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.

Hindu weddings are holy ceremonies and include numerous rituals and religious ceremonies. If you are planning on having such a ceremony it is necessary to find a Pandit or priest to officiate and perform your wedding ceremony. The Pandit or priest is one of the most important vendors per se you will need to find and book for your Indian wedding, since you will not only need one for the wedding ceremony itself but for other Pujas, havans etc. that you may decide to have.

Often couples decide to work with their family or community temple Pandits who they or their family members may be familiar with. Whether you decide to go with someone known or are on the look out for a Pandit to conduct your ceremony, there are certain things you need to keep in mind:

1. Firstly find out whether the Pandit in question can conduct the kind of ceremony you want. Ask if the ceremony can be modified to what both sets of families may want included or excluded.
2. Remember to ask if the ceremony can be modified to the time frame you have in mind. Also, check for the order of events.
3. If he is required for any pre or post wedding Pujas at home then find out the availability.
4. With interfaith weddings on the rise it’s important to know if and how your Pandit will perform these ceremonies. Also check if he will translate certain portions so the couple and guests can understand the true significance of those words.
5. The ceremonies, Pujas and various other rituals need a variety of ingredients like rice, sandalwood, coconuts etc. It is important to find out whether the priest will arrange for all the necessary items so you are not caught off guard or stuck during the wedding.
6. Do check if the Pandit will make his own travel and accommodation arrangements or require you to do so, especially in the case of an out of town event. Also check if these arrangements will be needed for his assistants, if any.
7. Lastly get a clear idea of the charges involved, so you have it ready on the day!

Always work with someone you are comfortable with since this person will be in charge of performing one of the most important events in your lives!

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, the couple who stole all our hearts on the MTV reality show Newlyweds have parted ways and are now getting married to their respective sweethearts.

Though they are both happy for each other, the exes are competing amongst themselves to outdo the other in having a more lavish celebration and making their respective wedding the biggest Hollywood wedding of the year!!

They are leaving no stone unturned and competing head on. Jessica is drawing inspiration from the recent, much talked about Royal Wedding of Kate and William for her wedding to Eric Johnson.

She wants it to be bigger and grander than the Royal Wedding. Eleven being their lucky number, the wedding date is set for the 11^th of November 2011, making her wedding date 11/11/11. Even the time for the ceremony has been set for 11.11am. The wedding will take place on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. More than 50 family members are going to be flown down to join the couple in their celebration.

Nick on the other hand, is also all set for his wedding to former MTV host Vanessa Minnillo which will take place in a few weeks from now.

Nick has reconsidered increasing his wedding budget after learning about the extravagant budget his ex-wife has planned for her wedding! Nick and Vanessa had their wedding shower on Sunday night at the London Hotel in West Hollywood.

They rented a private roof top garden surrounded by tall hedges. The décor recreated the ambience of a lounge with white sofas, chairs and ottomans that were set up on the lawn with lounge music being played by the DJ. Apparently Nick gave Vanessa a four-carat engagement ring, which cost half the amount of the five-carat ring he had given Jessica. On learning that, Vanessa was not too happy with her four-carat ring. Nick then got her an equally expensive ring to bring a smile on her face. Whew!

We are excited to see what each of the celebrity weddings are about and which one gets the tag of the Hollywood Wedding of the Year!! Follow this space for more wedding news from Marry Me Wedding Planners!

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Beach weddings are popular and fun. A lot of couples who want to have an intimate and romantic wedding often opt for beach weddings. While it’s great to exchange vows by the sea, there are several factors you must take into account before choosing your bridal outfit for a beach wedding.

Every girl has painted a dream look of her wedding outfit in her mind. Here are some tips to make sure that your dream outfit works for you. The most important thing you need to keep in mind while choosing your dress is the fabric. Destination weddings involve a lot of travel hence the fabric has to be carefully chosen for ease of travel.

Generally beach weddings are less formal and more intimate and so you can go for a gown which is more classy and elegant instead of something formal and elaborate. Halter, strapless or sleeveless styles would go well for a beach wedding. If you are planning an Indian wedding we would suggest a lehenga in pastel shades with light embellishments. Choose a neckline and silhouette which suits your body. If it is a day wedding, be prepared to tackle the heat and humidity. For a bright and sunny day, we would suggest to go with fabrics like chiffon, linen, organza, crepe or georgette, which would keep the bride cool and comfortable.

Beaches can sometimes get a little chilly depending on the time of the year. We would surely not suggest a strapless or halter for such weather. And you could probably carry a wrap to protect you from the cold. For Indian outfits you don’t really need a wrap as you would have your dupatta.

Your dress should go with the ambience and feel of the beach. Do not opt for heavy Indian outfits or tightly corseted bodices. Bridesmaid’s dresses could add a hint of colour and brighten up the ambience against the aqua backdrop. Indian wedding outfits are generally very colourful anyway.

Footwear is something extremely important. Most brides go barefoot, though we recommend flats or ballerinas. Pumps are a complete no-no. You can keep your hair simple and adorn it with pearls or flowers. In the case of an Indian wedding you could use Indian flowers like mogra or fancy hair accessories to match your outfit.

Hope theses tips come in handy, in case you are planning for a beach wedding sometime soon :-)

The perfect way to get married in the rains… so cute :)

The origin of the bridal trousseau dates back in time when parents used to maintain a wedding chest when a girl child was born. As the girl would grow older, things would be added to this chest and saved in hope of them being useful to her after her marriage. It commonly got named as the hope chest or the glory box.

Traditionally, a bridal trousseau would include new clothes, accessories, jewelry, lingerie, toiletries and makeup apart from tableware and linens. Parents, relatives and friends would gift household items so that by the time the girl would become of a marriageable age, she would already have all the necessary things for her new home. Some of the things in the chest would hold a lot of sentimental value like cherished family china or silverware.

In olden times most often the garments for the wedding trousseau were hand-sewn by the girl’s mother, aunt, grandmother, or the girl herself. Wealthier families hired the skills of a professional dressmaker to outfit the bride-to-be. A wedding chest reflected a bride\’s social status and wealth in the Victorian era.

The bridal trousseau has evolved over the years. Modern brides would not have the same things in their hope chest as their grandmothers might have had like tableware and crockery but may still include things like old family pictures. Nowadays more stress is laid on the clothing and accessories for the bridal trousseau.

We suggest planning well in advance and making a budget for your bridal trousseau so that you make the most of it. You can make a checklist of the various things you need and also make a wish list of stores you would like to get them from. Now you can divide your budget between clothes, accessories, make up and toiletries as you like. A mixed bag of outfits is what we suggest. There should be a good balance of traditional clothes, casual wear and eveningwear. And of course the matching accessories for them all should complete your dream wedding trousseau.

Incase you have jitters on assembling and packaging your wedding trousseau, you need not worry. At Marry Me, our wedding planners in India collaborate with some of the best designers in the industry and we would be glad to assist with complete planning, shopping and trousseau packing.

So, day five in Thailand was packed – I saw a total of 6 properties in Bangkok! And I’m glad I did! Each had it’s own unique characteristics – it was difficult to pick a favorite.

Plaza Athenee was my first stop for the day. The hotel is grand, but what was even better, was its location. Plaza Athenee is on Wireless Road, the city’s most beautiful tree-lined boulevard. The Athenee Crystal Hall is a beautiful ballroom with abundant space for large functions and cocktail parties, even up to 1500 guests. The elegant, pillar less Grand Hall with its Venetian inspired crystal chandelier and 7m high windows forms a romantic setting.

In addition to this, the hotel had many other rooms and restaurants flexible for various smaller functions.  The perfect hotel for a glam wedding reception!

The second stop for the day was the Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok. What I loved about this hotel was it’s contemporary look combined with the traditional Thai style. The stunning designs on Thai silk were done by one of Thailand’s foremost painters – the late Acharn Paiboon Suwannakudt. Fabrics by Jim Thompson adorn the furnishings and are another unique feature of the hotel.

There was a surprise in store, the hotel management had created a mini decorated area in one of its pre function spaces to really give a feel of the venue and the elaborate wedding décor that can be done. The variety and the use of orchids in different ways were just fabulous!

The Four Seasons in Bangkok is one of the city’s most popular locations for up to 1000 guests for weddings and other celebrations. The Ballroom here is classic in style with, once again the hand painted murals, unique to the hotel. Here is what I loved – the 92 piece crystal, Thai style Waterford chandelier with additional track and down lights. The hotel also has a number of other rooms to host other wedding related events. A stunning hotel, extremely friendly people and delectable food – Four Seasons Bangkok is definitely a top choice for weddings! Oh, and I love the little gift they gave me – a Tom Yum gift pack with exotic ingredients and recipe – ready to make! That was so thoughtful :-)

The Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok is located in the business district, surrounded by prime shopping centers. The hotel has 14 versatile function rooms – some of which are very interesting!

The pillar less, stunning Grand Ballroom has a capacity of up to 1500 guests. For more intimate gatherings, the hotel has a space aptly called “The Residence” which is Bangkok’s first residential style function venue. Such a great idea! I love it  :-)

Another extremely interesting space – The Campus, can accommodate up to 400 guests and is designed and looks like – a campus. Yes! Think – back to school, blackboards, study room, library and lots more! I even pigged out on ice cream and popcorn here. So much fun! The venue is great for a pre wedding party all set up for your theme – Back to School!

Also, the hotel has great food! Chef has specially prepared a selection of Indian canapés – which were just yummy!

Centara Grand was next on the list. The hotel has 505 luxury rooms including suites. There are also 9 restaurants including the buffet at the all day dining restaurant where I enjoyed lunch – they had a huge range of sushi and dim sum on the buffet too! I loved it!

The hotel has a number of ballrooms and a convention venue to accommodate up to 5,000 guests in a single pillar less room.

Next up, the Intercontinental Hotel Bangkok. The Grand Ballroom can accommodate between 600 to 1000 guests depending on the style of the event and has built in intelligent lighting that project up to 16 million colors and more. The hotel has 22 function rooms including an exhibition area, which can accommodate up to 1500 guests.

What is also great is their in depth understanding of Indian weddings – having done quite a few! And on looking through their banquet menu, I saw that the range of Indian options to choose from was HUGE! The hotel also has a store selling exquisite wedding gowns and accessories called – After You Say ‘Yes’. What a cute name! And  I loved the gifts too – a little Intercontinental teddy and a Thai jewelry box.

The last stop – the very chic Renaissance Bangkok. The hotel has a total of 333 rooms and suites elegantly furnished in sophisticated colors. The Royal Maneeya Ballroom and Studio R are popular event venues with cutting edge light and sound systems to create the perfect mood.

Six hotels in Bangkok, but each very unique – great choice for a glam Indian wedding in the city! Hope this article helps you plan a beach wedding in Thailand.

Bridesmaids is a bizarre comedy about BFFs. It revolves around the strong bond between two childhood friends, Lillian, played by the warm Maya Rudolph and Annie (Kristen Wiig of Saturday Night Live fame) which is easy to identify with. Lillian leads a stable life and decides to tie the knot with her boyfriend, while Annie has been struggling not only with her personal life, but also professionally. She has had to shut down her bakery which she co-owned with her ex-boyfriend and now works as an unsuccessful sales girl at a jewelry store. It’s the natural insanity coupled with joyous moments that most girls go through during their wedding that keeps one captivated throughout the film.

After the proposal, Lillian asks Annie to be her maid of honor and selects four other bridesmaids, one of whom is her fiancés boss’s trophy wife, Helen Harris (Rose Byrne). Helen is beautiful and wealthy and a control freak of sorts! She is well connected and acquainted with the latest party trends; and owing to her loneliness and insecurity, she plans a rather gregarious wedding for Lillian! While her intent is only to seek Lillian’s attention and some adulation from the rest of the girls, she ends up going quite over the top for the taste of plain Jane Lillian. Right from raising the toast at the engagement, to choosing the bridesmaids dresses, and planning the bachelorette party and the bridal shower, everything she does is simply extravagant and ends up sidelining poor Annie, whose life is anyways in the dumps!

Annie is an unaccomplished young woman who is having to deal with the usual hardships of life- a reckless man (Jon Hamm of Mad Men fame) who thinks of her to be nothing but a friend with benefits, budgetary constraints and crazy flat mates. She is distressed and all this takes a toll on her as the wedding draws nearer.

The girls attempt to fly to Las Vegas for the bachelorette party, but are deplaned as Annie causes a pandemonium on board because Helen had drugged her. She is perplexed with Helen’s domineering attitude and her new found friendship with Lillian. Having gotten married recently, I could totally relate to the chaos in this film. Sometimes, close friends and cousins, in the pretext of pleasing you, can get rather annoying.

Let’s still give the devil her dues… Helen organizes a bridal shower that any girl would die for. It’s a fairly tale theme that takes you back to the high society flutter of the sixty’s. The invites carry a live butterfly, the guests are welcomed with refreshing lemonade, escorted on horses to the venue hall,  the pastel décor with fresh flowers, the choicest of cheese and fine wine cocktail, the chocolate fondue, and the compassionate return present- a high pedigree Labrador pup, is just mesmerizing…. And leaves you high and dreamy! Everything is immaculate, till Annie and Lillian have a showdown, while Helen basks in self proclaimed glory!

Helen chooses lovely mauve dresses for the bridesmaids that complement the theme of the wedding, but poor Lillian doesn’t even get to pick her own wedding gown and ends up with an obnoxious, fluffy white outfit that has been custom made by a high fashion French designer to please the moods of Mrs. Harris! How Annie came to her rescue and cut it up to turn it into something aesthetic and wearable at the very least, reminded me of an incident at my one of my own wedding functions, where I absolutely abhorred my make- up and had no more time to spend at the salon as I had to combat the Delhi traffic and make it to the venue in time. Thankfully for me, my best friend, who was with me, has studied fashion and art at a school in Paris and I let her redo my entire look on our ride to the venue. This movie captures several such nostalgic moments from our lives, that makes it both, humorous and touching.

The movie is breezy and fun to watch on date night or with a bunch of girl friends. However, it did leave me wondering whether to be truly happy for Lillian or not as insight into the groom’s character is lacking woefully. The clash between bridesmaids is pretty natural and that’s depicted in a hilarious fashion in this flick. I, for one, am surely awaiting the release of the DVD for keeps as I relived some crazy moments of my wedding days while watching it.

About the Author

Shibumi Chopra is a guest author for our blog. Born and brought up in New Delhi, she recently moved to the United States after her big fat Indian wedding. Amongst other things, she can provide insight into the growing pains of living with a man and the greater joy of being married. Be it a life-altering decision as to getting a dog for her dog-crazy husband or something allegedly as simple as teaching a man how to pick up his strewn about socks. She’s passionate about love, life, marriage and the intricate nature of weddings.

Kashmiri Pundit Bride

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Kashmir Pundit brides wear beautifully embroidered lehengas, usually red in colour with a lot of glitz. If not Red, it can be Pink or Yellow in colour.  They also wear a head gear known as Kalpush. It is an extensive cap folded three or four times and is lined either with silk or cotton from the inside. A white color cloth known as Zoojh is wrapped in three to four layers over Kalpush and a glace paper is stitched over the Zoojh. This entire head wear is known as Tarang. The lehenga has a lot of zari work done using golden threads and is blended with Kashmiri embroidery. The Dupatta is put over the head wear and enhances the look of the bride.

The bride adorns heavy gold jewelry around the neck, gold bangles on the hands and Paayal and toe ring in the feet.  A special and very unique ornament known as Dejharoo is worn by a Kashmiri bride. Dejharoo is a pair of gold pendants hanging on a gold chain through the holes in the ear lobes. This holds the similar significance in Kashmiri pundits as a mangalsutra does among Hindus. A waist band which is two meter long and a half a meter wide is also forms an integral part of the bridal wear.

Kashmiri Muslim Bride

Kashmiri Muslim brides wear beautifully embroidered traditional outfit known as Pheran, which is a long loose fitting robe and is well suited for the cold weather conditions. It is usually Red in colour. They wear a similar head gear to the Kashmiri Pundit brides but it is known differently.  They call it Kasaba. It varies from the Tarang as it is simply a cloth of any colour of your choice which is held tight by silver pins and trinklets. It is decorated with gold embroidery and embellishments of silver pendants hanging on the forehead.

These brides usually wear heavy bunches of silver jewelry which shines and can be noticed from a distance. The jewelry also, includes heavy Jhoomar style earrings which are supported by thick silver chain, necklace, bracelets and Paayal around the ankle.

This was just a peek into the Kashmiri culture. As you see there is so much diversity within the two kinds of Kashmiri bridal outfits but at the same time they are similar in some ways. Stay tuned for more on Indian weddings & Indian brides from Marry Me!