Fun themes take over pre-wedding functions

Chennai

Take for instance, the sangeet ceremony, which is a musical evening held before the wedding, and a tradition prevalent among north Indians, has now become a mainstay of weddings in many south Indian families. The get-together, which is characterised by singing, dancing and mehndi ceremonies often employs the services of singers, DJs and live bands too. And that’s not all, the sangeet even comes with its own special themes.  

Giving us a lowdown on trends that are now picking up in the city is Nikhil Shankar, who along with his sister Nikkita Ram cofounded Wedding Curry, a retail outlet specialising in wedding and party accessories. He tells us, “Sangeet ceremonies these days are treated as a very serious business. We recently had clients who had requested for The Great Gatsby themed accessories for their sangeet party. Everything from the décor of the place to the food served was customised for that theme. They even had a video projection of Frank Sinatra just to get the attendees into the mood for a lively evening.” He goes on to add, “We even had some clients going for the classic North meets South themed sangeet , where the bride and groom, originally hailing from New Delhi, decided to dress their entire families in attires typical of Chennai. The boys wore veshtis while the women were attired in Kanjeevaram saris. There was even a Sufi evening, replete with world music and ghazals as well.”

And going over the top seems to be the norm with such functions these days. A family in Chennai recently hired the services of a fashion choreographer to conduct a full-fledged fashion show, replete with professional models, designer wear and jewellery as a precursor to the actual wedding ceremony.

Speaking about the trend, Karun Raman, a well-known fashion choreographer from the city says, “This is the first time that I have taken on such a project in Chennai. The couple hailing from a Marwadi and a South Indian family intended to make this sangeet ceremony a prelude to the wedding which will be taking place in Jaipur – a get-together of sorts for their friends and families in Chennai. The had an emcee who sang a few popular numbers, following which was the highlight of the evening – the fashion show.”

The budget involved can range anywhere between Rs 5 to 7 lakh, excluding costs such as food and beverages, locations etc. Karun tells us, “Even brands of apparel and jewellery have begun showing an interest in becoming part of  such ceremonies. It makes perfect business sense to showcase designer saris and traditional jewellery at a sangeet as people attending such ceremonies do pay attention to the ensembles. To top it all, it adds a great glam quotient to an otherwise straightforward and traditional function.”

And it’s not only the rituals that are undergoing a change. Even the notion of buying gifts for the newlyweds has gone through a major evolution. For instance, the concept of a wedding registry is slowly gaining ground in Chennai.  

Kanika Subbiah, the founder of an enterprise named Wedding Wishlist, which offers this service, says, “Despite the involvement from bride and groom who know exactly what they want, we remain quite antiquated in our approach to gifting. Though couples know what they would like, they are resigned to receiving gifts that are largely ornamental and mostly useless for their married lives.”

She adds, “The younger generation is tech savvy, socially connected and getting more open about their wishes. Guests want to choose gifts that will be valued by couples, and frequently ask them what they’d like. This perfectly sets the stage for our services. Couples make a wishlist, share it with any guests they choose, and rest easy that gifts they receive will serve a purpose and become memories.”