Archive for April, 2011

The Royal Wedding of William and Kate – Photos and Details

Apr 30, 2011 Celebrity Wedding Pictures

With an estimated 2 billion people watching around the world, Prince William of Wales married Catherine Middleton at the Westminster Abbey in London’s biggest royal wedding in three decades.

Kate Middleton managed to keep her wedding dress designer a secret till she walked the aisle in a gown designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. Made from hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace in rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock designs, the long sleeved lace and ivory satin dress was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace. Kate wore matching shoes by Alexander McQueen.

While Kate did her own makeup, her longtime stylist James Pryce of the Richard Ward salon in London styled her hair in ‘Demi Chignon’—an updo style which combines a classic bridal look with a regal, couture finish. The look was finished with a 1936 tiara, borrowed from the queen, a Cartier vintage piece that was beautiful with her ivory tulle veil. Middleton wore earrings designed by Robinson Pelham, a gift from her parents. The bride’s bouquet was a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. It was designed by Shane Connolly.

Prince William wore the uniform of colonel of the Irish Guards, as well as his Royal Air Force wings.

Kate Middleton changed into a strapless white satin gazar evening dress with a circle skirt and diamante embroidered detail round the waist by designer Sarah Burton for the evening party at Buckingham Palace following her wedding.

Tags: , , , , ,

Discover the Moods and facets of Precious Platinum

Apr 29, 2011 Precious Platinum

Showcasing the moods and facets of this rare and precious metal and how effortlessly it slips from classic to contemporary.

Meet the Royal Wedding Florist & the Official Photographer

Apr 28, 2011 Wedding People & Planners

On Friday, all eyes will be on Shane Connolly’s work. And post Friday, all eyes will be on Hugo Burnand’s work. Meet two among the most important behind the scenes people- Shane Connolly the Royal Wedding florist and Hugo Burnand the official photographer.

Floral artistic director Shane Connolly, has been working in floral design since 1987 (after a stint in research psychology), and currently runs Shane Connolly Flowers with business partner Jamie Marlar in West London. In an interview Connolly who also arranged the flowers for Prince Charles and Camilla Parker’s wedding spoke: “William and Kate want things to reflect their personalities. It’s not a statement of anything other than their individuality, it’s completely straight-forward, simple, and good.” The floral arrangements in Westminster Abbey will feature a variety of British flowers and trees, including azaleas, rhododendron, euphorbias, beech, wisteria and lilac. Prince William and Kate Middleton have made several eco-friendly choices at their royal wedding, and the appointment of Shane Connolly is no exception. Connolly is known for his “sustainable approach to floristry,” which uses live growing plants and trees. Westminster Abbey will have eight 20 feet-high Maple and Hornbeam trees, all growing in planters, for the wedding. The palace said Will and Kate will donate or replant most of their royal wedding flowers and greenery.

Hugo Burnand has photographed Prince William privately before and was the official photographer at the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker. Hugo learnt the basics of photography from his mother who used to turn their kitchen into a dark room in the evenings and he started with his first camera at the age of seven. He started his career as an assistant to a photographer and later set-up his own studio in Notting Hill. On being asked what camera gear he will use on 29th, Burnand responded “A Hasselblad H4D-50– the best”. Burnand, also quipped that he’s not nervous but very excited and if there’s one thing he hopes for on the D-day its “sunshine, to lift everyone’s spirit higher.”

Tags: , , ,

Web Buzz around William-Kate Wedding

Apr 26, 2011 Celeb Weddings to Watch out for


• The Royal Wedding is generating 9,000 mentions a day online

• Maximum posts were speculations about her dress (23%), the guest list (20%) and the gifts (18%)

• The range of social media around the event include the Official Royal Wedding website, the British Monarchy Flickr account, Twitter (@ClarenceHouse), The Royal Channel on YouTube and the British Monarchy Facebook page

In line with William-Kate’s wishes to make the wedding as accessible and participative, live updates and unique material is being released through a range of online material—so this is the most digital and interactive coverage of a Royal Wedding, or for that matter any Wedding to date.

Live streaming on The Royal Channel
For the first time, broadcast footage of a royal wedding will be live streamed on The Royal Channel on YouTube, accompanied by a live multi-media blog put together by St. James’s Palace. The Royal Channel will host a live stream ‘gadget’, produced by Google, which will stream the wedding live on the day from 10.00 am till 2.00 pm. This will include the Couple’s journey to and from Westminster Abbey, the Wedding Service, balcony appearance and the fly past. This will be the first time a live blog has run alongside a live stream on YouTube for any occasion.

Flickr
Photographs related to the Royal Wedding include landmarks on the processional route, hidden corners of Westminster Abbey and unusual views from inside and outside Buckingham Palace. www.flickr.com/photos/britishmonarchy

The Royal Wedding website
Detailed announcements made on the day of the wedding will be published on the official Royal Wedding website , alongside all the official information released about the wedding to date. The website provides exclusive content, including never-before-seen photographs of Catherine Middleton.  Since its launch, more than eight million pages have been viewed so far.

Official ‘Video wedding book’
An official video “Wedding Book” on YouTube invites anyone to submit their own video of congratulations to the Couple.  The video messages will provide a unique memento of the day for the Couple.

Twitter
The @ClarenceHouse Twitter account provides live updates and will be integrated into the live blog on the live stream and the wedding website.

The British Monarchy’s Facebook page
The British Monarchy page on Facebook has been redesigned to provide followers with reliable and up-to-date information about the Royal Wedding. They have created a Facebook ‘event’ of which anyone can be part. A ‘Stories’ app has been launched asking people to describe how they are preparing for the event and then, on the day itself, how they are celebrating. Whether they are joining the crowds in central London, or having a house party in Canada, the stories project allows people to be part of this historic event by sharing their experiences with others on Facebook.

Tags: , , , ,

Royal Engagement Portraits

Apr 25, 2011 Celeb Weddings to Watch out for, Celebrity Wedding Pictures

Prince William and Kate Middleton
A month after announcing their engagement, Prince William and Kate Middleton released two official portraits, taken by famed fashion photographer Mario Testino. For their formal photo, the couple posed at the historic Council Chamber at St. James’s Palace, surrounded by portraits of William’s ancestors. Their second portrait was more casual; they broke royal convention and intimately embraced at the Cornwall Room of St. James’s Palace.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana
Prince Charles and Princess Diana shared their engagement news with an informal engagement photo. But the couple also adhered to tradition, releasing an official photo featuring Diana in a regal gown and Prince Charles in his naval uniform.

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles
Prince Charles and his second wife Camilla Parker Bowles made their first public appearance as an engaged couple at a function at Windsor Castle.

Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones
The couple engagement shoot took place at St. James’s Palace on Jan. 6, 1999. They got married on June 19, 1999.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson
Childhood pals Prince Andrew and Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson posed for this casual snapshot after their engagement. They got married on July 23, 1986.

Princess Anne and Mark Phillips
Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter got engaged to her first husband Mark Phillips, a lieutenant in the Queen’s Dragoon Guards, in May 1973. She posed for a formal engagement photo but in a departure from protocol, the couple, who shared a love of horses, took their informal picture not in the royal spaces, but in a lush meadow with a black Lab.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip stood at firm attention at the announcement of their engagement at Buckingham Palace in July 1947.

At 84, Queen Elizabeth is Britain’s oldest monarch, having ruled the throne since February 1952, when she was just 25 years old.

Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones
Princess Margaret got engaged to Anthony Armstrong-Jones, a Photographer on Feb. 26, 1960. The couple was photographed touring Windsor lodge.

Queen Elizabeth and King George VI
After Queen Elizabeth (popularly known as Queen Mother) got engaged to Albert (Duke of York) on Jan. 18, 1923, they posed for a portrait at her family’s estate, St. Paul’s Walden Bury. The couple was known as the Duke and Duchess of York till 1936. When Albert’s brother Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry an American Wallis Simpson, they were crowned the King and Queen.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kalki and Anurag Kashyap to marry in Ooty

Apr 25, 2011 Celeb Weddings to Watch out for

Kalki Koechlin who debuted in Anurag Kashyap’s critically acclaimed 2009 Hindi film Dev D, is marrying him on April 30. The wedding is in Ooty, at Kalki’s parent’s farmhouse. Forty of the couple’s family and close friends will be there and the wedding functions include a morning South Indian wedding and an evening reception. So why are the couple (he’s from UP and she is of French descent) having a South Indian wedding? Says a friend of the star: “Kalki likes the beauty and simplicity of South Indian marriages and since this is Anurag’s second wedding, he pretty much left everything to her to decide.” Those attending the wedding include Anurag’s parents who live in Benaras, his brother Abhinav Kashyap (director of blockbuster Dabanng) and the couple’s industry friends Vikramaditya Motwane and Imtiaz Ali.

Kalki’s wedding lehenga is designed by Laila Motwane who specialises in custom-made trousseaus. Motwane retails at Aza, Designer Studio and Oak Tree, her work is subtle and elegant and she’s hugely popular among WeddingSutra readers. She says: “For the morning wedding, Kalki is wearing a green and gold kanjivaram with temple jewellery. For the evening reception, I’ve designed a mango, fuchsia and orange lehenga (see sketch). Kalki wanted something whimsical, bubbly so its a flowy georgette creation with lots of gota work.” Anurag Kashyap is wearing a self-designed outfit, a cream colour kurta pyjama.

Kalki’s French parents, both devotees of Sri Aurobindo came to Puducherry 38 years ago and they fell in love with India and decided to settle here. Kalki did most of her schooling in Ooty and then went to study drama and theatre at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

What will you be doing on the day of the Royal Wedding?

Apr 21, 2011 Celeb Weddings to Watch out for

On April 29, 2011 an estimated 2 billion people will watch Katherine Middleton exchange vows with the future King of England, at the grand Westminster Abbey. While UK has declared the day of the wedding a public holiday, restaurants and hotels in New York are setting up special spaces for Royal family fans to watch the celebrations. WeddingSutra spoke to Fashionistas and Event Specialists on their plans for April 29th and what they’re looking forward to watching.

Anita Roddam, Fashion Strategist, Hyderabad
“It’s human to draw comparisons between Kate and Diana”

As a little girl, I was quite fascinated by Lady Diana. Now when I see Kate, I can’t help but draw comparisons between the two. I’m sure Kate is stressed, but I really admire her confidence and style.

I may have some important work on April 29th, but I’m trying my best to reschedule it, so I can watch the wedding live. I’m very curious to know what Kate will wear, and my guess is that she won’t choose a traditional or classic gown by an established designer, but a dress with a modern twist, by a newer designer.

Shaan and Sharmilla Khanna, Event Managers, Mumbai
“We’ll be watching the wedding, drinking coffee and munching popcorn”

We’ve been reading a lot about the wedding, and since we’re both into events, we usually discuss the ‘how will it get executed’ bit. When we’re watching television for long we enjoy drinking hot coffee and munching popcorn!

Says Shaan: “I’m not just looking forward to seeing the clothes, the cake, and the lovely couple, but the decor at the venues and how the bride will make her grand entry. And of course it’s heartening to see the way the locals celebrate.”

Shaheen Abbas, Accessories Designer, Mumbai
“Will it be Mc Queen, Westwood or Sophie Cranston”?


As an accessories designer, I typically notice the jewels first, and the dress next, but here I’m looking forward to seeing her dress. On Twitter there’s been a lot of speculation on whose designing her dress—earlier it was reported the designer is Sarah Burton of Alexander Mc Queen or Vivienne Westwood, but the latest buzz is that Kate might have chosen Sophie Cranston, a young designer. I’ll be at home on April 29th, and atleast till the moment I see her dress, I won’t step out.

Nipunika Singh, Wedding Planner, Bangkok
“The walk down the aisle, and the much-awaited royal kiss”


As a wedding planner I’m always very interested in knowing what goes into conceptualizing and executing every grand wedding. I’ve been following the Kate-William wedding, and now I’m really looking forward to watching it live on television. Kate’s ride on the glass carriage, her walk down the aisle and the much awaited royal kiss, can’t wait to see it all.

Tags: , , , , ,

Memories of the Royal Wedding

Apr 18, 2011 Celeb Weddings to Watch out for

Much before India became obsessed with the Big Fat Indian Wedding, there was a whole generation who were fascinated with the fairy-tale Charles-Di wedding. WeddingSutra gets well-known Wedding Planners to talk about their love affair with the most beautiful white wedding.

“In between class breaks we’d see photos of the fairy tale wedding”
Gurleen Puri, Mumbai
Gurleen excitedly recalls all the conversations and picture-sharing in her class, at Modern School in Vasant Vihar, Delhi: “We would chat at length about Diana, imagining what it must be like to lead the royal life; who can forget her beautiful hand bouquet, it was so heavy I’m sure she experienced much pain, yet she looked super-graceful! We couldn’t stop looking at the pictures of so many stylish royals in elegant gowns accessorised with beautiful pearls. One classmate brought the Vogue special that featured the wedding, and what a nice feeling it was to touch Vogue.”

At that time, Gurleen had no idea that there existed a profession called wedding planner, but flowers always fascinated her most: “I would look at the floral decor and all the little details at the functions and sit-down dinners first, and only after that I’d notice the clothes and jewellery.”

“Diana’s gorgeous oval blue sapphire ring with diamonds, I got an identical ring.”
Rimjhim Bhagchandani, Dubai:
I was so excited about the upcoming Charles-Diana wedding, a little apprehensive too since I was not sure if it would be telecast live in Dubai. Fortunately, our local TV Channel 33 did not disappoint. I can’t forget the day, it was like a fantasy– Diana looked so innocent, she smiled a lot but her Prince looked grumpy and unhappy (I didn’t think too much of it then, presuming protocol expected him to behave that way). I couldn’t stop admiring Diana’s iconic 18-carat sapphire surrounded by 14 brilliant-cut diamonds. I got an identical one made (though it was nowhere as gorgeous as hers). I still have a picture of her hand bouquet and I’ve designed similar bouquets for many brides.”

“Diana was the Queen of Style”
Vithika Agarwal, Bangalore
I was very young when Charles-Di wed, but some of the images are etched clearly in my mind. I think it was the first white wedding I witnessed and as I grew older, thanks to Hollywood films, my love and fascination for white weddings grew. There was something about white weddings—they seemed more romantic, perfect and intimate. But no other bride in white caught my attention like Diana—she was truly the Queen of Style!

Ironically, my British husband was fascinated by Indian weddings. So we didn’t have a church wedding but a fun, colourful and traditional Indian shaadi!

“London looked most beautiful on 29th July, 1981”
Dinaz Noria, Hyderabad
Dinaz worked with British Airways as a stewardess before she embarked on her career in decor & wedding planning, and she was in London on the landmark date. She says: “There was magic in the air, like all hotels, even the hotel where I was staying was specially decorated and on the menu was a sumptuous wedding feast. While I was glued to the TV I would keep looking out of the window, to see the happy crowds on the street. I bought the famous ceramic plates with the couple’s image as memorabilia for my little sister and cousins, and for many months I preserved my favourite photographs in a special file—the one I liked best is of Prince Charles kissing his bride on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.”

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

India’s Best Wedding Photographers 2010

Apr 15, 2011 Wedding Photographers

Congratulations to Vivek Sequeira, Winner of the Wedding Photographer of the Year Award 2010 and all category winners of the Kodak Better Photography Wedding Photographer of the Year Awards 2010.


Bridal Portraiture- Vivek Sequeira (Mangalore)


Couple Portraiture-Mahesh Shantaram (Bangalore)


Family & Friends- P Vijay Kumar (Nellore)


Emotions- Ankit Singh (Bangalore)


Behind the Scenes-Abhinav Sah (Mumbai)


Photo Series on a single wedding- Dinesh Madhavan (Mumbai)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Photographs by the Wedding Photographer of the Year 2010

Apr 14, 2011 Wedding Photographers

The finale round for the Kodak Better Photography Wedding Photographer of the Year 2010 was a unique face-off round, with six finalists. The six finalists shot a mock wedding at The Wedding Cafe Lounge at Andheri (West)– complete with a bride and groom, dressed in wedding ensembles by bollywood’s favourite designer Neeta Lulla, jewellery by creative jewellery designer Varuna D Jani and make-up by Cory Walia. Here are the photographs by Vivek Sequeira winner of the Kodak Better Photography Wedding Photographer of the Year 2010.

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Tags: , , , , , , , ,