A Suspended Mandap for the Books!
Salina was an incredibly busy resident bride. Her study and work schedule made it difficult to plan and design her wedding and we fit into that like a puzzle piece. After the initial consultation we had all we needed to know to develop the design concept for all 5 of her events for a Sikh and Gujurati Hindu fusion wedding. We presented her with an initial design concept for each event, with little to no changes on the initial proposal. The main edit was to explore the possibility her cousin had pitched, to do a floating Mandap. With her encouragement and enthusiasm it was hard to say anything but yes to attempting this for the first time! The design process and execution was an absolutely incredible learning experience for us. Not only did it allow for us to price and present this as a future option accurately, we now also have a plethora of information on the different engineering techniques to create a similar suspended structure.
The events started at the Baltimore Hilton and utilized the outdoor breezeway for one of their functions. When you’re having multiple events at a property you want to look for different event spaces within the property to keep things exciting for your guests and a shift in environment. Considering venues with outdoor capacity is of utmost importance while planning your 2021 wedding during the pandemic and Covid times. There is a better chance of not having to change the plan due to capacity restrictions and allows for free airflow and circulation.
Their events started off with a morning Sathak in a section of the ballroom, moving later in the day into the evening Garba/Sangeet in the outdoor breezeway. While these events were going on we were working on the stunning 15’ diameter ribbon and crystal encrusted Mandap embellishments and suspension mechanics. Early the next morning (Saturday) the couple held an intimate Sikh ceremony in an adjacent ballroom upon its completion guests moved into a light breakfast and then into the grand ballroom for the Hindu ceremony. The aisle began with a 50 foot long raised catwalk style runway leading up to the suspended Mandap, glimmering in all of the lighting installation done through the length of the aisle to highlight the bride as she made her entrance.
The Mandap stayed in place upon completion of the ceremony and the Reception stage was oriented below the suspended structure in coordinating colored florals, candle stands and furniture. With 550 guests the ballroom was begging for a unique layout to avoid the monotony of continuous rows of round tables so we created clusters of different shaped tables and distinct orientations throughout the space. The overall design concept for the reception was shades of gold, white and candle light. If you find inspiration for your own upcoming wedding feel free to pin these onto your design inspiration boards in Pinterest or save them to submit when you do a design consultation with us to use as a reference. Enjoy these beautiful images!
