A guide to wedding tips, trends and experiences. Marriage event reviews, Wedding venue reviews and ideas, honeymoon destination tips, photography, wedding decor and much more.

(Image Courtesy : Michael Graham Photography)

We have all seen the movies and TV shows where the bride-to-be goes totally nuts and becomes the dreaded monster-like ‘bridezilla’, while the groom stays in the background with a calm and amused smile on his face. While it’s not always that extreme, such stereotypes have a small grain of truth in them. You often find that brides get more and more frazzled during the planning process while the groom takes a back seat. If you are one such frustrated bride, here are a few tips to get your man more involved:

1. Be direct and ask! – Many brides don’t really let the groom know that she needs his help and stews in anger over the course of the next few months. On the other hand grooms often feel like the bride wants him to let her take charge and back off. Communicate clearly and let him know what you want him to do, and why it’s important to you.
2. Make it interesting – Put your guy in charge of the planning aspects that he will be more interested in and would be good at – if he likes organizing let him take care of the  hotel or venue bookings and arrangements, if he’s a music nut let him hire and organize for the DJ or the band etc.. A lot of men don’t like being involved in the aesthetic nitty-gritties or some of the ‘girlier’ details like the clothes, wedding flowers and the like; you have your best friend for that. Delegate jobs that he can actively and genuinely participate in. That said please don’t watch over his shoulder like a hawk the entire time!
3. Discuss ideas – Yes ladies we have to admit we do get a little obsessive about our wedding choices at times and that can definitely de-motivate your groom. Discuss your preferences and don’t discount or make fun of his ideas.
4. Calm down – This one goes for the both of you. You will probably have two different methods of working, so try and keep temper flare-ups in check. Constant arguments only make the entire wedding planning process all the more stressful and are a sure-fire way that leads to one or both parties losing interest.

All the best you lovely brides! Be sure to tell us what worked to get your groom more enthusiastic about the wedding planning in India, at Marry Me – The Wedding Planners.

Your bridal look is one that you will probably pay attention to more than any other event and the right hairdo can be quite literally your crowning glory! The latest bridal hair styles are all about effortless and timeless beauty; forget about the tight greasy curls and bad crimped hairstyles of the decades past.

The Easy Up-do

Image Source : camilla-belles /celebsalon.sheknows.com

An up-do is one the most popular and probably more convenient hairstyles to have. It keeps the hair up and away from the face and highlights your beautiful face and jewellery. The easy up-do is a more relaxed yet polished look that should look like you haven’t spent hours achieving it, even if you might have! Pull your hair into a ponytail either midway up your head or towards the nape of your neck and twist the pony into a bun with a few ends artfully poking out. Don’t forget to leave a few bangs loose in the front to frame your face. You can accessorize with a tiara, veil or ethnic Indian wedding jewellery depending on your outfit.

Glamourous Beachy Waves

Image Source : bridalweddinghairstyles.com

Loose, beachy and slightly windswept wavy hair is one style most women look good in. For your wedding it’s not as relaxed or random as the popular bed-head look, but don’t go too structured either. A low maintenance hairstyle, you have to avoid too much hair product and keep your tresses touchable; the kind you just want to run your fingers through! You can try it home by twisting your hair (preferably not freshly shampooed) into big and loose waves with a curling iron and fingers or if your hair is naturally wavy, use a hairdryer and some styling mouse or texturizing serum / cream to shape it. Volume is important so use a volumnizing product if needed. You can even pin up one side and add a flower or a jewelled accessory or you could make a tiny braid on one top side and take it across your head and pin it up at the other. Play with it.

Retro Hairstyles

Image Source: weddinghairstylegallery.com

It looks like the love of vintage and retro style is here to stay for a while, and it can be the perfect glamourous touch to your bridal style. When you think of retro hairdos, use the old world Hollywood glamour and the particularly pretty hairstyles from the 1940s and 1950s as a reference. The dramatic sweeping and waved styles, the buns with a side wavy sweep and pompadour and defined curls…talk to your stylist about which wedding hairstyle is best suited to your face. Retro dos are fortunately suited to short, medium length and longer hair.

Happy experimenting!

Shoes….aah, glorious shoes! Whether it’s one woman’s fetish or another’s way to add a pop of her personality under the traditional wedding lehenga or gown, we all love them. Some stunning pairs of shoes have gotten their 15 minutes of fame in many movies and television serials, only to become iconic figures and fly off the shelves. Here are a few of the top shoe-related movie scenes:

Father of the Bride: I\’m sure you can\’t forget this cute and funny film that seems to be on the list of top wedding movies for everyone. Starring Steve Martin whose character actually had a shoe manufacturing business in the movie, Diane Keaton, Martin Short and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, ‘Father of the Bride’ was filled with some hilarious and very poignant scenes.

None sweeter than the one where Steve Martin’s character gifts his beloved daughter a customized pair of white tennis shoes with a pretty bow and sparkly lace shoe-laces that he made at his factory, to match her wedding dress. Aaaw!

Sex & the City: The SATC franchise has been a favourite with fashion fanatics worldwide and the TV series and the movies were chock-a-block with gorgeous clothes and accessories. Manolo Blahnik shoes played a starring role in character Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) wardrobe and a particular pair was almost a central character in the first Sex and the City movie.

The stunning custom made Manolo Blahnik blue stiletto satin pumps with a rhinestone buckle were Carrie’s chosen wedding shoes which she left behind in her new apartment with fiancé John James Preston aka Mr. Big (Chris Noth) after he ditched her at the altar. In typical movie style he then went down on one knee and proposed to her shoe in hand in her gigantic shoe closet at the end of the movie!

Cinderella: All little girls grow up on a steady diet of romantic fairytales and Cinderella and her Prince Charming are characters we all know. In the storybooks and later the Cinderella animated film, little girls all over the world got their first taste of how special the right shoe can be. Cinderella all decked out by her fairy godmother goes to the ball with a pair of glass slippers, one of which she leaves behind so her prince can find her.

Prince Charming goes hunting for his ladylove glass shoe in hand, quite literally looking for his perfect fit. And lo and behold he finds her even after her evil step-sisters and other fair maidens try and squeeze into that lovely glass slipper and she daintily slips her foot into the shoe!

Tell us about your romantic shoe moment & your top wedding movies at Marry Me – The Wedding Planners!

When you look at the latest news about the recent starry engagements, what is the first question that pops into your mind? For a lot of us, it is about their sigh-worthy engagement rings and who they were designed by! From unusual coloured diamond stunners to gazillion carat blinding rocks, the rings get better and bolder each year. There are a few international jewellery designers and renowned brands that have captivated us for decades, making up a very exquisite wedding jewellery lust list:

Harry Winston – A favourite with Hollywood’s glitterati, Harry Winston and the House of Winston, have been known to produce some of the finest engagement rings and wedding bands from the 1930s. Also a red carpet top favourite, this brand’s jewellery is known for its exquisite craftsmanship and beautifully set diamonds.

Harry Winston’s love affair with diamonds and his eye for detail is very evident in the finished pieces. You many have seen some of the handiwork on gorgeous ladies like Elizabeth Taylor (hers was a whopping 70 carat stone!!) and Jennifer Garner, among others.

Cartier – Like Harry Winston, Cartier is a symbol of prestige and pretty much among the top picks in the wish list for any bride to be or any jewellery lover for that matter! Cartier has been outfitting royals and the crème de la crème from 1847.

(Kate Middleton. By Ben Stansall/Getty Images)

Like their beautiful royal tiaras, expensive watches and necklines, Cartier engagement rings continue to stun with their elaborate designs, modern and traditional styles and deliciously large diamonds. One of Cartier’s most known creations – Grace Kelly’s 10+ carat emerald cut diamond engagement ring from the Prince Rainier III of Monaco. Much of her wedding jewellery was Cartier too.

Neil Lane – Another celeb darling, Neil Lane is one of the most acclaimed jewellery design the world over. He is known for his beautiful hand-crafted jewellery, Art Deco designs and dreamy vintage collection pieces. From being a glamourous statement piece at the Oscars to glimmering on celeb’s engagement fingers,

Neil Lane jewellery never fails to impress. Famous fans include Jessica Simpson, Reese Witherspoon, Gwen Stefani and Madonna, among many others. Innovative and ever evolving Lane’s creations are always appreciated. The Art Deco engagement rings are especially fine.

Although purchasing a beautiful wedding ring from the jewelers mentioned above may entail selling a kidney…or two, some designers have started retailing pieces at lower priced stores as well. We may not end up with a 10 carat rock, but hey a girl can dream can’t she! Stay tuned for more on exquisite wedding jewellery from Marry Me wedding planners in Mumbai.

Yet again another Royal wedding! Monaco\’s Prince Albert II who will be tying the knot to his Rhodesian-born fiancée Charlene Wittstock, an Olympic swimmer on the 2^nd of July 2011. The couple will exchange vows in an open-air ceremony in the courtyard of the Palace of Monaco. The couple got engaged last November and is now planning their big day.

They had initially planned to exchange vows at Saint Nicholas Cathedral which was the same place where Prince Albert’s parents, the late Rainer III, Prince of Monaco and Grace Kelly had their royal nuptials in April 1956. But due to the space constraint the venue was changed to Palace of Monaco. Close to 800 guests are expected to attend the function.

Charlene does not want to disclose much about their plans for the big day. But the designer who is appointed to create her dream wedding gown is no longer a secret. The Italian maestro Giorgio Armani is the lucky one. We are looking forward to what he has in mind for the beautiful bride-to-be.

Stay tuned, as Marry Me Wedding Planners will keep you posted about more wedding news on this Royal wedding.

(Dia Mirza in a Gaurav Gupta concept saree)

So, I know these have been around for a while. But I decided to write about them because quite a few of our brides have never heard of them plus the fact that I think they are just an amazing concept!

The concept saree is easy to wear, especially if you have never worn a sari before. Also, if you really want to dance and be comfortable, then the concept sari is for you! It is ready to wear with just one wrap around and the pallu over your shoulder. How much more simple can it get?

Also, if you want to get maximum use out of your sari\’s consider this – keep your wedding sarees light but go for a heavy embroidered blouse in a neutral color which will work with many of your saris. Mix and match and have fun!

It is difficult to think about romance without the image of beautiful, fragrant roses coming to mind. A hugely popular flower in weddings around the world, the rose has captivated poets, authors, and brides to be for ages! Flowers play a big role in Indian weddings from being used as part of the wedding decorations to being used to shower blessings on the couple and roses are always a favourite.

With colours ranging from a deep luscious red to blush pinks and the purest of whites, this flower is perfect for weddings and its romantic symbolism stems from various sources of ancient history, myths and folklore. Roses have various kinds of symbolism in different societies – the rose was associated with the goddesses like Venus and Aphrodite, in ancient Greece and Rome or according to some ancient folklore roses were an important ingredient used in magical love potions!

Some say that the association of roses in Indian history dates back thousands and thousands of years where this beautiful flower was the object of debate between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu and adorned Vishnu’s divine garden! References to roses are also found in several old texts and were often used as a symbol to express the beauty and prosperity in the land. The Mughal Emperors in India were also apparently very smitten by this flower and reportedly gifted their allies and loved ones loads of roses. Almost all cultures from Christianity to Buddhism have a symbolism and cultural reference to roses. These fragrant blooms are quite literally the stuff stories and poems are made of!

Of course they say that the different colours have unique meanings like red  – love, white – purity and innocence, pink – platonic love etc. With so much meaning and more importantly beauty, its’ no wonder we find roses strewn all over the décor in weddings in India. An elegant and romantic flower, they are used in the Mandap decoration, table decoration and even for wedding garlands and for adorning the groom’s turban. With colours ranging from yellow to burgundy and everything in between, as well as different sizes from big luscious blooms to tiny blossoms, there’s a rose for everyone and all occasions! Hope this blog post will help you explore more flower options with your wedding decorator in Mumbai.

(Image Source : aislinnkate.com)

Tossing the bridal bouquet is a fun wedding tradition seen in many parts of the world, especially in Christian weddings. It is often incorporated in other weddings as well as a cute addition where the bride tosses her floral bouquet into the hands of one lucky single woman hoping to be the next one to get hitched. Like many other wedding customs around the world, this one too has an interesting origin.

The tossing of the bridal bouquet as we know it today, originated from a slightly different and a little more aggressive practice in medieval Europe. Centuries ago the bride did not carry just the fragrant and pretty floral bouquet but one made of herbs, bunches of garlic, fruit blossoms, grains and herbs, which were later replaced by flowers that symbolized happiness and good luck. However around the 14^th century especially in countries like France it was believed that the bride’s wedding gown was a symbol of good luck and women used to chase after the bride, tearing up the gown and gathering pieces of it for luck and fertility….imagine being attacked at your own wedding! After the gowns started becoming more expensive and women started wanting to save the dress for future generations as a keepsake or even just to be safer, the brides starting coming up with alternative objects that the guests could fight over like her bridal bouquet or her garter. As for the garter, the groom removes the bride garter and tosses it to the guests, the unmarried male guests to be specific. This custom also picked up because centuries ago, the male guests would actually get a little too aggressive and drunk and try and grab the garter from the bride beforehand! And you thought your guests were unmanageable!

Nowadays, you can have your own spin on the tradition. Make your own custom bouquets or even small separate ones that you can give your female friends for good luck! Stay tuned for more fun Indian wedding posts from Marry Me\’s Indian wedding planning team!

(Image Source: Lakme)

Quintessential, extremely stylish, ultra modern yet modest is how you would describe Indian brides today. But some things still remain unchanged – like every girl, she has planned her dream wedding and her look for the special day.

Indian brides are now opting for bolder looks and experimenting with styles unlike the old times when there weren’t many options and the colour palette was limited and restricted to certain tones and hair styles comprised of typical buns or plaits with Indian flowers used to beautify the  bridal look.

Innovation is key!! Once you get your basics right, that is, the perfect foundation shade, choose the right colour palette and the fix on the hair style to suit your face, everything else will fall in place. All you have to do then is accessorize right to make your bridal look completely unique.

Though reds and pinks are associated with traditional bridal makeup, you can make your look more dramatic by blending these traditional tones with eccentric shades like blues, lime greens, gold or aubergine for the eye make up. If a particular colour makes your face seem muddy and dull, it is a complete no-no. A colour which makes you skin glow is your colour! Follow your inner instinct to help you choose the perfect colour. Choose a lip colour, which gives you the same kind of glow.

Pink, beige, pale peach, orange, taupe will go well with a fairly light skin. We would suggest deeper tones like maroon, fuschia, dark chocolate, plum, wine, and ruby for a dark skin. For a wheatish complexion almost anything from a pale nude to a brilliant scarlet or a gentle caramel will do.

You can even get creative with your eyes. Rather that the traditional way of highlighting the eyes by a kohl liner, you can use coloured liners. Also you can opt for a trendy style to line the eye instead of the customary border depending which style brings out the best in you.

Hair is as important as your makeup. The traditional buns are now being replaced by more relaxed and stylish up dos. Unlike the olden times when an Indian bride was expected to have long hair, many brides have short hair today. The key is to style it correctly whether long or short.  Various elements can be added to enhance the look. Crystals, pearls necklaces, exotic flowers or sometimes even antique neckpieces or other jewels can be used as a part of hair accessories.

We hope these tips from our wedding planners in Mumbai come in handy for you while choosing your colour palette and the perfect bridal look!!