The definitive Asian wedding blog featuring a bit of East, a splash of West, as well as advice on venues, photography, guidance, fashion, decor, cakes and much more
My fiance proposed in Malaysia. And on that day, which turned into a wonderful procession of our favourite things such as eating giant chilli prawns and drinking cold beer with our toes buried in the sand, he said: "I'm going to have to get used to buying you expensive jewellery, aren't I?" Admittedly I was on my fifth beer, but I was a bit confused, so he elaborated: "Well, costume jewellery doesn't cut it with Indian women, does it?" And although I'm not obsessed with jewellery, he has a point. The older I've grown, the more I'd prefer to wear real gems and precious metal - even if they are very few pieces. And on my wedding day, this rings doubly true.
But I hit a snag. My criteria for getting real jewellery made was that they'd be an asset, and they would be pieces which I would wear until I was 70. That seemed fine for the civil ceremony, but the religious ceremony would require bold, elaborate pieces and I just didn't feel right having expensive sets made especially for that. However, nor do I feel comfortable wearing a £50 set purchased off the high street. A great compromise seemed to be Bargello, which is an online jewellery shop (they ship practically everywhere) that has beautiful sets made with silver (plated for some pieces) and semi-precious stones. Some of the pieces are handmade, and sets can retail around the £200 - £400 mark.
For me, the jury is still out on good online Asian bridalwear websites. I haven't come across any resounding gems, and in any case I think half the fun is getting the exasperated sales assistant to pull out a hundred saris for you only to say: "Hmm, if only you had that in a slightly different colour..." However, for the Asian bride who wants the white wedding dress but isn't sure she can justify the expense, I give you: Landy Bridal. I first heard about it when I interviewed a bride for The London Paper, but wasn't 100 per cent sure about the quality. When I recommended it to a friend's friend, and she received her dress and raved about it, I was certain that this was a great alternative. Dresses are around the 150 - 200 Euro mark, made with silks and other materials, and are very good copies of designer dresses that are ten times more expensive. I've recommended it to my good friend Rashme, so watch this space.
I've had plenty of 'genius' ideas that on a moment's reflection wouldn't have even received the thumbs up from a herd of donkeys. These have included sartorial choices - the green hunter's cap (with furry flaps) that I insisted on wearing with a Fido Dido t-shirt, purple jeans and a crochet cardigan. These have also included dating choices - a man who wore so much jewellery it would have put a Punjabi bride to shame, or the guy whose beauty bag was bigger than mine. I've made fewer of these 'choices' over the years as I've developed that thing called intuition.
But although Rob and I are tattoo people (and very fond of them), that old niggle returned the minute I gushed: "Oooh we should get matching tattoos...and it should be Sanskrit....oooh and it should be just before the wedding!" The thing is, perhaps it's because you only hear the stories when love goes bad, but I've never really heard a happy matching tattoo story. Remember when Johnny Depp broke up with Winona Ryder and changed his tattoo to 'I love Wino'? Have you ever seen that man wear a vest since?
Then, as if a lightning bolt from the heavens carved into the rock face: THIS IS A BAD IDEA, I saw the news story that Russell Brand and Katy Perry got matching tattoos. And they're Sanskrit. And they're about to get married. Sorry, but one looks like an emaciated Victorian gin-mill beggar, and the other dresses like a Hello Kitty doll on acid. So the tattoos are off. No doubt my mother will be reading this with a sigh of relief, but imagine all the parenting pain she could've saved herself. Rather than forbidding me to do things as a teenager, she should've just pointed at two unsavoury celebrities and said: "They've just done that."
Worn at the Raavan film premiere yesterday, I definitely liked the look of Aishwarya Rai's take on the traditional sari blouse. I always pictured long-sleeved sari blouses as being worn by little old ladies who didn't want to flash their bat wings after a certain age, but I was wrong. Bollywood Style Diaries have some great full-length pictures of the outfit, and the general consensus is that the designer is Sabyasachi. I love the embroidery on the blouse, the colour juxtapositions and the embellishments.
My only critique is that when viewed as a whole the outfit looks a bit busy, but Ash pulls it off. For brides seeking inspiration, the trick to this look is to go for a high mid-riff. Personally I think this is a great choice for winter weddings, or for those looking for a different blouse variation. Full marks also for her elegant hair and earrings.
Below, check out the photo of her and husband Abhishek Bachchan. If ever there was justification that grooms should shape up for the wedding, it's this man. He looked like a potato in Dhoom 2, but post-Ravaan, a lot of gym-work and a samosa-free diet: hubba hubba!
My bridal beauty regime was going to be a few gallons of Champagne but on second thoughts, I'd rather have a healthy glow on my wedding rather than an alcoholic sheen. There's a lot you can do in the lead-up that will make you look fresh and lovely - with or without your foundation stick. Make-up artist Sana K, who exhibited at The Asiana Bridal Show in January, has a few beauty tips for us brides.
What beauty prep should brides be doing?
Beauty really does start from the inside, so go for a detox and sway towards eating fresh fruits and vegetables and drinking lots of water. Get exercising to release sweat and toxins from the skin. Go for a course of facials with a reputable parlour. You can top up your facials at home by making organic face packs or scrubs once a week. In short, get into a good routine.
When should we begin it?
It’s never too late to start but ideally 3 to 6 months before. Beauty prep could also end up being your 'me-time' to unwind from all the stress of preparations.
What can a bride do to make your job easier?
Have exfoliated and well moisturised skin on the day, try and sleep well, stay hydrated. If your skin is glowing - you DON’T need a lot of makeup to hide anything.
Of the bridal collections showcased this year, one of my favourites has to be from Rocky S. Very light on the embellishments, using delicate, soft colours, his outfits tread a fine line between bridal traditional and ethereal. A key figure on the Indian fashion scene, he rose to prominence in the early noughties, taking a unique, creative spin on lenghas, salwar kameezes and saris. He’s also got fabulous contemporary collections, but for the modern Indian bride who doesn’t want to be fettered by traditional reds, his bridal wear demands a closer look. The Asian Wedding Editor’s Guide snatched a few moments with the designer, showcasing his current collection that aired at Lakme Fashion Week.
You do bridal and contemporary - what is it about bridalwear that makes you passionate?
Weddings are so beautiful and sacred, they inspire me in a lot of ways. A bride wants to look her best during her wedding, an event she will remember forever. I love to give them that special outfit that makes them glow and look elegant and gracious.
What kind of fabrics and embellishments do you prefer working with?
I usually work with velvet, brocade, jacquard, various kinds of silks, chiffon, and crepe to name a few. When it comes to embellishments I prefer zardosi work, Lucknowi embroidery, cord work, sequins embroidery, bootis, gota work and so on.
Where do you get your inspiration from for your bridal wear?
My inspiration usually is ‘India’ when it comes to bridal wear. We have such a diverse culture and tradition, that I feel there is so much to explore.
How would you describe your latest bridal collection?
The collection is about affluence, lavishness. It features rich and sumptuous lenghas, graceful saris, modish churidar kurtas and lavish sherwanis. Rajasthan and Istanbul were big inspirations, and it is very feminine.
There are a few ways to alleviate the stress of organising the big day - a large tub of Ben & Jerry's, locking yourself in a dark room, stuffing your ears with cotton wool while your mother discusses the guestlist again. But one of the nicest methods surely has to be a massage. Apart from the soothing therapy itself, it's a blissful way to pass an hour or two, and The Mandarin Oriental in London is offering a guilt-free way to enjoy pre-wedding treatments. At present they're giving 20% off on all treatments for brides and grooms for 6 months before the wedding. They're also including free use of the Heat and Water Oasis that normally costs £25 after 9am.
I've been meaning to post for ages but my laptop is rapidly devolving into a computer from the time of Charles Babbage. So my apologies, but here it finally is: a slew of venue discounts for the bride who's strapped for time, cash or both. I hope it helps and if not, don't forget you can always email me (anonymously if you like) for advice.
Based in the City, The Brewery is an grand old conversion from when it used to be a - surprise - brewery in the 18th century. A Grade II building with a City Heritage Award, it's throwing a wedding band in for free with wedding packages. The packages include a 3 course dinner, wedding planner, sparkling drinks and a canape reception, starting from £92 +vat per guest. The deal is only applicable for bookings of 120 guests or more, but the venue can hold up to 600 guests in one room.
By the lake and very picturesque, Mere has a more boutique feel to it than most golf clubs. If your sensibilities swing that way, you might care to know OK! magazine voted them venue of the year. They have a capacity of 500 and at present are offering a 30% discount for any weddings booked that take place on a Sunday.
Every bit as beautiful as the pictures suggest, Swinton Park is better for smaller civil ceremonies and receptions. They offer a Runaway Wedding package for those who need to get married within 3 months, offering pretty much everything including stationery, food, drinks and exclusive use of the venue's 30 bedrooms for £12,500. It's for a maximum of 60 guests and the wedding can only be held on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday night.
London's top concert hall has stunning views as well as relatively generous capacities. It has 100 seated for the ceremony and 250 standing. They're offering a 20% discount for mid-week weddings, Monday to Thursday. Hire starts from £2625.
ZSL London Zoo
With a capacity of 260 and great for quirky venue lovers, they're offering 15% off room hire from October to April.
Science Museum
The ultimate geek-chic venue, this is one of the coolest places to have your wedding. They can accommodate a whopping 1600 guests, and if you book before 30 November, they're offering a 2 for 1 gallery hire.
Save the dates: frivolous piece of stationery or practical reminder? I've had opinions from various friends - one pronounced them 'wasteful', another said they were a 'really good' idea and a third screeched: "Nooo! What the hell is it with people sending these out nowadays?"
Admittedly if you're on a small budget, they aren't the most frugal option. But there are ways of keeping costs as low as possible, and ensuring that the guests you really want are there. The same friend who questioned the point of sending them out a year in advance might be buggering off next year to live abroad, so I feel justified in doing so. Plus we're getting married on a weekday, so I wanted to give people plenty of notice to take the day off. I'm lucky in that I know a very talented designer - Pariena Chita - who I worked with at Asiana, who made the invite pictured, for me. You can hire her services to create a personal design, or if you already have a design template, there are two cheap ways to print:
1) Print at Moo.com - they're offering to print 20 postcards for £11.99. I've had business cards and the like printed by them, and it's very high quality. They also offer matching envelopes if needs be.
2) Print at PDA Card and Craft - UK-based printers offering superb paper and printing at very cheap prices. For 50 of these and envelopes it's roughly under £35.
One last thing: Not a fan of emailed Save the Dates. Environmentally-friendly, yes, but people don't really pay attention to them.
I'm the former editor of Asiana magazine and used to write weddings for The London Paper - this is my east meets west wedding blog for all brides - Asian or not!
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