The Sweet Path to Marriage – Part I {Real Bridal Stories}

This is a special guest post by Indi from Suhaav, a vegetarian food and event styling company.

I met Preeti (brains behind this wonderful blog), at the rather glamorous first birthday bash of Under the Vintage Veil, a great wedding blog dedicated to all things beautiful and vintage. We got chatting in the not so glamorous location of the toilets and this is where this mini blog series was born.

So, what happens when an event and food stylist, approaches her own big day? Yes, after spending many a day and night baking, planning, and styling events for others, it’s my turn. There is a tall, dark, and handsome Mr. Suhaav waiting in the wings, and naturally I am over the moon. We will have a small, offbeate wedding, styled head to toe with our personalities. Along the way I will be blogging for Big Fat Indian Wedding, my own stories, tips and ideas for budding brides to be.

Where to begin?
Whenever I meet a couple for a wedding consultation, the first thing I do is sit down and ask their vision, what appeals to them, what do they love, and what makes them the couple they are. I ask them to think about this before they arrive to our initial coffee and ideas session.

So, it was time in the hustle and bustle of announcing my engagement to my large and boisterous family, to take a moment out. We sat down, and thought about what we wanted, who we wanted there, and what made us unique.

Every bride wants the wow factor; she wants her day to reflect her personal style and her elegance. Wedding planning doesn’t have to be the most stressful experience though. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Approach your wedding planning calmly and know what you want. You know the saying, “Stay Calm, Eat a Cupcake {Drink a Cup of Chai}.” Breathe!
• If, like many you feel a little overwhelmed at first, turn to your loved ones, friends, and those who know you, they will remind you what its all about.
• Put on the kettle, take a deep breath, and remember the love, the happiness, and the vision.
• When you want to take the pressure off, talk it through with a professional, like a wedding stylist, and begin the journey.

Having decided our colours and themes, our first project was the invitation. Never was the patience of Suhaav’s wonderful designer Amanda (Truly Ace Design) tested more than with this bit of personal stationary design. The pattern is inspired by a fusion of modern design with a hint of my South Asian heritage.

Working with Amanda, we were able to develop a delicate illustration of us looking up to some small soft doves, symbolising patience and tenderness, leading to thoughts of softness, tenderness, and symbols of love. The foundation of our illustration is a quote, reflecting our faith as practicing Sikhs. The quote is an English translation of a line from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee.

I was thrilled with how Amanda was able to understand us as a couple, and capture the combination of a beautiful pattern, a couple sitting on the foundations of their very beliefs looking upwards and onwards with patience and love.

Each invite was given with a jar of our handmade cookies, embellished with a personalised tag designed by Amanda.

So, my last little bit of advice to brides is that work with those that understand you, and gain support from those who love you. Until next time, happy planning.