Monday 24 February 2014

Flowers – An Imperative Part of All Weddings

Flowers are perhaps one of the most crucial elements of any wedding décor. Flowers are used not only as the stage backdrop for photographs, but also to cover the wedding mandap as well as decorate the entrance and hall pillars. Flowers add a burst of colour and a touch of fragrance, giving the venue a festive and graceful appearance. But the role of flowers is not just limited to décor during weddings. How can one forget the quintessential “varmala” or flower garlands exchanged by the bride and groom! In South Indian weddings, thick strands of jasmine blossoms are adorned by the bride in her hair, while in North Indian weddings, chains of jasmine are often used to cover the groom’s face. A gorgeous flower bouquet is a must for a bride dressed in a wedding gown, and in almost all weddings the bride and groom are showered with flower petals by the guests.  Many of the flowers used for wedding garlands and decorations (like the “Rajnigandha”) play an integral role in Indian mythology as well.

An experienced florist is the best guide to share a vision of how a particular flower can be used to create a memorable wedding décor. For those with budget constraints, there is no need to panic. Often with flowers, less is more, and good positioning with the use of inexpensive foliage can help create the illusion of a larger number of arrangements than there actually are. Each season has a special variety of flowers to offer, and it is always most economical and practical to choose the ones readily available during the month of the wedding.


Saturday 8 February 2014

How To Make Your Bridal Outfits Last Longer!

Wedding season is on in full swing, and our calendar is full of bridal outfit bookings!  Being in the rental business, one of our primary goals is trying to keep all our bridal outfits (incl. wedding gowns, lehengas, sarees and shervanis) looking absolutely fresh. We take it as a personal challenge to maintain them with utmost care, and find innovative solutions to rectify even the most minor kind of damage! Listed below are a few tips we have shared for those brides who wish to cherish and preserve their bridal outfits for the longest possible time…
  • Send your outfits for dry cleaning as soon as possible! We know you will be busy with post-wedding rituals and your honeymoon, but do assign a friend or family member to make sure your outfit is dry cleaned immediately after the wedding. The longer sweat and dirt remains on a fabric, the higher the chance of permanent damage to the outfit.
  • Wrap heavily embroidered garments in a thin cotton/muslin cloth before storing. Keep them in a dark part of your cupboard to prevent discolouration, away from dust, sunlight and moisture.
  • Make sure you fold and re-fold these garments once a month so that the silk/zari doesn’t get damaged along the crease lines. On removal of the garment, expose it to air before storing it again.
  • Avoid hanging extremely heavy sarees, keep them folded in a saree pouch instead. Saree pouches are readily available in marketplaces (in Mumbai you can find these in the Santacruz Station Road Market, Manish Market or Bhuleshwar)
  • If you see a coloured stain on your white wedding gown (which might have been left from coloured confetti or makeup or anything else) that doesn’t go even after dry cleaning, you can try soaking the damaged portion in fabric whitener (as per the instructions on the product package). We have had excellent luck removing stains like this from satin, taffeta and net fabrics.
  • Never use water on a heavily embroidered or silk fabric as water leaves permanent marks on these easily.
  • Always use professional drycleaners for steam pressing and dry cleaning your heavy garments. Trying methods like ironing them at home with a cloth on top are usually ineffective and can often lead to disaster!