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.

Do check out today\’s Mid-Day that featured Marry Me in an article about Eco-Friendly weddings!

Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas unveiled their new range of contemporary jewelry at the India International Jewellery Week 2011. Popular amongst the royalty of Rajasthan, Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas is a brand known for dealing in mesmerizing designs of gold, diamonds and intricately handcrafted enameled jewelry.

The show had a unique opening with a classical dance sequence by four models who showcased mesmerizing gold jewelry. This was followed by the show – the models looked spectacular in their white Grecian inspired gowns by Swapnil Shinde and beautifully designed intricate jewelry. The show featured signature pieces from the Adrishya collection, which included gold jewelry bedecked with precious stones in an invisible gold setting. Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas brought out a fusion of explicit traditional designs with contemporary and classic styles to give birth to a range of refined and exquisite masterpieces. The collection offered a selective range of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings with Kundan and Meenakari in gold, ruby and emeralds. The showstopper for the evening was Malaika Arora Khan, in a red gown. She walked the ramp wearing a dazzling kundan necklace with a ruby centre, matching cuffs and earrings, and a big golden ring with an elephant on it.

A decade old brand from Jaipur – Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas has a reputation for the finest jewelry for all occasions, with the seal of trust and confidence. Stay tuned for more interesting events from Marry Me – Indian wedding planners.

The stunning 30 year old bride had a wonderful time living her dream and planning her big day. We came across some tips and ideas she shared which may come in handy for brides-to-be.

1. Most brides usually know what kind of an outfit they want for their big day. They would have already pictured themselves in the dream outfit. But Vanessa suggests, trying on different styles of dresses as you may get surprised even though you know what kind of an outfit you surely want. Also it would be more fun to try on a few outfits before going and just picking one up.
2. If you are having a Christian wedding, a splash of colour would break the monotony of white. Like she had a beautiful bouquet of Gloriosa’s which added colour to the elegant affair.
3. Discussing and brainstorming on ideas with your fiancée as it’s both of your day. Nick had great suggestions for their wedding!
4. For destination weddings, a welcome bag with personalized goodies is always nice! They did beach towels with their names embroidered & all the beach essentials. Of course, the things in the bag would depend on the theme of the wedding.
5. Spend quality time with your fiancée before the wedding. It could be a night with a glass of wine, or a weekend getaway. Pre wedding photos maybe?
6. Add a touch of your style by personalizing smaller elements. Like they used the venue\’s place settings & glassware, but brought in personalized linens and chargers for a more custom feel. This is of utmost importance to really make your wedding different and reflect your personalities!
7. She suggests having multi-photographers as there’s always more than one angle you want! Also just in case one of the photographers misses out on an expression, it is captured by the other and the main wedding photographer is always around you as he need not worry about covering guests.
8. Consider weather is very important in case you are planning an outdoor ceremony. The one thing they missed out was that they did not arrange for any fans or air-conditioning at the ceremony and guests were sweating.
9. Do something special for your fiancée before the ceremony, a gift or a hand written card. This is something your fiancée will always cherish.
10. Most important of all is to have fun rather than getting bothered with small irrelevant stuff.

Enjoy this once in a life time moment to the fullest. We wish Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo a happy married life!!

(Image Courtesy : fashiontrendsusa.com)

Vanessa Minnillo and Nick Lachey had a beautiful wedding in Bahamas recently. The couple exchanged vows on a cliff top overlooking the ocean on Necker Island – a private island owned by Richard Branson. It is a favourite hideaway among celebrities because of the privacy it offers and the super luxurious accommodations it has. It can house only about 28 guests at a time.

The wedding was a very private and intimate affair with about 35 guests including friends and family. The venue was a well kept secret. The wedding invitations were in the form of a plane ticket, but did not disclose the location. The guests were just told to dress in beach wear and were flown to the venue.

Nick donned a Dolce & Gabbana suit for the wedding while Vanessa looked stunning in a two – piece lace Monique Lhuillier gown. It had a lace corset intricately embellished with rose and crystal details, which was paired with a signature hand tufted-skirt made of silk faille. The look was completed with a beautifully tailored bow belt at her waist and chapel length tulle veil. The couple arrived for the wedding in a private jet. Truly intimate, we think!

These days a lot of Indian weddings draw their inspiration from celebrity weddings. Couples are opting for exotic locations with fewer guests and intimate celebrations. With such a picturesque location – tropical island surrounded by the deep blue sea with a mandap on the cliff top, what more do you need??

Earlier today we experienced a spectacular fusion of grace, style and exquisite pieces of jewels as one of our personal favourites – Anmol Jewellers, unveiled their collection at the India International Jewellery Week.

They showcased a unique collection of uncut diamonds adorned with the vibrant hues of precious coloured gemstones. Ishu Datwani’s jewels paired with Manish Malhotra’s gorgeous collection left the audience mesmerized. The stunning clothes were in hues of dull gold and offwhite. Simple, yet very elegant with flattering cuts it did complete justice to the timeless creation of Anmol.

The models sashayed the ramp to the beats of live classical music, exhibiting exclusive jadau neck pieces and earrings encrusted with the vibrant colored precious gemstones, interspersed with the brilliance of facetted diamonds. Each piece was beautiful yet delicate, with an almost surreal look!

Lending her grace and charm to the occasion, was the show stopper – actor Shraddha Kapoor, looking every bit gorgeous; truly an Indian diva. Dressed in a simple, classic pink and off-white ensemble, she wore a neckpiece dazzling with diamonds and studded with emeralds.

Featured in numerous Bollywood movies, Anmol has become the preferred brand among stars. Some of their celebrity clients include Shilpa Shetty, Malaika Arora Khan and Lara Dutta. Anmol Jewellers, are a brand known for their originality and creativity in delivering fine pieces of jewelry that last for a lifetime.

(Image Courtesy : www.annesage.com)

Nowadays bridal showers as we know it are a gifting party of sorts for the bride to be. It’s an event where a gathering of the bride’s closest friends and family, usually just women, gather to celebrate her upcoming wedding.

This is a very special occasion for the bride who is about to embark from her single status into married life. Traditionally, a Western custom, bridal showers of a different kind are embedded in many Indian weddings as well, as part of different functions. It was also a tradition that emerged from the practice of arranging for a bride’s dowry and also making sure she has all the essential bits and pieces to start her new life well equipped.

Nowadays the bridal shower has evolved into a fun party that allows the bride to enjoy the well-wishes and gifts that she is quite literally showered with on that day! It is her time to forget about all the wedding stress and enjoy and allow herself to be pampered by her nearest and dearest. Normally, the responsibility of arranging a shower falls to the maid of honour or the bridesmaids; if there isn’t a bridal party per se, it will be the closest friends and family who do the needful.

There are a few ways to make the bridal shower more fun. One of the best ways to mark the occasion is to have a themed event. Everyone loves an enjoyable theme and a good themed party! They could be centered on an activity that the bride enjoys like a spa party (think at home-beauticians, pampering product favours etc.) or her favourite TV show like Friends or Sex & the City. It could be a place like a romantic Parisian themed brunch or a fabulous Indian one too.

Another bridal shower must-have is the games. Games like Bridal Bingo or something where the guests are given points for the information they know about the soon to be newlyweds is fun. You can even have a round where everyone present talks a little about the bride and groom (if he is present) and shares a funny anecdote about them. Games are a great way to break the ice and always end up in loads of laughs. You can find ready games or even think up some creative games of your own.

And of course one of the most fun parts about a bridal shower is the gift-giving and opening! If you are planning a shower for the bride make sure you let the other attendees know about the wedding registry if any. If there are just really close friends and family members present then this is also a good time to give all the personal presents. You can also plan it such that people give her a small gift and explain the sweet or funny story behind it; this of course works only with people the bride is really close to.

Stay tuned for more details for planning the best wedding parties from Marry Me – wedding planners in India.

The Amrapali show at the India International Jewellery Week was stunning! I was there with one of our lovely brides, Neha, who has had Amrapali at the top of her wishlist for her wedding! Needless to say, she left with lots of ideas and additions to her wedding list!!

The ‘Best of Amrapali’ show started off with a collection of tribal and ethnic silver jewellery and then moved on to traditional gold pieces with polka, jadau and Mughal kundan work. The collection was in line with their rustic meets chic USP.

What really enhanced the jewellery and what I fell in love with was Masaba’s Gupta’s clothes. She did a fabulous job with putting together traditional yet bohemian ensembles in black, white and gold. And of course, the show stopper Kangana Ranaut in red and uncut diamonds!

But what really worked for me, was Sonam Kapoor who looked ethereal in Amrapali at the inauguration of the IIJW 2011. She wore an elaborate statement shoulder pearl piece as a sash and a beautiful pearl and diamond necklace. Along with this, she wore traditional bangdis paires with a gold fusion cuff on one hand and on the other, a bracelet with dangling pearls. This was accompanied with stunning diamond jadau earrings.

(Image Courtesy : snarkerati.com)

The wedding invitations for the much awaited wedding are finally out and guests can start planning for Kim Kardashian’s and Kris Humphries wedding. We got a glimpse of the wedding invite which was designed by Lehr & Black. The couple chose a gate fold style of card along with three inserts. This was placed in a silver cardboard box and then delivered out to guests. The card has a traditional look and all the details including venues, time and off course the dress code are mentioned. The inserts carry details on  instructing guests on how to RSVP, where and when to arrive for the ceremony, a request to keep all information confidential and suggestions for local hotels along with a parking pass and a notice stating that the reception and dinner will follow the ceremony.  A logo with a double K signifying the initials of the couple is embossed on the card.

The dress code is black-and-white attire and we are sure every guest will be immaculately dressed at this wedding. The wedding is scheduled for the 20^th of August, 2011 in Montecito, California. The exact venue is yet a well kept secret!!

Mehendi designs and style vary depending on the region they originated from. There are various styles and each is unique in its own way. For your wedding you can choose any of the styles depending on what you prefer and what complements your personality and outfit. There are mainly four styles – Arabic, Pakistani, Rajasthani and African.

Arabic mehendi is an old art form which originated in the Mughal provinces. The designs were mainly inspired by Arabic paintings and textiles. Also Arabic mehendi is applied a little thicker as compared to Indian Rajasthani mehendi, which is applied very fine.

(Image Courtesy :www.arabic-mehndi-designs.in)

The designs are a combination of floral motifs and paisley and not very intricate. There are a lot of gaps in between designs so the hand is seen in between designs. When the color darkens, it looks very beautiful because the skin colour is seen between the brown colour of the design. The pattern is in the form of a band, which starts from the first finger or the middle finger and goes down diagonally across the palm. It is broader at the base and narrows as it comes towards the tip of the finger.

Pakistani designs are quite popular because of the beautiful motifs and outlines and their detailing. The designs are usually lacy with a lot of fill-ins. It is quite similar to the Arabic mehendi designs.

(Image Courtesy: mehndidesigns.co.in)

The motifs are big and beautiful with a lot of shading and filling and usually consist of a lot of floral patterns.  Some brides prefer Pakistani mehendi designs because they are less time consuming as compared to other mehendi designs.

The Rajasthani mehendi is quite detailed and especially suited for the bride. It is very fine and intricate with beautiful motifs and great detailing leaving no space, which makes it appear even more beautiful. The motifs include paisleys, flowers, leaves, elephant, dhol, shehnai, kalash, peacocks, lord ganesh etc. All these motifs are related to the wedding and are considered to be auspicious. Apart from these motifs the design also contains an image of a bride and groom.

African mehendi designs are usually bold and large with geometric patterns.  Archeologists say that black henna was actually used in Egypt during the times of the pharaohs.

Once the mehendi is removed, Africans apply a blackish paste of ashes, ammonia compounds and other corrosives to get the mehendi to turn dark and closer to black colour. This gives it a very different look.

Apart from the four styles mentioned above another emerging style is the glitter mehendi.

This is the latest add on and is a great hit for the sangeet and maybe even wedding ceremony. This involves sticking various embellishments like crystals matching to the outfit, glitter and many such add-ons, which give it a fancier look.

The most common among Indian brides is the Rajasthani style; but depending on your preference you can also opt for any of the other options mentioned above. Tell us your favourite, we would love to know!