Grooming.....Indian Groom!!

Indian groom is star attraction of the weddings. He is the person around whom all the wedding celebrations revolve. So a groom must try to look at his best on the day of weddings and there is nothing wrong in doing so as it is the need of the hour. The groom must take care of everything right from his dress to preening himself. He must not hesitate to hire the services of experts in this regard.

Indian wedding is a grand affair, comprising of lavish feasts, abundant decorations and lots of ceremonies. Throughout the wedding, it is the bride and groom who prove to be the center of attention. This, combined with the fact that it is the most important day of their life, is the reason why both of them spend a lot of time in planning their overall look for the wedding, paying full attention to the dress, shoes, accessories, and the like. In this article, we have listed the outfits that make up the perfect options for Indian groom attire.


Accessories For Groom

One of the main groom accessories is the Sherwani with a diamond cufflink and along with this is the Turban which can be used with different fabrics like tie dyes, leheriyas or self woven brocades. This is usually worn with a Sherwani, heavy Churidar Kurta or a Jodhpuri suit. Another accessory is the pagri that is made up of chunri and gharchola which enhances the look of a groom.

The other groom accessories are the Kantha, which is a necklace that is made up of white pearls and beads and is worn as an ornament. There are traditional items called as moti mala that is worn to enhance the look of the bride. The sehra is also another important accessory that is worn during the wedding ceremony. Mojris are traditional footware that are worn with Jodhpuris and Sherwanis and are usually hand crafted.

Indian Groom Attire Trends

Talking about Indian groom preparations, the first thing that comes into mind is the wedding dress. He will have to decide from amongst the numerous options, which include sherwani, achkan, kurta pajama, kurta dhoti and western suits.

When it comes to an Indian wedding, sherwanis counts amongst the most popular dressing options for the groom. A traditional attire of Indian men, it was initially worn only by the males in Uttar Pradesh, along with the city of Hyderabad. However, with the passing time, sherwani came to be the ultimate wedding attire, wooing grooms in almost all the parts of India.







Groom Hair Care & Skin Car Tips For Groom

There are some types of Groom Skin Care or techniques/ways which are very useful - cleansing, exfoliating, nourishing and toning. The most essential thing to do is to wash your face, twice or thrice, daily with a soap free moisturizing face wash which is very gentle on groom’s skin. To get that extra freshness you can use cold water. Groom Skin Care can also be done by wiping the skin with cleansing lotions (available in different brands). Exfoliating is the technique which removes dead cells. Toning is a technique, which is useful to keep the grooms’ skin firm and clear. Astringents and toners with glycolic or alpha hydroxyl acid work best to make skin firm.

Groom Skin Care can also be accomplished by homemade facial, which contains some effective herbals, make skin better and glowing. It is important to drink 10 to 15 glasses of water daily to keep skin healthy.

Cleaning is a very important part of groom hair care. Wide range of shampoos, medicated solutions, and other cleaning products are available in market. Dandruff should be treated prior to wedding functions. Coloring is the other technique to substantiate groom hair care.

Happy Wedding!

Shubh Vivah- The Wedding Planner

Image Source:ndiaweddingplanner/ womantospecial/ bollywoodshaadis/ rajeevkashyap/ partyandweddingdresses

Indian Royal Wedding Theme

Indian weddings, a colorful and elaborate celebration, tend to stick to Hindu traditions. However, in recent years a number of wedding themes have emerged within the Indian culture. One of these is the Indian royal wedding. The Indian royal wedding is marked by grandeur and extravagance and typically fuses traditional Indian wedding rituals with the heritage of Indian royalty

Budget

When planning your Indian royal wedding, having a budget is essential. Due to the elaborateness of the theme, it can prove to be very expensive. Determining your venue, decor, travel and lodging for members of the wedding party and guests, is crucial to determining your overall budget.

Venue

The venue is important when having an Indian royal-themed wedding. The wedding is usually held at a palace or a venue that has a palace-like look and feel. If your budget does not afford the opportunity to rent a palace, a replica of a palace or decor that includes columns, chandeliers, and drapes can be used to carry out the theme. Specific locations like the castle at Disney World or an old Victorian Bed and Breakfast would also be ideal venues to hold an Indian royal themed wedding.

Attire

For the Indian royal wedding, the bride and groom dress in traditional Indian wedding attire. The bride typically wears a red dress symbolizing good luck and a colorful sari with beautiful embellishments and embroidery. Her attire is accented by colorful and ornamental hair decorations, earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets. The groom dons a traditional sherwani or a suit. Unlike the bride, there isn't a traditional color for the groom. For an added touch of royalty, the bride and groom can wear a crown and tiara reminiscent of India's ancient Rajasthani prince and princesses. The couple may encourage guests to wear saris and brightly colored turbans.

Decor

In keeping with the overall look and feel of the venue, accentuate large white columns and arches with spiraling flowers. For an extra touch of embellishment, incorporate an ice sculpture, fire eaters, snake charmers, fireworks, period music and belly dancers.

Food

An intricate part of Indian wedding festivities, the food layout should be as elaborate as the rest of the ceremony. In a banquet style, traditional Indian wedding dishes like the following can be served; pularo, mixed vegetables and chicken,paan, rotli, macher kaalia, nimboo pani, fresh juice, and rice.

Ceremony

The Indian ceremony can last for hours and includes a number of different rituals. One ritual, generally performed in all Indian marriages, is the saat phere or seven circles. This ritual requires the bride and groom to walk around a fire seven times as the presiding priest recites the traditional mantra and speaks on the importance and significance of marriage. In addition to this, the groom places a mangalsutra around the bride's neck as a religious and sacred symbol of her new status as a married woman.

Things to Consider

The traditional Indian wedding includes a series of ceremonies and rituals taking place over the course of three days. Determine if you'd like to observe each ritual. Decide if you'll infuse the Indian royal theme on each day or reserve it for the last day's festivities.

Happy Wedding!

Shubh Vivah- The Wedding Planner

Image Source:sisterbrotherstyle/ purplelilies/ cakesusan

Mangalsutra- Thread of Love!

Mangalsutra is a symbol of Hindu marriage, it is a sacred thread of love and goodwill worn by women as a symbol of their marriage. Traditionally the mangalsutra is considered the most revered token of love and respect offered to the bride during the marriage ceremony.

Hindu marriage is much more than just celebration and fun. It demands sacrifice, companionship, dedication, and devotion from both the partners. Each and every rituals and customs associated with marriage portrays the real essence of wedding. Traditionally, there are five signs of marital status of women, according to Hindu culture- mangalsutra, toe rings, kumkum, bangles and a nose ring. 

Talking about Mangalsutra, the word denotes a significant meaning. While mangal means aupiscious, sutra can be deciphered as a thread. Different regions in the country have assigned different names for this scared symbol. While it is known as the thaaly or maangalyam in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil in Southern India, people in the northern part of India calls it Mangalsutra. It is believed that the concept of this sacred thread had its roots laid down in South India. Having immense significance and importance, it traveled to North India as well and today, forms an imperative part of the wedding ceremony.

Mangalsutra is the token of dignity and love given to a bride by her groom. On the wedding day, the groom ties the Mangalsutra around the neck of the bride, while the priest recites Vedic hymns and prays. It signifies the union of the bride and the groom, amidst the presence of deities, who are believed to be attending the marriage. In some regions, the groom ties first and his sisters tie the rest. Talking about its appearance, this sacred thread is made of two strings of small black beads with a locket or pendant. Sometimes, it is also made of small beads of gold and black beads, with gold and diamond pendant.

Mangalsutra is considered auspicious for married women, mangalsutra is believed to have divine powers. Each of the black beads in the Mangalsutra, signify protection from evil power and are believed to protect the marriage of a couple, essentially the life of the husband. Hindu women feel superstitious, when this scared thread breaks or gets lost. In the present times, mangalsutra are boasts of various designs and patterns. While the Gujaratis and Marwaris often go for a diamond pendant, Maharashtrians have a pendant that consists of one or two vatis and Bengalis in the meanwhile, have coral incorporated in the designing of the Mangalsutra.

Mangalsutra surely symbolizes the real essence and concept of a Hindu marriage.

Happy Wedding!!

Shubh Vivah- The Wedding Planner

Image Source: jayreiter/ india-forums

Bollywood e-style Wedding

In mid-90s blockbuster hits such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun brought home the admiration and splendour of festive North Indian Weddings and more about the song and dance sequences. A person desire of a perfect wedding and the ideas generally evolves from a song or a movie scene in the past therefore Bollywood Theme Weddings are the perfect way of creating an idyllic wedding. Bollywood is an amalgamation of the opulent Indian cultures and therefore believes in no boundaries similarly a wedding planned Bollywood way selects the best tradition of all the cultures and produces a magnificent event.

Bollywood Theme Mehndi Night Ceremony

A Mehndi Ceremony is an occasion when both groom and bride's peers collect for a grand pre- wedding celebration. Contrary to the main wedding ceremony, the Mehndi ceremony is an occasion when not just their peers but the bride and groom themselves can also rejoice in the festivities. Keeping the Bollywood theme in mind the entire canopy echoes the sounds of Bollywood music. Women from the families, their friends and relatives stretch out their hands in front of a bevy of mehndi artists, nail artists and tattoo makers to embellish their palms with beauteous forms. Following the unique theme of Bollywood the bangle seller can be one of the major attractions of the event. In the same pattern the menu also can incorporate some of the famous street food of Mumbai the land of Indian Film Industry, these delicacies including, Bhelpuri, Panipuri and Wada Pau all spicing up the event further. 

Sagai, Exchanging The Rings Bollywood Style 

Inspired by the Hindi Bollywood Song, "Aaj Hai Sagai", the bride and groom arrive in typical Indian attire selected for the sangeet. The entire ceremony is a sequence of fantastically choreographed dances and dialogues along with the similar clothing as that in the song and the set changing as per the scenes. All this creates the reel life come alive in front of the guests. The bright pinks, oranges and the more traditional reds and maroons all are the colour for going the Bollywood way therefore are widely chosen in a Bollywood Theme Wedding. 




The regal settings of the desert cities of Rajasthan are a perfect backdrop for illustriously moulding the theme into a spell bounding fiesta. The elaborately choreographed bhangra and Bollywood songs and dances are the highlights of this event. Bollywood dance party is most awaited event of the ceremony for making the event an exuberant affair. To further add to the fun of the ceremony a performance from one of the Bollywood artists can be arranged on demand.

Wedding Ceremony Bollywood Way

A traditional Sari or Lehenga Choli suits best to a Bollywood bride and further embellishing the new bride are the glittering pieces of gold and diamonds. The elaborate zardozi work over pink silk is an ideal dress which should be styled with pan- Indian or international jewellery. The groom can opt for an elegant Sherwani. A short filmy story can be enacted by the bride and groom and their close friends making the monotonous ceremony a fun event.



A typical Hindi film story would end with a happy song featuring the couple who wins in the end despite all the obligations and it is a victory of love in the end a perfect finale for a wedding. Even the tables can be named after the Bollywood movies instead of boring numbers. This is a wedding done in complete starry way therefore it is free of any religious restrictions. Incorporating the diversity of Indian sub continent in a single event, dance all the way to the Punjabi beats, dangle around a Maharashtrian Mangalsutra, smear Bengali Sindoor all over the hair and relish an International menu with Indian delicacies as special highlights.

Happy Wedding!!



Shubh Vivah- The Wedding Planner

Image Source: cbollyspice/ fusionbollywood/ ifood/ momentville

The majestic elegance of the Panetar and Gharchola

The panetar is a typical Gujarati wedding outfit for brides. Both Hindu and Jain brides wear a panetar and a gharchola. The panetar and gharchola form an important aspect of the wedding ritual. The panetar sari is a gift by the bride’s maternal uncle while the gharchola sari is the gift from her new in-laws. Historically, the bride wore the panetar at the beginning of the wedding and then gharchola at the end of the wedding ceremony.

Today, it is common for the bride to wear a gharchola chunni over her head and shoulder to symbolize her movement from one family to another.

The paneter is an unique silk sari or chenia choli with with a white body and red border. The plain white body is woven in Gajji silk with linear stripes or checks in gold zari. There are tie dyed (bandhani) motifs usually yellow/gold or green to adorn the sari. You can see the details in the photos below.

The gharchola is a sari that the bride receives from her inlaws. The weaving technique of the gharchola originate from the region around Khambat in southern Gujarat. Gharcholas are first woven by using silk and zari thread and are then later embellished by bandhani work.

The gharcola comes in a grid pattern that is dyed in red. Some communities use a green gharchola with red, yellow, and white bandhani work. The zari checks or grids appear in forms of 9, 12, or 52. The borders of each grid is in zari.

The bandhani in the center of each grid style around various themes of peacocks, floral patterns, or religious references. Where more than two dye colors are used, the design is known as ‘phulwari’ meaning ‘garden.’ When animal motifs (peacock, elephants, birds) predominate, the pattern is known as ’shikari,’ which means ‘hunting scene.’ Families may choose any decorated style of gharchola, though they tend to have symbolic meaning in the family.

The majestic elegance of the panetar and gharchola is breathtaking.

Happy Dressing!

Happy Wedding!!

Shubh Vivah- The Wedding Planner

Image Source: thesixyards/ thebigfatindianwedding/ kathaimages./ mydulhandiaries.tumblr

Bridal Beauty: 2012’s Hottest Makeup Trends- Part 1

Purple Smoke-show

Soft champagne and a brown or a purple Smokey eye and soft pink lip. This year pink and purple are back in glam.

Go Vintage

For brides who don’t want to emphasize the eyes, the makeup trend of going vitage or the old Hollywood glam look is big. When going vintage, give your look a modern twist to keep it fresh and not outdated.

Get lippy with shades of classic red and wines depending on your skin tone, bridal theme, and season of the wedding.

Get Lash Crazy

More recently, there’s been a trend for brides to get lash extensions as 

this allows brides to have fuller lashes for all their pre wedding events and into the honeymoon.

Seasonal Hues

Keep the season of your wedding in mind when it comes to makeup trends. In the summer it’s bronzy, beach babe kind of glow. In the winter the Smokey eye in deeper shades.

Happy Wedding!!








Shubh Vivah- The Wedding Planner


Image Source:eyesbright/ wn/ furnishedsouls/ maharaniweddings/ kotadducity/ ourvanity/ shaadibridalmakeup

Glimpses of a fairytale wedding...most expensive in the World till date!!

Vanisha Mittal and Amit Bhatia

Cost: $78 million

The record-holder for the world's most expensive wedding to date is the nuptials of Vanisha Mittal (daughter of billionaire Lakshmi Mittal) and investment banker Amit Bhatia.

Lets see few glimpses of engagement and Grand Wedding…….

Enchanting Engagement….. 20 June 2004

The engagement ceremony took place on 20 June 2004 at the Palace of Versailles, once the home to Louis XIV, France's Sun King. There was a lavish dinner for the guests at the Jardin des Tuileries on the right bank in Paris.

The highlight of the engagement ceremony was a cocktail party for the guests who were then taken through the palace.

Mr Mittal and his wife, Usha, according to reports, even played themselves in an hour-long 'drama' which enacted the love story of Vanisha and 25-year-old Amit at a glittering function on the banks of the Seine. The domestic drama was a Bollywood production. The script was written by leading movie writer Javed Akhtar, set to music by music director Shankar Mahadevan and choreographed by dance director-turned filmmaker Farah Khan.

Wealthy Wedding…….22 June 2004, Paris

The elaborate, outrageous wedding has been honored by Forbes' Magazine as one of the most expensive weddings, and currently ranks in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most expensive wedding ever recorded, with $78 million spent. This wedding went on for five days.

This then is the mother of all weddings for the daughter of one of the wealthiest Asian men in the world. The host is London-based Indian-born steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal.  The bride his daughter Vanisha. The bridegroom Amit Bhatia, a Delhi-born investment banker, now based in London. Mr Mittal owns a steel company with an estimated worth of $6.4bn. Only last April he paid out nearly $127m for a London mansion, making it the most expensive house in the world.

It had 1,000 guests from all over the world, 20-page-thick silver-cased invitation cards and five days of events staged in some of the France's most famous settings. The expensive wedding invitation card was talk of the Indian media. The card contained romantic poems, including some written by a Mittal family member. 

And, of course, there is Bollywood song and dance. The guests were put up by the host in a five-star hotel in Paris. 

Mr Mittal had hired the 17th century Vaux le Vicomte, described as the "finest chateau and garden" in France, for the marriage of 23-year-old Vanisha, who has a degree from London's School of Oriental and African Studies, and her banker fiancé.

The chateau was built for Nicolas Fouquet, King Louis XIV's finance minister. The Eiffel Tower was cleared for the mother of all firework displays.

Top Bollywood stars, including Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan entertained the guests at a 'surprise' Bollywood theme party at the wedding. 

The bridal trousseau was designed by some of the top Indian designers, including Suneet Verma and Tarun Tahiliani. 

One of the top chefs from the eastern Indian city of Calcutta, where Mr Mittal was born, was flown to Paris to prepare Indian food for the guests.  Munna Maharaj, Calcutta's top caterer-turned-restaurateur, has a reputation for rising to the challenge of a big event.

"The steel magnate summons all the romance of Paris to gift his daughter-and his guests-a fairytale wedding," 

Happy Wedding!!

Shubh Vivah- The wedding planner

Image Source:newsfeed.time/thebridescoop/worldsmostexpensive/bellememorie/luxmillionaire/thegreatindianwedding

Bollywood Celebrity Honeymoon

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan

When: May 2007

Where:  Europe

Star couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai headed to Europe for their honeymoon after a private wedding ceremony in Mumbai.

The honeymoon of the newly married couple was interrupted with the Cannes fest, which Ash had to attend because of her contractual commitments to L'Oreal.

While in Cannes, Aishwarya and Abhishek stayed at the hotel Martinez, the haunt of the rich and famous. From its eminent position on the sea front, on the famous boulevard de La Croisette in Cannes, this chic, 1920s hotel has established itself over the decades as the flagship hotel on the Riviera.

"This is the first travel where people start calling you, 'Hello Mrs. Bachchan, good evening,"' Rai said. "I am feeling wonderful. I am very happy. By the grace of God, everything is wonderful," Usually media shy Ash said "It's all things good. It's a blessing and it’s a wonderful family," she said, going on to describe Abhishek as "superlative and fantastic".

Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra

When: November 2009

Where: Paradise Islands, The Bahamas

After their wedding in Khandala and grand reception in Mumbai, Shilpa and Raj set off for The Bahamas for their honeymoon.

Sources say the location and resort was kept a secret for Shilpa. And since she had never been to the Bahamas, Raj felt it would be the perfect destination for their honeymoon. 

Raj booked a Regal Suite at the Atlantis Bahamas Resort on the Paradise Islands. One of the most popular resorts among celebrities, the Atlantis Bahamas resort has the world's largest marine habitat, the largest casino in the Bahamas, lagoons, waterfalls and the underwater ruins of Atlantis itself.

Natasha Madhwani and Fardeen Khan

When: December 2005

Where: Fiji

Following their spectacular wedding at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, India, the gentle sway of palm trees over a stretch of white sand beach greeted Bollywood star Fardeen Khan and his new bride as the couple began their honeymoon at the Royal Davui Island Resort on the island of Fiji.

The resort consists of 16 private villas offering dramatic views over Beqa lagoon. Guests can explore the hidden undersea world of the barrier reef, go catamaran sailing, or thrill to the spectacle of fire walkers at this 5-star South Pacific sanctuary.

Happy Honeymoon!

Happy Wedding!!

Shubh Vivah- The Wedding Planner

Image Source: allaboutindiancelebrities/southbuz/weddings9/classic-fun/indiascanner/celebritynewsforu/connect/bollywoodshaadis/images22