Simran & Karan met through mutual friends when she visited Melbourne.
“Our friends had been trying to set us up and we all went out and met each other. After that, I returned to Perth where I live and continued to remain in touch with Karan, we hit it off and Karan came to visit me in Perth where he asked me out. We have been together since and recently just had our Rokha ceremony in Perth with our close friends and family. “
Tell us a little about your wedding– the functions & venue
We’re not married just yet, we’ll wait a few more years for that.😊 However on 5th May 2023, Karan and I had our Rokha ceremony. Traditionally it’s an event for the family of the bride and groom to come together and give their blessings. We had a small mehendi night a few days prior to the Rokha with family and friends, however the Rokha was the main event.
Due to Karan being in Melbourne and my family being in Perth, it was tricky to organise the details. I had around 2.5 weeks to plan the event as it was relatively last minute event. Unfortunately, this meant that most of the venues I was interested in were unavailable due to the short notice. However, we ended up having our event at a lovely hall.
Tell us about your journey in finding and selecting your vendors, and your experience with them-
Due to the limited time I had, I really had to rush around to find my vendors. Many vendors were unable to accommodate us due to short notice which is completely understandable! We chose to go with Prism Cinema to be our photographers and videographers. They were absolutely amazing and I cannot recommend them enough. They are incredibly talented and have such a passion for what they do. They made us feel at ease during the whole process and went above and beyond for us.
My makeup was done by Makeup By Sav who is a local makeup artist in Perth. She was so warm and welcoming to work with. She took her time to understand what we wanted and was amazing to work with! She was so patient and really accommodating!
Unfortunately, I did not have a wonderful experience working with my decorator for the event, due to some miscommunications, there were some last minute changes that were not accommodated. Overall, out of all the vendors, I would say my experience with trying to look for decorators was by far the most stressful.
Our caterers, Delhi 6 were absolutely wonderful, they provided us with many options and their food and service was fantastic!
How easy or difficult was it to find South Asian wedding vendors in Australia?
Being in Perth, it was very tricky for me to find South Asian wedding vendors here. I wanted to work with people who had an understanding of the traditions and customs that our weddings have. However, I was not able to work with South Asian vendors for this event, due to limited time and availability. In saying this, I would absolutely love to work with them for future events.
Any “wedding planning” tips or advice for to-be-weds who are based in Australia but getting married in traditional South Asian style?
My only tip would be to find some time for yourself and your partner, either before or after the event! Whether that means a photoshoot beforehand or even a quick Maccas run, spend some time with your partner beforehand to just appreciate them. Indian events can be hectic, with all the vendors, family and responsibilities, sometimes just having a moment alone with your partner is just what you need.
Photography: Prism Cinema, Melboune
