If there’s anyone who knows how to throw a wedding party, it’s the Indians. A traditional Indian wedding usually lasts for three days and that means they can throw three parties too!

For decorators such as ourselves, it is both a challenge and a whole lot of fun, because we get to dig deep into our creativity and come up with three themes for three different occasions. Like the work we did for Aruj and Doreena. Lucky for us, we were in Bali and the cool salty breeze was rewarding enough for us.

Aruj and Doreena kicked off their three-day wedding festivities with a welcome dinner for their guests by the beach. If you’re welcoming people from all over the world to Paradise, there is really no better place to do this than on the beach. We gave the space by the beachside a rustic touch. We don’t know if you notice it, but we are somewhat partial to this look, because hydrangeas, roses, baby’s breath, wooden crates, vintage chairs, chalkboards, fairy lights… we simply couldn’t love a combination more than this.

The second day of Aruj and Doreena’s celebration was the heart of the celebration itself: the wedding ceremony. For this event, the priest, the groom, the bride, and the bride’s parents will sit beneath a mandap, which is like a giant canopy. Here the parents of the bride will give away their daughter and the couple will join hands and vow to support each other and they’ll be married under the mandap. The mandap is an important centerpiece to this celebration and we built a grand one by the beach because there is really no better place to start happily ever after than in that beautiful spot. We set up a stage with majestic pillars overlooking the Indian Ocean and adorned it with coral colored fabric and pastel hued florals for added sweetness. Taking cues from the decorations on the day before, we arranged for a photo booth and wooden boards to carry over the rustic feel.

Finally, the wedding reception. The grandest event out of the three. A majestic decor is in order and so, we traded the relaxed Bali feel for some European grandeur for a short while. The center stage was inspired by the lavishness of the Victorian flair, decorated with an ornately carved pillars. To keep eyes on the drama on the center stage, we kept the tables cleaner, keeping only a single hefty floral centerpiece accompanied by some candles for a warm ambiance, and kept the overall decor minimal, scattering only a handful of hanging bouquets in the ballroom.

One wedding. Three different themes. It was a challenge for us at first, however, as we discussed with the couples on what they wanted and how they saw their celebration, we became more aware of the vast possibilities we can do for this couple. Aruj and Doreena really worked hand-in-hand with us from the very beginning. They kept their communication lines open and they were very transparent with us. But most of all, they opened up their hearts, and in the midst of all the wedding planning, there became more than just clients. They became our friends.

Congratulations, Aruj and Doreena. Your happily ever after starts here!