What goes behind the pomp and show at a Big Fat Indian Wedding – Unveiling the Grandeur of an Indian Wedding!
Do you know that the market of Indian weddings, and that too big fat Indian weddings is about $50 billion? Isn’t the number too huge to shock you to the core?
There are Indian weddings which have even crossed over $20 Million in US/Canada and 100+ crores mark in India, with some top notch A-listers and B-town celebs getting married in the year 2018-2019. So all in all, the big fat Indian wedding game has changed from the past years and is evolving as new things are coming up.
But we aren’t here to discuss them, of course!
We are here to make you go through that why these big fat Indian weddings are so grand and splendid in all aspects and what actually goes behind planning one!
So without any further adieu ;), let’s dig deep into it.
1. Months of planning
Now any wedding needs planning, whether be it in India or outside. It takes months to figure out where the wedding would take place, shopping needs to be done, dates have to be finalized as per the muhurat (as per Indian culture, it is the most auspicious time of the year to get married), guest list needs to be prepared and what not.
In short, a complete checklist needs to be prepared as to what all needs to be done and how the expenses need to be distributed among the various aspects of the checklist.
But what goes behind the actual big fat Indian wedding preparations is what event company to choose, how to choose, whom to refer for best suggestions, best destination for the wedding, wedding trousseau etc.
Now because in big fat Indian weddings, it is usually the event company that looks into everything for most of the cases, starting from delivering of the wedding cards to décor till the functions wind up; there’s not much to worry for the family except supervising (a bit) the staff from the event company.
The main task comes when things needs to be personalized and the family or the bride-groom need to direct the event company about tits and bits of their wedding personalized to their tastes and aura.
BUT this doesn’t mean that big fat Indian wedding preparations become easy with this, instead there’s more burden as when you work yourself, you know what to do, how to do and keep a check on quality etc.
But when you handle the entire stuff to some other person, you really have to look into the fact that everything’s working perfectly and as per the expectations.
2. Destination Weddings or extravagant national one!
With the growing number of Indian riches in the USA and Canada, wedding families usually opt for destination weddings like Puerto Rico, Punta Cana, Cancun, Hawaii, Bahamas etc
Destination weddings at some of the most prominent places not only serve as a mark of stature but also give the families a time to break through the routine and explore while still digging deep into the festivities.
Besides that, destination weddings serve the best and most lavish purpose of a great pre-wedding photoshoot (which we’ll be discussing soon) along with the other wedding photography and videography to truly resonate with the big fat Indian wedding scenario.
Whether it be around the waters to bask in the glory of the sun
credits: alfaazphotography
Source: boldoutline.in
Or at some grand palace in Grand Canyon, Colorado, Smoky Mountains, Niagara Falls, Yosemite, Yellowstone and some popular destinations outside US/Canada are Venice, Mauritius, Phuket, Paris, London, Bora Bora et al. The list is endless.
Source: ramitbatra.com
Or in the mountains, in the lap of mother-nature amidst chilling winds and soothing greenery with birds chirping. Places like Rocky Mountains, Smoky, Sierra, Denali, Canadian Rockies etc. are like heavens on the earth.
One doesn’t even need to search for locations outside USA/Canada. One just needs to look into finding one to complement their idea of the big fat Indian wedding.
Destination weddings have become the vogue of getting married at a dream place, even if it means that you have to cut out on some other expenses.
In fact, almost 50% of the expenses’ share is spent on venue, that is, the destination to wed. So after seeing this pictures, it becomes quite obvious as to why it is the case 😮
3.Creating a phenomenal experience 😮
The elite weddings can be seen not simply as a series of elaborate events but a phenomenon for much effort and money being put into creating an experience.
The journey begins right from the wedding invitations, where simple paper invitations are giving way to outrageously luxurious ones.
These days invites are not just about piece of paper inviting the family, instead a means to show off which screams,
”You yourself can imagine that if the card is so lavish, how outstanding the wedding itself be”.
It is also a means to get more people attend the wedding and actually make them feel as if they have got at some extravagant event.
Then luxurious destinations, bridal wear, and also the guest list which reflects power and position in itself.
4. Out of the box decoration
With a lavish wedding comes an out-of-the-box decoration. Like the theme based wedding famous fashion blogger and influencer, Masoom Minawala had as the Moroccan décor with small elements inspired from the Moroccan culture and also a touch of some personal traits of both the bride and the groom.
Images source: weddingz.in
While for some being traditional is the key to the most charismatic wedding decoration.
This decoration is all about staying true to what your culture or religion is all about like the one below from South India with colors and structure of the mandap area truly reflecting Southern spirits.
Source: beautyandmakeuplove
But some can be simple and sophisticated too complemented with some exotic floral and lanterns pattern decoration and light colors (or even dark) for a calming environment (or rustic). This type of decoration mostly works with weddings at the mountains or around the water.
Lastly, for some the decor is all about being grand shouting, “I am upper class” (pun intended).
Tip: Always ensure that the colors of the entire venue are in sync with each other and don’t seem to break the attention of the guests. You can always add some extra elements for fun like a photo booth, fun games etc. to keep the guests engaged.
Decorations like the one above scream lavish, over-the-top, brightness, lighting, show-buzz kind of with the theme matching that of affluent Bollywood themes.
5. Pre-wedding photoshoot and designer Wedding Trousseau
Though pre-wedding photoshoots have become quite common these days with more and more couples going for it and more and more photographers just for pre-wedding photoshoot, can you imagine going to an altogether different country for one?
Most probably no but big fat Indian weddings do have this. The bride and groom don’t mind travelling alone or with family for such a shoot. Besides that, nowadays it’s not only about a casual photshoot with couples standing close to each other hands in hands, changing outfits and poses.
There’s even variation to it. Under-water shoot, vintage shoot, one with your furry best friends, miniature shoot, in-house shoot and what not. The list is endless.
Night photoshoot, in the darkness of the realms to bring the intense side of each other
Under the stars to feel the spark and shine:
Miniature shoot to bring the quirky and funky side of each other
Image credit: theweddingscoop.com
One where the couple’s furry friends are also present because let’s get real, animals do make the photos look special and cute!
Image credit: shaadisaga.com
And lastly some under-water fun too!
Image credit: ezwed.in
Now coming to the main thing – the wedding outfits. Whether it be for any function or the D-day, its designer! Starting straight from Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, to Sabyasachi, Manish Malhotra to Tarun Tahilani, Ritu Kumar to Neeta Lulla.
Only these richies can afford a lehenga worth $35,00 (25 lakhs), $70,000 (50 lakhs) or more! For the rest, a complete wedding is planned in this much of expense.
In order to get the best of the wedding Lehenga which is made as per your requirements, body type and budget GetEthnic.com provides the best service and quality. Checkout how its executed to perfection:
Some tips for bridal lehengas or sister/best friend:
- If you are the bride, then always go with the colors your family and your in-laws approve of because at the end of the day, it is not just about you, but for them too. But it doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on your choices, put forward your choice but then convince them so that no one feels as if their opinion wasn’t taken into consideration.
- Be very particular about the style, color of the lehenga and also the weight. The more embroidery and work the lehenga has, more heavy it would be. You can always have two light lehengas for the photos and for the ceremony than donning one heavy lehenga making it difficult for you to even walk or dance or enjoy yourself.
- Choose the lehenga as per the destination and whether like velvet won’t work for summers as it would make you feel hot (not in that sense ladies 😉 ) while a cotton-cloth based lehenga might not give you enough warmth for the winters.
- If your lehenga is too heavy, don’t go overboard with the jewelry also. Like we aren’t saying to go light on it, instead a fewer pieces maybe. You can always go for either gold accessories for your hair or flowers.
- If you are the sister of the bride or the best friend, NEVER OPT FOR SOMETHING WHICH COULD DISTRACT PEOPLE’S ATTENTION FROM THE COUPLE. Play with colors, accessories and styles as we have discussed in this blog. Go check that out.
Now coming straight up to some of the resplendent wedding lehengas:
credit: alfaazphotography
Source: globalphotography
6. Gastronomical Delight 😛 and Elaborate Gifts
Now this is one thing we all Indians can abide by surely. No one remembers what the décor was all about, no one remembers what were the bride and groom wearing, no one even remembers how the invites were; but what everyone remembers is the food, both in terms of variety and taste.
The menu of big fat Indian weddings is about a treat to your eyes, an ode to your taste buds and an opportunity to share some of the those cuisines which either you might not try on your own or might not an opportunity to taste.
Various live counters are there, food from across the globe is there, possible tastes that you can’t even imagine are also there.
Source: thebigfatindianwedding
And how can we not talk about the return gifts one gets after leaving from the wedding. Nicely wrapped, seeming a lot of effort has been put in. Brilliant packaging, personalized touch of the families and of course, all the love and token of appreciation for the guests to even find it worth attending.
credit: pinterest
credit: whatsuplife.in
And do you know about 10% of the entire expenditure on a big fat Indian wedding is done on gifts? Though the share is not much but still if taken mathematically or even literally, then it’s not that tad less too!
If you are someone who stays outside India (that is in the US and Canada) and vying for one exclusive and customized Indian traditional (or fusion) outfit for your or friend’s/sister’s wedding, then you have landed at the right place.
GetEthnic.com lets you get in touch with their elite designers and skilled craftsmen to build that perfect outfit which echoes with your personality and also stands high up to your expectations.
We’ll send you a free sample file which will contain everything to give you a complete idea as to how your outfit will look like at the end, the feel of the texture of your attire and a lot more to it.
We cater to both the bride and the groom and anyone and everyone who wants customization in their wedding ensemble. So be prepared and all decked up for the next destination wedding in town!
