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Wedding Presents not to give your Best Friend
Friday, September 28th, 2018
The Perfect Blend of Love & Customs “Nikkahfied”
Tuesday, May 29th, 2018
The Indian Etiquette of Gifting Right
Monday, April 23rd, 2018
Love and peace struck the newlyweds on Dawki riverside. A surreal experience of a honeymoon couple.
Wednesday, April 18th, 2018
On a friend’s suggestion, the couple landed in Shillong, the enchanting city nestled in the forests under the canopy of the bluest of skies. The city was mesmerizing and had plenty of attractions for the quintessential tourists. However, Sunu and Manik were no ordinary tourists; they were on wanderlust, probably in search of a surreal experience. They did go around visiting an incredible Mawlynnong, Asia’s cleanest village, majestic Elephanta falls and Nature’s wonder of the Living Bridge in Cherrapunji etc. and enjoyed the experience.
Next evening, they drove for two hours from Shillong and reached a quaint place – a placid river Dawki hemmed by purple hills. If the places were to be named after the first impressions of visitors, this would be called Solitude. A man in his late thirties welcomed and led them to their accommodation – a tent with a clean bed, essentials like towels, torch, etc on the bedside and an electric bulb glowing in the middle. Their host, Mailing, explained the rules of the camping to the couple; also advised them to place the order for food and drinks in advance since it has to come from a nearby village. He reminded them they must not miss the campfire and the party there.
After freshening up, Sunu and Manik came out of the tent and they saw an incredible view. The hills, river and the landscape were awash in silver. It was a full moon night; the moon shone brightly and its silverlight covered everything below. The river was languid; its waters played around with the moonlight forming crystal-like formations on its surface. They felt they were in the center stage of a movie set straight out of a black and white Bollywood flick of the Raj Kapoor era. Someone seemed to have touched the place with a magic wand to make it look heavenly. Manik says sitting by the campfire, eating and drinking, was a lifetime experience for them. Though both of were from two beautiful lands of Kerala and Bengal, like most working persons, they had never had time for stargazing. The silver magic was at play all around and they found they had left their chairs and were lying on the riverbed and looking upon the skies. Up there it was heavenly; each bright speck on the sky seemed to be conversing with them. Sunu and Manik say no money could have ever got them this experience anywhere in the world. The magnificent moon was smiling at them; it was their Zindagi na milege doobara moment when Hrithik Roshan playing the role of a workaholic professional goes underwater and comes out with a divine realization that life is beautiful and its every moment must be lived well. Snnu and Manik say their experiencing by the riverside was life-changing; it healed their souls and calmed their minds.
Trendy Lehenga Design To Rule Indian Wedding!
Tuesday, November 7th, 2017
1. Cape Lehenga
It has a choli or top which is composed into a cape. Cape lehenga will give you an alternate style and adds uniqueness to your dressing. It can ideal for the engagement or pre-wedding function. The cape further can be composed into various styles say off shoulder frills, crop or long-length capes.
2. Mirror Lehenga with Floral Jewellery!
As seen on the ramps of LFW, mirror and precious stone work on lehnga are in trend this season for wedding. Embellishing neon shades on a lehenga with large mirrors for border pair up with heavy mirror work choli can make a great fashion statement at your wedding. For your mehndi ceremony, go bold with bright neon color mirror and precious stone lehenga and accessories your look with floral jewellery.
Image Source: Pinterest
3. Floral Design Lehenga
Image Source: Pinterest
In spite of the fact that the flower configuration is essentially made for summer and spring weddings, yet the designers gives the extra touch to make it work throughout the year for the functions like cocktail. From the most recent past, floral design have turned into a major pattern in the wedding trousseau and it will continue to be trendy in the coming year. These lehengas are exceptionally favored for the pre-wedding ceremony because of its lightweight.
4. Banarsi Lehenga
A Banarasi Saree or lehenga is the most loved among the brides and no fabric can beat the beauty of the rich colours of banarasi fabric owing to its royal aura. These lehengas are exclusively crafted for the royal and grand marriages.
For the sangeet ceremony if you want to freely dance without thinking about the dupatta go with a glossy silk shirt with kundan neck piece and with a lovely banarasi lehenga.
Image Source: Pinterest
5. Gota Patti Lehenga
Image Source: Pinterest
Gota Patti is the star of the show since a long time. Zari ribbons are applied onto the fabric with the edges sewn down to create elaborate patterns. Both narrow and wide borders are in vogue now. Apart from that, designers are now also adding heavy gota design to the dupatta corners and to the bottom of the lehengas. Gota embroidery is extensively used in an Indian wedding. We would love to see this as a reception outfit on a bride.
6. Velvet Touch!
Velvet is everywhere nowadays, and mostly available in dark color! The trend of velvet lehenga will turn out to be more popular this year. It gives a very clean look to the dress. Color and embroidery comes out to be more vibrant and elegant for the bride on her D-day. Bride looks like a modern day Indian princess in traditional velvet bridal lehenga. But just make sure to wear it right.
Image Source: Pinterest
7. Personalized Story on Lehenga
Image Source: Pinterest
Modifying your lehenga is trending these days, however weaving your names or your romantic tale makes it more special!
Joyful Expectation Baby Shower
Friday, July 21st, 2017
Godh bharai is a great time for the family to meet up and celebrate. You can also commend your godh bharai with other mums-to-be in your family. Here are a couple of tips to enable you to make the occasion extra special.
Tips for fun baby shower
- Usually a friend or a family member will take the lead in organizing the event. Stay in touch with would be Mom and get inputs from her at each step of the way.
- Take a notebook and record your innovative baby shower thoughts. Additionally, set up a schedule for the shower in view of needs. This incorporates decoration, cake, invitations, games, venue and beverages etc
- It is a smart idea to get enough rest before the event as it might get tiring.
- Keep the program short and sweet. The pregnant mother may think that it’s hard to sit for extended periods of time
- You might need to choose a dress for the event as per the climate. Dress should be comfortable.
- Order for a special baby shower cake that resembles party themes.
- Set up the list of guests and keep it updated with the goal that you won’t miss anyone. Choose a customized baby shower invitation and design it with a personal message for all of your guests.
- Make a theme for your Baby shower and design invitations based on your party theme.
- You may likewise need to give little tokens of gratitude like stoles, earring, bangles, bindis, beauty care products as return blessings.
- Organize the event according to your number of guests. The event location should be spacious and easy to reach. No high steps for the bride to climb or long walkways.
- Create a gift registry with all desired gifts that the new mom might need and guide the guests so that they can purchase right.
- If you want to entertain the guests here are the few activities that you can include in your event.
- Hire a few mehendi artists who can apply mehndi on the hands of your guests.
- Arrange for interactive and interesting games that can make the whole event a lot of fun. Avoid noise that can scare the baby inside the womb.
Baby shower gift ideas
Wedding Calendar Checklist
Friday, June 23rd, 2017
The wedding checklist is composed with the perfect timetable of twelve months. In case you’re arranging your wedding on a shorter calendar, simply begin toward the start of the rundown and attempt to get up to speed as fast as could be allowed. Use the boxes to the left of the items to check off tasks as you finish them.
9 to 12 months prior to wedding day
☐ Arrange a gathering for you and your parents.
☐ Determine budget and how expenses will be shared.
☐ Discuss the size, style, location, and scope of the wedding you want.
☐ Choose a target date and time for engagement, mehendi/sangeet wedding and reception ceremony
(Give yourself enough time for preparation when picking a date. Also, think about the season you would prefer to get married in. The actual date will depend on venue availability & Pandit/priest or an astrologer prediction.)
☐ Create a file to store and organize ideas, worksheets, receipts, brochures, etc.
☐ Visit and reserve location for all ceremonies
☐ Meet with your Pandit/Priest for taking out an auspicious date for the ceremony.
☐ Start compiling your guest list to estimate head count. Consider budget when thinking about “must-invites” versus “nice-to-invites.”
☐ Begin shopping for the dress, jewellery and accessories for wedding and pre- wedding functions.
6 to 9 months prior
☐ Enroll in wedding gift registry
☐ Hire a photographer and a videographer.
☐ Hire a caterer.
☐ Hire a florist and discuss the theme for you wedding and other occasions.
☐ Hire DJ/ Band/ Solo Musician.
☐ Reserve a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. (Ask about group rates.)
☐ Send out Save-the-Date cards. (Include lodging info and maps, as possible.)
☐ Select and order all the dresses for different occasion and jewellery, leaving ample time for delivery and alterations.
☐ Start planning your honeymoon
4 to 6 months prior
☐ Finalize the guest list.
☐ Order invitations cards (25 extra) and other wedding stationery.
☐ Let friends/ family that are long distance know your dates.
☐ Book your stylist and ask whether they are willing to work on the wedding site.
☐ Start shopping for the gifts you will exchange with your relatives.
☐ Finalize all honeymoon plans. If traveling outside the country, arrange for visas, passports and vaccinations.
☐ Hire your wedding day transportation (carriage, limousine service, etc.).
2 to 4 months prior
☐ Start collecting all the thing which you will require for the pre-wedding functions like haldi & henna.
☐ Meet with the caterer to go over menus, wine selections, etc.
☐ Confirm wedding ceremony and reception music and choreographer for pre-wedding entertainment.
☐ Book a hotel room for the wedding night.
☐ Hire bridal mehndi artist
4 to 8 weeks prior
☐ Mail the wedding invitations 8 weeks before your wedding date to relatives
who stay out of station.
☐ Do a hair and makeup run-through (including wedding veil, if applicable).
☐ Confirm all transportation plans.
2 to 4 weeks prior
☐ Send invitation and personally invite close family and friends.
☐ Finalize arrangements for out of town attendants and guests.
☐ Confirm details with the photographer, florist, and other vendors.
☐ Have final fitting for bridal dress and bridesmaids’ dresses.
☐ Compile a list of all of the wedding vendors and wedding party, with contact information. Carry this list with you everywhere you go (just in case).
1 week prior
☐ Give the caterer a final head count.
☐ Appoint a trustworthy person to bring important items to the wedding site.
☐ Appoint someone to act as an “organizer” to handle any last-minute problems.
☐ Review final details for those in the wedding party.
☐ Get final beauty treatments (manicure, facial, massage, waxing, brow shaping, etc.)
The day before the wedding
☐ Confirm honeymoon arrangements.
☐ Pack for the honeymoon.
☐ Enjoy a relaxing day with family and friends.
☐ Attend the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner; give gifts to attendants.
☐ Try to get some rest
☐ Purchase accessories for wedding day.
☐ Order wedding day varmala and garlan.
Wedding Day
☐ Post wedding announcements in the mail.
☐ Relax and remain calm.
☐ Remember to eat something.
☐ Allow at least two hours for getting dressed.
☐ ENJOY THIS ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EVENT!
Plan your dream Wedding
Monday, March 27th, 2017
Set your date
Picking a wedding date is the first and most important decision that you will make in planning your important event. Ideally, you should pick a date six months in advance to give yourself ample time to plan fully.
How do I pick a date that works for everyone and is still be special to me? Factors may range from family constraints to cultural alignment determined by traditions such as a priest or an astrologer to practical constraints on the availability of a favored venue. You may ask yourself, “How would I pick a date that works for everybody and is still exceptional to me? For each couple, the process is totally exceptional and that is a piece of what makes your wedding date so unique to you.
Weather is important and will set the mood, especially important for keepsake photographs. Do not pick dates that overlap with crunch time such as year end or tax season or when folks fast or even clashing with board exams. What most folks overlook is that the wedding date becomes the anniversary date which you will celebrate each year. So pick a date that can be made memorable each year with an easy getaway or some other fun couple activity.
Working backward from the date to prioritize which things need to be taken care of right away will help keep things progressing and keep you from panicking and freezing. You may have a thought of where you imagine yourself strolling down the passageway or what you need your dress to look like which brings one to the next item which is the venue.
Choose a venue
The decision of where a wedding should happen is not as simple as a couple tying the knot might want it to be. Gone are the days where a couple would choose the one wedding scene closest to their place and after that mark it off the wedding arranging list. Picking a wedding date may appear like an assignment comprising just of enjoying a space or not, but rather in all actuality there is much more to consider than that.
Before settling on a venue the couple needs to keep a few things in mind such as estimating your guest count, total budget, location, atmosphere, services, capacity of venue etc. Logistics of parking including valet or self parking, close by accommodation for out of town guests, any restrictions of food or vendors or total count should be researched. Audio visual and wifi functionality is a plus. Asking for references is a good idea as also examining and comparing any contract in advance.
Make registry
Gift giving and receiving is an important binding ritual in a wedding. Thankfully, in a few simple steps a couple can create their registry and experience the journey of getting priceless and useful gifts. Wedding registry solves many problem in one go. From Mark the Date to Inviting guests to the wedding to arranging your gifts, everything is organized by a weddingregistry. Hridei www.hridei.com, is a chic innovative wedding registry that is changing how Indian couples share wish lists and guests buy wedding gifts. Hridei gives you the freedom to choose gifts and experiences from the best brands in India. These products have been carefully curated from different categories keeping in mind your discerning taste.
Hridei gift registry also gives you the opportunity to desire and receive aspirational gifts with the group gifting feature. You can add high value gifts to your registry and your guests can “pool in” their contributions and gift you the desired item.
On the social page, all your invitees can participate in the conversations/banter and get to know and bond with each other. The excitement starts building even before the event. You can post photos and videos and make your page special. Guests who cannot attend can also participate in the social play and be part of the celebrations.
Design your look
When you imagine yourself on the huge day, what do you see? Something sensational? Spectacular? Ethereal? Each extraordinary lady of the hour merits an impeccable dress that will suit her uncommon needs and special taste! Basically start by finding what subtle elements you adore, styles of dresses that are in trend and that will suit you best on your big day. Have a back up outfit ideally. Prepare for your wedding with as little stress which is only possible if you plan ahead. Careful practices brings about promising results. Perfect and flawless skin for your day is key ingredient, have sparkle and excitement in your eyes, pick your perfect cosmetics, makeup beauty consultant and you are ready to rock your day. Always remember you are beautiful in your own way, and it’s your big day.
Enjoy your day
As of now you followed every single point in your plan for your dream wedding so now all you need is to make the most of your big day with loved ones. Fill your heart with joy noteworthy to everybody.
Catalunya, Spain Honeymoon where Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Tuesday, March 1st, 2016
One life to live and One love to share it with. What better place than after your wedding to head to Costa Brava, Spain. There is nothing that could be in your Hridei Wishlist that Barcelona and Catalunya cannot provide by way of a honeymoon experience. Costa Brava is where Hrithik Roshan meets Katrina Kaif who falls in love with him. Both are supported by Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol who perform the magical flamenco dance Senorita https://youtu.be/7GORCKlCwPI
The walk on the cliff bordering the azure sea is exhilarating and each bend opens glorious new vistas.
La Rambla is the main drag of Barcelona. One starts with a water fountain where the fans of Barca soccer team gather at the end of each game. Legend has it that if you drink water from the fountain you will return back to the city. Here is where there are statutes to famous people, art, the history of the Spanish Civil war and the hotel that celebrities like George Orwell stayed in. Kudos to the unknown Indian couple strolling down this iconic street. Talking of art whether it is Salvatore Dali or Pablo Picasso the city museums and outdoors are an art lover’s delight.
The Four Cats bistro is where the great artist used to chill out with other members of the modernism movement. If it is Spain then one naturally thinks of bull fighting. But relax, the cultured folks of Catalunya think of themselves as the more civilized ones. After they built the stadium on the left they passed legislation forbidding bull fighting as a sport in the Catalunya region of Spain. The building faces the Montjuic water fountains which are perhaps the most beautiful fountains in the world. At night they fountains dance to the music including songs and tunes from Bollywood. If there is a King of Barcelona then it is the architect Antoni Gaudi. His mind went where imagination fears to tread. Park Guell is a good place to start.
Imagine if the guard house on the left is like the below then what the rest of the place is like. Look again at the trees. Looks can be deceiving inside the Park. The City is full of chapels and cathedrals but the Sagrada Familia is in the category of nonesuch in the world. Do take the time to do some shopping. Even if you have received everything that your heart desired from family and friends via the Hridei Gift registry even something small is appreciated. The road side vendors are very innovative and mostly from Pakistan so open to haggling. The gelato is welcome when one is walking the streets of Barcelona. Yet, while Barcelona is a modern city its roots are ancient indeed. One can go visit villages which are over a thousand years old and are carefully preserved. They are surrounded by farms and have retained their pastoral beauty over the centuries. There are magnificent forts for lovers of castles. The piece de resistance of course is Montserrat monastery which is dedicated to the Black Madonna. Did she have anything to do with Kali? You make up your mind after you read up on it. Suffice to say that the funicular train ride up the mountainside is beyond this world. You holding hands tightly with your soulmate are literally climbing up into the sky. St. Cecilia greets you there. Wait a minute. Is she wearing a sari? She looks like she could have come to your shaadi and easily mingled with the wedding guests. Do not forget to light a candle at the wall. Every marriage is a re-affirmation of love that leads to creation. The child is the father of man. Spain is a warm, friendly country. You will see touches of India everywhere from Columbus to restaurants to fabrics to arts. There are beaches, wine, great food, nature, sightseeing. It is an affordable country and barring pickpockets the tourist areas are safe. The public is supportive of tourists. Hopefully, you got a brand new camera as a Hridei wish list gift registry. You will put it to good use. Enjoy yourself!
Ladakh Honeymoon – The dazzling light of love on the rooftop of the world
Tuesday, May 19th, 2015
http://www.thegranddragonladakh.com/ Also http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g297625-d1017953-Reviews-s1-The_Grand_Dragon_Ladakh-Leh_Ladakh_Jammu_and_Kashmir.html
Hotel Glacier View has the value and convenient location where one can step out and be in the lanes of Leh, reminiscent of the Old Silk Road, with small shops selling great pashminas and other wedding gifts for yourself. Our host, Ravi Badam, the genial owner, is ever smiling and so helpful. http://www.hotelglacierview.com/ More at http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Review-g297625-d4843541-Reviews-Hotel_Glacier_View-Leh_Ladakh_Jammu_and_Kashmir.htmlAamir Khan and the Three Idiots were right. Unbounded love is Celebrate the beginning of your marital bliss by ending to be found only at Pangong Lake. Just you and your loved one. your honeymoon trip by visiting the Shanti stupa at sunset. Ladakh has a lot to offer for those looking to celebrate something special. If you truly want a fun adventure then check out our favorite Rahul Ogra at Mystic Himalayan Trails https://www.facebook.com/MysticHimalayanTrails. Rahul is an environmentalist and works for several prominent Western NGOs. Ladakh does need advance planning so do give yourself lead time.