Bollywood Love

For those of you who don't know, Bollywood is a term used to describe the whole of Indian film and the 'Hollywood-esque' creation of stars and buzz that has grown around it. Originally, the term was used to describe a specific production house. Bollywood films have been characterized as being like the original big Hollywood productions of song, dance, glamor, and lots of romanticized stars.


Think Virginia Mayo with a nose piercing.


And what's a Bollywood wedding without the Hindu ceremony and big Hollywood money? For today's wedding, I present to you a splurge vs steal Bollywood wedding.


On the splurge side, we start with a lovely bridal ghagras from Khaas Boutique ($760). In Bollywood style, traditional jewelry with the diamond flair, earings ($9,172.35), tikka headpiece ($424), bangle bracelet ($4,488), and necklace ($2,756.30) from the Gold Palace.


In proper Hindu style, next is the mandap, a special pillared canopy the couple and their parents (and the maid and man of honor) all sit during the ceremony. This lovely piece ($4,000) is from Nu Creations. For the reception, a beautiful indoor affair complete with lounging couches and an indoor tent ($15,000). To top it off, a cake from Ann Ogden of Celebrations Ltd in the Caman Islands ($4,000).


And now - the steal. The dress, a bridal sari ($389) from Kaneesha. The jewelry, a set also from Kaneesha, and made with plated gold, comes with the necklace, tikka, and earrings ($89). The bangle bracelet ($25), in traditional wedding red is from Kaneesha as well.


For the mandap, instead of a solid structure, a beautiful tent ($2,000) from Raj Tents (my favorite). The reception, an outdoor affair, again from Raj Tents ($4,000). And last but not least -the cake, from More than Cakes ($600) mirroring the outline of the splurge cake (and the flowers), but just no additional piping (and made in the states).


Overall - the splurge cake came in at $40,600. And the steal at 17% the cost - $7,103!

{Rebekah} Bollywood: Bollywood Love by bekahross

Fashionably Foreign

When I first found out today's wedding theme, fashion, I wanted to find an honest to goodness haute couture gown. Unfortunately, the bridal gown market has taken the term couture and labeled any piece of crap as couture. (Pardon my French).


Luckily for me, I know what couture really means (thank you Project Runway). From Wikipedia: "In France, the term haute couture is protected by law and is defined by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris based in Paris, France. Their rules state that only "those companies mentioned on the list drawn up each year by a commission domiciled at the Ministry for Industry are entitled to avail themselves" of the label haute couture."


So I chose one of the very few designers that is officially recognized by the government of France, Elie Saab. The beautiful gown on the left, the splurge gown, is from Elie Saab's Spring 2009 collection and costs about $100,000. You heard me right. I noticed the gown looked so much like a fluffy sari, that I went with a fashion infused Indian wedding theme. The silver sandals are Jimmy Choo's ($750), and the earrings are Me & Ro ($1,250)- a jewelry designer I found on InStyle that is so in right now.


When thinking of an Indian wedding, the first thing that came to my mind was the beautiful henna tattoos on the bride's hands, or Mehndi. The designs on the left cost about $266 to have a professional do. For the bouquet? Authentic Indian water lily's (a real pain to find, worthy of the $500 bouquet cost). I love the invitations, woven paisley invites, surprisingly only $164 for 100 from Wedding Paper Divas. When you add the paisley theme to the cake (and yes, paisley is authentic Indian), I found this very chic cake from Carrie's Cakes for $480. Wrap the wedding with a ceremony and reception in an indoor "tent" made of loads of draped fabric ($10,000) and you've got a very name-brand, fashionable wedding for only $113,410.


Or you could save your money and have the steal wedding. The sari is direct from india, with woven lace and faux gold threads, for only $240. That's right, over $99,700 less. The sandals are gold (to go better with the sari) and are made by Dessa ($65). The earings are, surprisingly enough, also by Me & Ro, but cost only $389. So you're still getting designer label without spending a grand. The flowers are pink oriental lillies, with 40 stems for $169. So much easier to get your hands on, too. The invites, also by Wedding Paper Divas, are more on the cute side, but they're so fun you can't help but love them, and at $99.50 for 50, why not?


The cake's fun too, and at $300 it's certainly worth the money. Lastly, the tent. *Sigh*. This tent is from one of my all time favorite companies ever - Raj Tents. Oh man, I just got goose bumps. I'm gunna say it again. Raj Tents. Ooo! Whatever you do, check out this website. It is so lush. When I win the lottery I'm buying a whole lot of stuff from them. The neatest part - you can buy, not rent, buy, a square tent with the lavish fabrics, for only $2,000. And you can have theme siestas and tea parties with your friends. Ooo nosh. The total for the steal wedding? $3,271.44.

{Rebekah} Fashion: Fashionably Foreign by bekahross