Elegant Affairs
{Decorator}
Review: One of our best vendors! We were thrilled with how everything turned out, and they were a real pleasure to work with.
After I had secured our location and photographer, I set out to book our decorator. It was an easy choice, since I knew I wanted Elegant Affairs. For an Indian wedding, the mandap is the focal point for the wedding. The wedding ceremony takes place inside this structure, and most couples also use it to house a sweetheart or wedding party table for the reception. I had a vision of a mandap swathed in beautiful, beaded fabric along its length and from the ceiling, and I also wanted an open mandap structure. The basic requirement of a mandap is that it have 4 pillars...we have, in the past, sat in an awkward spot of the audience and found our view of the ceremony obstructed by a pillar. I wanted all of our guests to have a good view of the ceremony...elevating the mandap on a stage and having an open structure would accomplish this.
Elegant Affairs is, quite simply, one of the best Indian decorators around. Started by a trio of sisters, the business has grown over the years to include an outpost in Texas along with their tri-state flagships. Shobha was our main liaison, and we were SO happy with her. Our meetings were always accompanied by chai and sweets, and I felt like she really listened to my vision. We were going for simple elegance, with focal points that made a statement, and I think EA ended up accomplishing that beautifully. Below is a list of pros/cons, as well as some tips on covering your decor.
The good:
*From the first meeting where we put down a deposit, to the wedding weekend, Elegant Affairs & Shobha were nothing but professional. Every time we added or subtracted something, a new and itemized pricing contract was drawn up. There were no hidden costs...everything was easily outlined. They also keep you on track as far as timing; for example, making sure you reserve your mandap well in advance, or deciding on the flower arrangements so they can order the bulk.
*They were very honest about pricing with us. It's so easy to add some flowers here or flourishes there, but everything adds up. While Elegant Affairs is not the cheapest, they will work with just about any budget.
*I loved that they were a one-stop shop...they handled just about every aspect of my decor, from the flower arrangements, to the mandap, and even the chargers on the reception tables. This made it incredibly easy to deal with decor, especially planning from a distance.
*Their warehouse is HUGE, and they will gladly walk you through it. I was even allowed to handpick certain items that I wanted for our wedding (e.g., our chairs for the mandap, and the fabric that served as our inspiration for the cocktail hour).
*They really listen to what you want and your vision for your day, while gently giving their opinion to steer you in the right direction.
*Within reason, they can accommodate requests. We needed about 200 carnations at the last minute to hand out to guests prior to the wedding ceremony. Shobha added it to our list and set them up for us with no problems.
*They had worked with our hotel before; like our caterer, they were able to communicate behind the scenes. A part of the mandap canopy had to be attached to the ceiling, which the hotel did not have a problem with (not so for our Miami reception oy!)
The not-so-good (hardly any!):
*Make sure you always meet with your main liaison. Once, I had to meet with Shobha's sister and while she was very nice, I felt as if I was starting from square one, since she wasn't as familiar with what I liked, my vision, or our budget.
*It is important that you come with your own ideas, and pictures of what you want! I found that if you don't have a clear sense of what you want, or at least have pictures, is a bit more difficult to get your vision across.
*They are a bit limited to what's available in their warehouse. Now, keep in mind, the warehouse is HUGE and their supply of props, etc. is varied and unique. Additionally, they are constantly ordering new supplies from India and elsewhere to keep the designs fresh.
Tips:
*It helps to book the decorator and/or florist well in advance of the wedding day, so you have the opportunity to secure what you need or modify your plans. Shobha was willing to order things for us, but would have needed extra time to do so.
*Bring along a rough estimate of your budget. Things like flowers and linens can add up quickly, and you'll want to get a realistic sense of what you can get for your $.
*Be honest about what you like and don't like. I didn't want super bright colors for the wedding or reception, but did want something fun for the cocktail hour. We went with a elegant gold and creams, accented by green, for the wedding and reception...and orange and bright pink for the cocktail hour.
*To that end, it is truly helpful to bring along pictures for inspiration that you've grabbed from wedding magazines or the web.
*Look through their portfolio to get a sense of their style. Elegant Affairs had tons of books showcasing their work, and we had heard about their great reputation from several people. However, I did like to see what they had done in the past...even borrowing here and there from designs I loved.
*If you have big flower arrangements, it's ok to reuse them for another event. We had big arrangements down the wedding aisle and along the mandap...these were reused in our centerpiece arrangements and sweetheart table later. At first, I had this crazy idea that I wanted totally different looks, and then I saw the price tag of each arrangement! You'll save money, and no one will even notice (or care)!
As you can see, I really loved how everything turned out! I think our guests were wowed by the designs, but nothing was over-the-top or garish. I'll end with 2 pics...our centerpiece for the placecards (yes it's a flower elephant!), and our 'tall' reception table centerpieces.
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