Whether you’re expecting 100 guests or 1,000, planning a wedding requires a lot more than finding a venue, a caterer, and a string quartet! With the average Asian couple in the U.K spending upwards of £50,000 on a wedding, it’s best to place your faith in the hands of a trusted expert. But why should you let someone else help craft your perfect vision? Meet the experts who tell us why your big day is just as important to them....
Why is wedding planning so close to your heart?
Saheli: It has always felt like a role where my input and skills are actually able to make a diff erence. Because I have been able to chase my dream and create beautiful memories for and with my couples, it’s become something super close to my heart.
Radhika: Shindy and I are a coupled team, and our love for weddings started from a young age. We both have big families and attended plenty of weddings. We’ve both worked in corporate roles before: marketing, events and business. These experiences have been implemented into our company to deliver the highest standards.
Creative director Saheli from Saheli Events
What made you decide to enter this competitive industry?
Saheli: When I started working, I was a little naive to how big the industry was and how competitive it is. I knew I wanted something of my own with the brand values and morals I believed a wedding planner should have. I wanted to have a slightly informal side to my
business, where the client is able to feel like my friend.
Radhika: We love that each wedding we plan is bespoke to each couple’s vision. Weddings are also full of happiness, colour and beautiful details and seeing two people who love one another tie the knot, is what we love the most!
What drives you to execute every vision with perfection?
Saheli: Ultimately, every event is so different and every couple is so unique. You get heavily invested in their story, and work with a couple over such a long period of time that you feel part of their family and genuinely want the best for them. You never want to let down your friends and family, and this is what helps us strive to do our absolute best.
Radhika: Our couples have busy lifestyles, so we really help in minimising the stress in wedding planning. Whether the couple require full planning or on the day co-ordination, we ensure their dream wedding is brought to life. We also treat each wedding as if it were our own. What drives us, is seeing the couple smiling and enjoying their special day.
Radhika from luxury wedding planning duo Radhika and You
How do you stay ahead of the game?
Saheli: Building the supplier relationships is so important because you’re all able to grow and move up together. Allowing the couple and the family to really get to know me has helped them feel more comfortable in allowing me to be part of such an important day.
Radhika: For us, work trips abroad always enhance our knowledge further on current markets and trends. We make time to attend courses and networking events with industry leaders to stay ahead of the game.
How do you advise clients?
Saheli: Honesty is the best policy. The closer we get to a couple, the easier it is for us to be honest as possible because we need to tell them what will work and what won’t. Sometimes reigning them back to the core essence of their day and what they initially expressed helps them stay within their budget too.
Radhika: Our first step is to listen to individual requirements and then create a detailed plan for the months ahead. It’s important to listen to a couple’s budget whilst ensuring they get the very best quality. We source the best suppliers and present these options to our couples to then select from. This ensures that they are fully involved in the planning process and key decisions.
What advice would you give couples planning their Big Day during COVID19?
Saheli: Firstly, our thoughts are with all the couples affected by this situation. Our advice to you is to use the time to your advantage to make it even better! Suppliers are very much available to have calls and video meetings with you, so you can continue your research and get through your checklists and try to remain positive through this. We hope everyone continues to remain safe and healthy!
Radhika: I would advise couples to keep communication open with their suppliers and if they are considering changing their dates, I would suggest on having a couple of dates from their venue to present back to all of their suppliers and see which date all of them are available on. All suppliers are here to work with couples and support them through this time. Finally, I’m a true believer in love always winning, so try and stay positive as you will get your dream day!
• Saheli Events
www.Sahelievents.com
hello@sahelievents.com
Instagram: @sahelievents
+44(0)2089 383 330
Youtube: Saheli Events
• Radhika and You
www.RadhikaandYou.com
hello@radhikaandyou.com
Instagram: @radhikaandyou
+44(0)7929 280 541
As seen in Khush Wedding 22. Buy this issue here