marigolds and mithai

All Tied Up

2012-02-29T16:35:00.006-05:00

image via the decorista. original styling and photography unknown.

Just wanted to show a pretty picture today and this tulle runner and tablecloth all tied up really caught our eye. Love all the different elements that make up the overall look: the pastel chairs, curved table legs, delicate flowers, and scalloped china. But the finishing touch of the nipped cloth really pulls the whole table together, don't you think? A simple and easy trick you could try out for your own events.

Check out two previous posts on nips, tucks, and ties here and here.

Sparkly Napkin Holders in Practice

2012-02-21T18:57:00.029-05:00

One of our friends, Diana, recently got married and it was one of those weddings where the emphasis was on fun. It was a New Year's Eve wedding, there was glitter, there was dancing, and everyone had a blast. But what really made our day was her diy napkin holders, which were inspired by this post (originally from Martha Stewart Living).

image by marigolds and mithai

We thought it would be interesting to hear from her, and get her thoughts on the project (whether she was pleased with the result, how she felt about the process and whether she would do it again). Here's what she had to say!

I was very pleased with the result. They added a little extra, unique sparkle to our NYE table decor, and a nice homemade touch that I think people appreciated. This was not, however, the easiest craft to pull off. Although the materials were easy to find, I had difficulty finding the right glue that would work. Some would dry too slowly, which resulted in the sequins moving around too much. Others were too expensive and noxious. I ended up using a glue gun. Glue gun sticks are cheap, but the glue gun came with its own potential perils. If the tip touched the ball, the styrofoam would melt, which made me really anxious. Also, our wedding was originally supposed to have 160 people (but we ended up closer to 140), so the craft was quite labor intensive. I ended up inviting several friends over, and opened some wine, and we had a grand time. I truly could not have done this without either quitting my job or having awesome friends. (Actually, I had more then plenty of people willing to pitch in, and I never got to tap all of their glue gun skills.)

images by marigolds and mithai

Would I do this again? Absolutely!! Not only were they, like I said, a nice, sparkly handmade touch to our table decor, but the whole adventure of making them will be something we remember forever. I also had an idea to expand the craft and buy strings of larger sequins and get extra large styrofoam balls to craft a sort of homemade disco ball. Maybe for another event!

We have to say, we totally took a few of these beauties home and are definitely going to use them for our own dinner parties!

Some Polish

2012-02-18T12:01:00.034-05:00

A question was posed on twitter asking if other desi brides were changing their nail polish from one event to another and it got us thinking. If you have events back-to-back that might not be feasible but at the same time South Asian weddings consist of many outfit changes. So how do you decide what nail polish would work for all these various events?

image via vogue india november 2009 issue; dress by anamika khanna

There are a couple of options:

- You could match every outfit by changing the color daily if that's your prerogative or by doing a nude or clear shade (like this bride)

- You could do a color that might match one outfit and contrast ever so nicely with another (pictured above). Doesn't the green look so pretty against the white?

- You could choose a color in the same color range as all your outfits - pinks and reds often work nicely for this if you have brightly colored outfits (red just somehow works with everything!).

- You could layer from one event to another. For example, you could start with a nude or deep plum shade and then the next day add a bit of glitter like here.

- Or you could just not care, go all out with your nail art and have fun with it!

* We posted this picture before and we absolutely love the image so of course had to share again. We think Farrokh Chothia took it for Vogue India

All Lit Up

2012-02-15T11:00:00.006-05:00

image credit unknown. please let us know if you know the original source!

Today we thought we'd talk about lights. Specifically the South Asian tradition of stringing lights all over the house during wedding festivities. There's something so sweet about the idea of family and community coming together and basically telling the whole world that yes, there is a wedding happening! It really gets the celebration started - with the whole block buzzing with excitement leading up to the big events.

But do you think you would follow this tradition out here? Or do you think you lose a bit of the magic without the whole neighborhood participating in the festive mood? What do you think about just putting up a few strings of lights, in a nod to the tradition? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T12:37:00.009-05:00

flowers by saipua

Happy Valentine's day everyone! Hope it's full of lots of sugar and sweets.

Real Wedding: Rimi and Surjeet II

2012-02-09T14:00:00.001-05:00

And here are more details from Rimi and Surjeet's ceremony. Love the regal feel of the whole affair, from the ornate jewels and clothes to the soaring ceilings of the venue. Its sort of a brighter, more modern take on the Moghul-inspired look.

And don't you think Rimi pulls off a naath really well?

Vendor List:
City: Charleston, WV
DJ + Lighting: DJ Sunny
Videography: InMotion Media
Decor & Flowers: Partyland Flowers
Catering: The Saffron Punch
Mendhi Artist: Mehndi Art
Hair & Makeup: Tiffany Lockhart

Real Wedding: Rimi and Surjeet I

2012-02-08T19:47:00.027-05:00

When we first came across this wedding, the vibrant colors really caught our eye. All the bright reds, pinks, purples and greens, they come together beautifully.

And although you may have already seen this wedding making the blog rounds, we were so enamored with it, we just had to share. Midnight Chai did a beautiful job with the photography, we especially love the sharp contrast between all that riotous color and the stark architecture in the background!

Love the dupatta draping of the bridesmaids and the matching tikkas. There are more little details from the ceremony coming up!

Some Vogue Love

2012-02-07T10:00:00.023-05:00

image by unknown for vogue india november 2007

Just thought we'd share a quick round-up of some of our recent (and some not so recent) Vogue India posts, in case you'd like to check them out!

Tropical Prints come alive
All Wrapped Up for the winter
Suspenders Suspenders
Wide Leg Pants are so comfortable
Some Pleats
It's All in the Details
White Out for all your whites
Maxi Skirts to twirl around in
A fun take on Cuffs
Dip Dyed Denim to liven up your denim
Some Polka Dots
Mix and Match your prints
Channeling Literary Heroines

Stripes II

2012-02-03T13:00:00.007-05:00

image via the decorista/original image source unknown/please let us know if you know it!

Speaking of stripes, we thought we'd share another example of just how versatile they can be. With a few tweaks, like ornate brass candelabras and lots of candlelight, stripes can be the perfect backdrop for a far more dramatic tablescape. We love how the striped tablecloth adds some visual interest, and really pulls together the dark, intimate feel of this table setting.

Stripes I

2012-02-03T10:00:00.005-05:00

Stripes are such an easy way to dress up a tabletop. We love how the colorful party props just pop against the black and white placemats. And the patterned napkins layered on top, in the same color family, add just the right finishing touch to a playful table.

image by abbey nova for abbey goes design scouting

Real Wedding: Natasha and Talib

2012-01-31T15:01:00.030-05:00

We just wanted to share this sweet wedding by AGA iMAGES. It's lovely in all the right ways. Love the refreshing simplicity of the bride's hair and her Sana Safinaz outfit. We're big fans of the design duo behind the label!

Congratulations Natasha and Talib!

Vendors:

Photography: AGA iMAGES
Video: Avvento Weddings
Hotel: Princeton NJ Hyatt
DJ: DJ Essence
Dress Designer: Sana Safinaz
Decor/Floral: Abhishek USA

Chanel: Paris to Bombay

2012-01-29T18:01:00.019-05:00

The recent Chanel Paris-Bombay Pre-Fall 2012 collection inspired by Moghul-era India certainly captivated quite a few of us out there. But in terms of our little wedding blog, we wanted to focus on the decor. It was nice to see traditional elements such as fruit in silver platters and goblets, jasmine flowers and rose petals strewn on tables, and intricately carved silver boxes done in a fresh way. We especially like the color-blocked macaroons and Indian sweets.

images by olivia da costa for please magazine via honestly wtf and studded hearts

It seems as though Paris is having a bit of a love affair with all things Indian at the moment. Did anyone check out the recent article in T magazine with a guide to the Indian subculture in Paris? We thought the comments were interesting.

Colorful Cutlery

2011-08-16T13:57:00.006-04:00

image by sania pell

Love the idea of adding a bit of color to mismatched cutlery for a playful touch. And all it takes is some spray paint. You could go with fun, neon colors like these, but it would work equally well with a simple white, don't you think? Such an easy way to dress up a tablescape.

You can check out the complete DIY guide over on Sania Pell's blog.

Real Wedding: Neeti and Scott

2011-08-10T16:02:00.010-04:00

Speaking of beachy affairs, this wedding in the Bahamas has some of the very elements we mentioned in this DIY post! Don't you love it when you come across an idea and see it in action just a little bit later? Neeti and Scott got married in the Bahamas surrounded by close family and friends - and you get to hear all about it from the bride herself! Here she is:

Having grown up in completely different parts of the world, we had a hard time picking a place for the wedding. Should it be in Pittsburgh where he is from, or Singapore where I grew up? We ended up picking the island of Nassau because if there’s one thing we had in common, it was that our families and friends loved to have a good time.

We had a Hindu ceremony on the beach with the color scheme of turquoise, cream and silver. Being a DIY Bride, as well as a bit of a control freak =P, I spent many hours on the little touches. I used blue wine bottle labels to adorn the cover page of our ceremony programs. I then scanned those in and use the graphic to make smaller tags on a number of things including the buri fans we handed out to our guests. I had help from the hotel (Sheraton Nassau) and my family to make the garlands, and the traditional cloth that was used to adorn my walk down the aisle with my brothers. Overall, it was a small traditional wedding but it was just the way we imagined it to be - with smiles all around.

And there you have it - Neeti and Scott's lovely wedding in the balmy Bahamas. Congrats guys!

Vendors:
Photography: Stop Motion Productions
Venue: Sheraton Nassau Bahamas
Event Design: Wildflowers
Wedding Planner: Weddings Romantique
Cake Topper: Mudcards
Priest: Vimal Raval

Real Engagement Session: Tasneem and Abhi

2011-08-04T18:18:00.008-04:00

We're loving the clean lines and minimalist feel of this engagement session by Matei Horvath Photography. There's a lightness to the photographs that works beautifully with the architecture of the Griffith Observatory.

Beachy Napkin Rings

2011-07-18T14:02:00.006-04:00

images by bbb craft sisters via design*sponge

Love these delicate little seaside-inspired napkin rings. Wouldn't they add a lovely touch to a beachy soiree? For a complete diy guide, check out Design*Sponge.

Real Engagement Party: Arti and Niraj

2011-07-15T13:58:00.004-04:00

Today we thought we'd sign off for the week with a little engagement party. The groom-to-be sent us an email saying his fiance was a fan of the blog and he wanted to surprise her by having her see her own pictures on the site one day. How could we possibly say no to such a sweet gesture!

Some of the things we're loving - the lucite chairs, chic venue, and the bride's choice of a long kundan necklace paired with a sleek top!

Congrats Arti and Niraj!

Vendors:
Photographer: Kristen Rath Photography
Venue: Tendenza Ballroom, Philadephia, PA
Catering: Palace at the Ben

Bougainvillea

2011-07-13T12:05:00.007-04:00

image by Jose Villa via Once Wed

We have always loved bougainvillea. The way it always seems to cascade down quaint buildings, usually in exotic, faraway places. Maybe because we feel like we're on vacation when we see it, or perhaps because it reminds us of when we were kids, growing up overseas in warm locales. Either way, it's definitely a favorite, so we were excited to see this tablescape full of bougainvillea over on Once Wed, where they're talking about using what's locally available when planning destination weddings. A great tip, because not only does it save you money, it also makes things a whole lot easier. Plus, you've already picked the destination because you love it, so there's a pretty good chance you'll love what's locally available too!

An Update

2011-07-07T19:12:00.006-04:00

image by katie day photography via style me pretty

Hi Everyone! We're back. We've been gone for a bit, working on a new project, and are so excited to finally share it with you. We'd like to introduce you to a love like that, our new space, where we can branch out beyond weddings and talk about everything from fashion to food, design, photography, and pretty much anything that catches our eye. We're hoping this will allow us to share a little bit more about ourselves. Hope you'll check it out and tag along for the ride.

We'll continue to update marigolds & mithai with weddings and images that inspire us, but are hoping to make a love like that our new home for daily musings.

You can check out a love like that here, follow us on facebook here, and connect with us through twitter here.

Thank you so much for your patience while we were away, and we can't wait to share this new adventure with you!

Happy Friday!

2011-03-11T15:24:00.005-05:00

Have a great weekend everyone! We thought we'd end the week with a few shots from our recent trip to Paris.

By the way, have we ever mentioned our obsession with the iPhone app Hipstamatic? We're using it for anything and everything these days (case in point, the pictures above). Another good one is Shake It. You take a picture, shake the phone around and voila, an instant polaroid. How fun would it be to have one friend take wedding pictures exclusively with these apps. If any of you end up doing that, we'd love to see the results!

Also, you can check out our Vogue India post for the week here if you'd like.

Finally, we thought some of you might be interested in this great wedding photography giveaway from Sansaara Photography.

See you all next week!

Ombre Napkins

2011-03-10T10:00:00.001-05:00

Love the softness of these ombre napkins...especially the mix and match colors.

image by oncewed

To get more details on how to recreate the look, you can check out a complete diy guide over at Once Wed.

Real Wedding: Priyanka and Sachin

2011-03-08T10:45:00.005-05:00

We wanted to share some of the pretty black and white shots from Priyanka and Sachin's big day. They had a three day celebration full of tradition, with some fun modern twists, and Matei Horvath was there to capture all of it!

Here are some details from the bride herself:

Sachin and I grew up in Houston, attended the University of Texas during the same years, yet we met in Los Angeles through some mutual friends. I so was relieved that I didn’t have to root for another college football team….this was true love! Since we have such strong Texas roots, we decided to hold the wedding in Houston. It was a summer wedding because there was no way we could get married during football season.

Being the eldest in our large families, we knew our parents’ desires were to have a very traditional wedding so we respected their wishes but also agreed to add special touches that were important and reflected us. We also faced the challenge of a guest list of 600 people as we both come from very large families and social circles since both parents have been in Houston for 30+ years. With this in mind, we made choices about what components of a wedding were important to us.

The wedding took place on Friday evening at the Meenakshi Temple of Pearland which has always had a special place in my heart. It has been in Houston since the 1970s when my dad first moved to the US and I have vivid memories of strolling through the temple as a child. With the humidity and Texas heat, it felt like we were in India. After the ceremony, guests freely roamed and viewed the beautiful grounds, followed by a traditional sit down Gujarati dinner. To keep a happy balance, we decided to have a modern reception on Saturday evening at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Houston with a cocktails, a photo booth, cabanas, and trendy lounge beats all night long thanks to my friend DJ Yogi-G.

There were so many favorite details and moments! We served Tex Mex and margaritas at our Sangeet from my favorite Mexican restaurant in Houston that I have been dining at since I was 12 years old. Watching guests load up on chips and queso is priceless! We made a grand entrance into the reception with my cousins blowing into Vuvuzelas as it was during the World Cup. Since we are die hard Longhorns, we had a University of Texas themed cake which we cut to our school song, “The Eyes of Texas”. I had the cake topper of Sachin and me in our superstitious game day attire specially made by Lily Tsai. We had Longhorn and football shaped cookies served with shots of milk! Shipley’s donuts were also served in the dessert bar. Anyone from the state of Texas knows about Shipley’s donuts…a little piece of heaven that melts in your mouth! Our friends loved the cabanas at the reception which gave the evening a lounge like feel. We want to thank our dear friend Matei Horvath for capturing every moment of this special day so beautifully.

Vendors:
Photography: Matei Horvath
Decor: Affair to Remember
Makeup and Hair: Jennifer Pacheco/Renee Rae Makeup Studio/Conceptual Beauty
Cake: Susie's Cakes
Cake Topper: Wedding Cake Toppers Ideas
DJ: DJ Yogi-G
Photobooth: Photo Con Queso
Ceremony Venue: Meenakshi Temple, Houston, TX
Reception Venue: Hyatt Regency Houston
Catering: Bombay Brasserie
Henna: The Original Henna Company

The Happy Bride

2011-03-03T10:33:00.000-05:00

How cute is this video!

The Happy Bride Trailer from The Wedding Filmer on Vimeo.

Thanks to My Dulhan Diaries for finding this gem. You can check out even more videos by The Wedding Filmer here.

A Little Shoe Love

2011-02-28T21:35:00.008-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! Just wanted to let you know our Vogue India post is up for the week. You can check it out here, if you'd like.

Stages

2011-02-24T15:50:00.023-05:00

We've already done a round-up of some of our favorite mandaps, but today we wanted to show some options for stages - specifically the simple elegance of flowers on either side. We love how it adds just the right amount of decor and highlights the couple. Enjoy!

images via Our Labor of Love, Storybox Art, Amna Siddiqui Photography, Taimur Ali Ahmed, Ash Imagery, Agaimages, Amna Siddiqui Photography