Weekend Reading for the Indian Bride to Be

The weekend is here! And here's a list of blog posts by Miss Malini - The Domestically Challenged Desi Bride that I'm sure you will have a great time reading through!

DIY Sari Draping, and Overdoing Trousseau Suits!

Bought 3 new suits!!! 2 suit ka kapda (just cloth, need to get it stiched), and one cute kurti from W. The suit kapda are from Kalpana and Heritage in South Extension market, New Delhi. They're all so pretty and cute! :)
Ok now I think I've over-done the suits, need to start looking at other trousseau items now.

Btw, BIG NEWS. I learnt how to wear a sari! Mom taught me this week, so I tried wearing 5-6 different saris at home. I'm a pro now :) and have learnt how to wear it in a way that looks good on me :) I am relaxed now because it means when I need to get ready for my reception at my in-laws' house, I will not need to go to a parlour to get my sari draped. Phew! I also know how to wear a heavy net sari in a proper way.

About the guest list - I have been able to finally get my parents to sit down and start editing that monster of a list. Hopefully we will be done soon!

Some Latest Scoop

Some useful things I've come across recently:
Lehenga Draping Styles for Brides - many, many different styles! Very enlightening to us uneducated to-be-brides :)
Honeymoon Trousseau for the Indian Bride - some silly things, some practical ones...

Magical Days

Not much to update on wedding front.
Wedding guest list is almost done, but a long way to go before it's final - need to sit down with parents and edit!
Bought another suit, for casual wear. It's made of origandy and is a nice shade of purple with same color embroidery on it. Atleast through wedding shopping, I'm learning a whole new vocab for textiles!
Sent out Save The Dates to all my friends, sent His out as well. Got a whole bunch of RSVPs already, though my mother's saying I shouldn't be so sure that everyone will actually land up on D-Day.
A friend from the past contacted me, and wrote the sweetest congratulatory message!
And, the BIGGEST news I had to share - I started reading and using The Magic book. It's incredible. This book has changed my life in a matter of three days, and it will help me sail through all the wedding (and life) madness! SUPER happy to have found The Secret back in my life!

Save The Date DJ, I'm having 2 Sangeets!

A LOT has been happening the last few days!
Other than work keeping me stressed...
The Panditji is 100% booked. As is the sangeet venue! Deposit's paid. DJ got booked today. He's charging Rs. 15,000. Anyone know if this is the going market rate these days?

Picked up my brand new angrakha suit and it can be described in just one word - fabulous. It's such a unique piece, perfect for any bridal trousseau. As a new bride, you are expected to "stand out". And stand out I shall! :p

Ah, and I'm going to have many many nights of partying during the wedding!
So...I'm going to have 2 sangeets! Seriously :)
And a separate reception.
So that means, I have to buy 4 fabulous outfits for all 4 nights.
And of course, something pretty to wear for day-time on all these 4 days.
And a haldi, and a mehendi outfit.
Does that sound like a lot?
Well, I'm getting married! It don't matter! Hehe.

In other news, Save The Date card is done! We had a photo shoot that my sister did :) and it was amazing! We've got a whole bunch of beautiful picture memories from that day now (I've even made a collage out of the best moments!). I even set up a form on Google Docs to collect RSVP and contact information from my friends - will send a link of it to my friends when I send save the date cards (hopefully, tonight!). I'm extremely pleased with my STD card btw. The right moment has been captured, and the final output looks a little Bollywood-movie-poster-ish, but I'm not complaining! Very, very excited to finally send out these cards!!!

My mother went out and bought FOUR wedding magazines! At first I thought - what a waste, mother! You get everything on the internet these days! Turns out, I was wrong. There's some pretty pictures and helpful articles in there! Will share as and when I get more time.

Oh, oh! And my FMIL got me a saree for Holi (Indian festival of colors)! It's such a GORGEOUS saree! It makes me very happy to know that my fiancé's family's tastes in clothes, home decor, etc is so much like mine! It's a big relief too. Because when they spend so much money to buy me gifts (they're big gifters!), I want to be able to love it and use it often. Which is exactly what I'm going to do with my gorgeous, gorgeous saree! :)

Looking forward to my FIVE day wedding affair! Always imagined mine would be wrapped up in a 2-day weekend. Never imagined it would turn out to be such a grand affair! This is what you get when you marry a Punjabi. Go Punjabe-eee! :) oh balle balle, hey hey! :p

The List

This is a list of websites you can visit for a daily dose of wedding & related inspiration & learning:
http://peachesandblush.com/ (specially her Bridal Files)
http://www.myasianwed.com/
http://asianweddingideas.blogspot.in/
http://thebigfatindianwedding.com/

A little bit of inspiration for you

Loving the ideas on this pintrest Unique Decor Details page...!
http://pinterest.com/saricladbride/unique-decor-details/

Shopping & Bookings off to a GREAT start!

First trousseau purchase - done!
I bought an angrakha style suit from Kapil & Mmonika and I LOVE it. Well, it still has to be altered to my size so how the finished product looks on me remains to be seen. But I'll tell you why I love it - the style is so freaking modern for a salwar kameez. I can wear it to a dinner party at a hotel, and even to lunch at a relative's home. It also has a bit of turquoise or teal blue (I'm a little color illiterate) popping out, and that's a shade of blue I am looking to have even in my wedding lehenga!

Also bought an off-white kurti from Fab India, that can be worn with a variety of bright colored patialas/churidars with an equally bright dupatta. Although I might end up wearing the kurti over the next few months, the Kapil & Mmonika suit will be packed up and kept inside my cupboard - to be worn after I'm married! Wow, that sounds pretty cool to me :) "after I'm married"!!!

Oh! And the fiancé and I just got invited to probably the first wedding we will attend as husband and wife! A second cousin is getting married about a month after our wedding, and we're going to attend it as Mrs & Mr. Wow-zie! Yes, wedding excitement makes me say silly things like wow-zie. But, really, wow! Sooo excited for it already!!! :)

In other news, the panditji is sort of booked for the wedding. I say sort of because he still needs to confirm 100% that he's available and willing.
I have also sent off a mail to the videographer of my choice, asking to set up a meeting when he is in town next so I can finalise whether or not I want him and can afford him.

Left to book still: sangeet venue, DJ, decorator, photographer (99% going to be the same guy who did the engagement). Oh, and the Make Up artist! I must, must head off to the mall next weekend and book her. Hmmm...! So much to do still, as always :)

Venue Done. Let the preparations begin!

Wedding venue is available, and booked! Only the deposit needs to be paid now, which should be done by Tuesday.

Yey!!! And I've heard that the venue has a few trees of my favorite type :)

Another update is that I've started helping my father with putting together his guest list. We need to have a final guest list in place by mid-March.

And we need to have our Save-The-Dates ready to be sent!

And I want to start shopping for trousseau sarees - sale is still on.

And I have got a few recommendations for good photographers/videographers. Need to research.

And, I have to work this weekend. Phew!

Aaaah! So much to do!