A wedding is a time when people want to have a lot of fun, enjoy rich delicacies, wear new clothes and meet up with relatives and friends. However, a wedding can often mean a whole lot of expenditure. Some of the biggest expenses in every Hindu Shaadi today are jewellery, food, cost incurred for booking the venue and clothes.
But at times unexpected expenditures or certain personal reasons can force people to cut down on their expenses heavily. However, should it mean any cut down on the fun? Hell no. So what do you do? Here are 10 tips that will go a long way in helping you save money when you can’t really afford to spend a whole lot of it on your wedding.
1. Absolute Budget – Absolute budget marriage would be one which is conducted in a court with a couple of witnesses from the bride and the groom’s side. The only charges that you would incur are the court expenses. However, don’t forget to buy some sweets for the person who registers your marriage.
2. Mandir Wedding – The Hindu Samaj considers a wedding conducted in a ‘mandir’ in front of the gods as legitimate. Vows taken in front of the gods can’t be broken and doing so would be a sin. The only cost you would incur here is that on the ‘samagri’ (set of items required by the priest who conducts marriage) for the rituals. Also, you’ll have to buy a couple of garlands or ‘varmaalaas’ which will be exchanged once all the sacred ‘mantras’ have been recited. Also, do not forget to buy some sweets for the priest and some to be offered to the gods.
3. Arya Samaaj Wedding – Arya Samaaj conducts mass marriages every year to help couples from lower income groups to tie the knot as per proper Hindu wedding rituals and traditions. The charges are extremely nominal and at times marriages are even conducted free of cost.
Okay, these 3 were budget category. But if you want to have all the pomp and show for less, make sure you don’t miss any of the next 7 tips.
4. Wedding Venue - This is something on which you can tremendously save on if you are willing to settle for a decent venue. Most of the localities have community centres and parks or gardens which they are willing to lease out to residents for a very nominal fee. Try finding out one in your area or ask your friends and relatives if they have something of this sort in their area and how much it would cost. Compare and choose the least expensive one.
5. Ceremonies – For a budget wedding cut down on the ceremonies. In case you don’t want to, make sure functions like ‘mehendi’, ‘sangeet’, ring ceremony etc. should be held at home or at a friend or relative’s place to avoid unnecessary expenditure of booking a hall and a caterer. For wedding songs, catch hold of your grandmother and others of her age.
6. Wedding Dress – As of date a ‘lehenga’ can cost the bride anywhere between a few thousand rupees to a few lakhs. Similarly, a groom’s dress too can cost upwards of a few thousand rupees. Both the bride and the groom should either choose wedding dresses that their pockets permit or ask around to find which of the stores give out wedding dresses on rent. You’ll be easily able to rent a groom’s dress worth around Rs 40,000 for a few thousand rupees.
7. Wedding Jewellery – Jewellery stores across several cities provide bridal jewellery on rent. You’ll however, have to deposit some kind of a security which will be released as soon you return the rented jewellery and pay the fee. Also, these days artificial jewellery is quite popular. They cost less and look just like original ones. You might want to check them out too. Artificial jewellery is available at several malls and standalone stores in almost every city.
8. Wedding Food – if you don’t think you can spend a lot of money on wedding food, try and see if cutting down on the number of dishes helps your case. Instead of putting up a wide range of dishes restrict yourself to say 5-6 items. Hire a local ‘halwai’ or catering service which specializes in certain dishes which everyone in your family enjoys. Most Hindu families love ‘Poori’ (fried Indian bread) served with ‘aloo’ (potato curry).
9. Wedding Decoration – Well, no one really like to cut down on it but you’ll have to be content with modest decoration if you want a budget wedding. Try and see what the best that a party decorator can offer within your budget. Also, you may want to ask around and see if someone within the family or friend circle would want to do the decoration for your wedding if the flowers and the rest of the required logistics can be arranged from your end.
10. Putting up the guests – Well, in some cases it can mean a big bill. However, if you are planning a budget wedding, you may put up your guests in a nearby mandir. Many Hindu temples have some rooms which can be used for putting up guests. The rooms are usually decent and have proper bathrooms attached or available for common usage.
My name is Apoorv Kalra and I like to write articles on wedding related matters such as catering, decoration, wedding planners, wedding clothes and fashion, love, respect and happiness in a relationship. You can find many of these articles at http://www.delhiWeddingPlanners.com
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
10 Hairstyle Tips for Indian Brides
Every bride dreams of looking her best on her wedding day. For months before the wedding, she will spend large amounts of money trying to get the right shape and make her skin look perfect. Wedding dresses are usually made on order and all accessories hand picked to match. The bride has to look like she has never before and most brides would go to any length to ensure the same.
However, very often, in all the planning, one thing that is overlooked is the hairstyle that would suit the bride. This is a big mistake and at the last moment little option is left but to let the beautician do whatever best she possibly can. How the bride’s hair looks and what style it’s arranged in is very important for the overall look. In fact, along with exercising and improving skin tone, in the months preceding the wedding, the bride-to-be should also get hair treatments done. In fact, if a bride can, she should always consult a professional hair stylist on how to further improve the texture of her hair.
So how does one get the best possible hairstyle for their wedding and the numerous functions that go before and after it?
1. To begin with, talk to a hair stylist as soon as the date for your wedding has been finalised. This consultation is important so that the stylist can check your hair for any damage that needs to be taken care of and initiate any treatments it might need. This way, your hair will be perfect and healthy, ready for any hairstyle you might want for your wedding day.
2. Discuss with your stylist what hair styles suit you and make you look your best.
3. Talk to your stylist about the kind of hair style(s) you’re looking for. This should be based on the clothes you’re wearing for the different functions – so that the hair and clothes compliment each other. For example: A high neck with hair pulled up.
4. Once you know what hairstyle you’d like for your wedding, get a trial done. This way, both you and your stylist will know what the end result should be like and if you really do like how it looks. This is important so that you’re not unpleasantly surprised on wedding day.
5. If you want to get your hair cut, don’t do it right before the wedding, because it doesn’t get time to settle in properly. Give it at least a couple of weeks. However, discuss with your stylist before getting anything done.
6. If all your hairstyles are ones that need to be tied up or have complicated braids etc, it’s always best to leave your hair long.
7. Plan on getting your hair coloured? Do it several months before the actual wedding so that it settles in properly and looks as natural as it can. It would also give you a chance to try a different shade if you don’t like your new hair colour.
8. If possible, try and get a full trial with complete hairstyle and makeup, so that you get an idea of what you will look like on the final day.
9. Avoid any drastic makeovers right before your wedding. Experiment if you have to at least 2-3 months before the wedding so that you don’t have to do any damage control at the last minute.
10. Don’t wash your hair the day of the wedding. Do it the day before because freshly washed hair tends to be tricky for hair styling.
Finally, eat healthy and be happy – so that your hair is healthy and looks its best on your important day. Accessorise your hair style with what matches your outfit. You can use fresh flowers, crystals, hair pins etc.
My name is Apoorv Kalra and I like to write articles on wedding related matters such as catering, decoration, wedding planners, wedding clothes and fashion, love, respect and happiness in a relationship. You can find many of these articles at http://www.delhiWeddingPlanners.com
However, very often, in all the planning, one thing that is overlooked is the hairstyle that would suit the bride. This is a big mistake and at the last moment little option is left but to let the beautician do whatever best she possibly can. How the bride’s hair looks and what style it’s arranged in is very important for the overall look. In fact, along with exercising and improving skin tone, in the months preceding the wedding, the bride-to-be should also get hair treatments done. In fact, if a bride can, she should always consult a professional hair stylist on how to further improve the texture of her hair.
So how does one get the best possible hairstyle for their wedding and the numerous functions that go before and after it?
1. To begin with, talk to a hair stylist as soon as the date for your wedding has been finalised. This consultation is important so that the stylist can check your hair for any damage that needs to be taken care of and initiate any treatments it might need. This way, your hair will be perfect and healthy, ready for any hairstyle you might want for your wedding day.
2. Discuss with your stylist what hair styles suit you and make you look your best.
3. Talk to your stylist about the kind of hair style(s) you’re looking for. This should be based on the clothes you’re wearing for the different functions – so that the hair and clothes compliment each other. For example: A high neck with hair pulled up.
4. Once you know what hairstyle you’d like for your wedding, get a trial done. This way, both you and your stylist will know what the end result should be like and if you really do like how it looks. This is important so that you’re not unpleasantly surprised on wedding day.
5. If you want to get your hair cut, don’t do it right before the wedding, because it doesn’t get time to settle in properly. Give it at least a couple of weeks. However, discuss with your stylist before getting anything done.
6. If all your hairstyles are ones that need to be tied up or have complicated braids etc, it’s always best to leave your hair long.
7. Plan on getting your hair coloured? Do it several months before the actual wedding so that it settles in properly and looks as natural as it can. It would also give you a chance to try a different shade if you don’t like your new hair colour.
8. If possible, try and get a full trial with complete hairstyle and makeup, so that you get an idea of what you will look like on the final day.
9. Avoid any drastic makeovers right before your wedding. Experiment if you have to at least 2-3 months before the wedding so that you don’t have to do any damage control at the last minute.
10. Don’t wash your hair the day of the wedding. Do it the day before because freshly washed hair tends to be tricky for hair styling.
Finally, eat healthy and be happy – so that your hair is healthy and looks its best on your important day. Accessorise your hair style with what matches your outfit. You can use fresh flowers, crystals, hair pins etc.
My name is Apoorv Kalra and I like to write articles on wedding related matters such as catering, decoration, wedding planners, wedding clothes and fashion, love, respect and happiness in a relationship. You can find many of these articles at http://www.delhiWeddingPlanners.com
Thursday, June 24, 2010
10 Top Tips for Wedding Flowers
Wedding day decorations are the most crucial because the wedding decorations set the mood and style for the evening. Wilting flower arrangements and colors that do not match can spoil the evening.
Article Body:
Fresh flowers can make all the difference. The importance and significance of flowers in an Indian wedding is high and you can see how they are used everywhere –the mandap, the stage, the entrance and archway, the bidai vehicle, on the mare, the blessings, the varmala and the wedding day bed for the bride and the bridegroom. Choosing the flowers well and ensuring that they look good at all times is extremely important.
1.Choose a florist that has a reputation for being a good flower supplier for weddings. Wedding florists and decorators are different from the ones that make bouquets for birthdays and anniversaries. To find good wedding florists, ask your friends for references. You can also check up the Internet for some good wedding florists in your area.
2.A good florist should be able to give you ideas about the specific flowers that you should pick for the wedding day. Seasonal flowers cost lesser and should be chosen if you are on a tight wedding budget.
3.Select a wedding florist who stores his flowers close to the wedding venue. This will ensure that the flowers are fresh when they reach the wedding hall or venue.
4.Decide on the type of flower and the quantity based on your wedding budget. Exquisite flowers like carnations and gladioli cost much more than the traditional Indian rose or the oft used marigold.
5.Discuss the specific floral decorations that you will need for the wedding venue with the florist. The amount of flowers that you will need should be based on how large the venue is and the areas that you want covered. By the end of your discussions with the florist, you should have a list of all the areas that you want decorated like the stage backdrop, the mandap, the entrance and the tables and an estimate of the amount of flowers that you will need for each of these decorations. The details should also be broken up by cut flowers, flowers and petals since the requirement for different kinds of decorations may vary.
6.Also talk about the number and type of garlands that you will need with the wedding florist. The wedding varmala should be ordered separately, making sure that the specific flowers that you want included are specified. In addition to this, you will also need garlands for the milni and aashirwaad. These can be ordered once you have made a list of the milnis that you are planning and the number of people who are likely to give the aashirwaad.
7.Consider the kind of wedding décor that you have chosen for the specific function. Traditional flowers are better for religious functions like the wedding day or the mehendi. You can leave the modern looking or western flowers and get creative with them on the sangeet and the wedding reception.
8.Keeping flowers fresh is a challenge, especially for weddings that take place in the Indian summer heat. Sprinkling them with water can help keep the petals looking and smelling fresh. You can also cover them with a wet cloth till they are ready to be used.
9.Cut flowers with a stem that are used on tables or bouquets can be put in water that contains a copper penny or piece and aspirin. Lemon juice, sugar and bleach can also work wonders to keep flowers fresh. It might also be a good idea to avoid flowers that have a long stem since these can block the view of people sitting across the table.
10.Wedding flowers should always be chosen based on the overall décor that you have selected for your wedding day. Lavender or blue flowers may look out of place on the wedding day when all the other decorations have traditional gold, red and green colors.
In selecting flowers, it is a good idea to also get the opinions of your friends and relatives, especially of your mother and father. It makes parents feel important and you may gain valuable information. With the right kind of wedding flowers that are colorful vibrant and fresh and sweet smelling, your wedding day is also likely to be exactly the same.
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