Wedding themes:
Eating the brains of all the members on our Dream Team is our favourite past time ! So this week, we asked Devika Narain (who is a wedding designer and has created some of the most unique themes for Indian weddings in Delhi, Goa, Thailand and some absolutely unheard of destinations as well) to spill the beans. These aren’t your regular “Mughal Inspired” or “Red and Gold” themes- these are ones that will make you guests sit up, take notice and marvel at the tiny details that go into making these possible.
Hi Devika, Tell us about a few themes you have worked on/ think are super hot for 2014 weddings…
Indoor Garden Theme Designed by Devika Narain when she worked for The Wedding Design Company. Photography by Joe Radhik
Devika : “Hi guys, well every year, Indian weddings are getting more and more unique and these are some themes that definitely stand out from the crowd:
Indoor Garden: This look was basically created for the summer, or for venues with no natural beauty to add some instant freshness to the décor. It was really like bringing the garden indoor, with the walls covered in greens, large green trees with hanging votive candles, trellis over the dinner area covered with greens and hanging chandeliers. It was kind of like walking into a banquet hall, but getting the feeling of being outdoor!
Easy DIY Hack: Umm, nothing you can do yourself for this ! You shall have to hire Devika
Circus: For a sangeet in Delhi. The bride wanted something completely mad and out of the box. So we mixed ideas of the circus with fairytale and stories and created something absolutely whimsical. Placed large floral hats on the tables inspired by the Mad Hatter, had polka and striped linen, the entrance was a yellow brick road from the story of Oz.
Easy DIY Hack: Simple change of linen on your tables to colorful polka dots can transform your look
Vintage : With vintage back in fashion, this was for a reception. Pale colours, lots of lace, antique mirror frames, pearl details and lots of candles. Imported hydrangeas and peonies and put them out in teacups as table centrepieces.
Easy DIY Hack: Use vintage cups as center pieces with pearls overflowing from them ! LOVE THAT Idea
Designed by Devika Narain . That Elephant center piece is genius !
The Rajasthani: This was for a mehendi in Udaipur. The bride was from the states and wanted something super colourful for her mehendi. So we picked elements from the local rajasthani bazaar, pinwheels, puppets, umbrellas, used dhols as coffee tables and filled chai glass holders with gulab and mogra. Bought clay elephants off the road and painted them in bright neon colours. Had people making lac bangles live and giving away bandhani duppattas and traditional jootis.
Easy DIY Hack: Use kites as table mats. So fun!
Black, gold and glam: We did this was for a party in Bombay. The theme was black and gold and all the guests were meant to dress in those colours. The client wanted the space to look like a nightclub and I wanted to add a fun yet chic element to it. While talking to the client we realized she was a science student and quite a geek so we covered the walls in chalkboard with graffiti and offset that with gold and black foiled arches, lots of candles and red roses to make the venue look super glam.
Go Glam with Bulbs & Sequins: Nothing screams glamorous louder than lots of bulbs- hanging above the bar, or as strings to cover the ceiling. These are perfect for any sangeet.
Easy DIY Hack: Just drape an entire wall with strings attached with bulbs. Instant glam!
Paper & Origami Theme: This one is Ideal for the Mehendi While paper has for generations been associated with childrens parties, it is becoming quite the economical option for wedding décor. Swap real flowers for paper flowers on the tables, hang bright coloured origami cranes from the trees and large floral fringed streamers on a wall to make the perfect backdrop for your photo booth. You can also hang the age old buntings in fun colors on the ceiling.
Easy DIY Hack: Use crepe paper flowers in steel pots as center pieces
A lot of people, like DIY Decor for their mehendi. Any tips?
Devika : ” I love traditional pujas and ceremonies at home. Just pile lots of coloured powder, desi gulab and marigold in large platters and put out. Throw in some fun coloured cushions and you are all set.
I also love using fresh flowers, and if you don’t want to spend too much, just bring in some plants from your garden. Paint the pots or wrap them in fun coloured paper and use as centrepieces, get some kites to use as coasters and some pinwheels from Dilli Haat or Lajpat Nagar and put out in vases. ”
So what are 5 questions, every bride and groom should ask their decorator before finalising them
Devika : “I always tell brides this, it is extremely important to get along with the people planning your wedding. You are trusting someone with the biggest day of your life, they are almost like an extension of your family and you need someone who understands your taste and style.
- How much time are they going to allot for your wedding? Are they doing multiple weddings at the same time? Often designers juggle between events and are rarely able to focus on one event, hire someone who can dedicate their time exclusively to you on your special day.
- Do go through their work tounderstand the kind of work they do and if it suits your requirements. Some designers work better in small spaces and create more detailed designs which may not work in a large space. Be sure you like their style and that the designer can incorporate some of your personal style into your wedding.
- Be very clear on the scope of work. Some planners are wedding decor designers, and some decor designers are not planners. Understand and detail their role out to avoid confusion later.
- To me communication is very important and I always have a lot of questions for my clients. It helps me understand the expectations of the couple and their style. The kind of movies they like, their vision are all important. A designer/planner who doesn’t ask too many questions to me is a problem; find a designer who is as excited about your plans as you are
- How do they charge? A lot of designers work on a commission basis, but today, a lot charge a basic design fee to ensure that the deals with the vendors are transparent. That way you also get to work with your own vendors. Ask them how they charge and if there are any hidden costs.. you don’t want to be surprised later. “
So when you say Wedding Designer, how is it different from a decorator?
Devika “Well, the way it functions is different. In my case- I design the entire wedding down to the last detail- after that if you want your local tent-wala to execute it. No problem, I shall work with them and make it a reality. Alternatively, if you want my execution team to work on it- thats not a problem either. It works great because instead of bearing hidden costs – you pay for a design fee and then the rest of the decor is all on actuals of how much everything cost . Its a very transparent way of working and most people appreciate that”
Curious to know..how would you design your own wedding?
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