymoon. A three night stay at the the Pangkor Laut – Garden Villa means lots of quality time on the idyllic beaches, water sports, jungle treks and more. Spend the next two nights at the JW Marriot, Kuala Lumpur. Take in the sights of the capital city, feast on the local cuisine and go on a crazy shopping spree.

This package costs approximately Rs 43,605/-, but doesn’t include airfare or visa fees.

Travelmasti.com If you don’t want to travel abroad for your honeymoon there are many destinations within the country that fit the bill. Be it Kashmir’s romantic shikara rides or the breathtaking scenery of Himachal, Kumaon’s cosy weather or Rajasthan’s regal ambience. Take your pickfrom these, or then Goa, Kerala, Darjeeling and Ladakh are the other trips on offer.

Travelmasti.com has week-long packages starting at Rs 20,000/-. But these packages do not include airfare and you will have to make your own travel arrangements.