The entrance a canopy of orchids, trees lined with strings of marigold and lilies framing the doors... the launch of Varnamala Wedding Experience Centre lived up to the theme. A joint venture of Fifth Angle Studios and Varnamala Decor, the experience centre is designed to serve as a one-stop destination for all wedding needs.
A common thread running through vendors at the showroom is custom-made service. “We want the bride and groom to create an experience for themselves rather than walking into a store and choosing from a collection curated by someone else,” says Kritish Vummidi, who co-founded Vummidi Anjaneyulu Jewellers (VAJ) with his wife Ishwarya. Manam, a bridal couture store and Lotus Invitations and Favours will also be working with clients at the centre to deliver products. “Brides come to us with pictures of clothes from Pinterest and Instagram, and we tailor make their apparel,” says Ravi, the owner of Manam showroom.
Theme-based weddings also brought in the trend of bespoke invites and wedding stationery as well, points out Jhaatin Krishen from the design team of Lotus Invitations and Favours. He adds, “Couples approach us to squeeze in stories of their childhood into the invites. It is this kind of detailing that we enjoy the most.”
But such ideas are often lost in translation due to a lack of communication between vendor and the bride and groom. It is in such miscommunication that the inspiration to create a hub like this one lies, says Niranjana V Manoj, head of operations at Varnamala. Intimate quarters are key to such conversations. So the centre is housed in an erstwhile home which was upscaled in earthy tones of white, brown and gold.
The traditional vibe is reinforced by heavy brass decor, but also contrasted with contemporary statement items like wing arm chairs, Chesterfield sofas and looming steele-cased lighting. “The idea of such a juxtaposition is to appeal to the young couple who carry contemporary ideas and also to the elders who reflect traditional practices” explains Vikrant, an architect at Visrsti Design.
A striking feature is a glass-walled cafe on the front yard. Convo C@17, open 24x7, will serve as a conversation spot. The cafe offers to lock up visitors’ phones for technology-free conversations.
Niranjana has future plans for other spaces in the premises. The courtyard and the studio space upstairs will be open to host pop ups by ancillary wedding services such as mehendi designers, choreographers and makeup artists.
But the five services of decor, couture, jewellery, studio and invites and favours will stay as constants in the Varnamala experience.
