{Guest Post} Create your own big fat Bollywood Wedding

Indians love Bollywood! Everyone now loves Bollywood! The most popular request by most of our clients is to incorporate Bollywood into their wedding celebrations. For the big fat Indian weddings, it is usually a number of Bollywood star appearances. What better way to create a wow factor for your celebrations, guaranteed the guests would never forget! 

But for those with not quite such a budget, here is how you can incorporate a Bollywood feel in your events. Remember, Bollywood is all about bright, vibrant colors and lively music.

Stationery  – Why not go all out if you are a huge Bollywood fan? Maybe go the bling way with your invites! Or you could send out fun colorful invites like move posters with your faces morphed on the movie stars. You could even do your pre wedding photos in true Bollywood style – recreate looks from your favorite movie – and use that in your invite. Another great idea is maybe film a save the date trailer like a mini Bollywood movie trailer. It could end with ‘Coming soon’.

The sky is the limit!

For your Bollywood décor, you could choose to go more understated – fuschia, lime green, orange, gold fabric for drapes, tents and beads and sari borders as embellishments. Why not have lots of diyas around the place and greet guests with scented garlands. Or you could go more fun and over the top – maybe pick your favorite Bollywood movie – and create a mini set of that movie – think Jodha Akbar. Create a photo booth area with a cutout poster or prop from the movie – could be a fun idea your guests will love! 

Another idea – you could have your very own Bollywood award night. This is always fun, lay down the
red carpet, have your compere interview guests for the big screens as they enter. Have a series of either professional performances or friends and family performances and even hand out awards at the end of the night. This will surely make it a fun night to remember.

Another thing to remember, be sure to specify the dress code on the invite. Especially if it’s a specific theme – Seventies Bollywood, Red Carpet Glam and so on…

The entertainment for the night is very important. Yes, you could have a number of dance performances. But a couple of singers – of Indian Idol fame maybe, are a good idea. If this is not possible, then be sure to hire a DJ who knows his Bollywood music and can keep the crowd on the dance floor.

Don’t forget the food – one of the most important parts of an Indian wedding! Go all out with this menu – in full desi style. You could even create a special cocktail list for the night and name your drinks after your favorite Bollywood movies. 

And last but not the least, give your guests something to remember this special night. Why not create a special CD with your favorite Bollywood music for guests to take home?

So we though we’d end this post with a picture with a cake from a Bollywood reception that we did last year!

Candice Pereira is the founding partner and Creative Head for Marry Me - The Wedding Planners in Mumbai, India.