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7 Wedding Planners on Turning Hiccups to Hurrays
Wedding Planning - Aug 2, 2018
A wedding is the sum of a lot of moving parts which makes a few bumps in the road inevitable. However, there are hardly any obstacles that cannot be overcome with some presence of mind, perseverance – and luck. We got in touch with six wedding planners who told us how they managed unexpected crises and pulled off memorable weddings for their delighted clients.
Designs by Sakshi Jerath – Sakshi Jerath
“We were planning a wedding in Udaipur in the month of November at Raffles Udaipur. All the events were to be hosted at various outdoor venues for which we had curated beautiful, grand setups for each function. The big day was on the 20th and 21st of November and unfortunately, it started pouring from the 18th onwards and it continued well into the later hours of the day. Keeping this in mind, we shifted the first function, that is, the mehndi indoors into a restaurant. Consequently, the wedding venue also had to be shifted at the last moment for which we built a floating mandap in record time so that the couple could make their dream come true! For the ballroom reception, we swapped the decor elements with that of the sangeet function and likewise used the reception decor for the sangeet owing to the difficult weather conditions.
Honestly, it was a colossal task as several logistical issues cropped up but I’m proud to say that despite the obstacles, we pulled it off! Our team was extremely dedicated and even though the venues were flooded, they kept a positive outlook. After 150 trucks transporting wedding materials in the downpour, 200 people using their expertise to the fullest, and torrential rains, we turned the tables and orchestrated an unforgettable event!”
Shehnaiyan Weddings ( Malaysia) – Keshika Advani
“At a recent wedding that we planned, the couple was very excited about the beverages that were going to be served to their guests. They had an extensive beverage menu with multiple concoctions of unique cocktails, mocktails, and shots that they had curated carefully with a bartending team of five. As planned, this team was going to arrive just in time for the functions. However, on the wedding day, only two of the bartenders turned up as the rest could not due to visa and passport issues! We were only a few hours away from the event, and there were certain drinks that had to be premixed and garnished. At this point, we didn’t want our clients to be stressed, so we got on board two crew members who would help the bar team. Additionally, we requested the hotel to let their mixologist get us through the night, and they were very supportive. Meanwhile, we made arrangements for mixologists and bartenders who could work with us for all the subsequent events. In the end, there was no disruption in the bar management, and everything worked out smoothly. On days like this, to have more manpower on the site to assist in managing a crisis is a blessing in disguise.”
7X Wedding Planner (Ahmedabad) – Rajat Sogani
“We were planning a grand wedding complete with a 25,000 square feet dome and a large artificial water body at Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. After three days of work, just when we in the finishing stage of creating the setup we were told that the Rajmata was seriously unwell and in case something happened to her, we would have to move out. Since no such clause was mentioned in the contract we signed with the hotel we hadn’t thought of a Plan B. However since Umaid Bhawan Palace is also the residence of the royal family of Jodhpur it was only right for us to do so at that time.
At this point, we were only 72 hours away from the big day. Not only did we have to inform the client and relocate their guests but also ensure that the new venue was as grand as the first one. We chose WelcomHotel Jodhpur. The team at Singhvi Tent House gave us their full support and put all their resources into the process of dismantling the structures and shifting the decor items. We created fresh designs and stationery according to the layouts of the new venue and even found new caterers.”
Rimjhim Events & Weddings (Dubai) – Rimjhim Bhagchandani
“At a wedding hosted at the Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi, our client’s family had booked a Rolls-Royce convertible for three days. For the baraat, we were supposed to decorate the vehicle with flowers and drop the hood down so that the groom could be seen. The baraat started with the groom astride a horse as per usual rituals, and the plan was that he would enter the Rolls-Royce a while later. Unfortunately, the hood of the car did not come down on time. We were quite stressed as the groom wanted only such a car for his baraat. So we told our DJ to keep spinning his tracks while we went looking for another convertible. I remember calling two Rent-A-Car companies who did not pick up the phone as it was past their working hours. I also called a prominent Abu Dhabi businessman who owns a similar car, and he did not pick up the call as well. We later went looking in the parking and saw a Bentley convertible and quickly started hunting for the owner. But luck did not favor us, and by the time we reached the concierge that car had left too. Meanwhile, the DJ kept entertaining the groom on the horse and baraat. I believe that when your intent is genuine everything falls into place. We wanted a convertible at 9 pm by hook or crook. Later, when my colleague and I saw a red Corvette Sports Car approach the hotel, we quickly stopped it. A young Emirati guy peeped out, and when he heard our request, he thought we were crazy! He refused at first, but later agreed and we were able to get the car to the groom. The groom found the sports car even cooler than a Rolls-Royce. Our Emirati friend patiently waited as the amazing and fun baraat revelry went on for another hour. He even allowed the groom to drive the car later. We did not think we could have fixed such a situation and thanked our stars for the Emirati guy. This is UAE where there is immense respect for women, and no Emirati will ever turn down a genuine request from a lady.”
Weddings by Mercury ( Mumbai) – Hemal Solanki Bhagwat
“A day before a wedding in the UAE that we were a part of, it began to pour incessantly. The problem here was that the pheras were going to take place at the beach. However, it soon became clear that given the weather, it would be impossible to host this outdoor function by the beach. When we shifted the mandap inside to the ballroom, the bride was devastated since it had been her dream to get married by the water. Seeing her crestfallen, we decided we would set up one more mandap at the original venue. Just a little time before the wedding commenced, the weather took a turn for the better, and it suddenly became bright and sunny! The pheras began at 3 pm, and all went smoothly. And once the function was over, the rains and high tides returned! It was as if the weather gods had decided to give the bride a special wedding gift!”
Revel Events (Hong Kong) – Rani Morani
“At a wedding in Phuket, the priest told us his requirements for the pooja only on the night of the function despite multiple reminders in advance! At that time it was impossible for anyone from the team to go out and get those things since preparations were on in full swing. That’s when I thought of calling the caterer to check if he had all the things we required and fortunately he could help us with most of them. We had to let go of the remaining items, but the pooja went off relatively smoothly nonetheless.”
Purple Chariot (Mumbai) – Vishaal S Shah
“We had planned a sangeet and cocktail at JW Marriott Mumbai in Juhu. Needless to say, all the approvals had been taken by the client much in advance. As per the brief, we created a simple backdrop and incorporated a few other details that had been decided upon. However, when the clients arrived at the venue an hour before the function was going to commence, they found that everything was too plain for their liking. Fortunately, we had some with decor made with fiber reinforced plastic in stock at that time. We had that delivered and installed at the venue immediately to add life to everything. We placed LED tealights for added sparkle. With some ‘jugaad’ (resourcefulness) we managed to save the day.”
