Swati & Kamlesh

Ishq wala love

The Palace Wedding

Dear DEI Reader,

Welcome to our Blog!

This one is from a super special wedding we planned in November 2019. Our First Palace wedding. And you know the first ones are always so special

A couple from London – Swati & Kamlesh have known each other from the 11th standard from the days of MSN Messenger. From the same college to different jobs, they have lived a decade together. And got married in the most magically royal way at Samode Palace, Jaipur. This wedding was truly a dream not only for them but for us too.

Swati & Kamlesh got in touch with us a year back when they were looking for venues for their wedding. On getting no revert, when we were just about to give up, we sent one last email. And to our surprise, Swati replied enquiring about our services and charges.

We got talking in February 2019 and we were on board in March 2019. From meeting them in person in August 2019 to planning their wedding over long distance phone calls, emails and whatsapp, it’s been the most beautiful journey with the both of them.

The wedding celebrations started with a Rango se Bharra kind of vibe for the mehendi. It was a perfect start to the wedding, giving the guests a taste of the real India. The event was kept completely traditional with Rajasthani folk dancers entertaining the guests. There were local artisans selling lakh bangles, juttis, making pottery and a puppet show to add to the charm of event. A fun mehendi was followed by a crazy haldi for our groom. You know how it is when Punjabis start having fun at weddings. Our phoolon ki holi was definitely a super hit amongst all the friends of the couple.

The same evening was the Sangeet night. We choreographed the entries for the couple (which is our most favorite detail at any wedding). We had them enter on sparklers in their friend’s hands and dancing their way to the dance floor on the chosen songs. Swati entered on “Kithe reh gaya ” and Kamlesh entered with a reply to this song on “Tenu Leke ”. The guests were surely spell bound. The team at Samode Palace organized fireworks for the couple, they created a special firework display with the couple’s names on the mountain. A sight truly to be cherished. The night saw a girl’s side vs. boys side Nach Baliye. We designed the venue to look extremely Royal – maroon was the colour of the evening and elephants were the motif. Candles, red roses, tuberoses and a lot of crystal jhoomars filled the entire venue.

The next morning, we had the pheras in a Virushka feel kind of mandap, with our own DEI touch to it. Kamlesh sang a beautiful song for Swati as she walked in for the jaimala. Try that grooms to be. It truly was adorable, and left everyone awestruck and secretly praying for a groom like that. Swati looked stunning in her red Sabyasachi while walking down the aisle. Personalized doileys, pastel shades and a lot of happiness. From Swati’s little nephews walking ahead of the phoolon ki chaadar, to Kamlesh helping Swati with her lehenga on the mandap – the wedding was a beautiful dream that everyone lived with open eyes. The vidaai happened in a Vintage car, just the royal way.

The bride’s best friends couldn’t make it for the wedding, so we set up a video call to ensure that they don’t miss out the most important day of their best friend.

Naman Verma, the star how we call him, left no stone unturned to capture this wedding in the most magical way. Naman’s arty way and his creative streak is the reason he needs to be your pick for your wedding. Jasmeet Kapany, made our bride look nothing less than a princess.

The Evening was the reception, with an ivory and gold affaire. The entire place was set in candles and only candles. Such a romantic setting to this wedding reception. Swati and Kamlesh walked down the palace steps with candles all along the way. We had Swaraag making guests sway the night away to their tunes. Kamlesh gave an adorable speech and we couldn’t be more thankful than to be a part of this wedding.

Ten years and strong, do they still make a love like this?

A palace wedding, with the most stunning designer outfits, a bubbly bride and the most humble groom, and US – this is our Samode Palace wedding for you!

Lots of Love

Wedding Planning & Decor : Designer Events Inc.
Wedding venue : Samode Palace and Samode Bagh, Jaipur
The Bride wore : Tarun Tahiliani, Anita Dongre, Sabyasachi
The Groom wore : Tarun Tahiliani
Makeup : Jasmeet Kapany
Jewellery : Mehendi & Reception : Raabta, Wedding : Purab Paschim, Sangeet : Amrapali
Floral Jewellery : Prune
Photography : Naman Verma

Ritika & Akshay

That old school love

Featured on : Band Baaja Bride, NDTV

Their’s is a typical Bollywood love story.
“Akshay and I have a quintessential, old school Bollywood love story!,” starts Ritika.

“It began along the lines of Hum Aapke Hai Kaun! We met ten years ago when my brother got married to his cousin sister, and I developed a massive crush on him right then, as a kid! He was my first and only love, and I eventually told him how much I couldn’t stop gushing about him, 5 years ago! I’ m quite the real life version of a Shah Rukh Khan film, I couldn’t hold it in and couldn’t wait to profess my love! And, being the biggest DDLJ fan, I even proposed with a miniature cowbell which I bought as a kid to someday give to my future ‘Raj’ ;)”.

“However, since I’ m a London-er and Akshay lived in Delhi, we knew we would have to work through a long distance relationship. Throughout this time we learnt so much about each other -all the good and all the bad, and that just made our relationship so much stronger and it withstood the test of trust, time, patience and love! After years of travelling between London and New Delhi, our LDR finally came to an end! In January 2018, we got engaged in Paris and in December 2018, we finally tied the knot in the most magical way possible! It was exactly the scene I’d dreamt of with him since I was 13!,” she shares.

Their wedding was a perfect blend of love, magic and joy and we would refer to it more as a celebration of true love (the wedding hash tag was #AReasontobelieve)! They wanted their nearest & dearest by their side throughout the celebration and the entire wedding vibe was cheerful, romantic, fun and fresh.

Wedding Planning : Designer Events Inc.
Venue : Cocktail: The Mansion at Hyatt Regency, Delhi; Mehendi: Private Farmhouse; Wedding and Reception: Taj Palace New Delhi
Makeup Artist : Wedding and Cocktail: Misha Vig Makeup Studio, Mehendi: Kashika Kapur
Photographer : Shutterdown – Lakshya Chawla
Wedding Decor : Comme Sogno Vero by Ankiit Malhotra
The Bride wore : Cocktail: Shantanu & Nikhil , Mehendiand Wedding: Sabyasachi Mukherjee
The Groom wore : Shantanu & Nikhil , Anita Dongre | Invitations: White Mirage , House of Design
Wedding cake : The Sweet Boutique

Stine & Raj

A magical dream

A whimsically elegant and fun destination wedding at Alila Fort, Bishangarh.

Inspired by the minimalism and sophistication, Raj & Stine a couple from Norway decided to get married at this stunning property in Bishangarh, just 40 kilometers before Jaipur. The fort has been lovingly and
painstakingly restored and transformed into a luxury resort. This fifty nine room property is unique, versatile and ideal for a dream wedding.

Alila Fort draws you in with its many antiquities, old heritage adorning the walls and a traditional flutist welcoming you.

Raj & Stine, met three years ago when Raj’s elder brother played cupid. Their first phone call lasted about 4 hours and they decided to meet there after. And there has been no turning back ever since, and here we were planning their happily ever after.

The Welcome Cocktails were organized at Nazaara, a roof top restaurant with breathtaking views of the surrounding Aravalis. The twinkling lights sparkled like tiny stars, creating the most perfect backdrop to this beautiful & minimalistic night. There were Rajasthani folk singers and dancers entertaining all the guests.

The next day started with the Haldi, followed by the Anand Karaj at the Reception, which is surrounded by a soothing water body. The most perfect setting for a day event, mimicking a Gurudwara. We opted for a pastel theme and broke it with hints of teal & a Jaipur inspired floral booti. We used Indian floral’s in whites & pinks and broke the monotony with beautifully hand folded lotuses. The bride was self-sufficient make up pro and did not need any professional help, and her friends helped her with her hair. The bride entered in a totally traditional way sitting in a palki along with the dhol walas.

The Reception was a black-tie sit down dinner with an understated elegance and refined styling, with the stunning fort as the reception backdrop. We chose to work with white and fairy lights as our guide, accentuating it with soft tones of green. A personalized seating chart, menus and name tags were inspired by the same colour palette. The venue was adorned with 5000 candles to highlight the beauty of the lawns. Raj & Stine danced to a Hindi number for their first dance and Raj’s speech – a tribute to Stine and their love absolutely made everyone teary eyed. We all in India are always a bit apprehensive about a proper formal sit down dinner and speeches, but it was the most beautiful ever. Wouldn’t you want it for your wedding?

Candid tales surprised the couple with a same day edit of their pre wedding shoot. It was such a beautiful video curated over a day.

A dream wedding at this gorgeous location.
The wedding had 150 guests and the food was the best combination of East and West curated by the chef.

Wedding Planning & Décor Designing : Designer Events Inc. | Photographer : Candid Tales

Divya & Pranav

Up in the sky

Not your typical love story – 2 pilots, family friends and the tables turn when the guy asked her to date him, to which she replied “No, but will you marry me?”.

He freaked out, took some time to think, and that is how their love story began. They both always knew that they wanted a wedding that was simple and intimate, but at the same time reflected both their personalities. With a delicate & off beat colour-palette, fun bridesmaids and a super fun CHAI loving bride. The styling was eclectic, with simple & elegant decors.

The Sangeet night stole the show, with a flash mob entry by the couple and their friends followed by heart touching dance performances on their love story by the parents & the bride sister. We added our personal touches to every little detail of the wedding.

Wedding Planning : Designer Events Inc. | Decor designing, florals & execution : Designer Events Inc.
Venue: Mehendi : Lemon Tree, Aerocity ; Sangeet : Roseate House , Aerocity ; Wedding : Airforce Lawns, Subroto Park
Hair: Deepak Sheshodiya | Make Up : Kashika Kapur
The Bride wore: Asiana. | The Groom wore: Shyamal & Bhumika
Floral Jewellery : Prune
Photography : Gautam Khullar Photography

Katherine & Dave

Khwabon ki Haveli

An Award winning wedding for DEI

A 100 year Haveli at Sohna Road

A perfect love story requires a perfect wedding too. Katherine & Dave, A couple truly in love for the past 6 years, living in America decided to have an Indian wedding. They got in touch with us three months prior to the wedding. At Designer Events Inc. our choices for wedding planning are determined by the story of the couple and their lifestyle. This wedding was planned at a 100 year old haveli – The Haveli at Sohna road, a symbol translating into their love, connection and commitment that transcends beyond the measure of time. It was an extremely close and intimate wedding with only 60 guests. It was only the people who truly mattered to the couple and the people who had been a part of their life in every sense. This wedding was planned entirely over WhatsApp and we met the couple the first time the day prior of their pheras. Working at a 100 year old Haveli was definitely challenging, but overcoming those challenges and getting everything together on the day was the most special dream that we lived together. Both are believers of destiny. Their official anniversary is 26th October 2012,and 26th October is also Kaveri Vij (co-owner of Designer Events Inc.) birthday. We (Designer Events Inc) had recently done an event at the Haveli and it seemed as if destiny brought us together. On connecting these dots, the bride wanted no one except us for this wedding. And now when we look back it was the most memorable wedding of our lives. It was our Serendipity wedding! And this love story is not only about them, but about us too.

From the Couple

We video chatted with Kaveri, who was our guide and savior through the whole process. We gave her an outline of how we envisioned the ceremony, including pre-ceremony snacks/drinks, the Baraat, ceremony, and reception. It started very much as a loose collection of ideas and desires. Not having visited the space, it was difficult to envision the optimal way to set everything up. Thanks to Kaveri’s knowledge of the space as well as willingness to go back and evaluate the space on her own, we were able to create a timetable and setup that worked out perfectly! When you think planning an international wedding in three months while traveling full-time, what might come to mind is:how did you do it?

It was all thanks to a remarkable team of people, and the most hardworking, dedicated and flexible wedding planner imaginable! Kaveri went above and beyond for us: being available at odd times, making suggestions, giving us options, finding us a caterer when we could not taste test, finding and booking all of our entertainment, taking our ideas (that we had no clue how to translate into reality)and materializing them. There were many challenges while planning the wedding over WhatsApp, but luckily we had Kaveri and the Designer Events team working diligently to make our dreams come true. After giving them our initial vision, Katya shared pictures from her Instagram and we emailed photos to show various components we wanted through our event, including pots flowing with flowers, hanging strings of flowers throughout the house and on the trees, a mandap covered in flowers, and photos of us during our travels. After getting an initial design and setup with Kaveri and team, Kaveri actually visited the Haveli for us and ensured that all of our plans would work out as planned. She made everything come together, from finding a place to set up the dining area, to the location for the mandap and stage. Speaking of stages – we knew from the start that we wanted live performers for the event. We didn’t have time to see or meet the performers in person. Luckily, Kaveri was able to send us dozens of options – from singers to dancers! We narrowed down our options from there.

One of the biggest uncertainties we had was picking a caterer without actually tasting the food. We had our thoughts for how the dishes should look, but had no time to taste the food nor see the actual setup. We put full faith in Kaveri’s recommendation for a caterer she knew and trusted. Him and his team came through with flying colours – the food was some of the best Indian Food we’ve ever had, the service was top notch, and everyone left full and happy. In addition, the setup was perfect.

Making the vision of the couple come to life by
Designer Events Inc.

A destined wedding for Designer Events Inc. or we also like to call it the Digital wedding at Designer Events Inc. When Dave and Katherine got in touch with us, this seemed like a dream wedding we wanted to be a part of. It fit the philosophy of our company very well a boutique wedding with all the frills but a limited guest list. We couldn’t have wished for more. On booking the wedding and being all excited about it, we started the planning process. 3 months, 3 WhatsApp voice calls and 1 WhatsApp video call and infinite WhatsApp messages is what it took to plan this dream day. We planned, designed and executed the décor for this wedding. After understanding the expectations of our couple, the team got down to the ground work. The day was planned by having the guest welcome, the baraat, welcome of the baraat, the pheras and an endless array of entertainers for the guests, which was followed by lunch after which all the guests released flying lanterns, which ended the wedding events. The first step was to come out with a broader timeline and then start filtering the choices for each aspect.

The welcome

The couple wanted an elephant for the Baraat, but on having restrictions on using elephants in Haryana, we decided to go the traditional way of having a horse with Shehnai Walas for the procession. Everyone was welcomed by a traditional arti and tikka and a rose petal shower which was planned from the terrace that overlooked the entrance. This was decided because during a conversation with the bride, she had once mentioned that she loves autumn and the way the leaves fall. This was our inspiration behind the idea for the guest welcome. The pheras were the first thing on the agenda, as the couple wanted everyone’s attention on the rituals. And once the pheras were over everyone could have fun specially the couple.

The rituals

We made sure the Pandit Ji had a mic and spoke English so everyone understood the mantras. We created a special Phera box – with some munchies, vows, a fan to beat the heat, a small potli with rose petals to shower on the couple and a bell to ring post every phera. Every item in the Phera box had a personalized note explaining its use. The munchies were also tagged with “Her Favorite” and “His favorite” as personalization is what drove this wedding. We had handmade pin wheels which we later stuck to the Phera box, as it represented the windmills of Amsterdam, which is their most favorite country. The colours of the box were orange and red being their favorite colours, and the also the overall theme of the wedding. We had designed and shown picture of every look of this box on WhatsApp along with an exhaustive budget sheet for the couple’s approval. The guests enjoyed being a part of the ceremony by ringing the bells, listening to the pandit and showering rose petals post their nuptials. We had also arranged for traditional Rajasthani umbrellas for every guest to beat the heat.

The food

The most critical part of any wedding, it was extremely difficult to lock this one. They wanted traditional Jain food and a good spread as well. Working in the industry for 4 and half years we knew a lot of caterers, but we chose a person who was more than a caterer but a food connoisseur. As it wasn’t only about the taste but also about the display, the story and all Indian weddings are all about the food. We had a specially curated menu – with all our couples’s favorite dishes. The entire menu was prepared with no onion and no garlic, with an interesting East meets West preparation. There were dishes like mushrooms and paneer which guests couldn’t believe were prepared without onion and garlic. The set up was a vintage take on modern India with props like typewriters, sewing machines and Cycle Rickshaws.

The decor

This wedding was our bride’s floral dream which she had dreamt of since she was 16. When we asked her what she wanted for her special day – the only input she gave us were some pictures from Pinterest. But the only thing that she kept on repeating was that she wanted flowers everywhere and that lilies were her favorite. So this was it, it was supposed to be a floral wonderland. But we decided to let the essence of the Haveli be alive, and designed the décor in a way that added more character and persona to each corner rather than the typical flower, flower everywhere not a scent to smell. We created small corners with their own personality. The living room spoke a different language as compared to the courtyard. The antique Rajasthani centre table in the living room had a long stubbed centerpiece from one corner to the other with floral elephants around them, and the central courtyard had a mesh of Rajnigandha strings ending with roses. We decided on using traditional Indian flowers – roses, marigolds and rajnigandha and added the contemporary touches with lilies. The colour theme was their favorite colours – red, orange and white. We incorporated their want of an elephant with small floral elephants all around the venue. We hung Indian dream catchers and florals on the trees and kept the mandap the highlight of the venue. The signage’s in the venue were the poems that the bride had written for the groom. The agenda for the day was designed with a lotus theme, as they were our grooms favorite but we didn ’t use them in the décor. The linen was all white and gold – to ensure a bit of “ westerness ” they brought along from America. But we Indianised the linen by using a traditional jaali for the linen. Post the Indian rituals, the couple had planned to exchange vows that they had written. They wanted to do this at the Mandap in front of all the guests, however we suggested a more intimate ceremony with just their nearest and dearest. We decorated the terrace of the Haveli for the couple to exchange their vows and have another location for pictures. There wasn’t a single place in the Haveli which did not have florals. From the place where guests entered to every possible place inside – we had florals do the talking and enhance the Haveli. We added pictures of the couple from all different parts of the world for the guests to see their journey till date.

The ending

All’s well that ends well. The last for the day was releasing of flying lanterns. The couple were standing on the terrace and all the guests were in the lawns; it was truly a magical sight. We even personalized the matchboxes for the guests to light the lanterns. There wasn’t an element which we left without a story from the bride and groom. There wasn’t a single place in the Haveli which did not have florals. From the place where guests entered to every possible place inside – we had flowers do the talking and enhance the Haveli. We added pictures of the couple from all different parts of the world for the guests to see their journey till date.

The little details

We used bright Rajasthani safas for all the family members to ensure we stayed close to traditions. We bought a rich brocade safa for the groom to match his shervani and to ensure he looks like royalty. They both wanted a boutique palace wedding and we ensured it by planning these little details. The bride did not have parents and no one from her family attended the wedding, so we had the grooms sister carry the phoolon ki chaddar on a bed of rose petals finding her way to the mandap, the final walk into a new life. The bride wanted a vintage car for her Vidaai, however because of the space constraints and the non-possibility of having a vintage car inside the haveli, we had the groom pick her up to take her inside. We made sure she lived her Bollywood dreams and canned the vintage car idea without being upset about it.

Challenges faced during the execution & how they were over come

The execution of this wedding wasn’t as easy as the planning was. Being located in the middle of a village was one of its biggest challenges. But we used the local support of the villagers to our support and overcame each one. We had labor with us, but without the help of the local villagers this wedding wouldn’t have been possible. Instead of shutting them out us made them acquaintances and used them to our strength. It was a global wedding with local wedding execution.

Location: This Haveli was located in the middle of a village, which was a very big challenge in terms of executing the event. Every time any stuff would come in, the village head would have to grant permission. It was an extremely time consuming and cumbersome as sometimes he wasn’t available to do this, and no one else was entitled to give this permission. On day 2, after getting annoyed by this permission, we requested him to come and sit at the venue to grant permission, as this was delaying our process of execution. We gifted him a hookah, which surely helped in melting the ice.

Way to Haveli: Explaining all the guests the way was the most difficult part. Google maps would sometimes get you just at the right location and sometimes would take you miles ahead. And the challenge was the Haveli was inside the village, where as a guest no one would imagine and would mostly turn their cars if they didn’t know the way. So, we hired local village people on a daily wage, dressed them up in the traditional Rajasthani uniform and make a human chain from a point till google maps would get the cars. We trained them to greet the guests and escort them till the haveli. It became more like a planned traditional welcome for all the guests.

Horse in the Baraat: As the haveli was a midst a village, too many villagers surrounded the Baraat. As a result of this the horse was extremely jittery and wouldn’t climb the road leading to the Haveli. It was something, which was beyond our control but was embarrassing at the same time. We found a village lady who worked at a horse stable close by who helped us in calming down the horse and brought him inside. We rewarded her with some clothes later on.

Space management: The Haveli was restored for a staying perspective and not for hosting weddings. The next big challenge was to use the space in the best possible way. We split the day and they are as very accurately, and tried to divide the crowd as much possible. For instance -We covered a dried up water body to make a performance stage for the performers, we guided the couple to renew their vows at the terrace, we dedicated a time for group photos and made a photo list so there was no chaos at the mandap. We got a longer wire for the genset and parked it at outer wall of the Haveli, to ensure no space taken inside for the same. We used the space dedicated for genset to convert into a green room for the performers; this also helped us keep the performers separate from the main guest area.

Water: The Haveli had ample water to ensure a comfortable stay for 4 people, and now we had to manage this too for the use of washrooms. No water tanker agreed to come to the haveli due to the distance. We got a set of village families fill water for us in the big tanks they had over a period of three days which solved this problem for us.

Convincing the couple on taking decisions without personally experiencing it was the biggest challenge

WhatsApp might be a selling point, but it had a lot of challenges with it. Not seeing or experiencing things made it very difficult at times to convince the couple to make certain decisions. Entertainment and décor were relatively simple as it was about showing something as a sample through a picture or a video. The most difficult was to convince them over the food. However, the only way was to ensure they trusted us with our choices and they did. It was more of a trust wedding, they trusted us with all our choices and recommendations which made it even possible for us to plan this.

Ensuring the Privacy of the couple: The couple’s were afraid of villagers barging in on the day of the wedding. We planned to hire security but the village head advised us to go ahead with the local village care taker as he knew the people personally and they would listen to them. We immediately made this decision and the couple enjoyed their privacy on their special day. However, the village people were so keen on seeing the couple’s that post the wedding that day, we had the village people come to the haveli to bless the couple one by one. It was a superlative experience for the couple and one they hadn’t experienced ever in their lives.

Managing Valet Parking: Most cars were self-driven, but we had arrangements for valet, but the constraint was space for parking. There were also expensive cars and we were worried of any damage to them. However, we found an empty lot which one person rented to us and also guarded the cars for us the entire day.

Trouble with Livestock: Cattle was a big hurdle during the set up, since we could not close the main gates as the structure and furniture and props were to be brought in. And during this the cattle would come in and start eating the flowers. We finally had to request a village boy to take them out of there and into a nearby field.

Back Kitchen problem: The area we had dedicated for the back-kitchen during the recce, had some technical problem on reaching. We had no solution to this and the food couldn’t be prepared inside as the Haveli kitchen was way too small. The Haveli care taker offered his house’s porch to build a back kitchen as that was the closest house to the haveli.

Drivers Food: The caterer had his measured amount of raw materials for the food preparation, which was over by the end of lunch as there were a lot of additional people eating the same food apart from the guests. The driver’s food was organized at a nearby Dhaba, and as fate would have it the Dhaba didn’t open on that day. The care takers wife volunteered and bailed us out of this situation. She made food for them in no time and helped us with this too.

The wedding day came and went by in flying colors after crossing all these hurdles one step at a time. It was a joint effort by our team and the village people, everyone told us not to interact with them as they might not really converse. However, sometimes it’s about trusting the resources that are available to you. This wedding wouldn’t have been possible without the local village people.

Wedding Planning and Decor – Designer Events Inc.
Photography – Mahima Bhatia Photography
Catering – One Fine Meal
Entertainment – Arjit Unplugged
Phera Boxes – Gold Leaf Design

Chandni & Ichchhit

Doctors Without Borders

Doctors by profession, Chandni and Ichchhit met for the first time in college. They went from acquaintances to best friends during college. Over the years, they developed feelings for each other and started dating. Five years later, they were certain that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together and tied the knot in Delhi in a totally Big fat Indian Wedding and hired us as wedding planners.

From the Anand Karaj to the Indian pheras, a classy engagement to a quirky mehendi, Chandni and Ichchhit’s wedding was all about the best of all the worlds.

These wedding events were the epitome of personalization. From our bride having the hash tag in her lehenga, to the customized cushions, personalized stirrers, mehendi cones, personalized coasters, personalized juttis, an engagement cake with their journey pictures together to every corner adorning the unique hash tag of the wedding – Ichcha. Our team also wore personalized wedding badges with the wedding hash tags for the wedding to be totally in the theme.

The day was packed with love, laughter and two happily ever after – a serene Anand Karaj and the traditional night pheras. Chandni looked beautiful in a golden lehenga from Asiana for the Anand Karaj and a deep red lehenga from Sabyasachi. Guru Randhawa was the highlight of the wedding

Wedding Planning : Designer Events Inc.
Venues : Mehendi & Anand Karaj -The Umrao New Delhi , Sangeet – Udman by Ferns N Petals, Wedding : JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity
Décor : The Umrao & Karsun
The Bride Wore : Wedding : Sabyasachi , Anand Karaj : Asiana Couture, Sangeet : Natasha Dalal, Mehendi : Sneha Lochan Couture
The Groom Wore : Wedding : Sabyasachi , Sangeet : Gaurav Gupta, Mehendi : Sneha Lochan Couture
Makeup : Mehendi : Make overs by Manveen, Sangeet : Aakriti Kochar, Anand Karaj : Amrit Kaur, Wedding : Jasmeet Kapany
Invitations : Novelty, Kolkata
Floral Jewellery : Prune
Cake : Sugar Blossoms, Delhi
Photography : Infinite Memories & Wedding Twinkles
Mehendi Artist – Kundan Mehendi
Entertainment – Mehendi: Monica Kotnala, Sangeet: Hinglish Band & Wedding: Made in India & Guru Randhawa

Samode Palace

A DREAM WEDDING WITH   Luxury PERSONIFIED

Samode Palace, a 475-year-old palace, is truly home to the most authentic celebrations and the most memorable weddings. Exquisite luxury and the signature Samode service make it the most magical venue choice to plan your wedding. The architecture, the intricate interiors and the Mughal style work weave a story so discreet and so unique to you.

Dream of a wedding away from the city chaos, amidst a magical setting – A mehendi in the lush lawns and a sit-down reception in the beautiful Durbar hall, Samode Palace is the ideal choice. It offers everything that a couple needs for a royal wedding, from stunning venues, to the pandit ji, the decor, lip smacking cuisine, hospitality and breath-taking views.

The property has been restored in the most beautiful way possible. The Palace has 43 rooms – 20 Deluxe, 19 Suites and 4 Royal Suites. But if you plan to have more guests for your wedding, you can book the Samode Bagh too – 44 cottages and 16 Bagh Suites making it a total inventory of 103 rooms between the Palace and Bagh. Samode bagh is just 1.5 kilometres away. And if the wedding budget is slightly restricted, you can choose only Samode Bagh for your wedding too.

In ideal scenarios, it is said to be 10 minutes away, but in a real scenario please take 15-18 minutes to get from the Palace to the Bagh and vice versa.

The Palace and the Bagh have some amazing venues to host different kinds of events. The lawns and the poolside at Samode Bagh are ideal venue choices for your wedding events. The restaurant at the Bagh is also a great choice to have a youngsters’ or maybe your dance practices. The Bagh also has many Jharokas which can be a great option for having the Pheras.

Talking about the Palace, we have the main lawns which are the prettiest as they have the Palace as the backdrop. Ideal for a Reception Dinner or even a Sangeet function. The Palace steps make way for the grandest entry. A Courtyard right next to their lobby, is one of the most beautiful gems of the Palace. Surrounded by bougainvillea and open to sky, an ideal place to grab a coffee and read a book or have your Mandap.

Everything at Samode is a plan of grandeur. For the Jaimala, there is a flower shower on the couple and the guests can watch this union from below the fleet of steps, just like in the olden days when people would watch their Raja and Rani. The poolside is ideal for a lazy brunch or even a fun Haldi event. Samode mostly recommends the poolside for the Pheras, but somehow, we just don’t agree that the poolside does justice to the Phera setup.

We truly feel the Palace has hidden gems to plan your Pheras. Sheesh Mahal, a characteristic of every Palace in the olden times, is the ultimate beauty the Palace has – intricately cut mirrors and hand painted walls that look like filigree work, truly unfold magic. The Palace usually does not permit any events here, but you are sure to get some timeless pictures clicked. And the Sheesh Mahal, overlooks the Durbar Hall through the Jharokas, an ideal choice to have a folk musician placed here when having a dinner event at Durbar to reminisce the glorious times of the Maharajas.

Sultan Mahal, is another hidden gem, with most wonderfully adorned walls and stunning inlay work, it is an ideal choice for the Sehrabandi, your photo shoot, or even a hi-tea get together.

The breakfast is always served at the Coffee Shop. The team at Samode takes a keen interest in being a part of every wedding, always available and always ensuring a memorable experience. The fireworks in the mountains and on the main wedding day are an experience to be cherished for a lifetime. From the elephant in the Baraat, the vintage car for the vidaai, to the Pandit Ji, Samode has a solution for all.

A lot of stairs and a lot of walking don’t make it an ideal choice if you have too many elderly people attending the wedding. There are only a few rooms which have an elevator access and not every venue has a wheel chair access either.

Guests are welcomed in the most special way – Rajasthani folk dancers, arti, tikka and garlands and a refreshing welcome drink made with local flavours. A team member escorts you personally to your respective rooms on check-in. Also, the keys at Samode are the manual heavy iron ones, don’t leave a stone unturned to make you feel a part of the Palace story. Walking from one corner to another, you are greeted with genuine smiles and chirping birds. A way around the Palace can definitely be confusing the first time around, until you learn to find your way by letting yourself wander in the beauty of its soul.

Every package at Samode, is customised as per your requirement and tailor made for your wedding. Samode Palace charges a mandatory venue exclusivity fee and a decor fee. This fee includes exclusive venues, the decor for all the events that happen at the palace and the Bagh, the Palace lighting, lights for the events, the gensets, the heaters or the mist fans and also the Palace décor. In case you wish to get your own décor designer, they will eliminate the décor fee but the venue exclusively fee still remains and needs to be paid. In this scenario, the entire décor including the Palace décor, the lights, the gensets, all florals, all furniture etc. have to be outsourced. Though the Samode team is flexible enough to offer the round tables and the chairs from their end.

We do recommend getting a décor designer to design your special day for you. The Palace is so exemplary that it must have a wedding story conveyed through the design of each event. A story that weaves all the events together and puts them together one by one just like the magic of putting the pieces of a puzzle together.

The designers can surely use the resources available at Samode to ensure the best use of the available means and ease the stress of getting things externally, reducing the cost for you in turn.

Samode Palace & Samode Bagh offer the best options to choose from while planning your wedding.

We truly feel that sometimes it is essential to have a team doing all the running around for you, managing and coordinating things with the venue and ensuring everything gets delivered at the right time and place. We at DEI, like to work with you to weave a story to make it a day which feels like love. Hiring a wedding planner for Samode Palace and Bagh will always remain an ideal choice, as you won’t need to worry about anything on the day but can just sit back and rejoice each moment to seize the day. Dream of a Royal Wedding? Samode Palace is the ideal choice to make your dreams come true.

“Your Wedding Venue is more than just a setting, it’s the place where memories are made, so set the date, then let your imagination take over. “

Weddings in Quarantine

AN   Intimate   AFFAIR

A Wedding is often associated with an occasion that involves the coming together of various Friends, family & loved ones to celebrate the Bride & Groom and their union. This year, in particular has been a rough year for everyone around the world! The Coronavirus Pandemic has left the entire world shocked and locked inside their homes. So what happens to Weddings now? What happens to two souls waiting to become one? Two people waiting to tie the knot? The answers to all these questions are rather simple and basic in nature. A Wedding is a celebration of two people coming together as one! This doesn’t mean that a home wedding with fewer guests is any less special than one at a fancy venue. It eventually comes down to the bride & groom tying the knot, to be together through thick & thin and overcome everything that comes their way, even if it is a Pandemic.

An intimate wedding with only your close friends and family around you, in all happiness wishing the best for you always, is absolutely so underrated! There’s no better feeling than tying the knot with your partner and knowing that all the people who matter the most to you are in that very room, safe and well, showering all their blessings upon you. There’s no need to go out shopping for your favorite designer Lehenga or jewelry. Your Mother’s closet is a treasure box waiting to be unraveled. You’ll be surprised to know how good you can look when your parents decide to dress you up. And Photos! Don’t worry about those super professional wedding photographers, because we know every family member would have captured all your beautiful memories in their smartphones, candids and otherwise!

We agree that social distancing and Sanitization is of utmost importance during these times and hence, we believe that an intimate wedding at home with your close family and loved ones fits the glove perfectly. Talking about gloves, we feel that Gloves, masks and regular temperature checks have become the latest accessories and wedding rituals to follow during this tough period. As far as wedding planning firms go, training staff & labor about better hygiene and sanitization takes top priority. The more aware we make people around us, the safer we remain amidst them.

Washing linen and fabrics vigorously before & after each event is also something to be really taken care of. Not just linen, but also each and every prop used must be sanitized before and after every event. Social distancing norms become the top criteria while developing layouts so everyone is at a safe distance from one another and still gets to enjoy the wedding like any other day.

To know that all your dreams of a Happily Ever After are within reach right from the comfort of your home with your loved ones close to you, yet maintaining social distance! What could be better than that!

For anything else that you may need or are unsure about, we at DEI are here to rescue you and take you along on a journey of Virtual ‘ShaaDEI’ Wedding Planning, to clear all your queries and give you the best Wedding Experience you can dream of!

Anushka & Aditya

A Bollywood Romance

Saath Samundar Par Main Tere   Peeche Peeche Aa Gayi…