Arriving in style- Baraat

The traditional Indian wedding establishes a bond between two families and their cultures, apart from creating a very special relationship between the couple, who tie the nuptial knot .One of the important and fun ceremonies, is the arrival of the groom on the day of the wedding, at the venue. The groom’s family members, relatives and friends accompany him to the wedding venue, in a marriage procession called ‘baraat’. Groom’s friends and relatives are called the ‘baraati’. The wedding baraat is held with high esteem and the baratis are pampered by the bride’s family, when they arrive at the wedding venue.

You could go traditional and have your groom arrive by decorated horse. Or, if your groom has more modern indian wedding style, he could travel in a more extravagant way. I have seen helicopters, boats, elephants, and luxury cars. The sky is the limit, so play around with some ideas!

Here are some tips and ideas on how to spice up your Baraat and make it very memorable for your guests to remember. There is a lot more you can add to your Baraat apart from the horse and band to make it truly unique.

The Baraat is a fun procession where guests are dancing and rejoicing the occasion. As a host it is a great idea to spice up the mood by extending some hospitality and making it very memorable for guests. It is now a trend at Indian weddings to serve refreshments such as soft beverages, tender coconut and mineral water along with cold towels during the Baraat – especially if it is a day time procession.

The bridal families are getting into the minutest detail like crafting a special menu of bite sized snacks which can be served during the procession.

Safas for the male guests are part of most Indian weddings. The safas are very bright and add colour to the procession. For a day time Baraat you can arrange for colourful cloth umbrellas for female guests. These are made of Indian fabric and are available in vibrant colours. These could even act as souvenirs post the procession. A fresh petal shower is also a good way to add colour to the Baraat and make it livelier. A gola or an ice-cream cart along with the procession would be a good idea for summer weddings.

For an evening baraat a display of fireworks and crystal chandeliers are a must. Arranging for a vanity van along with baraat for guests who may want to touch up or refresh before entering the venue would be a great finishing touch!

Traditionally, and still most commonly, the Groom’s entrance is on an elaborately decorated white horse. Recently, Grooms are opting for different entrance options to really impress their guests. Your only limitations are your imagination (and maybe the rules of your venue!),
• Tampa Trolley Cars
• Yacht or speed boat arrivals
• Jet-skis
• Segways
• Helicopters
• Elephants
• Convertibles

To have a destination wedding or not ? Part 2- The Cons

Everyone sees a destination wedding as a romantic and unconventional twist to the traditional wedding affair. Well, it will certainly give a twist to your wedding no doubt, and add an extra element of a beautiful, scenic background to your nuptials. But, there are certain things you need to keep in mind before finalising on a destination wedding. This trend may not be as appealing as it is told to be. Here are a few cons related to a destination wedding that you should know about.

Rules out a big fat wedding gathering
Well, destination wedding is definitely not for those who wish all their near and dear ones to be around them. If you are the one who loves big fat gatherings, well then destination wedding may not be your cup of tea. Many of your friends, relatives or acquaintances may not be on board to shower you with congratulations which may stir up a lot of emotions. So, you may end up regretting not having everybody for the merrymaking.

Don’t be too budget happy
Remember a scene from Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani where Kalki shouts on her best friend (played by Aditya Roy Kapur) for his enormous bar and gambling tab/bill that her fiancé would have to pay for. Yes, this is a con of destination wedding. At a local wedding, there will be just few outstation guests, whereas at a destination wedding everyone, including you, is an outstation guest. The etiquettes of a destination wedding say that the couple pay for their guests’ accommodation, local travelling and room tabs; while invitees have to pay for their travel to and from the destination. Well, you never know how much those room tabs and sightseeing may end up pinching on your wedding budget.

Endless planning and checklists
Moving to a new place for your wedding is not that easy. If it is an unexplored region then it can mean a lot of unpleasant surprises and complications. Finalising your itinerary, advance bookings, juggling with the details of climate, culture (especially if it is overseas), florists, etc. are all that you might have to deal with. Planning and preparations can turn out to be far more maddening. There are chances your objective of marrying innovative turns helter-skelter.

Distance can lead to some disappointments
Your best friend has an important presentation in the office on the very morning of your wedding day… Well, your destination wedding might become difficult for him/her to be a part of. Well, not only that even those relatives who have certain health issues or problems, like your grandparents may not be able to travel for a destination wedding. Apart from this, flights getting missed, last minute reservation hassles, etc. are possibilities that you cannot rule out.

Ready for a family honeymoon
Well, if you were planning to extend your wedding destination as your honeymoon destination as well then don’t get too happy as of yet. You may land in an awkward situation when you have to continue hosting the remaining guests. It is embarrassing to ask the guests to pack up once the wedding is over. They may have their own plans to overstay out of the expense of attending the wedding. There are chances that while connecting romantically with your spouse you are bumping into your guests.

What you can do, instead!
Well, for all those couples who want a unique wedding experience sans the pros and cons of a destination wedding can choose to add a personal touch to their celebrations with the help of a theme. A theme allows you to add interesting and appealing elements to your wedding. Want your wedding to be filled with soft breeze and setting sun then opt for an outdoor wedding at a beautiful garden or pool side or a farmhouse in your city. If you cannot travel to your desired location, you can design the entire setup of the location using the themes like beaches, waterfall and more.

So, it is not far-fetched for those who cannot travel overseas to marry. You can choose any locale to make it into a good site for wedding by personalising it with a theme. But, if you still want to opt for a destination wedding to celebrate your union then do consider its pros and cons before finalising on it.

To have a destination wedding or not ? Part 1- The Pros

7 Best Reasons to Have a Destination Wedding

Marriage trends have taken a quantum leap in the past few years. Gone are the days when they were confined to halls, lawns and banquets. It is time to think beyond the routine venues to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime event. Though still in its nascent stage, the concept of destination wedding is fast gaining ground in India and the UAE.

Whether it is a desire to keep away the gossiping aunts, or an appetite for ‘something different’, destination weddings are becoming a romantic trend these days. Versatility in the venue and decor ideas is what’s attracting to-be-brides and grooms towards it. Take a look at some of the reasons why you should think about a destination wedding to celebrate your union.

Trendy and romantic affair
Destination wedding is fast looming up on the youngsters who want their ceremony to be offbeat and fashionable. Imagine your wedding to be amidst the surf, sand and sea where you can experience a romantic and ultimate marital bliss. From a relaxed wedding at a Goan beach to a royal one in a Rajasthan palace; doing it different is the mantra of the day. Places like Jodhpur, Goa or remote hillside off the Mumbai-Pune expressway can make for extra-special venues. Some also prefer to travel to foreign tourist hubs like Mauritius, Bangkok and so on.

Quality time with guests
When it comes to travelling to a faraway place or even a different city, the mounting guest list gets slashed. Chances of the invitation getting overlooked get high due to travelling and other costs. It cuts down the list to the closed ones. The huge maddening crowd is not there to impose their views upon you. This way you get to spend more time with the guests who have travelled all the way to be a part of your destination wedding.

Away from unwanted people
Were you looking for a reason to not invite the nosy neighbours, the meddling distinct cousins, and the colleagues or boss to your wedding? Well, a destination wedding is your answer to it. A lot of those nosy guests who often pinpoint every error and who sulk at every expense get slashed from your guest list.

Limiting the budget
To your surprise, this unconventional concept of marriage is quite affordable and reasonably priced. Your pockets can easily bear the expenses as the wedding is mostly attended by your closed ones which means lesser people. During off seasons, it becomes easier on the budget. Goa can be chosen as a budget destination wedding venue, but you will have to book well in advance. Other popular places which you can get in low-budget are Ooty and Manali. Though they sound run-of-the-mill, they can turn out great with your personal touch and right preparations.

Attractive deals and packages
These days there are many resorts and hotels which offer quite exciting discounts and deals for people to host a wedding at their premise. Many offer complementary services, hassle free packages and simpler procedures to conduct a wedding. Along with helping you out with the wedding ceremonies and preparations, they will also make exciting activity packages for your guests. They can help you to organise interesting activities and sightseeing for your guests. This would allow your guests to enjoy complete local flavour of the destination.

A status symbol
Today most of the couples are choosing an option of destination wedding option over the typical ones. Even most well-heeled Indians are going by this concept as destination weddings are seen as a status symbol as well. A splendid wedding thrown at a fancy destination earns you name and fame amongst your guests, and makes your wedding a well-remembered affair for the long time to come.

Honeymoon starts right away
Most of the couples choose to start the nuptial journey and the honeymoon from the very venue they have already selected. Wishing to kick off your happily-ever-after as soon as possible, you can book a honeymoon even before the wedding bells ring. This way you can spend a honeymoon on a budget without having to change the place.

So, are you ready to shortlist an exciting destination for your wedding? Do let us know where you would like to tie your knot by leaving your comments below and stay tuned for Part 2 detailing the Cons of a destination wedding !

Must have photos’s on your big day !

Ek Kunwara fir gaya maaara- that’s all I can think when I see the above picture of the fun loving groom Ross and the vivacious bride Priyanka.

There will be plenty of moments on your wedding day that you’ll want to make sure your photographer catches. Now we all know the traditional drill pictures with the family, blushing bride and lots of awkward poses.Below are some fun and unique pictures snapped at some real weddings.

Get inspired by these picture-perfect moments that you can frame and treasure forever.

Tips for buying the right wedding shoe !

From Cindrella to Carrie Bradshaw, women’s love for shoes has been dubious and fanciful. Shoes without doubt, are the most sought after fashion accessory and when it comes to wedding, a bridal look is only complete with an a statement pair of shoes. The wedding is the perfect occasion to splurge on shoe-mania sans any regret. From sparkling towering heels to peep-toe sandals and crystal-studded kitten heels, it’s the bride’s day to score on such extravagant fashion items.

If you’ve already started your wedding shopping then before you blow a fortune on foot wears make sure the money is worth spending. Even though heels and comfort do not go hand in hand, just trail down these hot to make your bridal look perfect in all aspects.

You have to wear your shoes
You might have fallen in love with a pair of skyscraper heels but remember you’re going to have to walk down the aisle in them, stand for photographs in them, maybe dance in them and walk around all day. Wobbling around on heels that are too high isn’t a good look and you don’t want to catch a high spiky heel in your dress either.

Choose a special pair of shoes
Choose shoes that make you feel amazing! Even if your dress is floor length, giving your guests the occasional peek of an exquisite pair of shoes will make you feel like a true princess! Wedding shoes don’t have to be boring – combine classic style with fashionable detailing and you’ll love them for years.

Get them worn in
Don’t wear your shoes for the first time on your wedding day. Make sure you have them a few weeks before the wedding and wear them around the house (on carpet) to get them worn in a bit before the big day so they’ve moulded to fit your feet and eased up.

Take some measurements
Remember your dressmaker will need to know the exact height of your shoes for your final fitting so she/he can adjust your Lehenga accordingly. You’ll need to be wearing your shoes at this fitting so when you order them check how long it will take for them to be delivered so you don’t have any last minute panics.

Match your shoes to your dress
Take a swatch of your dress fabric with you when you choose your shoes to make sure that it matches up and the colour doesn’t clash.

Pamper your feet
Have a pedicure before your wedding day so that your feet are soft and nails in great condition. They’ll also be picture perfect for your honeymoon!

What about the detailing?
Have you decided on your jewellery yet? If you’re going for silver, look out for co-ordination detail on your shoes, such as metallic binding or pretty jewelled buckles. If you have a lace headpiece look at shoes with all over or lace details

To sparkle or not to sparkle?
If you’ve always had your heart set on a pair of glittering heels, there are some amazing Swarovski bejewelled styles on the market. However you can achieve a more understated sparkle with a cute pair of shoe clips, giving you two looks- sparkle for the big day and afterwards a pair of shoes to wear with jeans!

Enjoy it!

Finally, don’t stress about finding the perfect pair of wedding shoes – this is SHOE SHOPPING ladies! How often do you have the opportunity to buy your dream shoes? Enjoy it, have fun and be confident in the fact that you will look amazing!

Trousseau Tales- Kisneel by Pam Mehta

Fashions fade, but style is eternal.’ Gifted with an alluring sensibility of style, Pam Mehta’s creations spell grandeur, beauty, sensuality and class.
Right from her foray into the fashion industry, Pam has always designed keeping the values and aspirations of the Indian woman in mind, yet highly stylised to make the overall silhouette seem contemporary and very authentic. Her label, Kisneel by Pam gives ‘stylish bridal dressing’ a whole new meaning.

Each ensemble defines sophistication and glamour with classic designs and embroideries receiving a modern twist. Asymmetric cuts and experimental draping is also given an upbeat representation.

I personally love her style of incorporating a modern touch in our traditional Lehenga’s and Saree’s, the below lehenga saree is perfect for a Ring Ceremony or even a wedding reception. The bridal chhura would compliment it completely.

Swarovski crystals, semi-precious stones, sequins, tassels and hand-made beads along with fine embroidery in gold and silver threads complete each look. The perfect blend of traditional and modern designs – essentially glamorous yet very wearable can be seen through the use of embellishments and fabrics.

The use of georgettes, chiffons, satin silks and nets make each silhouette very wearable, sensual and thus complementing the look of the garment. Anarkalis and gowns worked upon with intricate thread-work and feminine drapes, make for a glamorous evening-out. While the lehengas and saris are also given a contemporary and modern feel this season with a lot of color and texture blending.

The color fiesta can be seen through the vast palette of colors used in Kisneel’s trademark color blending and blocking techniques. Wide range of pastels and primary colors tones are complemented with metallic hues, neon’s and antique textures. Also a wide range of warm tones like reds, oranges are seen. The collection also has a dash of blues, greys and purples to appease the ever so stylish KISNEEL by PAM fashionistas.

Pam Mehta’s label KISNEEL BY PAM focuses on styling the modern Indian woman in relaxed couture with a global appeal. Indian couture is given a modern twist with experimental draping and a vibrant palette of colours.

Pam Mehta’s creations can be bought at the Kimaya store located in Jumeirah or you could always buy them online,however I always prefer to try outfits before purchasing.

Solah Shringar- Chura

Wedding is like a charm for every girl I think..! The sensation of wedding makes you happy, the makeover and accessories are hot craze for every girl. Specially wearing Chura is on top demand.With the initial thought of wedding in specially in North Indian tradition Chura is first accessory which comes in mind with your wedding dress selection. I have always been fascinated by them, just love the way they look.

Wearing a choora, after marriage, has become more like a fashion these days, irrespective of the prevalence of this custom in their religion or not. People have now-a-days started considering Choora bangles as a symbol of a married woman. Even with the changing times, where, women do not prefer wearing mangalsootra and sindur, after marriage, they take immense pride in showing off their choora. My muslim friend went against her family to adorn the chura for her nikah. She wore it for 40 days all because it looked pretty and stated her married status.

The bridal chura is worn to signify a woman’s newly married status. Some say that the bride doesn’t have to do housework while the bracelets are on, I have seen my maami and maasi’s being told not to work until mehendi and chura were removed how nice right? ( i hope my inlaws are reading )

Actually, the ritual of choora has its traditional roots in the Punjabi culture, where the maternal uncle of the bride, on the day of the marriage, performs this custom of making his niece wear the wedding choora. The choora or the wedding bangles is first washed in milk, and the bride cannot see her choora before wearing it. These days, the design of the choora is first selected by would- be bride, after which a different set of the same design is worn by her on the day of her wedding.


The traditional period of wearing a choora is the starting one year of her married life, but these days, girls wear them as long as they wish, due to their liking towards it. There are different set and designs available in the market, which vary in their colour, maroon and white being the base, and the count can vary from 21, 31 to 51, bangles in a set, as per the choice of the bride. Simple chura is now become the designer chura the simple red, maroon ad white bangle is now in new avatar with the spectacular stone work, latest trendy designs
While a simple chura would cost between 2000-4000 RS, a fancy chura with all the bling and swaroski would easily cost up 15-20,000 RS.

Kalire !

The sweet moments of wedding are not only unforgettable for the bride and the groom but also for the near and dear ones. One such moment is the chuda ceremony which is celebrated at bride’s place just a day before the wedding. Once the chuda has been worn, the bride’s friends and cousins tie Kalire to the chuda. Kaliras (or known as kalire) are ornaments worn on the hands of Punjabi brides. While this is traditionally a Punjabi wedding custom, most brides these days opt to wear them thanks to our bolly movies.

They hang like beautiful chandeliers and come in a range of colors to match any outfit.These are pieces of umbrella shaped gold or silver ornaments. These signify good wishes for the bride’s new life ahead and are also meant to remind her of her friends and cousins. It is said that the number of leaves on kalire are as many as bride’s friends. Kalire’s are encrusted with dried coconut and dried beetle nuts.



I absolutely love the way they look, needless to say the logo shows my love for kalira’s. There’s an interesting ritual associated with kalire. The bride shakes her hands over heads of all the unmarried girls in the family one by one and if a leaf or a part of kalira falls on anybody’s head, then it is believed that she will be the next one to get married.


So what happens to these post the wedding? Usually the couple visits the temple/gurudwara the morning after the wedding to take blessing this is where the bride leaves one of her kalira’s and the other is stored with the bride a momento. My mom still has her kalira’s and I plan to use it for my wedding, incorporate it in my phoolon ki chaadar how kool right? Here’s another way of storing them and keeping those wedding memories fresh

Where to buy these? while finding them in Dubai will be a task they are readily available in India. The best ones are offcourse from Amritsar, Gandhi Market in Mumbai is another great place to buy these from or infact buy anything typically Punjabi.

Having difficulties getting hold of some Kalira’s? contact us and we’ll have them shipped to you!

Shraddha & Kunal

Their Story

We both live in Dubai and are born and brought up here. We first met when we were in elementary school, and got to know each other in college in the US. I work for The Nielsen Company and Kunal at Merill Lynch. Our wedding took place at Sheraton, Hua Hin.

Wedding Events
Manish Malhotra for Sangeet
For the three main functions, I wanted very distinct looks. I wanted the feel of the Sangeet to be very Bollywood, so I wore a custom designed fuschia lehenga by Manish Malhotra. The lehenga had gold/silver and emerald work. My favorite part of this lehenga was the low back velvet blouse fastened with a brooch. To compliment this outfit I picked a diamond and emerald set from BC Sen Jewellers, Kolkata.

Sabysachi for Pheras
For the pheras, I wanted a traditional look since I was entering on a Doli, but at the same time I wanted something unusual. So I wore a very interesting Sabyasachi lehenga. The skirt was yellow and was paired with a royal blue blouse. The dupatta was rust and the veil rose in color and I loved the combination of colors. I wanted to wear an uncut diamond set with this outfit, but I wanted something that was different to match the unique outfit. We combed through many jewelry stores in Kolkata and found the perfect set. It was a combination of uncut diamonds, filigeree gold balls, south sea pearls, and ruby lites. The ruby lites were a nice contrast against the blue blouse. My bangles and hair piece were designed by a very good friend Vasundhara, who owns a semi-precious jewellery store in Kolkata. I paired this outfit with gold strappy Jimmy Choos. Kunal wore a sherwani paired with a dhoti designed by Just Men in Mumbai.


Reception Lehenga by all-time favorite designer Shantanu & Nikhil
The reception had a very European feel with white décor, orchids and roses. I considered wearing a gown, but because I had mehendi on, I picked a very contemporary lehenga by Shantanu & Nikhil. The skirt of this lehenga had a fun feel and was very voluminous. It was a sheer material printed with blue, silver and light lilac patterns, but the white underskirt gave it a white/silvery look. The blouse was a metallic silver blouse, with a white net dupatta which had a combination of antique silver and bright silver motifs. This outfit needed a very modern set. My friend, Anand Datwani, owner of Kyra Jewelers in Dubai designed this. We first picked the shape and the kind of diamonds we wanted (round, pears, marquise). Then a shell was made and we actually got to place the diamonds in different places to get the right look. This is my favorite set as I was involved in its creation. I paired this outfit with two diamond bangles and silver Manolo Blahnik Peep Toe Pumps.

For the Welcome party and youngsters night, I wore an electric custom blue gown designed by Falguni & Shane Peacock. It had their trademark jewels and feather work at the waist. For my mehendi, I wore a light pink Sana Safinaz outfit with an off-white vine crown in my hair. For the Ghadi Pooja, I wore a self designed peach saree. For good luck, I wore my mother’s wedding set – a vintage gold necklace with jhumkas.

Wedding Shopping
My style is simple but contemporary (and girlie). So for my trousseau shopping I wanted a mix of dresses, gowns, sarees. I shopped at Ayesha Depala and Monisha Jaisingh for gowns/dresses and Manish Malhotra, Shantanu & Nikhil, Anamika Khana, Sana Safinaz for sarees and suits. I also picked up a few Herve Leger, Alice+Olivia, DvF and Rebecca Taylor pieces from the US.

Shikha & Sunny

Their Story
Sunny and I met through common friends and got married in Mumbai. My bridal wear was a blend of style and comfort along with tradition. Being a fashion designer myself I knew what I wanted, which made things easy as well as challenging too. “Some brides take a decision quickly, and some slowly- so I don’t really have a pointer on what should be bought when. It’s all a matter of luck and your personal choice.

Wedding Wardrobe !
Anamika Khanna lehenga for Mehndi
I wore a maroon Anamika Khanna lehenga for her mehndi. I wanted something light and nothing over the top for my mehndi. I loved this creation at Anamika’s store in Delhi because it was dressy but at the same time not gaudy or too elaborate. It had a short choli with small border at the sleeves and at the bottom. The lehenga had lots of kalis and 10 inch broad border at the bottom with the color combination of purple, green and blue that accentuated the entire outfit. The fabric was velvet giving it a very rich look. I teamed it up with a net mango color dupatta with the thick border as was on the lehenga.


I teamed it up with a pair of Chaand balis by Lista Jewels and kept her hair in soft curls. Vinod did my make-up for the day and kept the eyes very dramatic that summed up the whole look.


Tarun Tahiliani for Wedding & Reception

With only one and half month left before the wedding, I was still not getting what I wanted. I visited Tahiliani’s store and loved an anarkali there which formed the inspiration for my wedding outfit. We reworked the entire outfit. I liked the embroidery and the colors and used them as the base for my wedding lehenga. It had different shades of pink – bubblegum pink with a slightly darker shade in the lehenga and a shade going towards maroon in the border. It had beautiful traditional gotta work and the lehenga was embroidered from top to bottom with a thick border at the bottom.

I had two dupattas- the one on the head was a light net dupatta with light embroidery and the second dupatta was heavily embroidered, shaded and I had it wrapped in a saree style. I decide to dress it up with uncut diamonds for the pheras and my make-up was done by Kapil Bhalla.


The reception was just after the wedding so though I stuck to the same outfit, I changed my make up and hairstyle.”Kapil had tied the bun in such a way that after the pheras it was easier to open it up and style the hair in a little glamorous style. I changed my jewelry and draped the dupatta in a different style. Kapil retouched the make-up and darkened it a bit to go with the mood of the party.”