When The Wedding Planner hit theatres in 2001, it gave a boost to the already in demand profession in the west. In India too, it had its impact. But what was more often than not, considered to be a symbol of extravagance in the already high-spending weddings here, it would probably be fair to say that after Band Baaja Baaraat sent the box office ringing, the profession managed to hit a high among the middle class too.
And in Bangalore, many planners have been playing a key role in designing weddings, which are getting bigger, better and innovative by the day...and the best part is that today, there are planners who can plan for a wedding for big as well as small budgets and for any community.
Culture planner
With demand on the rise from different cultures and traditions, these days, the planners have to look into meticulous details of the wedding preparations. Neeru Surana, managing director of Soch Signature Weddings and Events explained, "When designing a North Indian wedding, we contact Jodhpurwala, a shop in Chikpet where everything required for a North Indian wedding is available under one roof. Similarly, for a South Indian wedding, a shop in Chikpet provides a package including materials required for Kashiyatra, coconuts to serve and others. Also, brides will be groomed based on the culture she belongs to by Vijetha Anand, who excels in hair-do, make-up and the attire"
Speaking about the preparation process, Rishi, an event manager at Hangover said, "As a first step, we speak to the clients regarding the kind of wedding they are looking forward to -- tradition, budget, number of guests, themes and others. We also, give suggestions."
Getting involved
On the other hand, many opined that a personal touch with the relatives and friends is lost, as wedding planners fail to comprehend the first and second circle of friends, family and relatives.
But the planners have a different say. "As we plan for the wedding four months prior to the event, we meet the family and the couple over 30-40 times before the event. In the due course, we learn the close circles of friends and relatives of the family. As a result, we also become part of their family," said Neeru.
Value addition
Many wedding planners also arrange for the travel tickets, honeymoon, hotel stays and sightseeing too.
"We have tie-ups with the best travel agencies in the city. Besides we also provide an option for them to choose the destination they would like to visit after studying the couple completely," opined Bhavika.
Besides, wedding planners also take a step forward to design the cards, logos, name boards and others, based on the themes the couple and the family choose. However, the planners also promise a budget-effective wedding. The decision on budget resides on the family, said Bhavika, creative head of Cinnabar events and entertainment. She said, "We customise on the exotic decorations, themes and designs, if we assist for a small budget weddings."
Competition Planners believe that over the years, the competition has increased drastically.
Neeru, who is in the industry for over 12 years and has planned over 230 weddings said, "The market has changed dramatically after 2005. Until then, the wedding planners were named decorators. Back then, many believed that spending extra money on the wedding planners was unnecessary when the family members could manage it by themselves. But, there is lot of demand for the wedding planners today."
