JANUARY - JUNE 2016

DESTINATION TOURISM BOARDS PARTNER WITH PLANNERS

FROM THE EDITOR

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HE GREATEST TESTIMONY OF VALUING business brought in by weddings into International destinations, is surely the mandate to have a dedicated division within Tourism Authorities to service the Wedding industry. Tuscany and Barcelona as far as we know are fore-fronting such initiatives in Europe.

And let’s face it; destinations within Europe are a new favourite for the Big Fat Indian wedding. And for good reason! With deep-routed culture, grandly picturesque landscapes and over-equipped local event industries, the pleasure of hosting Weddings in Europe is only enhancing.

Of course the ulterior benefits of playing host to a grand wedding lie with the destinations themselves. Which explains the efforts in marketing, promoting and creating awareness being taken by a variety of destinations across the globe.

Perhaps not through a formal division, but definitely through substantial focus and strategy.

We know that win-win situations are the most crucial for businesses and practices to grow and flourish. It will be exciting to see how this develops in the years to come!

Karishma Hundalani karishma@eventfaqs.com

Experiential Celebrations - ExCel is a bi-annual magazine by EVENTFAQS Media - A multi-channel platform focussed on the events, entertainment and experiential industry. For subscription enquiry: info@eventfaqs.com

EDITOR & HEAD - BRAND & CONTENT KARISHMA HUNDALANI karishma@eventfaqs.com +91 98212 80003 PUBLISHER & BUSINESS HEAD VISHAL NAGDEV vishal@eventfaqs.com +91 98212 24987 CFO & DIRECTOR JIMMY CHOUDHARY jimmy@eventfaqs.com +91 98214 28197 EDITORIAL LEAD - EXCEL KANIKA MEHTA kanika@eventfaqs.com +91 98100 18658 EDITORIAL TEAM AANCHAL DHAWAN aanchal@eventfaqs.com +91 98716 50137 ISHA GAKHAR edit@eventfaqs.com RAKHI JERLY rakhi@eventfaqs.com GENERAL MANAGER LIZANN PINTO lizann@eventfaqs.com +91 98339 96461 MARKETING SERVICES TEAM SONAL GUPTA sonal@eventfaqs.com +91 98338 85521 ANUP SHARMA anup@eventfaqs.com +91 99300 89557 CLIENT SERVICING REBECCA FERNANDES rebecca@eventfaqs.com +91 98339 93885 SONAL PATEL patel@eventfaqs.com +91 98339 93226 KRITI JAIN kriti@eventfaqs.com +91 9911 6969 80 DESIGN PRASAD KARAMBAT CIRCULATION & MEDIA MANAGEMENT RAMESH PATIL ramesh@eventfaqs.com +91 22 26300673

ENTRIES OPEN NOW! DEADLINE TO SEND IN ENTRIES: 30 APRIL, 2016 Printed & published by: Vishal Vashulal Nagdev on behalf of (or owned by) EVENTFAQS Media Pvt. Ltd. and printed at VSSU Graphics, Unit # 36, Ideal Industrial Estate Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel-West, Mumbai 400013, Maharashtra, India, and published at EVENTFAQS Media Pvt. Ltd. 112, 1st Floor, Embassy Centre 207 Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021, Maharashtra, India.

Editor: Karishma Jamnu Hundalani.

This issue contains 80 pages including covers.

ACCOUNTS & ADMIN PURVESH BHATT accounts@eventfaqs.com +91 22 26330674 ADMIN SAMIT ILKAR ISSUE DESIGN & LAYOUT VINAYA PRASHANTH vinayaprashanth@gmail.com

CONTENTS Industry Watch

Wedding Planning 6

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POINT OF VIEW Planning To Perfection Bhavnesh Sawhney, Director Wedniksha

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HAPPENING WFM 2015 by FNP Weddings

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Araik Galstyan’s Floral Wedding Show

HAPPENING A Round up of Cricketer Harbhajan Singh’s Nuptials

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Wedtalk-Your Free Wedding App!

Decor & Design 12

POINT OF VIEW The Game Changer Neelabh Kapoor, Director Experiential Weddings by Studio Neelabh

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FEATURE Theme It Like a Dream

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IN FOCUS The Old World Charm by RBLW

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INSPIRATION Memorable Mehendis

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Of Kings & Queens: Stunning Imperial Décor

by Wedniksha

Entertainment 32

Venues 58

INSPIRATION R2S recreates Kashi at an Under-construction resort!

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FEATURE Jewels of Rajasthan

F&B 66

POINT OF VIEW The Winning Formula

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INSPIRATION Never-Seen Before Food Styling Concepts

by Rakhee Jain

Photography & Filming 72

HAPPENING 4-Day Entertainment Bonanza by Touchwood

Destinations 40

COVER STORY A Fantasy in Florence

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POINT OF VIEW A Thailand Wedding For Everyone!

Neha Mehrotra, Director Foreign Wedding Planners

HAPPENING Stylish Cineyug Wedding Captured by Morvi Images

Resources 74

POINT OF VIEW Puneet Gupta, Director Puneet Gupta Invitations

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TREND Gold I Phone by Luxury Souvenir

W E D D I N G P L A N N I N G | POINT of V IE W

PLANNING TO PERFECTION Bhavnesh Sawhney, Director, Wedniksha throws light on the intricacies and peculiarities of successful wedding planning, fostering strong personal relationships and more.

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wedding is an extremely important day in one’s life. It is a memory that will be cherished for the rest of eternity. We, at Wedniksha understand that extremely well. So if a client wants the moon and the stars and is particular that the moon should look a certain way, we will do it to the best of our abilities. Of course, behind the scenes it is nothing but complete madness!

of an emotional connect; instead we become a part of this familial celebration, giving it our very best in order for the client to have a wonderful time.

Very importantly, one must understand that Entertainment alone poses a peculiar array of challenges for which one needs to be prepared. These challenges range from dealing with the demands of the artists to the execution of their performances.

Constantly running against time, it is a challenge to schedule rehearsals for their acts. Furthermore, for any Bollywood or Hollywood artist to grace the occasion, it becomes imperative to have a strong technical setup that does not fail one during the performance.

The key is good management. It lies at the heart of great event planning and more specifically weddings. The goal is to deliver just what the client wants in its best form and on time.

Besides great quality work, be it décor, entertainment, technicals, hospitality and logistics, it is extremely important that one take’s pride in harbouring personal relationships with clients. We do not enter into a contract borne by paperwork bereft 6

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Bhavnesh Sawhney Director, Wedniksha

This involves learning how to communicate with them, sharing a good rapport and working out a schedule fit for both, the artist and the planners. It also involves

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not compromising on the quality of the technical set up.

No doubt, Wedniksha has an advantage as a planner being under the wing of one of the leading event management companies in the country- Wizcraft. It is nothing short of a privilege to be its sister concern. The expertise runs within the company owing to the strong lineage. However, I feel it is also our extremely competitive costs that give us an advantage.

One cannot deny the kind of expertise we have gained as a company from our beloved property, IIFA. It has taught us everything there is to know about entertainment at an event. Having such a strong background of IIFA, we deal with many crucial aspects of entertainment, with utmost ease. Managing the hospitality of celebrities at IIFA has also made us experts on that front. We use this knowledge with utmost humility to make our weddings, par excellence.

Other properties like South African of the Year awards that we organize in collaboration with Wizcraft every year, has only been an added feather in our cap. It makes us stronger in our event management and show running along with artist management as a result of working with international sensations like Nicole Scherzinger and Jason Derulo.

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Planning is crucial, be it a wedding that is executed in India or internationally.

While the aesthetics of wedding planning remain the same throughout the world.

Familiarity with the homeland makes it easier to organize weddings within the country. There isn’t a language barrier, to start with. Moreover, the working culture across the country is largely the same, making it easy to coordinate with vendors. For instance, we are so extremely comfortable working in Udaipur that it is like home to us, which obviously helps us, achieve near perfection in our planning.

It is the same if not easier to execute weddings internationally. International weddings may mean dealing with people with unfamiliar traits but their sheer level of professionalism is noteworthy. We have fostered great relationships with properties and vendors across the globe.

The expertise that we have mustered over the years has made it possible for us to execute flawless weddings nationally and internationally.

Another point I would like to mention is that the process of securing permissions was pretty tedious at one time. Now with the kind of development and efforts made by bodies like EEMA, it is becoming simpler by the day. The process is largely systematic.

Harmonious relationships with vendors are extremely integral in the execution of a wedding. There needs to be a rapport formation, wherein their wavelengths should match with yours. It is integral that the planner treats the vendor like a part of his/her own team reaching towards a common goal. This commonality of goal and the desire to execute a successful event acts as the driving force for some truly works.

Working with familiar vendors is indeed a solution. The rapport formation has already been done and there is mutual trust between the vendor and the planner, which is the key to a successful event.

We are hired by clients to make their lives easy and create memorable experiences.

Being a renowned brand, we only work with the best of vendors, which rules out the problem of them, being delayed in their work or providing substandard services. We ensure that their level of expertise and professionalism is at par with us, in order for us to work with each other as a great team.

Teamwork is very important to produce a special experience. Since we are the face to the client, we ensure in this way, that we don’t ever have to deliver anything but sheer brilliance.

W E D D I N G P L A N N I N G | P HOTO FE ATU RE

Bowled Over: A Round up of Cricketer Harbhajan Singh’s Nuptials The wedding celebrations of Cricketer Harbhajan Singh and model Geeta Basra featured 6 events, all showcasing different themes and an assortment of performances among a guest list that included top notch cricketers and politicians.

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ricketer Harbhajan Singh married model Geeta Basra in true Punjabi style and flamboyance. The wedding celebrations featured 6 events, executed entirely by The Bridal Network.

Most of the events took place at Club Cabana, Phagwara, Punjab while two celebrations including a post-wedding reception took place in New Delhi.

Invitations were produced by EDC.

The Gurdwara Wedding

The Mehendi

An elaborate lunch was hosted following the Gurdwara wedding. A subtle peach and ivory theme was used to decorate the venue, especially because it was an afternoon event. Interestingly, popular singer Jassi Siddhu delivered a performance at the party.

The wedding pheras saw Sachin Tendulkar, Aakash Ambani and various other eminent personalities in attendance. A red and white colour scheme was incorporated, keeping in mind the nature of the celebration.

The Post Wedding Lunch

A Vibrant Mehendi designed in a fuschia, orange and yellow colour palette was the perfect kickstart to the celebrations.

The Chura Ceremony

The Bollywood Night

This very special celebration had a yellow and white theme which was accentuated by décor elements like kaliras, florals and crystals!

A Bollywood themed night was organized at a private farmhouse in New Delhi.

Catering at the event was done by Seasons Catering. Decor featured a thematic entrance and decor inspired from various Bollywood blockbusters. The event had in attendance, Virat Kohli, Yuvraaj Singh, Sangeeta Bijlani, Manpreet Goni amongst various other celebrities.

The Sangeet The Punjabi Pind themed Sangeet at Club Cabana, Phagwara saw popular Punjabi singers Mika Singh, Gurdas Maan and Navraj Hans deliver sensational performances at the event. The venue was adorned in vibrant fabrics and bright hues of orange, pink, yellow and blue colours.

The kitschy truck bar looked absolutely apt and in sync with the theme. Lounges with low seating also added to the Punjab vibe. Elements like a cart with bangles, a Vespa for the photo-op and a rickshaw for the bridal entry added fun to the gala.

The Reception

Karan Paul Director, The Bridal Network

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A pink, silver and white Post-Wedding Reception was held at Taj Palace, New Delhi. Amongst the attendees seen were, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ex-Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, Kapil Dev, Mohommad Azharuddin and an array of top politicians and known faces from Delhi's social circuit.

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Celebrated wedding designer and award-winning planner, Neelabh Kapoor, Director, Experiential Weddings

by Studio Neelabh explains the science of beautifying large format weddings and tells us how crisis management, client management and ‘out-of-the-box’ ideas are the table turners!

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oday there is definitely more emphasis on design for weddings than ever before.

Larger format weddings bring in larger than life expectations. Today, clients are more aware about prevalent trends, expectations are higher and the idea has to be unique.

Similarly, for a wedding reception organized by EWD in Kerala, the client had a ginormous VVIP guest list, which would make it nothing short of a royal gathering. Yet, we wanted to furnish a decor setup that was minimalistic and contained elements from the family’s roots. I genuinely feel that we ended up recreating a rather emotional element in the overall setup.

The focus is usually towards a concept; a concept either in the minds of the family or as an expectation from the agency.

During a recent wedding we executed for the Boda family of XXX, the client requested for a concept that showcased the love of the bride and groom.

We ended up creating a replica of the Eiffel Tower surrounded by elements from the streets of the City of Love - Paris. I feel large scale weddings focus on structural installations rather than merely floral decoration. This involves more planning and architectural exactness in design to avoid any hassles during the final execution. Creating a design is no rocket science, the planning and execution is what really counts!

Sometimes Indian weddings are influenced by internationally prevalent concepts and trends. However, it ultimately depends on what the couple or family have in mind. Internationally prevalent concepts are usually used as stepping stones and reference points only. At Experiential Weddings by Studio Neelabh, our primary focus is to deliver something new, to showcase concepts that have not necessarily been tried before.

We definitely take influences from European and colonial architecture but almost never end up using a concept that has been tried in some other part of the world. I also feel that clients have a better eye for detailing and soft furnishing these days and at EWD, we believing in adapting to the tastes of each client and adding a personal touch through 12

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To sum up, in my opinion, working as per the client’s expectations and focusing on eliminating any possible crisis while delivering, is the winning formula.

Decor as an independent element does not require much coordination and consent with the wedding planners as such. However, to ensure proper time management and space for production, to understand venue limitations and rules, floor plans, etc. it is very important to work in sync with all other stakeholders.

precision, planning and top notch service.

Trends keep evolving, but it is important to express the client's vision through once work just as we did while creating a recent set based on The Royal Gardens theme.

That is why, at EWD, we mostly prefer to provide turnkey solutions as it provides us better access to client expectations, time management and planning, one to one interactions with the client helps us in securing better control than have a mediation. We are an end product and service agency.

Larger than life sets do have the grandeur that most families look for.

However, very importantly, one must know and understand that the winning formula is to provide the customer with what was promised

It would be incorrect to say that decor alone can make a wedding succeed.

However, it helps hugely in bringing the whole event together under one concept, one feel. The decor is the first impression that a guest has of the wedding. ‘

During a recent wedding that was held in Karjat, a larger than life set, as planned was executed by the production team in record time, but, unexpected rains led to elements of the set falling apart! What saved the day was the sense of crisis management displayed by the production team. That is what really ensured that things were back in control before the event began.

Decor is the face of the event and while content is the soul. Service is the connecting dot between both. In terms of feel and value add, I feel decor holds about 80% value in the whole experience. Food, entertainment and decor are a must for a successful wedding.

D E C O R & D E S I G N | P OIN T of V I EW

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D E CO R & D E S I G N | F EATURE

Here’s a preview of 5 themes used in this season’s social events that looked like they are straight out of a dream!

A WINTERY WHITE WONDER

As the wedding industry grows bigger each season, many young and competent décor companies and wedding designers are emerging alongside. With them, emerge fresh concepts, neverseen-before themes and innovatively ideated experiences.

This fantasy-like creation by Pomegranate exuded an 'Architecture meets Art' vibe! The lace inspired couple stage with floral chandeliers, cascading pearls and crystals is sure to make you swoon. Not to mention the circular lounges with floral installations and drapes suspended from the ceiling to the floor creating an opulent look and feel.

However, there are certain times when the décor and ambience at an event just makes one go weak in the knees. Perhaps it is a result of the colours used, or the type of flowers that adorn the venue, or the gorgeous props, or all of these. In other words, small details come together to create a harmonious whole.

An island bar was created with bamboos and exotic flowers suspended from the ceiling. A wrought iron gazebo made for a mini bar at the event and gothic ceiling artistry combined with dreamy florals looked absolutely marvelous.

It really becomes difficult to pin point what exactly lends that ‘WOW’ factor to these celebrations, doesn’t it?

Here’s a preview of 5 themes used in this season’s social events that looked like they are straight out of a dream!

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French landscaping was done and lampposts were used creating a forest of light for a magical look at the entrance. Other elements included exotic flowers, drapes and rich linen in the dining area.

Candelabras beautified with lilies, orchids and chrysanthemums made for ideal centerpieces on the dining tables.

D E C O R & D E S I G N | FE AT UR E

LAVENDER LOVE This simple yet enchanting lavender inspired decor and ambience was created by Devika Narain for a distinguished client's private dinner. The event took place at the client's residence in New Delhi.

Inspired by the hues of the lavandin, the award-winning designer created tables made of lace with pastel flowers set against solid lavender. Fresh, dried lavender was filled in bowls and set out on tables. Check out these paintings on the walls, made of real flowers!

Speaking of the concept, decor designer Devika Narain elaborates, "My trip to the South of France earlier this year, manifested in the most gorgeous setting for this dinner party. It was almost like being back in Provence!�

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D E CO R & D E S I G N | F EATURE

A FASHIONISTA IN A FAIRYTALE Shikha Jain, the wife of Rajeev Jain, Director Rashi Entertainment celebrated her 40th Birthday in a gorgeous fairytale setting conceptualized and managed by Rashi Entertainment at Nandiya Gardens, Maurya Sheraton.

The decor was a fusion of an English Garden and a Fairytale theme. Lots of white floral work and lace table overlays added the ‘WOW’ factor to the pleasant afternoon.

Decor included a Cinderella swing, antique white weathered wooden doors whisking one into little quaint Italy, a Ringing Bell prop, a Wish Wall, a Snow White and a Mirror installation, a thematic Flower Cart and more!

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D E C O R & D E S I G N | FE AT UR E

A FRENCH FANTASY This extremely elegant, French themed wedding that was designed, conceptualized and produced recently by FNP Weddings at The Ritz, Ambience Golf Drive, Gurgaon. The venue is also managed by FNP Weddings.

The colour palette featured pristine white with yellow lighting.

Decor included mirrors inspired by the gothic era. Exotic flowers like white calla lilies, green anthurium, white chrysanthemum and carnations adorned the venue.

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D E CO R & D E S I G N | F EATURE

A GORGEOUS FARM-THEMED BIRTHDAY This lovely Birthday celebration was designed and executed by With Love, Nilma- a popular social events designer in Bangalore.

The decor featured burlap, hay, colourful buntings, pompoms and more! Photography was handled by BS Abhineet. A lovely thematic cake was produced by Ms K Cupcakes while the delicious cakepops and cookies were dished out by Bonbonniere.

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D E C O R & D E S I G N | FE AT UR E

A TRUE BABY HAVEN Designer Events Inc produced this absolutely adorable Pink N’ Blue Baby Shower last month at Lavanya Dreams, New Delhi.

The client wanted something cute and a lot of fun! Baby pink and Powder blue were the choice of colours used.. Adorable handmade props were used by Designer Events Inc to deck up the venue.

From flowers to drapes, table covers to centerpieces everything was made to make the venue look like a baby’s haven!

The centre of attraction was the Photo area, which had a cradle along with a floral backdrop and customized photo boards.

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D E CO R & D E S I G N | INSPIRAT ION

RBLW SHOWCASES OLD WORLD CHARM AT ITS VERY BEST...

For this spectacular experience created by Rohit Bal Luxury Weddings, the whole concept of old world charm was taken to the next level.

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t appears that bringing back traditional weddings and simplicity with a pinch of glam is what Rohit Bal Luxury Weddings strives for! For this spectacular experience created by the design and décor agency, the whole concept of old world charm was taken to the next level. The idea was to make attendees feel as if they were attending a wedding 300 years ago, yet in signature Rohit Bal style!

The idea was to make attendees feel as if they were attending a wedding 300 years ago!

The concept, decor and designing of the event were handled by the highly sought after wedding design and decor agency headed by one of India's top fashion designers, Rohit Bal. Ace wedding filmer, Badal Raja Company has truly captured the essence of these wedding celebrations. Production, Fabrication and Venue Construction was amongst the responsibilities of R2S Events.

A Sangeet in Sheesh Mahal Inspired by the Jaipur blue, the entire space was draped in ultra-luxurious made to order Jaipur blue velvet! The entrance

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Rohit Bal

D E C O R & D E S I G N | IN S PIRAT I O N

featured a 300 feet long candle wall walkway with Rajingandha and Mogra for fragrance! Entering the canopy, the guests were met with a 40 feet long opulent central floral table of exotic florals and candles and beautiful mirrorwork candelabras, which were specially made for this event.

Mirror pedestals with exotic flowers like cymbidiums, iris, vanda orchids, hydrangeas and peonies were used. Exquisite large block printed tapestries were hung on the walls. Beveled mirror pedestals of various sizes were placed all through the space with mirror work and hammered metal candelabras.

The 40 feet long sunburst beveled mirror island bar was specially crafted for the night and had a 20 feet dia in-lit Rohit Bal signature fabric chandelier, dropping to eye level just 8 feet from the ground!

The dining area was cordoned off for the first half of the evening and was revealed soon after the place was packed. The decor of the dining was a fusion, ranging from block printed table overlays to beautiful floral arrangements, which were placed on long tables.

The lounges were specially designed with intricate details like takhats and beautifully detailed, Rohit Bal printed cushions.

The after party later, moved to the sound proof arena which was specially designed to be a nightclub! Musicians Micah and Ruben from Ibiza were flown down for the same!

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D E CO R & D E S I G N | INSPIRAT ION

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D E C O R & D E S I G N | IN S PIRAT I O N

The Traditional Temple Wedding Tall gilded gold foiled South Indian temple carved pillars marked the walkway for guests along with different heights of gold foiled lotus shaped urlis filled with flower petals and candles. At the entrance to the main space, Ravanahatta players sitting on the balcony of the venue (the client’s lavish residence), overlooking the crowd recited various shlokas! In the middle of the driveway stood a canopy draped in flowers and a 15 feet dia floral chandelier under which the bride groom exchanged their varmalas.

The entrance to the canopy featured exquisite cut glass shamadaans and innumerable candles. The fabric maestro conceptualized the entire canopy to be draped in rich burgundy velvet against ivory malmal pleating!

Octagonal velvet sofas were especially produced with beautiful central installations of shamadaans and gold plated candle stands.

Stunning Bordeaux velvet gold foiled cushions were especially created for the wedding. The reception stage was not the usual stage you see at weddings; no raised platforms, no stage backdrop! RBLW created a floating canopy with a heavy floral work mushroom and tassels dropping from it. 3 sides were cordoned off with shamadaans, candle stands and loads of candles.

From the ceiling of the dining area, gorgeous floral chandeliers were hung, while tables had velvet overlays with gota work and rich chamundi silk runners with Rohit Bal motifs in khadi print, taking inspiration from the old world! Floral arrangements in ceramic pots with only Indian flowers and brass thalis adorned the tables.

Nested in a small lawn, an arch structure with a floral shower and loads of brass temple hangings made for the South Indian temple inspired Mandap. The carved pillars of the Mandap were gold leafed and enormous attention to detailing was truly evident in the area as was in each element of décor throughout the venue.

The first touch point as one entered was a cluster of tress draped in flowers, brass hangings and lots of ornaments. While the floor below was fragrant with rose petals and beautified further with crystals shamadaans.

A ‘Vann’ (forest) feel was given to the entrance, which also proved to be a great photo op for the guests. Moving ahead, beautiful carved deewan seating upholstered in rich damask invited guests to take a seat.

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D E C O R & D E S I G N | TRE N D

A Vintage Mehendi by Elusive Dreams

Here’s a glimpse of some truly offbeat Mehendis where the décor and concept were unique and had a refreshing, fun vibe to them.

Kitschy Mehendis are passé and how! Although bright, multicoloured décor, lots of bangles, the tarot card reader and the truck bar seem like the perfect elements for a fun Mehendi celebration, the truth is that these elements have been over used and these type of Mehendis are done to death!

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Interestingly, this wedding season witnessed some Mehendi celebrations where the décor and concept were kept offbeat and interestingly each had a refreshing, fun vibe to them making them truly ‘Memorable Mehendis’. Take a look!

D E C O R & D E S I G N | T R END

TAMBOURINE TALES… This Mehendi designed by Devika Narain was based on a Tambourine inspired concept since the client wanted something festive and fun for their first function in Delhi. The entire theme revolved around 'daphlis' but was interestingly merged with Moroccan elements.

The colour palette included hues of Coral, Pista and Aqua! Accentuating the Moroccan feel, lanterns and brass candle votives served as apt centerpieces. The patterned fabric used on the walls and ceilings made the entire décor stand out beautifully.

Custom designed jaalis with stained glass details made for a vibrant backdrop. The focus was less on the flowers and more on the lights, since this was an evening event.

MOROCCAN DELIGHT! Pomegranate designed and conceptualized a vibrant Moroccan themed Mehendi, which featured bright multi-coloured khemas, turquoise drapes, arches and luxurious wall carpets!

A floral bridal stage with scented flowers was created by the agency. Interestingly, a Jaali concept courtyard was recreated at the centre of the party for the guests to lounge.

Exquisite blown glass chandeliers adorned the ceiling with multicoloured Moroccan hangings while the entry passage of arches set the mood for what the guests could look forward to!

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D E CO R & D E S I G N | TREN D

VINTAGE VIBE The bride to be wore a hot pink outfit so it could stand out in this lime green and orange decor set up produced by Elusive Dreams.

From customized quote boards to distributing ghungru bracelets, everything was done as per the bride's brief!

Elephant, camel and horse props at the entrance to welcome the guests turned out to be a unique element that also looked absolutely gorgeous!

There were 4 different photo-ops that were created. In one, different sized frames were hung for guest to take pictures.

Another had a decorated cycle along with boards. The third one was a lovely vintage ladder with the love alphabets along with florals to add some colour to it. While the fourth, had a swing, which was also the designated area for the bride.

A GLIMPSE OF K ASHMIR! Prasang Events designed and executed this Kashmir theme for a Mehendi in Ahmedabad.

Customized pillows and bolsters were printed according to the theme and used across the venue. A live Kahva stall served the region’s specialty to accentuate the Kashmiri feel! Lot of tulips were used for floral décor.

Kashmiri style baskets hung while Shikaras were created and installed. The menu was designed by a team of three Kashmiri chefs who were flown to Ahmedabad specially for the event. A lavish variety of Kashmiri street food was available for guests to indulge in.

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D E C O R & D E S I G N | IN S PIRATIO N

Think Royal palaces, massive fountains, and lustrous gardens! Subtle tones of grey and matt gold were used to create this magnificent theme.

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his Wedding Reception in Ahmedabad witnessed one of the most extravagant and unique wedding décor concepts to have ever been executed in the city! Think Royal palaces, massive fountains, and lustrous gardens!

Hospitality, wedding planning and management was taken care of by Gujarat based leading agency World Wide Weddings while the décor was conceptualized, designed and executed

by Wedniksha.

Subtle tones of grey and matt gold were used to create this magnificent theme.

A ginormous metal gate incorporated the couple’s logo in its intricacies and led guests in to the seemingly never-ending lawn venue, giving them the perfect welcome.

The walkway laden with floral rings and chandeliers above and candelabras on either side became the royal passage of movement.

Guests were treated to an optical illusion right as they walked in and out of rain without getting wet! A larger than life installation of galloping horses was crafted to perfection, becoming the centre of attraction at the event.

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Until of course, the next element met the guests’ eyes; beautiful trees with lights.

This again made for a striking feature of the décor.

In consistence with the theme, the two stages- the reception stage and the artiste stage were created with intricate work including embossed lions and royal motifs along with water fountains.

While, the food area was a wondrous mix of beautiful customized linen, floral centerpieces and lights. The silver spoon dining for the family at the Sajankot was enhanced with exquisite décor while the ambient panels were a work of art with intricate detailing.

A stunning lounge was also created for the guests to sit back and enjoy the evening.

Exquisite florals imported from various parts of the world were beautifully arranged to create centerpieces and other elements in every section of the venue.

From being used as rings on chandeliers, in roman pots to being used as table runners, they added lush to the overall décor.

Popular singer Adnan Sami, graced the occasion and enthralled the mesmerized guests with his melodious voice.

D E C O R & D E S I G N | IN S PIRAT I O N

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4-Day Delhi Wedding by Touchwood Group featuring an Entertainment Bonanza The agency delivered 10 celebrations over 4 days with larger than life setups, hospitality and transportation for 400 high profile guests in 3 different hotels, a huge artist lineup, international acts and customized designer fireworks!

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prominent name amongst agencies creating high-octane, power-packed entertainment-led celebrations, Touchwood Group focused on integrating creativity, technology and communication to create high-quality entertainment for this project.

Flaming Trio Bartenders, a Nitrogen Duo and much more.

A Cocktail of Singing Sensations

A Soulful Start The celebrations started with a traditional ‘Mata Ki Chowki’ and featured a performance by renowned singer Richa Sharma.

A Power Packed Youngsters The next extravaganza was the Youngsters held at the Grand, Vasant Kunj. An unusual Victoria’s Secret Garden was showcased, featuring a twist with Saints and Sinners! The event witnessed numerous artists and acts such as DJ Akbar Sami, Jugglers, Water Drummers, 32

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“It was one of the biggest weddings we've handled so far, with 10 functions in 4 days, 200 rooms, logistics, massive production and a huge artist line up! The hard work of 6 months was well paid off when after the last function wound up at 7:00 a.m., the client's family clapped for the Touchwood team!”

Vijay Arora Director, Touchwood Group

The cocktail featured sensational performances by Niti Mohan, Atif Aslam and Terrence Lewis, a trampoline act and body painters flown in especially from the UK. The event featured a New York Times Square theme, which was created by Q Events by Geeta Samuel, while Gitikka Ganju Dhar and Ritvik played the perfect hosts. The event concluded with people swaying to DJ Shadow’s remixes.

A Melodious Sagan This ceremony was more of an intimate affair and after the families exchanged gifts and blessed the couple, guests were left enchanted by Sona Mohapatra’s melodious voice followed by groovy numbers by DJ Sumit Sethi.

E N T E RTA I N M E N T | HAPP ENI NG

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A Baraat that will make you go Bonkers!

This absolutely crazy, 4-hour long baraat procession was led by dancers in vintage cars, followed by a customized truck that had raging Punjabi singers Manj and Raftaar performing, 51 dholis and the groom on a rath! Exorbitant fireworks added to the glitzy ambience.

Bollywood Bonanza The Reception took place at Veda, Bijwasan and was attended by over 2000 guests. The artist lineup and acts for the evening included an iPad magician, a Bubble act, Raga Trippin, Amisha Patel, Raveena Tandon, Zarine Khan, Sonu Sood, Hussain, and heartthrob Ranveer Singh and last but certainly not the least, singing sensation Rahat Fateh Ali Khan!

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D E S T I N AT I O N S | COV E R S TO RY

International Destinations Value Indian Weddings!

Official Destination Tourism Boards Partner with Planners

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here’s no longer any fun in hosting a wedding in a destination unless the destination itself, together with its culture, landscapes, art and expertise becomes part of the events.

Featuring unique venues, local expertise and sourcing suppliers from within the destination is the new norm. It’s also what’s leading to distinct differentiation between weddings hosted in varied international destinations.

It’s encouraging therefore, that local authorities are realising the value and impact such activities have to the destination, and offering assistance in formal, accessible and structured manners.

A Planner + Tourism Board partnership is becoming the way forward to ensuring a destination wedding has the best suppliers and the most exclusive access to venues and locations!

ExCel speaks to top international wedding destination representatives to understand their take on this quicklyestablishing trend, and how they intend to strengthen it…

Harness local expertise and talent in the #1 International Wedding Destination: FLORENCE Florence and Tuscany are already very popular and leading Italian destinations for International Weddings (42% of the Global wedding market share is in Tuscany, and 19% in Florence).

International weddings can also be considered as stunning and spectacular events that involve many local professionals such as five star and boutique hotels and venues, DMCs, tourism boards and premium partners such as photographers, jewelers, florists, caterers, wedding décor, couture designers, furniture rentals in a powerful business driven environment.

Thanks to its location, Florence is the perfect destination for weddings: in the heart of Tuscany and Italy, there are many magnificent and outstanding Palaces and Villas, as well as the landscapes, scenarios and terraces.

Assistance to Indian Wedding Planners Florence, known to many as the birthplace of Italian Renaissance, is considered one of the finest wedding destinations in the world. In fact, the city already hosted weddings of celebrities like Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, Melissa Joan Hart and Mark Wilkerson, daughter of the Jindals, an Indian tycoon.

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Carlotta Ferrari, Director

Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau Tuscany for Weddings Division Thanks to these previous stunning events, Florence and its local players have acquired the know-how to host International and big weddings and all our partners already have the expertise to know what these special guests want and need.

With more than 180 members, ‘Tuscany for Weddings’, the dedicated division of Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau, will provide the best suppliers and will support the client in each stage of the event organization to find the best rate for any kind of wedding in Florence or Tuscany.

Also, Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official partner of the Florence Municipality and can provide special benefits and services such as the availability of exclusive locations in many of the prestigious venues of the city.

D E S T I N AT I O N S | COV E R STO RY

Mercedes Garcia

Lubaina Sheerazi

Take advantage of the best logistic-capabilities in this Trendy Yet Historic Haven: BARCELONA

While on one hand pro-longed experience of hosting weddings and events can be a great incentive to choose a destination, sometimes it just requires hosting one high-profile wedding to put a destination on the map!

The city of Barcelona is one of the top five worldwide destinations for events. This is due to the fact that it is a highly attractive destination for all its cultural, gastronomic, social amenities and more. The city is always on the forefront of what’s new, what’s trendy while deeply valuing its history. And also because it is logistically prepared to host any type of event, such as, but not limited to, grand scale weddings, as you can see.

Welcoming, friendly, accessible and easy to navigate, Barcelona boasts all of the elements essential to hosting spectacular weddings of all sizes. Known for its world-class hospitality, Barcelona provides the perfect backdrop for all occasions with a talented travel and tourism community ready to create the most appropriate atmosphere to match any wedding’s identity, ideas, and aspirations. In Barcelona, the possibilities are endless.

Assistance to Indian Wedding Planners Barcelona Weddings Tourism is the best source of information as well as the gateway to planning weddings in Barcelona. Wedding planners benefit from our experience and knowledge of the city as a wedding destination.

Our partners have undergone a significant selection process based on quality and excellence. At Barcelona Wedding Tourism we are happy to promote the city as a destination for weddings, and offer our free advisory services to all professionals considering Barcelona to celebrate a wedding.

Mercedes Garcia, Director Barcelona Weddings

A hidden-jewel of a destination, re-discovered through Indian Weddings: OMAN Destination weddings give a great impetus to a destination's image and tourism receipts. Indian weddings are larger than life affairs and when an Indian wedding takes place in a foreign destination it leads to an excellent marketing boost to the destination.

Oman as a travel destination had limited awareness in India, however after a few high profile weddings, which had celebrities like Sonam Kapoor in attendance, the brand image of the destination along with awareness has increased tremendously.

As a PR activity, when these celebs start mentioning the destination in their social media handles, the destination knowledge increases among their humongous followers.

Also, when people travel for destination weddings, they get an opportunity to experience a new destination and many of them extend their stay and explore the country. Word of mouth marketing also increases when a family gets exposed to a new destination like Oman through the medium of destination weddings.

Assistance to Indian Wedding Planners The Ministry of Tourism, Oman assists wedding planners, families, and vendors at different levels. We can assist in visa process or hotel bookings or in some cases also liaise with Oman Air, the national carrier. All assistance offered is purely on case-to-case basis. We also conduct study tours for wedding planners in India that helps them familiarize with Oman so that they can talk to their clients through firsthand experience. We also conduct one-on-one meetings with the planners and host networking events.

Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative Ministry of Tourism | Sultanate of Oman

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D E S T I N AT I O N S | COV E R S TO RY

A FANTASY IN FLORENCE MEW brings together Tuscan charm, a picturesque Florence backdrop and perfectly managed design, decor, entertainment and F&B elements for Mehta-Khemlani wedding in Italy.

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xCel gets a full lowdown on the Big Fat Mehta-Khemlani wedding in Florence. Motwane Entertainment and Weddings (MEW) were responsible for managing all the wedding celebrations that invovled tourism authorities, vendors and crucial elements of Florence / Italy, thus making up the perfect destination weddings!

The 3-day celebration took place across different hotels and venues including The St. Regis and Westin, where guests were housed, and also Villa Corti, a lavish renaissance villa set in a small town in the Tuscan countryside near Florence. Other venues included, Villa Gerini, a 500-year old classical Florentine Villa; Piazza Ognissanti; and Stazione Leopolda.

Dubai-based millionaire Yogesh Mehta’s son Rohan Mehta married London-based designer Roshni Khemlani in Florence.

Yogesh Mehta is one the richest NRI’s in the Middle East. He is the Managing Director of Petrochem, a chemical

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E V E N T PA RT N E R S PLANNING & MANAGEMENT Motwane Entertainment and Weddings (MEW) DÉCOR & DESIGN Wedding Design Company INVITATIONS Vivek Sahni Design F&B Chief Curator: Ritu Dalmia & Diva Italian. Associates: The Kitchen Art Company by Puneet Sikand; Indian Accent; and Italian Chef Frederico Salza FLORALS Tuscany Flowers, Florence TRANSPORT & MANPOWER JD Events, Florence

distributing company. He also owns The Raging Tiger, an events company, which stages a number of concerts and balls across UAE. Over 500 guests flew in from all over the world to attend the mammoth wedding. While Aditya Motwane and team MEW managed various aspects of the celebration, the décor and design was taken care of by Vandana Mohan and the team at the Wedding Design Company (WDC).

D E S T I N AT I O N S | COV E R STO RY

BE N V E N U T I A F I R E N Z E The Welcome Dinner took place at Villa Gerini, a classical Florentine Villa built more than 500 years ago and expanded manifold ever since. The venue boasts of a series of interconnecting chambers, each themed with exquisite tapestry in a signature colour and adorned with well-preserved and decadent furniture, antiques and assorted bric-a-brac.

Walk-around acts included historical living statues, living buffets offering champagne flutes and hors d’oeuvres, strolling musicians at the entrance, and lots more. Medieval pageboys welcomed guests from the cars and escorted them to the entrance while waiters and bartenders were attired in classical finery. An Italian wedding band, DJ Zubeir and DJ Sameer from Dubai performed at the event.

THE HIGHLIGHT An Italian spirits bar offered regional specialties and local flavours, which turned out to be a super-hit.

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A M E L A S T Y L E M E H E N DI The Mehendi ceremony took place the next afternoon at the Marquee at Piazza Ognissanti. What a sight it was to see the colours and vibrancy of the traditional Indian Mehendi ceremony brought to life in the heart of Florence!

Entertainers included Vidya Iyer, Dholwalas, while DJ Zubeir and DJ Sameer continued to belt out popular numbers.

THE HIGHLIGHT A ‘Perfume Bar’ offering custom-designed fragrances as giveaways to the guests!

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D E S T I N AT I O N S | COV E R STO RY

F L IG H T OF FA N TA S Y M E E T S C I RQ U E The grand Sangeet was unveiled at Stazione Leopolda, which was truly a spectacle of sorts and featured everything from the fantastic to the surreal. The experience was brought to life in a semi-industrial space at a former train station!

Walk-around acts included interactive human elements like Stilt-Walkers, Dwarves, Speeding Ostriches and other costumed characters. Cavaliers at the entrance escorted guests from the car down the walkway. Entertainers included Shameer Tandon & band, Dholwalas, and ofcourse the DJ-duo Zubeir and Sameer.

THE HIGHLIGHT Singer Sukhbir’s energetic surprise performance definitely took the cake!

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B A N D B A A J A B A R A AT !

This celebration back at the Marquee at Piazza Ognissanti, featured a grand baraat procession through the main streets of Florence, along the famed Arno river; leading to a traditional wedding ceremony organized in a silver Mandap, decked with roses!

THE HIGHLIGHT Sukhbir in a DJ Van spearheading the Baraat procession!

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D E S T I N AT I O N S | COV E R STO RY

A W I N T E R WON DE R L A N D R E C E P T ION The Reception was hosted at Villa Le Corti in the Tuscan countryside. Stylized winter elements encased in a crystal marquee reflected the moonlight; super-luxe elements like semi-precious chandeliers and a projection-mapped waterfall contributed to making this a classy sit-down affair. Ricardi Brothers performed robust retro and popular tracks while the 2 DJs took over later.

THE HIGHLIGHT The couple dance behind the waterfall screen mapped with projections looked absolutely dreamy and magical!

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D E S T I N AT I O N S | COVER STO RY Speaking of Florence in particular, he added, “Florence is a dream destination for the Great Indian Wedding; in fact, the most sought-out and sorted in Italy. A hand-picked series of larger-than-life Indian weddings over the past few years have engineered a tight-as-nails fit with this glorious city.”

He continued, “Florence’s feline charm runs thick through its air and manifests into a heady delivery of the boutique experience for wedding guests. Nothing speaks better of this than Florence’s endorsement by the ‘uber-swish’ that is used to extraordinary standards across similar landmark destinations worldwide.”

THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF TOURISM AUTHORITIES

Aditya Motwane, Ritu Dalmia & Vandana Mohan

PLANNING IT PERFECT! MEW compiled an exhaustive database of venues, vendors, hotels, government authorities and various other local elements including a resourceful DMC. The clients had already locked-in their preferred Starwood properties for guest accommodation: The St. Regis & Westin Excelsior, both opposite each other on All Saints Square in the heart of the city. Therefore, the local DMC lined up event venues for MEW to select from.

Aditya Motwane, Director, MEW added, “The legacy of previous weddings organized by us in Florence reaped dividends. We knew the management pretty well since we had worked previously with the teams on earlier weddings. Keep in mind that hotels and venues are key and every other process gets moving in accordance.”

The MEW team then met with the local authorities to re-visit all the ‘do’s and don’ts’. This is an aspect that needs to be accorded top priority. Thereafter, the events were all detailed minutely and other vendors were sourced.

DESTINATION FLORENCE: EXPERIENCE EUROPE Having executed several weddings in Europe over the last few years, Motwane explains how it is important to appreciate what the destination offers to an event. He explains, “Let’s talk about Mykonos. It has got advantages like weather, stunning natural landscapes and local hospitality that are unparalleled.

While Venice is a historical wonder of a beauty, it is exuberantly romantic, with a rich culinary tradition to boot. And then, you’ve got Cannes where Riviera glam rests prettily with a new-world meets classic vibe in a well-established convention / fairs / festivals setting.”

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Tourism authorities bridge the gap, pave the way and smoothen the ride. They open doors to hidden local treasures like venues and vendors, and facilitate the overall process to make it glitch-free and hassle-free. They promote the right elements in a manner across all constituencies that enhance the overall working experience.

According to Motwane, the end-result is what matters. “Tourism Boards can create the right buzz about the destination city to maximize what the guests take away from it. From a host family’s and wedding planner’s perspective, it is a match made in heaven, of the behind-the-scenes variety!” He added.

SUPPLIER SUPPORT & VENDOR IDENTIFICATION Suppliers play a pivotal role in the success of a destination wedding. MEW used local vendors for marquees, kitchens, ground transportation, florals, décor props and elements, light and sound, on-ground manpower, dry catering services and in the case of Florence especially – some select F&B brands for their outstanding cuisine.

Across the spectrum, MEW preferred to go with local Tuscan/ Italian vendors to the best extent possible, because they had delivered to spec and on time, in the agency’s previous experience.

This time, it was no different.

“Leveraging an existing relationship with the best regional outfits in a high-end tourism destination is practical and advisable.” Says Motwane.

Further elaborating on his experience while working with suppliers at the destination, he mentioned that vendors in Florence tend to be mid to large-sized in terms of scale because they enjoy a regional footprint all across Italy. This makes them very professional and well organized in terms of service delivery and attitude.

Motwane concluded, “My partner becomes my friend, and this is a very important consideration; because one must take into account the fact that the event type we’re talking about is unique in nature - and certainly not typical for them. Yet, they share a certain cultural affinity and warmth that makes working easy (and blissful perhaps). We've benefitted significantly from this association over the last few projects in and around the region.”

A 'Wedding Specialist' certified by Toursim Authority of Thailand, Neha Mehrotra, Director, Foreign Wedding Planners explains how some small elements, if used intelligently can make it possible for anyone and everyone to have a Thailand wedding!

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oday, destination weddings are not a matter of only the elitest! And when it comes to a destination like Thailand, with close proximity to Indian shores, excellent flight frequency to and from most metros, not to mention, uncomparable fares, the top choice for destination wedding is obvious! The culture similarity, hospitality, value for money among other factors, further ensures that Thailand emerges, as the most preferred destination for Indian weddings abroad. Who wouldn’t mind having a fairy tale wedding on a sandy beach, with blue skies and turquoise water as the backdrop?

Interestingly, most people have a myth that a wedding in Thailand is more expensive and is only for the affluent. But that is far from the truth. A metro wedding in Delhi, Mumbai or Goa could cost much more if not the same as a wedding in Thailand!

Additionally, the quality and professionalism found in Thailand locales is higher in comparison with India, making the entire experience even more fabulous.

We have successfully executed a variety of ‘Budget Weddings’ at different locations in Thailand and we provide A to Z solutions for Thailand weddings. Although some elements seem small, if created intelligently, they significantly reduce the overall budget of a wedding in Thailand.

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Many times we have crafted stunning themes for Thailand weddings using natural products rather than creating full-fledged sets, which not only take a lot of space but also take away from the entire beachy, relaxed and fun vibe of the destination.

For a Moroccan/Arabic theme one could use the hotel's sun beds to create low seating. Similarly, for a poolside event one could use normal hotel beach beds and beach umbrellas to provide a thematic look to the venue, which fortunately turns out to be cost effective too.

In Thailand, another very big advantage is that instead of heavyduty mandaps, one can use bamboo and other natural elements.

Not only do such mandaps provide a befitting beach-side look but remain very budget-friendly. Not to mention the refreshing change that they are from the overdone marigold and roses adorned ones! Don’t you think?

Decor elements like centerpieces and props can also be created using local flowers like Orchids, Roses, Lilies and Chrysanthemums, which are not very heavy on the client’s pocket as a result of being locally available.

If done smartly, detailing can often be so creative and stunning that it takes away the thought of not having spent big-bucks!

D E S T I N AT I O N S | P OIN T of V I EW

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I N D U S T R Y WATC H | HAP P E N IN G

WFM 2015 BY FERNS N PETALS WEDDINGS CONCLUDES ON A HIGH NOTE FNP played host to some of the biggest names in the business of weddings with Daniel Ost, Master Floral Designer from Belgium being the chief guest.

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n September 26, 2015 Ferns N Petals (FNP) Weddings successfully concluded a grand evening to celebrate the fourth edition of Wedding Fraternity Meet (WFM) at The Ritz, Gurgaon. FNP played host to some of the biggest names in the business of weddings with Daniel Ost, Master Floral Designer from Belgium being the chief guest.

The speakers representing the society included prominent names like Naveen Ansal, Business Head, Casa Paradox; Raseel Gujral Ansal-Creative Head, Casa Paradox; Neelam Pratap Rudy and Fashion Designer, Sanjana Jon. The discussion had panelists discussing emerging trends, futuristic weddings and technology trends in the future.

The evening commenced with anchor Nakuul Mehta welcoming guests and introducing moderators Swati Pandya Sood, Director, Ferns N Petals and Samit Garg, Founder & Director, E-Factor to the audience. After a welcome reception, the wedding specialists engaged in a debate on the topic 'Weddings 2020: Society v/s Industry - the scenario of the wedding industry 5 years down the line'.

Vikaas Gutgutia, Founder and MD, Ferns N Petals said, “Wedding Fraternity Meet is an exclusive initiative for the industry to come together and share their expertise on such a big experiential platform. WFM has grown in last 3 years. This year we had the best of brands from across the wedding arena collaborating with us. I would specially like to thank all our associates for their immense valuable support.”

This year there were 2 sets of panelists: one side depicting society and the other depicting the wedding fraternity, each discussing their own perspectives. Speakers representing the fraternity included prominent names like Prince Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Executive Director, HRH Group of Hotels; Aditya Motwane, Founder & Director, Motwane Entertainment & Weddings; Seema Pande, Corporate Director of Sales & Partnerships, Emaar Hospitality Group and Emaar Hotels & Resorts; Nupur Mehta Puri, Editor, Harper’s Bazaar Bride India and Vikaas Gutgutia, Founder & MD, Ferns N Petals.

The evening concluded with stellar performances by Sufi Singer Lalima Dixit and Bollywood Singer Jankee Parekh along with cocktails and dinner.

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Partners at the event included, The Leela, The Address, Ambience Golf Drive, Ritz Carlton, Bvlgari, Khanna Jewellers, Casa POP, Harper’s Bazaar Bride, Ravish Kapoor, Seasons, Food Inc, CCI, Shiv Fruit Mart, Le Chaat, Raskriti, One Up Productions, E-Positive, Katalyst, Carrot Films, EVENTFAQS Media, Imagine Ice, Booze World, Smile & Soul, Vinay Valet and Liviano.

I N D U S T R Y WATC H | HAPP ENI NG

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CELEBRATED FLORAL ARTIST, ARAIK GALSTYAN’S SHOWCASES LATEST DESIGNS AND CONCEPTS The exclusive event featured spectacular installations and exotic arrangements

by Araik Galstyan and was organized by Amici di fiori, a floral academy based in Russia. Prominent personalities of the Krasnador, Russia, as well as guests from Moscow, Rostov-na-Donu, Sochi, Nalchik, Stavropol, Vladimir, Kazan and other cities in Russia and the CIS countries were present at the gathering.

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raik Galstyan’s Floral Wedding Show took place at the Galich Hall, a luxurious banquet hall in Krasnodar, Russia. The event was organized by Amici di fiori, a floral academy in Russia, who brought together prominent personalities of the city, as well as guests from Moscow, Rostovna-Donu, Sochi, Nalchik, Stavropol, Vladimir, Kazan and other cities in Russia and the CIS countries, who came specifically to see this spectacular show.

Guests were engaged in the pre-function area with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres until the doors to the hall opened to unveil the most spectacular installations, decorated with flowers! Amongst these, the most impressive was a chandelier made of 500 white chrysanthemums, hanging above the podium.

Art objects of different shapes and concepts continuously made appearances from behind the stage, leaving audiences awe-struck.

The first part of the evening featured a fashion show, where models came in evening dresses with exotically arranged bouquets in their hands. During a short break after, in the drawing of prizes from sponsors and partners was a bright and fast floral battle between Portuguese Ion Rotaru (assistant to Araik Galstyan) and Vladimir Savinkov from Amici di fiori.

The second part of the show was dedicated to the themes related to weddings. Models in wedding dresses with bouquets of unique flowers moved to the beat of live music, showcasing other art objects and creating a fairytale like ambience.

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L U P D AT E S | H A P P E N I N G

E V E N T PA R T N E R S FLORAL DESIGNER: Araik Galstyan EVENT ORGANIZER, PRODUCTION OF FLORALS AND DECOR: Amici di fiori GENERAL SPONSOR: SC Neometriya PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO FEED: Art de Luxe PHOTO: Geometry and Olga Butko

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I N D U S T R Y WATC H | TRE N D

Wedtalk: Your Free Wedding Invite And Photo Sharing App

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he coolest ‘Save the Date’ and ‘Wedding Day’ invites have finally arrived! The wedding industry has evolved from E-Invites to wedding websites and now it is all mobile. Websites cost time, money and are static! Whereas Wedtalk is completely free, takes less than a minute to set up and is completely responsive and dynamic.

“Our whole endeavor has been to provide a valuable yet free tool in the hands of the bride, groom, family and most importantly the wedding guests!”

Siddharth Bapna Founder, Wedtalk 54

You simply need to download the app, enter the name of Bride, Groom and Date of Wedding to generate your wedding code.

Sign up via Facebook or email to update your event details and guest list on the GO! Thereafter, you will land on your very own personalized Wedding Timeline.

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Just imagine, now you can create a personalized Wedding App in less than a minute, update event schedules, maps, dress codes and more.

You can invite your wedding guests across Facebook, WhatsApp, SMS and Email to RSVP with your unique wedding code and stay connected with everyone on one wedding timeline!

Additionally, you could send out real time alerts and notifications for your important pre-wedding and wedding celebrations, while also sending pre-drafted email invites.

Interestingly you can also organize the collected photos on the App across the multiple events in specific albums.

Saloni Sahaya and Raghav Bajoria, who used the App for their wedding celebrations said, "Inviting guests was really easy on the App! The best part being, I am getting all the pictures my friends and family are sharing at one place.

The event information and real time alerts kept all the guests hooked and updated."

V E N U E S | INSPIRATION

R2S Events Builds ‘The Ancient City of Kashi’ at an Under Construction Resort!

The entire set was brought to life in less than a month. The expanse of the venue spread over 1 hundred thousand square feet employed a 250 people team working around the clock to bring the design to life.

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ollowing a contemporary themed cocktail at the same venue, a stunning ‘Ancient City of Kashi’ themed wedding was designed and conceptualized by Wedding Stylist Rakesh Harjai and produced by R2S Events at Zirakhpur, Punjab.

The event had over 1500 guests in attendance.

Space Planning The production of the event included considerable amounts of civil and landscaping work as the venue was an under construction resort as opposed to a plain canvas such as an open farmhouse, hotel banquet or barren land.

Hence, space planning was of vital importance. Architects and engineering specialists had to be roped in by the agency in order to make the venue, workable! The entire set was brought to life in less than a month.

Venue Construction 2 waterproof hangars were constructed to house 4 specialist Two waterproof hangars were constructed to house 4 specialty restaurants which covered approximately 50,000 square feet of space between the two hangars.

These restaurants featured popular cuisines, where a guest could walk in, book a table, take a seat and be served scrumptious delights exactly like an actual restaurant!

Since the bride was from Uttar Pradesh, the agency decided to highlight the best of UP in the décor; at the same time create something that would inspire romance and symbolize auspiciousness- something that was seeped in history. Finally, Kashi-- the oldest living city in the world was taken as inspiration

by Harjai and showcased with divine detailing by R2S Events.

Alongside, Awadh inspired Mughal architecture was used featuring archways, jharokhas, sheeshas etc.

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V E N U E S | IN S P IR AT I O N

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The Movie-like Set The driveway was lined with diya walls and paintings of the Ghats of Kashi. The grand welcome passage led guests to the groom's arrival area where he would travel via boat to the main stage! The décor was truly akin to the set of a movie.

A 250 feet canal, ended right in the middle of the 152 feet stage which represented the Kashi skyline full of temples. The bride stepped down the spiral stairs of her Zanana Mahal to meet the groom. The tallest structure on the ground was over 50 feet high.

Speaking about the project, Nimit Mehta, Director, R2S Events mentioned, “The Production, Venue Construction and Fabrication of the Zirakpur Project was a heavily pitched battle with several top agencies of Delhi involved and after winning the mandate, I knew that with less than a month at hand, it would be a herculean task which would stretch us to the limit and test our mettle.”

Handling various facets of production, organizing logistics and manpower, R2S made sure that everything came together beautifully and with finesse.

Divine Décor Walls with scriptures, oil paintings, gigantic temple bells, rich fabrics like brocades and velvets, pearl strings, brass flowerpots were used to accentuate the look and theme.

Lounges were scattered all over the venue to provide comfortable seating. Some exclusive lounges were created following the client’s brief to accommodate 400 + VIP guests at the event.

The Wedding Makers Material and Manpower were sourced from all over the country – skilled craftsmen from Kolkata, custom fiber glass pillars from Mumbai, customized fabric from Ahmedabad, specialist light designers and so on. Civil engineers were deployed to ensure that the platforms constructed under the temple structures could withstand the weight of all the iron, wood, pillars, flowers, fixtures, etc.

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“The Production, Venue Construction and Fabrication of the Zirakpur Project was a heavily pitched battle with several top agencies of Delhi involved.”

Nimit Mehta

Director, R2S Events

V E N U E S | FE ATU RE

ExCel gathers glimpses of Rajasthan’s ‘Top 3’ destination wedding venues, details of why they are the most sought after and a sneak peek into big fat Indian weddings and pre-wedding events they recently saw! estination weddings are taking place a lot more than ever before. A few years ago, affluent Indians hosted their special day at beachside venues in Goa. The same weddings then moved to exotic venues in Thailand and today even a French chateaux and other unconventional venues across Europe host big fat Indian weddings!

However, have you ever thought why Rajasthan is the one destination that has continued to play host to some of the biggest

weddings in the world over all these decades and still remains the top choice of wedding destinations for business tycoons, NRIs, celebrities and world famous personalities?

Perhaps owing to these 3 exquisite, world-class venues where each inch of the property oozes unmatched regal charm, heritage and grandeur- something that the most exotic destinations in the world will fail at doing!

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Located on the bank of Lake Pichola, The Oberoi, Udaivilas stands on the 200-year old hunting grounds of the Maharana of Mewar. Spread over a luxurious 50 acres, which includes a 20-acre wildlife sanctuary, The Oberoi Udaivilas affords spectacular views across the verdant gardens and sparkling Lake Pichola.

The hotel's intricate layout of interconnecting domes and corridors reflects the layout of Udaipur itself whose seven lakes are linked by canals.

These domes and walkways are flooded with sunlight, caressed by balmy breezes and offer magnificent views of the lake and gardens.

A Welcome Dinner, Afterparty & Mehendi by Wedniksha Replicating the grandeur of the city of lakes, Wedniksha recently executed the grand destination wedding of yet another distinguished client at Udaipur. From the grand welcome of the guests to the décor and entertainment at the various ceremonies, the wedding celebrations left one and all awestruck.

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The welcome dinner for the guests was hosted at Oberoi Udaivilas, which can safely be counted amongst the most premium palatial properties in the world! The décor elements comprising of a golden tree on the stage and florals scattered as centerpieces complemented the beauty of the stunning hotel. The night was heated up by the performance of Benny Dayal post the revelation of the couple, hosted by anchor Shruti Seth.

The after-party that followed was the definition of a fun-filled night. Designed in three sections, the Buddha Bar made for the favourite spot of the guests. The entertainment for the night included extravagant performances by Samba and podium dancers, while playboy bunny dressed girls along with bar jugglers added to the charm. DJ Suketu then took over the night only to make everyone dance to the hottest tunes of the year.

The next day witnessed an extremely vibrant and folk inclined Mehendi.

The pink and orange themed set up accompanied by the abundant use of

florals was the perfect venue to enjoy performances by Rajasthani folk artists and Punjabi singer, Madan Bala Sandhu.

“Udaivillas is one of the most romantic venues in India today.

During a wedding here, although the theme, florals and lights may play an eminent role, the main charm and real grandeur is added by the venue itself!”

Farid Khan Director, Wedniksha

V E N U E S | FE AT UR E

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V E N U E S | FEATURE

The Zenana Mahal This former palace of the royal ladies, is now splendidly transformed to host regal weddings, events and musical soirees.

An integral part of the The City Palace, The Zenana Mahal was built in the early 1600s and has witnessed innumerable royal weddings.

Located at one end of The City Palace, with the large spacious court or the Laxmi Chowk in the center. It was restored and developed as an exclusive open-to-sky venue in 1999-2000 to mark the millennium celebrations.

A 'Royal Circus' themed Sangeet

by A New Knot This royal Sangeet at Zenana Mahal, HRH Group of Hotels was planned and executed by A New Knot-Weddings & Celebrations for a Kenya based Indian family.

Speaking of the pre-planning required, Ketan Sawant, Director, A New Knot 62

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said, "With both families residing out of the country, the conceptualization and planning started a year in advance with the challenging client brief needing us to wrap up everything two months prior to D-Day!"

A glitter artist presented the couple with a painting that he created,live during the event.

A New Knot is a full service company that provides complete consulting services for weddings and personal celebrations.

The agency's role in the wedding entailed detailed planning and managing of all the functions. The Zenanah Mahal, in the Udaipur City Palace provided the backdrop to this Sangeet.

An elegant royal circus was created for the celebration! Q Events by Geeta Samuel was brought on to design and execute the decor.

The entertainment doubled-up as live decor, where uni-cyclists and jugglers dotted the pathway leading upto the venue entrance.

Aerialists kicked off the sangeet and helped in providing an air of elegance that uplifted the spirit of the entire evening.

Sukhbir was the headlining act for the evening followed by a DJ that entertained guests through the night.

“Strong logistics, flexibility of working 24x7 on the set, highest security, friendly staff and immaculate hospitality are the few key benefits that attract event planners to the HRH venues.”

Prince Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar Executive Director, HRH Group of Hotels, Udaipur

V E N U E S | FE AT UR E

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V E N U E S | FEATURE

The 64-room Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, one of the world's largest private residences. The venue, a palace partially managed by Taj Hotels, also houses a museum in addition to serving as the principal residence of the Jodhpur royal family.

The spectacular 26-acre venue is infused with unmatched delights at every turn, exquisite dining experiences, the attentive service of palace butlers, spectacular themed evenings exuding royal tradition and more!

A 3-day Royal Rendezvous by Momente Weddings On Nov 23 last year, Momente Weddings organized a 3-day wedding at Umaid Bhawan Palace. The baraat was a royal procession, with a 21 piece band leading the way. The groom rode on an elephant and was accompanied by sentries and 4 Punjabi Dholis.

The Varmala was held at the Rotunda of the palace, with the bride and her father entering the venue along with six shankh 64

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pandits lining the path blowing the conch to announce their arrival. The couple then exchanged the garlands in the centre, with the guests showering petals from the balconies above. A blessing from the Gods indeed!

family and friends and also a stunning visual act show. Following, the after party moved indoors to the Marwar Hall continuing late into the night.

The pheras were held at the Bardari in the lawns of the palace and made for a stunning affair. A Vedic Vivaah group were chanting shlokas as the couple took their vows. After the pheras, the guests moved into the reception area.

The reception was a sit down silver plated dinner service, with Royal Rajasthani food enjoyed through the 3 course meal.

After wedding ceremony, the bar was thrown open, and an international trio entertained the guests with their soulful melodies as they enjoyed cocktails and canapes. The couple made a grand entry followed by a cake cutting which was accompanied with a spectacular fireworks show.

Entertainment for the guests consisted of live instrumental music, speeches by

“Umaid Bhavan Palace offers it entire property and public spaces for weddings, which gives a very private feel to the wedding, unlike other heritage properties, which only let out a part of the property for weddings.”

Darshan Shroff Director, Momente Weddings

V E N U E S | FE AT UR E

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Industry veteran and celebrated Chef Ishaan Sarkar, CEO, SelectED Events & Dining shares secrets to acing the art of F&B at social events and weddings and discusses the latest culinary trends and innovative concepts this season.

The ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding’ is getting fatter and bigger (read: opulent). Both, guests and clients are well travelled and know what they want. Very often we get to learn from our clients. A lot of it is theme based, from choosing the venue to décor and also the menu and layout. The Bar and the Sajjan Got has taken the focal point; in other words, ‘khatirdari’ is the key.

Ishaan Sarkar

Social events are no different than a rendezvous in itself; all the guests arrive in panache and are dressed to kill. The focus has been on pass around bites; ranging from a Caviar on Blinis and Goose Liver pate to a Chicken tikka with wasabi cream (a SelectED twist), Galaulati Kebab on Bakharni etc.

Sparklings flow like crazy and Single Malt is the aqua vitea.

Everyone likes meetha in the end; be it a Baked Gulab Jamun Cheesecake or a Jalebi Tiramisu are the top favourites from SelectED’s Chef Gaurav Mathur’s repertoire. As they say one for the road, is the good old Paan and its variants; Caramel coated Paan, Chocolate Paan, Smoked Baileys Paan etc.

As the saying goes; “Shringaar toh dulhan ka gahna hota hai”; the pretty girl looks even more beautiful when she is dressed as a bride. I feel presentation is king today: 80% of food is eaten with the eyes and only 20% is savoured by the palette (chuckle!! Don’t get the per plate rates down!)

A lot of people are only party hoppers and visit three to four events each night. Rarely do they indulge unless it is the destination party of the evening. These are all potential clients and unless the catering company can make a statement, it is not possible to get these party hoppers to taste the food. There is a potential loss here. We can only attract the customers with gorgeous presentations. Further, in my opinion there are no standards here; innovation and crazy imagination is the key.

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Formal Sit Down Dinner Set-Up

F & B | P ON T of V I EW

Prawn Mousse Stuffed Squid

Haleem

Flavoured Idlis

Dim Sum Counter

Fruit Popsicles

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F & B | PONT of VIEW However, it is difficult to decide which one is more important, taste or presentation. It is like figuring out which of your children do you love more? You can lead a horse to water – Presentation; but you can't make him drink – Taste. Both are equally important, presentation gives you the ’NAME’; whereas the taste would make memories and in turn give you repeat business. As a specialized catering company we try to keep a good balance between the taste and the presentation. On a couple of occasions, we have played with Molecular Gastronomy where the teams of Vinay Kumar (GM - Ops, SelectED) and Chef Gaurav Mathur (Director-Culinaire, SelectED) have stretched to give an over whelming experience to the client.

dominated approach to an interactive counter approach. So irrespective of the cuisine you could have ‘Chef assisted’ interactive counter giving you a Barbeque counter and another one giving you Chimichangas and yet another one, a Live Dumba (a full lamb roast). Modern Indian Cuisine is a hot favourite at the moment. However the African Churrasco is also gaining popularity.

Very importantly, I feel good synchronization between the planner and caterer plays a pivotal role in the success of a wedding event. It’s like an EPIC love (with a little hate) story of a Bollywood Blockbuster. The planner is the scriptwriter and the director while the catering company is the lead actor. The success of both depends on how well they have acted and supported each other and played their parts. At the end of the day there is a huge responsibility of someone’s, ‘daughter’s wedding’ and come-what-may, it needs to be more than perfect in every way.

Private high-end intimate lunches and dinners are the ‘in thing’.

People are doing these intimate gatherings at their homes and farms. We recently got a French sommelier to do a wine and food pairing for a sit down 8-course meal. Another client wanted to entertain some expats and we needed to showcase the culinary fare of India. Many culinary brains got together to dish out a Modern Indian Thali in a sit down course format. Each course was from a different region of the country.

At a recent event, we had to synchronize our starter circulation along with the sequence of the songs played, as the theme was such. For the celebrities we needed to pass around a particular snack and for someone, completely avoid seafood, as she was allergic to it. All these challenges could only be overcome with clockwork precision and coordination with the event’s team. I feel that 80% of the success of the event depends on planning and 20% on ground implementation.

There are some new F&B trends doing the rounds.

Go Organic: It is a general perception that organic food is boring. But guess what, it can be made just as interesting if not more! You can have way more than just salads. It can be a treat for the health conscious. Try SelectED’s organic butter chicken with organic roti!

Molecular Gastronomy is also catching up in a big way; nitrogen ice creams are the best example.

The trend of food trucks is another big one these days and you can surprise the guests with one at the next wedding you work on! Serve some amazing Chinese cuisines and dim sums in these trucks.

At SelectED we do vertical buffets; this enables guests to view the buffet from far and take a look at the whole buffet. A flat buffet I feel is passé.

Create a specialty restaurant at the venue or create a personalized menu for the guests. Their orders are executed on the spot! SelectED has surprised people by serving omelette with bread and boiled eggs with masala, giving guests a feel of the authentic ‘road-side thela’. Chef Gaurav also dishes out international choices like the Japanese style egg Tamagoyaki, Toast kebab (prawn with chilli salsa topping), Aloo tikki with wasabi, Chicken tikka chaat and Golgappe with Fanta fizz. These are some of SelectED’s Fusion Chaats that our clients love.

Today, catering menus are moving away from a cuisine-

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SelectED specializes in Modern Indian Cuisine giving everything from the nomenclature to the style of presentation, a little surprise/twist. For instance, “makke di roti aur sarso da saag” is presented as Sarso mousse and Makki biscoti!

The 1stcourse was a ‘Paya Soup with Pop Corn’. The 2nd course featured Tandoori Baby Shark and finally came, the grand thali which was ‘Wazwan’ from various regions comprising, Gucci Dum Biryani, Paturi Maach, Nihari, Dhokla Khurchan Chaat, Prawn Malai Curry and so on. Our Jalapeno and Cheddar Kulchas and Enoki Khurmee Naans also proved to be a smashing hit.

The summers saw a huge surge of Pool parties, with live performances, both by artists and my Chefs as well! Weber grills and Robatas were used to the max, dishing out sliders and other meats. The quinoa gallettes and corn on the cob also saw a significant fan following.

There is a section of society that needs the mile-long buffet; the more the merrier is the prime moto. I do agree that this outlook helps in establishing the status of the family and the expenditure power.

Thankfully a lot of our guests have a liberated outlook and prefer the lavishness in what is being served rather than how much.

These are people who want, “Quality over Quantity”.

The number of cuisines along with ‘Chef assisted counters’ does matter in most circles. However, the winning formula for SelectED and our clients has continually been- Great Presentation and Delicious Interactive Food supported with Spectacular Service. Additionally, product innovation is high on the cards.

Speaking of the financial aspect, clients are always hesitant to spend on food. That is the bottom line. However, the trend is changing. If as a catering company you could show them value, trust me; they don’t mind opening their pockets! One of SelectED’s clients wanted the purple asparagus on the menu! So, we went all out and sourced it. Post that we were able to make him our permanent customer. That, is more valuable than a petty increase in the per plate charge. Perceptions towards the food industry is on the rise and I think a great chapter in the food scenario is going to begin soon…

F & B | I N S P I R AT I O N

Theme to Steal: Never-Seen-Before Food Styling Concepts ExCel brings you glimpses of two high end Diwali parties that took place in London, United Kingdom. Both these dos saw mesmerizing food display and styling based on unique themes dished out by award winning food stylist and display designer, Rakhee Jain.

A Georgian-Victorian Gala This sophisticated do was hosted by an eminent industrialist at his residence and was attended by a very select gathering of 150 guests.

The trays were all inspired by the Georgian / Victorian / vintage era to match the opulence of the client's house and his guest list. At the same time, a festive Indian, Diwali feel was created by Rakhee Jain.

Snacks like Hara Bhara Kebab were offered on chairs and desserts like the laddoo were served in a glass tube. Ravioli parcels in beetroot edible flowers and soup spoons looked divine.

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F & B | I N S P I R AT I O N

A Chandelier Inspired Celebration This stunning Chandelier themed Diwali Party in London was hosted by Sanjay Newatia, one of the highest paid bankers in the United Kingdom!

This was a turnkey event for Rakhee Jain wherein she was responsible for everything starting from concept to fabrication as well as the entire food display.

Since the food was traditional/conventional, I decided to go for a very unconventional yet sophisticated look in the display.

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Morvi Images Captures Ultra-Stylish Mumbai Wedding by Cineyug Celebrations Each celebration, which took place as part of this wedding, had a different vibe, with stylish props, unique concepts and unusual décor elements.

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ineyug Celebrations planned; managed and executed the wedding celebrations of Mumbai based Payal Shah and Nihar Parikh, in November 2015. While, Morvi Images captured their ‘once in a lifetime; moments with admirable flair!

Take a look!

banana leaves and urlis of the South and the parandis and dhabas of Punjab!

The Glam Sangeet: The event was a dazzling gala with Benny Dayal's opening performance, followed by performances

by Neil Nitin Mukesh, Rashmi Nigam and Urvashi Rautela. Superstar Govinda, was also spotted at the event.

2 Super Stylish Mehendis: Check out these two mehendi events, which took place at the bride and groom's respective residences. Both the events were poles apart, yet elegant and unique in their own way. One was a sophisticated rooftop mehendi where pearl headbands were given away as favours, while the other was a hardcore traditional Indian Mehendi with cushions in vibrant hues and lots more!

A Cocktail of ‘The Flavours of India’: The bride’s brief for the event was to depict 'The Flavours of India' theme in the decor. Cineyug Celebrations implemented this idea by representing the four zones of India (North, South, East & West) with four different colors and creating four large thematic food stations that included elements from each zone - puppets and umbrellas from Rajasthan, the japi hats of Assam, the 72

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“Morvi was such a pleasure to work with. It was like your best friend filmed the wedding! Morvi is a star and makes you feel like a princess in her videos! We absolutely loved her work!”

Payal Shah Bride

The 'East-West' Fusion Wedding: The bride chose this theme as she was from Hong Kong and her husband to be, from Belgium. For the fusion theme wedding the agency used a red and white colour palette to symbolize the two countries that the bride and groom came from. Red was the bride's colour as she lived in Hong Kong, while white was the groom's as he was from Belgium, the land of diamonds.

The perfect ode to the coming together of these two individuals, don't you think?

Singer Akriti Kakkar and a Gujarati folk group were roped in to regale the guests with their heart-warming performances while the ceremony was underway.

Patel, Raveena Tandon, Zarine Khan, Sonu Sood, Hussain, and heartthrob Ranveer Singh and last but certainly not the least, singing sensation Rahat Fateh Ali Khan!

P H OTO G R A P H Y & F I L M I N G | HAPP ENI NG

Morvi Kumari Director, Morvi Images J A N – J U N E 2 01 6 | E x C e l

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Going beyond wedding invites...

Well-known for his innovative products and bespoke invitation cards, Puneet Gupta, Director, Puneet Gupta Invitations throws light on the latest trends in wedding stationery and explains how unique luxury merchandise has taken center stage along with the wedding invitation card.

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Another trend that is hot is honeymoon special travelling accessories, be it personalized lingerie pouches with the bride’s initials or a travel essential pouch to keep her passport and other belongings safe!

Sweets are no longer given in boring rectangular boxes but offbeat and eye catching containers. A huge variety of giveaways are available now for Mehendis and Sangeets, namely gota and floral jewellery, hair accessories, fragrance candles with the couple’s initials, glasses with silver embellishments and even dinner sets with real gold foiling! Even the simple shagan envelopes are now being replaced by thematic envelopes, which match the wedding card!

he first thing that turns a wedding into a grand affair is a really cool / innovative / luxurious wedding invitation card. Creative ideas reflect one’s personality and add that extra zing to the card.

The wedding invitation sets the tone for the final event. Whatever the client decides to do for his / her special celebration, the invitation should reflect both the event and the client’s personality!

While the traditional ecru or white paper stock engraved with black ink is still the most popular choice for a formal invitation, more liberal approaches are pushing the envelope, such as invitations on textured papers, in multiple colors and with custom wedding designs.

Whether one plans to exchange vows at a hotel, a place of worship, or a secluded island beach, today he/she can show his/ her personal style and create a wedding invitation that truly expresses who they are, their values and individuality.

Customized invitations with unique, personalized wedding stationery are the new trend.

There are a lot of creative options for the bride and groom to choose from, as far as invites are concerned; from floral designs to a boho-chic theme, the royal cream and gold taste to classy embellished cards and so on. There is a wide range of concepts like leather trunks, acrylic invites, boarding pass invites, which are specially designed for destination weddings.

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From invites to trousseau packing, today everything is being personalized and customized. The old ways of packaging of the trousseau have taken a back seat and new trendy trousseau trunks are really becoming a favourite among brides.

Rather than the old decorative trays brides prefer personalized trousseau trunks and designer trousseau covers to store their treasured attires, jewellery, footwear etc.

These tailor-made products can even have the bride’s name engraved on them!

These trunks are beautifully handcrafted and made in different designs, sizes and colours, with luxurious embellishments, so one can pick and choose. Brides can also later use these trunks to store other household items.

Today, everything people demand and like is different and personalized. Planning the wedding stationery is now a hugely creative task; from sweet boxes and gift hampers to giveaways- everything has its own significance and everything that is used in a wedding leaves an imprint of the client’s personality on others.

R E S O U R C E S | P OIN T of V I EW

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Luxury Gifting: Customized 24 Carat Gold Plated, Limited Edition iPhones

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a Velvet interior and sent to India. A Certificate of Authenticity is provided with each product.

ets face it, clients that host 'Big Fat Indian Weddings' are always looking for ways to make their celebrations and its related aspects bigger and better in EVERY way possible.

You could even get yours customized with diamonds and in Yellow Gold, Rose Gold or White Gold colour options!

Customization experts: Luxury Souvenir take this trend a step further with this 24 Carat Gold Plated iPhone 6! These gorgeous pieces by Luxury Souvenir are Limited Edition Numbered devices.

Luxury Souvenir’s ‘By Appointment Only’ boutique studios in New Delhi and Dubai specialize in enhancing the value, beauty and look of any product and provide signature individuality to giveaways and luxury gifting items.

These are polished to a mirror finish and clear coated for protection. What's more, the phone can be customized with a company logo/branding or the bride’s/ groom's name.

Each piece is handmade in London and Dubai, then packaged in a Handmade Wood Piano Black High Gloss Box with 76

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Raghu Raj Grover Founder & CEO, Luxury Souvenir

TA L E N T C E N T R A L EMC Events India Pvt Ltd

Sapphire Events & Entertainment

POSITIONS Wedding Planner 3D Operator

POSITIONS Position: IT Engineering 3d Max designer Photographer Graphic Design + Photoshop

Location: Pune Mail Cv To: sandeep@emcevents.co.in

BOI Media & Entertianment Pvt Ltd POSITIONS Sr. Production Manager Designer Activation Operation Creative Communication (2) Client Relations Accounts Director Location: Mail Cv To:

Mumbai jerstin@boimedia.com

SHOWCRAFT POSITIONS Sr. Designer - Showcraft Weddings Sr. Manager Business Development Manager Client Servicing GM Sales (Showcraft Productions) Location: Mail Cv To:

Mumbai, Noida hr@showproductions

Eventz Unlimited POSITIONS Operations Sr. Executive/ Executive Business Development Manager Business Head/ Business Development Head Business Development Senior Executive Location: Mail Cv To:

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New Delhi, Mumbai kuldeep@eventzunlimited.com

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Location: Mail Cv To:

Mumbai hr@tmtalentmanagement