Indian Wedding Ceremonies and Fusion Wedding Ceremony have very elaborate details that create lush environments full of love and passion. Whether the event is indoors or outdoors, the mandap is typically the focal point where all the tradition and rituals take place. Here are just a few of our favorite South Asian wedding set-ups; some are quick snapshots with my phone (…can’t wait to see the professional photos from those)

Recently, I designed an Indian Wedding ceremony and reception for a wonderful couple, Payal & Justin. The beautiful bride, Payal, had very definite ideas on the type of look that she wanted to create at The Harold Washington Library. For her, it was very important to see and feel all of elements put together before making her final decision. So we started with the basics. I created a sketch of the stage and fabric backdrop at our creative office, in order to figure out the look and feel that she envisioned based on the color palette that she had chosen. After her approval of the sketch, we made a trip together to a specialty fabric shop that carries a unique line of luxury fabrics. We went through aisles and rolls of luxe fabrics, laying them out on the large cutting tables to view what would be the best color palette and texture to create the envisioned backdrop. It was quite overwhelming for her as she would fall in love with a certain fabric and then find one that she loved even more. This is where the all important trust factor comes into play. I knew exactly what luxury fabrics would work for the wedding and guided her to the perfect selections. We found a gorgeous sheer white voile fabric with crystal beading, a stunning platinum crepe back satin fabric, and a vibrant and elegant purple wave fabric that we accented with crystal strands.

Ultimately, with design, it’s about choosing that perfect cohesive look, that when put together creates that “Wow” factor. In order to create this “Wow” factor, we brought all of these samples back to our creative office and put together a mock up of what the fabric backdrop would look like. It came out exactly as the sketch portrayed and it was truly perfect. The three fabrics worked together beautifully and added beauty and elegance to the ceremony. Also, the crystal beads and strands that we picked created not only texture but also a shimmer effect to the room as we enhanced with lighting. It is always a pleasure to create these one of a kind events and I feel truly blessed to be able to help make my clients’ event design a memory that will stay with them forever.

~Deborah Weisenhaus, President and Lead Designer at Art of Imagination

This Harold Washington Center Wedding was a romantic and elegant affair – for this ceremony, we created a soft and simple wall of fabric in crepe-back satin, with matching overhead swags. For an extra layer of sparkle, we hung over a dozen chandelier crystals that sparkled in the amber uplighting.

For the reception we created a head-table display in a matching fabric. It was such a beautiful evening.

Photos courtesy of Juliet Tan.

This Rookery Building wedding is the epitome of the class, elegance and sophistication inherent in the building. We’ve talked at length about the history and charm of the venue and when a wedding like this comes along, it all comes together in a brilliant way that is just gorgeous.

Of course, the editors at Style me Pretty took note and promptly featured it on their website. Scroll through for the stunning photos and be inspired by the setting, the clean lines, DIY touches and the gorgeous, beaming couple.

We love this clean and minimal display created by Juliet, from Cattleya Bridal. Using a collection of pillar votives in varying sizes created this stunning place-setting look. We could see so many brides using this idea – even a DIY bride could easily recreate this look, it’s so versatile! You will see, the couple opted to wrap both levels of the interior in fabric, creating a seamless, complete look that added to the feeling of elegance throughout the evening. Wrapping the second level is, of course, optional, but more and more Rookery couples opt for that look on their big day.   

You can see the rest of the feature and the stunning details here. Florals by Cattleya Bridal. Wedding planning by Soiree Weddings & Events.  Photos by George Street Photo & Video.

A beautiful Renaissance Chicago wedding – full of stunning, elegant details throughout the night. The photogenic bride and groom looked amazing – perfectly complemented by the bridal party – all in matching black and white attire.

The evening was made of sparkling touches – such as the bride’s glittery Jimmy Choo heels. Relying on a simple but elegant palette made of varying shades of white gave the space a definite modern flair. From the flowers, to the cake, even to our crepe-back satin fabric backdrop, everything went together and focused the attention on the bride. We especially love the consistent use of hydrangeas throughout. In the end, the evening’s clean lines and refined, elegant feel earned the wedding a feature on Style Me Pretty. Scroll through the photos and see why – and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments!

The bride made a statement in her sparkly Jimmy Choo heels – and her understated use of jewelry offset her jewel-covered designer gown. Stunning!Stunning photography by Miller + Miller Photography – be sure to visit their website. Be sure to see the rest of our Style Me Pretty features here.

The civil union decor at this Loft on Lake event was soft, romantic, with a slight touch of rustic elegance. The two gorgeous brides had a strong vision when it came to their event decor and were so sweet and gracious every step along the way.

Their “first-peek” was touching for everyone – both teared up at once and all through the evening, the ceremony and reception were filled with touching moments such as these that really made this event special.

Aside from building the forty-foot wall of crepe-back satin fabric, we gave the space extra warmth with soft amber uplighting and touches color and light throughout. For the reception, we added draping at the back of the space to create a clean look with a branch GOBO projection that matched the couple’s aesthetic.

Photos by Lofty Weddings Photography. Courtesy of Loft on Lake. Catered by Honest Foods.

Loft on Lake in Chicago’s artsy West Loop neighborhood is such a unique, urban venue, that it only makes sense that it would host a civil union just within months of the law’s passing in Illinois. The owners, Cher and Steve Garrett have always been proud marriage equality supporters, even helping found the Stand Up project recently. For this civil union, the couple opted for a 40′ wall of fabric that ran the length of the entire space.

After the short but touching ceremony, the two grooms performed a Unity Candle ceremony and while the guests cockailed in the front space, took pictures all around the West Loop. For their reception, the pair had us transform the space using dark blues to match the look of their union. To bring warmth back into the open loft venue, we used GOBO projections of leaves and branches in an ambre shade of orange to add texture to the space.

We had a lot of fun working with this lovely couple and we were thrilled to be part of their Special Day!

Photos by Lofty Weddings Photography. Courtesy of Loft on Lake. Catered by Hearty Boys.