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.

Once you get to deciding on the basic invitation cards, it\’s time to start thinking of how you can make the whole wedding experience a lot more special. Well made wedding stationery allows you to add lovely, personal touches to your wedding events too. Not only can you carry over the theme of the wedding into your stationery but use wedding stationery to harmonise those special days.

One such idea is printing a wedding program booklet. This could include not only the actual ceremony and event programme but other personalised touches like some information explaining the customs and significance of the ceremony itself. You could include notes on the other functions like the Mehendi or cocktail party as well. If you have songs, poems or hymns that are part of the ceremony or even the song that that you planning to have your first dance too, you could include these as well. Make sure the wedding booklet is in the same theme as your invite and the rest of the decor and ambience.

Another nice touch is having your personalised wedding stationery as part of your table settings, especially at a formal sit-down meal. Monogrammed tissues in your chosen colours and personalised name cards are great add ons. You could even consider placing a note to your guests or a card narrating your story as a couple, a romantic verse or even a beautiful picture of the two of you, along with the table centerpiece. Consider printing your menu for the table as well, along with a list of themed cocktails and other custom drinks you may have planned especially for your wedding.

There are a number of things you can do for out of town guests as well. You could print a booklet or newsletter containing iterinaries for all days, addresses, venue and hotel information, transport details and schedules etc. Include information on the locality they are going to be put up at as well as a few fun, touristy things they can do during their free time between functions. Another sweet touch is placing welcome notes or cards in their hotel rooms the day they arrive, maybe with some flowers, chocolates or a small gift. Your wedding planner should be able to help you with a few options.

These personal touches always create happy, well cared for  memories and will have everyone talking about your wedding for years to come. Don\’t forget to thank your guests for their presents and presence at your wedding, with an appreciative \’Thank You\’ card!

Brides and grooms often go quite nuts planning their wedding, there is so much to think of, decide on and pay for after all. Things like the possible wedding venue, the wedding menu, the guest list, the theme, the wedding décor and so much more. One of the more commonly overlooked aspects while planning a wedding ceremony and wedding reception however is the lighting. And a costly mistake it is too! Wedding lighting is one of the most important factors in creating the perfect setting for your dream wedding.

Indian weddings whether big or small are vibrant, fun and enthusiastic events. Why affect all that vitality with horrible lighting. Like decorative, musical and design enhancements help create the perfect ambience, so does the lighting. Wedding lighting when badly done can ruin the most detailed planning and all the décor aspects in which you are probably pumping lots of your wedding budget into. It is probably the most vital aspect that helps create the ambience you desire. Go too dark and all the lovely details will be missed and if there’s too much harsh lighting everything looks overexposed.

Talk to your wedding planner about the right professionals for the job. Choose the kind of lighting that suits the venue and the time of day or night your function is going to be held at. Check the natural light available for a daytime event before you decide on what you want. If you are having an evening do visit the site when dark to get an assessment of how much lighting you will require and what kind. Make sure you check what fixed lighting the venue offers and their placement.

The lighting can make or break your desired ambience. If you have different ‘areas’ within the same space or room like the dance floor, the stage, the bar, the dinner tables etc. you can highlight each area with its own level and type of lighting. The lighting a dance area or the stage area will have should be different from the ambient lighting you plan on having for the rest of the space. Your wedding lighting isn’t just something to illuminate a room, but an extremely important tool you can use to create textures, set the mood and highlight key design features or the elements you want to draw attention to as well as certain others you want to shadow. You can change the level of illumination during different parts of the event as well for e.g. a more ambient dim lighting during the ceremony can be transformed into to something brighter and more colourful during dinner and dancing.

Apart from the basic lighting you need to actually light up the area consider using them as décor elements like pretty lanterns and diyas near the mandap, dramatic sculptural light pieces, and ethereal floating lights or in small table centerpieces. If you are planning to use coloured lights make sure the colours don’t clash with the colour scheme and more importantly compliment most Indian skin tones.

Mood lighting can accentuate all the beauty and can be used to camouflage the not so perfect aspects as well. So make sure you budget for it and get the most you can in your range… let there be light!

You can checkout last Sundays matrimonial section in the Times of India – Checkmate

Want to celebrate the moment you become husband and wife with the birds and the flowers, or have your first dance to the sound of the waves; it is time to take it outside! An outdoor function is apt for Indian weddings which are always so colourful, sometimes complex and always fun to watch and experience. While you may feel it is more convenient to plan your wedding in an indoor, air conditioned ball room, the outdoors can be a lovely change from the norm. Here are some basic tips to help you plan an outdoor wedding:

Choosing – The first step would be to always select your outdoor space according to the kind of wedding you want to have in mind. A large lawn or ground while great for big gatherings may swamp a smaller, more intimate wedding. Small gardens, terraced patios and more intimate spaces are great for small dos. You can even cordon off a private area with décor aspects like tents and flower curtains to make your own spaces according to the size of the wedding. Another way to help you select a venue – look for the kind of backdrop you would love to have in your photos i.e. mountains, waterfalls, trees, the shore etc.  Always choose a venue you can connect with!

Weather – proofing – Plan according to the weather! Although you obviously wouldn’t plan an outdoor wedding in the monsoons, the weather isn’t always predictable. Make sure you have some sort of back up option available, if there’s even the slightest chance of a shower. Some couples opt for indoor and outdoor combined spaces, with one part of the wedding indoors and the other in an adjoining outdoor space.

Comfort – Another huge consideration for an outdoor function is comfort. The comfort of your guests and even you the couple for that matter, is super important. According to whether it is going to be hot or cold, make sure you can arrange for coolers, air conditioners, fans or portable heaters. The sun can be especially harsh for a daytime event, so make sure there is always an area with enough shade. Also mosquito and bug repellants for a night-time function, especially if you are having it by the water, is essential. Inform out of town guests what the temperatures are going to be like so they can dress accordingly.

Décor aspects – One of the best parts about having an outdoor wedding is that you can use your natural surroundings as part of the décor and often can be the focal point of your theme or décor scheme. Make sure your wedding decorations and designs go with your surroundings and enhance the natural loveliness and not mask it. Small touches like the string lights, lanterns, flowers, candles, drapes, a small mandap or arch etc. can be used to accentuate an already pretty space. Try and visit the venue at the time of day you want to have the wedding at, since you need to figure out exactly how much and what kind of lighting you need.

An outdoor wedding in India can be a dream whether it’s in your own backyard or at a city landmark. Plan well and always find out if and what permits and permissions you may need for that particular outdoor space.

Blond haired cutie Reese Witherspoon finally exchanged her ‘I dos’ with fiancé Jim Toth on the 26^th of March 2011. The 35 year old actress and her new hubby tied the knot literally at her doorstep…. well the courtyard of her huge ranch home spread across six acres, in Ojai California. Quite unlike many over the top Hollywood weddings though, Reese and Jim’s wedding day was reportedly very intimate and down to earth despite the many celebrities studding the guest list.

The guest list was numbered at around 120 to 150 people and included many big names from the industry like Renee Zellweger, Isla Fisher, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Matthew McConaughey and many more. An Episcopalian minister conducted the simple and sweet ceremony that included Witherspoon’s two children Ava and Deacon. Toth and her kids walked to the ‘Tenessee Waltz’ played by a Bluegrass band while Reese herself chose the lovely and traditional ‘Here Comes the Bride’ for her trip down the aisle. The bride wore a custom designed strapless Monique Lhuillier gown, Jimmy Choo sandals and her beautiful 4 carat diamond engagement ring on this special day. The happy couple also exchanged William Goldberg wedding bands.

After the ceremony there was a cocktail party at the house itself and dinner too. The theme for the entire do was rustic and farm chic with mismatched furniture, lanterns, rugs and colourful pillows. The newlyweds, their families and the guests then let their hair loose on the wooden dance floor and celebrated this happy occasion.

Do follow Marry Me on twitter .@marrymeweddings for more news on the latest celebrity weddings from Marry Me – Wedding Planners.

For all you royal wedding watchers, there’s another piece of information coming your way; and what a delicious morsel it is! Prince William and Kate Middleton who are set to tie the knot on the 29^th of next month, have finalised on the baker who will create their undoubtedly gorgeous wedding cake and also another cake that is the prince’s special request.

The lucky cake designer chosen is Fiona Cairns, a Leicestershire based celebrity favourite. Having created yummy confectionaries for big names like Bono from U2 and Sir Paul McCartney among others, Cairn’s royal creation is much looked forward to. This luxury cake expert will be making the main wedding cake, chosen by the future princess. Like the gorgeous wedding and reception venues (Westminster Abbey and the Buckingham Palace) and the lovely couple and guests, this main wedding cake is set to be a beautiful piece of dessert art. With Kate’s request for something traditional with a contemporary design, Fiona is said to be a great person for the job.

It was announced that the main wedding cake will be a traditional fruit cake, multi-tiered and decorated with very apt white and cream icing. It will be decorated with a floral theme with very British motifs, which will reflect the elaborate designs of the Buckingham Palace. In typically Victorian theme fashion,  the flowers and floral designs are especially selected for their symbolism.

While this main cake will surely be a great treat for the eyes and taste buds, Price William has opted for something slightly more fun and equally if not more delicious sounding. The Prince’s personal choice is his childhood favourite – a chocolate biscuit cake! Famous British biscuit and cookie company McVitie’s are going to make this huge cake made with over 35lbs of dark chocolate and their Rich Tea biscuits.

This wedding is just getting tastier by the second!

Watch this space for more delicious details about the royal wedding from Marry Me\’s Indian wedding planning team.

Do checkout the Times Of India matrimonial section on the 27th March 2011 for question from a reader answered by us.

These days the term “style icon” is carelessly used- even young starlets flashing their designer wear are bestowed with this title. However, only a few women till date have truly lived the glamorous life that Elizabeth Taylor so effortlessly managed to carry off. For as long as seven decades, her sense of style coupled with her sartorial elegance and beauty, took her exactly where she intended to go. However, the world lost this glamorous actress on March 23, 2011. Here’s a tribute to Elizabeth Taylor and her fabulous style.

Violet-eyed Goddess

She was strikingly beautiful. With her violet eyes that stood out against her raven-like hair, Liz certainly was the epitome of sheer mesmerizing beauty, both on screen and off screen. No one can possibly forget the image of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra with her elaborate Egyptian headgear and dark kohl-lined eyes. In fact, she was undoubtedly the best Cleopatra of all times.

Trendsetter

Elizabeth Taylor was always well put together as an on-screen icon as well as in her natural skin. Over the years, her style evolved as fashions changed. For instance in the 50s she looked petit and demure in her tiny-waist dresses. She rocked the kaftan in the early 70s.

But, she was more of a trendsetter than a blind follower of trends. In fact, her white strapless dress that she donned in “A place in the Sun” is still a benchmark for today’s prom dresses and evening gowns.

The Many Wedding Dresses of Elizabeth Taylor

Liz Taylor was married eight times to seven different husbands. She was often quoted as saying, “I don’t know, honey. It sure beats the hell out of me,” when asked why she married so often.

Each of her wedding dresses was iconic in their own way. In fact, two of her 1950 wedding gowns were copied widely. Here’s a look at Elizabeth Taylor’s fabulous sense of style that reflected in each of her wedding gowns.

Her marriage to Nicky Hilton that lasted from May 1950 to January 1951 saw the beautifully young Taylor at 18 years in a gorgeous white satin dress, accentuated by seed pearls and beading. It had a sweetheart neckline that was covered with a chiffon overlay. This dress was a creation by MGM studio designer Helen Rose. She also wore a veil attached to a cap combined with a pearl tiara.

Her next marriage to Michael Wilding lasted 6 years. Liz Taylor who was 20 years at the time wore a subdued, modest suit-style dress with a small lace cap. People still flocked to see the two after the ceremony. She was a true celebrity in the real sense.

For her third marriage to Michael Todd (1957-1958), Liz Taylor was seen wearing a wedding gown again. But, this time she donned a unique high-collared hooded gown for her ceremony in Acapulco.

In 1959, she married Eddie Fisher in a Las Vegas wedding, where she wore a green chiffon gown with a wrap around her head. Liz had converted to Judaism, before the two married at Temple Beth Shalom in Las Vegas.

Her fifth marriage to Richard Burton in 1964 took place after she met Burton on the sets of Cleopatra. Madly in love, the two got married and this love tryst lasted for ten years, Liz’s longest marriage from 1964 to 1974. She wore a short yellow chiffon dress and an intricate floral headdress that was enmeshed in her long thick plait

After her marriage to Richard Burton for ten whole years, they eventually split for a year. The duo then remarried in a non-traditional wedding ceremony in Botswana, the private wedding of which was conducted by an African minister and witnessed by the game lodge manager where the two were staying. Liz was reported as wearing a green flowing dress with lace frills and guinea fowl feathers. She wore flowers in her hair once again.

After Richard Burton and Liz Taylor got divorced in July 1976, she walked down the aisle for the seventh time, this time around with Republican politician John Warner. There are no photos of the wedding at all. So we absolutely no clue as to what Liz wore, but we are sure it was something truly rare and gorgeous.

Liz Taylor got married for the eighth time in 1991 at her good friend Michael Jackson’s ranch. This time around, she exchanged vows with Larry Fortensky. She wore a floor-length, off-the-shoulder wedding gown. In fact, a lot of us might remember the cover of People’s Weekly that had a photo of Liz with her husband and Michael Jackson.

Elizabeth Taylor was not only a talented actress with alluring features that can never be erased from anyone’s mind. She was also a humanitarian and helped raise millions of dollars for AIDS patients.

Liz Taylor will be remembered for so many things. Her capacity to love, her overwhelming compassion and her impeccable sense of style amongst many other things that continue to fascinate the world. Stay tuned for wedding news and Indian wedding planning tips from Marry Me.

Shopping for your wedding outfits is undoubtedly fun and yet can be tricky; finding the right balance between what’s ‘you’ and what is appropriate can take a while. However there’s one event where a bride can just go with whatever the heart wants and go a little out of the box problem free – the cocktail party. Your cocktail party is most likely going to be all about letting your hair down and celebrating the happy union…so why can’t your outfit be!

Nowadays many brides are opting for chic western wear from Indian and international designers, for their cocktail party choice of attire. Gone are the days where the only choice would be traditional wear, but with just more shine and bedazzle! Today more and more women are gravitating towards stylish cocktail attire and party dresses, bohemian maxis and even formal evening gowns. Gowns by celeb favourites like Shahab Durazi and designer duo Gauri & Nainika, are always popular. Dresses by international designers like Mc Queen, Ellie Saab and Stella McCartney are also being seen more often.

If designer duds are out of reach, check for gorgeous dresses from high street brands or even your local boutiques. If there’s ever a time to splurge, it will be your wedding so try and invest in a fabulous cocktail outfit that will last you through the seasons.

Even if gowns aren’t your thing, there are tons of cocktail dresses and ensembles out there in dazzling and delicious colours and styles; you could even go in for a trendy jumpsuit! But remember, whether you end up with a diaphanous baby-doll dress, an elegant floor skimming gown, a body conscious bandage dress or even a lehenga choli – fit is everything! Make sure your outfit fits like a dream; constant tugging, pulling and adjusting will make even the most awesome designer dress look tacky.

Another big trend in bridal party wear now is going the Indian or ethnic route, but with a big twist.  Designers like Sabyasachi with his colourful and sometimes quirky creations and Masaba with her lovely colours and prints, can be totally unexpected and fun choices for your cocktail party.

Find something that flatters your body, suits your style aesthetic and most importantly allows you to party the night away!

We at Marry Me –Wedding Planners in India can help you with shopping specialists that can help you pick the perfect cocktail dress or any other bridal wear.

The engagement period can be dreamy; you have just decided to marry that someone special and it’s easy to look at life through rose-tinted glasses. Whether it’s a month or a year before your wedding, this time can quickly spiral down into a stress-filled haze. There are a few things you can do to help you cherish and enjoy the time leading up to that special day.

Once you get over the initial excitement, start getting organized. Contact a wedding planner in India, make wedding checklists and start getting your stuff together. Having another person taking care of things (with or without you), helps a lot more than you can imagine. The sooner you start, the easier it is to deal with each aspect, one at a time and not be bogged down by a 100 details at the last minute. The more organized you are, the more in control you will feel. Delegate certain tasks to your fiancé and avoid confusion and arguments later.

Do take the time out to spend some quality time with your sweetheart. This is the time when communication is critical, since you are in one of the major evolutionary stages in your relationship. Talk about your dreams and fears and share in the excitement together. Keep wedding planning talk to the minimum on these dates; this is just about you both, laughing, chatting and keeping the spark going. This period is even more important if you are having an arranged marriage and don’t know the person for too long. Get to know each other better and take joy in each other’s quirks and personality traits. Have fun with each other!

If you haven’t talked about the big issues like finances, relationships, families or laying down personal boundaries, now is definitely the time to do so. These are major issues that need to be sorted before you begin married life together; they will also help cement your bond.

It may seem like a long time, but your engagement period whirls by before you can say “I do”. It will be a big change in your life and you will suddenly be part of a unit. Take this time to do all the things you enjoy. Plan trips with your friends, join some fun classes, spend time with your family….basically, do the things that make you happy and content. Go to the spa, eat well, workout and take good care of yourself. Preserving this sense of ‘self’ will help keep you calm and grounded, even during the chaotic wedding planning in India.

When things get rough, try to remember why you are marrying your partner in the first place… and that alone will make you smile!