The ultimate wedding essentials guide
To streamline all things wedding, The Business Standard has prepared a list of shops and places carrying wedding essentials
In the beginning, pandemic had made us put a halt on many things. Numerous events, functions and programmes were postponed, rescheduled or were taking place online. But now the scenario has changed and we have resumed our life and celebrations on a small scale.
Now that the winter is here, wedding events have returned. To streamline all things wedding, The Business Standard has prepared a list of shops and places carrying wedding essentials.
Wedding dress
Price: Tk5,000 to Tk 25 lakh
Whereabouts: Mirpur Banarasi Palli, Anzara, New Market and Elephant Road
The bride and groom are the centre of the attention in any wedding event. Dressing gorgeous on their special day is, therefore, a must.
Since the day of the wedding tends to be a long and hectic day, couples want to choose something that is simple yet gorgeous. It can be either traditional or western attire depending on the wedding day's theme.
Different fashion brands and shops are offering both traditional and western wedding outfits at a reasonable price. Mirpur Banarasi Palli is the very first option for many brides, where the prices range from Tk5,000 to Tk1,50,000.
For western outfits, Anzara is the go-to brand for exclusive lehengas, shararas, ghararas and gowns. Depending on the design, colour and quality of the dress, lehengas cost between Tk15,000 to Tk25,00,000 while shararas and ghararas cost between Tk13,000 to Tk38,000. The prices of gowns range between Tk10,000 to Tk2,00,000.
The shops lining the footpaths of Elephant Road market and New Market are good places for men to buy or rent their wedding dresses within a friendly price point. The price of a sherwani set that includes turban, orna and nagra starts from Tk5,000 and more options can be found for Tk1,50,000. You can also buy everything individually or rent a set by spending Tk3,500 or more.
Bridal look
Price: Tk8,000 to Tk35,000
Whereabouts: BB Bridal Makeover Studio & Salon, Gala makeover, Zahid Khan Bridal Makeover and DIVA by Tasnim Porna
Every bride wants to look beautiful on her special day but there is always a chance of the makeup turning out to look bad, which is why getting bridal makeup done by an experienced makeup artist is important.
Bridal makeup packages come in price points, which largely varies according to the makeup artist's experience and the sort of look the bride is going for.
Wedding makeup package prices start at Tk8,000 and range up to Tk35,000. These prices may vary depending on the additional cost.
Jewellery
Price: Gold 60,500 per vori and crafted jewellery Tk7,000 to Tk12,000
Whereabouts: Apan Jewellers, Amin Jewellers Ltd and Diamond World
Gold is a classic choice when it comes to jewellery. As per one's choice and budget, gold jewelleries can be made at the rate of 60, 500 per vori. And for elegant designs, one can rely on renowned jewellery showrooms - Apan Jewellers, Amin Jewellers Ltd and Diamond World - who provide unique customized design too.
Not every bride likes to wear heavy gold jewellery at their wedding. For these brides, crafted jewellery is a good option.
Online shops such as Purple Box and 6 Yards Story make customized wedding jewellery for brides that cost around Tk7,000 to Tk12,000.
On the other hand, there are various stores at New Market and Chawk Bazar which are selling shiny, stone-crafted jewellery sets at an affordable price. These shops also exist online for anyone who wants a hassle free shopping experience.
Venue
Price: Tk1,80,000 to Tk2,50,000
Whereabouts: Officers' Club Dhaka, Police Convention Hall, Zara Convention Centre and Tokyo Square Convention Centre
Every wedding event holds a few memories, which is why the venue needs to be both elegant and comfortable at the same time.
Depending on the place, the price of a venue keeps fluctuating, along with its offered facilities. Yet, the standard price of renting a venue ranges between approximately Tk1,80,000 to Tk2,50,000.
Decoration
Price: Tk7,000 to Tk40 lakh
Whereabouts: Elegant Event Solutions, Wedding Bees, Red Elegant, Chobi Ghor and Shahbagh
Decoration can turn any ordinary place into a special one. It can set a joyful, delighting mood for everyone. A venue can be decorated with the help of event management companies or by the organiser itself.
Decoration packages are usually designed depending on the theme, demand and decor aesthetics of the venue.
Event management companies such as Elegant Event Solutions, Wedding Bees and Red Elegant have different packages starting at Tk7,000. If you want to keep the expenses at bay, do-it-yourself decor videos on YouTube may come handy.
If that is the case, Chobi Ghor and the shops lining Shahbagh are good options as physical stores. These shops sell individual decoration pieces and the price starts from Tk500 and ranges up to Tk20,000.
Card design
Price: Tk180 to Tk15,000
Whereabouts: Ideal products, Azad products, Paltan market and S & S Inkvitations
The first glimpse of a wedding card represents the style of your wedding party so making it unique is mandatory.
There are thousands of different card designs you can select from Ideal products, Azad products or Paltan market, from where you can select a design and have it customized according to your needs.
However, if you are looking for elegant designs that are customizable, S & S Inkvitations is the shop to explore. Their basic card designs start from Tk180 and the prices can go up to Tk15,000 as per changes in the design, paper quality and added components.
Food
Price: Tk650 to Tk4,000 per person
Whereabouts: IqbalCatering, Fakruddin Catering Service, White House Convention Hall, Police Convention Hall, Zara convention Centre and Tokyo Square Convention Centre.
Upon receiving a wedding invitation, the first thing most people think about is the food. This makes the taste and quality of wedding food of utmost importance.
Families of the bride and groom can either choose to serve the food provided by the venue, or they can opt for a chef of their choice who specializes in cooking delectable wedding food. There are catering services - IqbalCatering, Fakruddin Catering Service - who provide delicious food for different occasions at both reasonable and expensive prices.
The cost usually ranges between Tk650 to Tk4,000 per person depending on the menu.
Light and sound
Price: Tk10,000 to 5lakh
Whereabouts: Red Elegant
Any celebration without music is incomplete. To create a festive mood among the wedding guests, a good sound system and lights are necessary elements.
The prices of sound and light packages depend on the number of sound boxes, the DJ and lights. Red Elegant has different types of packages, both budget friendly and expensive and the prices between Tk10,000 to Tk5 lakh.
Car decor
Price: Tk1,500 to Tk20,000
Whereabouts: Flower Garden
A wedding car is more than just a decorative component. From choosing the car to decorating it with flowers according to the theme takes a lot of observations and patience. But there are many places that are willing to take away your worries and Flower Garden is one of them.
The basic package price starts at Tk1,500 and can increase up to Tk20,000.
Photography and cinematography
Price: Tk6,000 to TK2,10,000
Whereabouts: Purple Bird, ChitroGolpo and Portraiture BD
Wedding photography and cinematography capture the special and meaningful moments of a wedding. A photographer, with his/her camera, can forever encapsulate memories the newlywed will hold close to their hearts forever.
Different photography and cinematography packages come with individual pricing as per the photographer's experience, editing skills, shooting location, allocated time and the number of photos to be taken.
The basic price of a wedding photography package starts at Tk6,000 and depending on the event and location, it may increase to TK2,10,000.