Trousseau Packing Concepts | Beads n Roses

To make an outstanding, one of a kind impression on the recipient or the guest at your special occasion the wrapping outside is just as important as the present inside…

Trousseau Packing is the art of specialized packaging for wedding gifts. These gifts are meant for the bride and her in-laws and other family members. Given the trend of the big fat Indian weddings, people want to do everything with panache.. clothes..jewlery..and  bridal makeup kit are sent in beautiful designer packing with embellished stones and other decorative elements.

Special attention is given to designing the packaging keeping a particular colour scheme and theme in mind. The same holds for Wedding Favours. The traditional way of distributing sweets has completely transformed and cookies..cupcakes and baklava are the preferred choice..

Traditional motifs are slowly being replaced with modern contemporary designs which are more reflective of the couple’s personality. Couples these days also take special interest in these planning aspects of the wedding and they are not left to be completely taken care of by the family members.

Beads n Roses, a Pitampura based company specializes in Designer Gift Wraps, baby shower and annoucement favours & Giveaways for all events and occasions. Below are some designs & ideas for designer Trousseau & Gift Packing shared by them…

For enquiries, contact – Ruchi Goel +919555694606

You can check out their facebook page here – https://m.facebook.com/beadsNroses

Chota Bheem Arnav turns 5!

As promised, here is another chota bheem theme birthday party on the soirée book for all you fans out there..

This week’s feature is on Arnav, son of Monika and Amit Garg who celebrated his 5th birthday party in Chota Bheem style..

Arnav’s mom is super creative and made sure that the party decor had all the right elements.. The decor was dominated by orange and yellow colours.. there were chota bheem and his friends’ cut outs all over the place..

Kids enjoyed dancing to the tunes of latest bollywood songs.. there was a games co-ordinator who engaged kids as well as their parents in the games..

The cake table was beautifully done and had chota bheem toys on it..alongwith the theme cake..The birthday boy was dressed in ethnic attire fitting with the theme..

From the caps to khoi bags.. every little theme was as per the theme.. There were chota bheem pillows as return gifts..

And my fav bit were the ladoos.. packed in a cute lil tokri.. super idea!

Party decor and favours- Harsh gifts, Pitampura
Cake – The cake shop, Punjabi Bagh
Venue – Metro grill party hall, Rohini

What to serve at your ‘Indian’ high tea party?

Tea is ubiquitous in India. It is the perfect drink for India’s hot weather because the hot tea triggers the body’s natural cooling reflexes and actually helps bring your body temperature down. Most Indians drink tea at least twice a day, once with breakfast and again for an afternoon tea, just like the British.

High tea has a different meaning to afternoon tea and despite its lofty name, high tea was usually served to the working class. Now a days, throwing a high tea party for a baby shower, store launch or even a birthday is quite common.

In today’s feature on The Soirée Book, we will discuss the do’s and dont’s of throwing a high tea party and also look at the options for a sample veg and non-veg menu.

To begin with, the correct timings for a high tea is between 5 pm to 7 pm, anytime before or after that is considered a low tea.

You don’t need 20 items with contrasting flavours on the menu. Instead, keep the menu simple with half the items that compliment each other.

While there is no rule that filling items like ‘Pav Bhaji’ and ‘Choley Bhaturey’ can’t fit in the menu, but it would make sense to keep the portions bite-sized so that your guests can circulate easily.

The best platter of refreshments would be two or three varieties of finger foods , two varieties of light but filling savoury snacks and a sweet. Here are a few options to give you an idea –

Sample Menu I ( Veg)
– Cheese Balls
– Mushroom Quiché
– Nachos
– Cucumber Mayo Sandwiches
– Pasta Arabiatta
– Red Velvet pastries
– And of course different varities of Tea!!

Sample Menu II (Veg)
– Sev Puri
– Spring rolls
– Cocktail Samosas
– Veg Hakka Noodles
– Mini Pizza
– Nutella Cupcakes
– Masala chai et al

Sample Menu III (Non Veg)
– Fish Fingers
– Meat balls
– Chicken Nuggets
– Chicken mini Burgers
– Mutton Kathi roll
– Donuts
– And tea!

What is stopping you? Pick up the phone and invite your friends over for your high tea soirée!!

Up next on the blog – couple of real birthday parties.. each unique in its own right.. stay tuned!

Disclaimer: TSB does not own any of the above images.

Chota Bheem B’day Bash for Ambriya!

Chota Bheem is catching up as a popular theme among boys and girls these days.. Kids identify with the character instantly and love the theme.. In today’s post, we have featured Ambriya’s 3rd B’day party held at Radisson Blu, Pashchim Vihar..

Ambriya is the most camera friendly child I have ever seen..She loves to strike a pose for shutterbugs and looks lovely like her gorgeous mom Tarasha!

For the party decor, there were colorful balloons…chota bheem characters’ cut-outs…live characters.. Ambriya’s photos posters and the usual works..Here are a few pics from the party to give you more ideas..

Ahaan and I have been invited to another Chota Bheem party this weekend (this time of a 5 year old boy!).. will share pics from that early next week..

Till then.. enjoy your weekend..:)

Gift ideas | Name meaning Keepsakes

It is very difficult to buy a gift for a newborn these days.. most of the regular stuff like baby’s clothes..toys..and the works are gifted by the family at the namkaran ceremony..there is always a risk of buying something that he/she already have..

If you are in the market for a thoughtful gift.. you could choose these beautiful keepsakes with a photo of the baby and the meaning of his/her name..this is something that the parents of the child would love to keep in their room..

See some samples done by Gift Design Co. here.. These cost around 1500 bucks and can be booked at their FB page here – https://m.facebook.com/GiftDesignCo

How lovely do these boxes look?

Now if you are creative enough.. you could buy a board.. paint it yourself..add a few stickers and get it laminated! My best friend Sneha made one for Ahaan when he was born.. (we had already zeroed in on the name!)

This would also make a perfect gift for a couple on their wedding or anniversary.. I would love to get something like this (hope my family and friends are listening!!)

What do you think of the name meaning keepsakes as a gift idea? With couples choosing novel and innovative names for their children these days.. I think it makes perfect sense to put the name meaning up on the wall! It will be memento of unforgettable words, each unique and specially made for you that you will treasure for your life!

Till next time.. stay blessed..
Leena

Disclaimer | Images above are owned by Gift Design Co.

Love posing?! Book a photobooth for your next soirée!

Whether it is a fashion event or a birthday party.. having a photo wall with props is the name of the game these days..

I have come across a number of baby showers.. 16th birthday parties and mehendi parties where the guests had a ball posing for the photos with the props and placards..

From titles like ‘Drama queen’ to ‘bridezilla’.. from ‘chikni chameli’ to ‘kamasutra instructor’.. people do not shy away from posing for the camera..

I have put together some of my fav pics here to give you some ideas and inspiration for the party that you have been planning for long.. check them out here..

Photo credits | Photobooth Delhi

To see more of their photos – https://m.facebook.com/Photoboothdelhi

To get a quote for your event contact – Vivek Batra
Email: Photoboothdelhi@gmail.com
Mobile: +91 9899 013 914 – 

Spotlight on Giggles | Newborn and Child photography

This week, The Soiree Book presents a spotlight on Newborn and Children photography – Giggles by Ankit Chawla.  Ankit has a gorgeous yet simple style with his newborn and children portraits and we are thrilled to have the chance to ask him a few questions!

Hi Ankit , and thank you for joining us here today!  First of all, we’d love to hear a little about your story and where your love of photography comes from!

When I was eighteen, my father bought me a camera . When I first picked up that camera, I just couldn’t keep it down. I kept clicking anyone and everyone around me. That’s when I realised I was bitten by the shutterbug.

Of all the photography genres out there, you chose newborn and children photography.  Can you tell us a little about why newborns have your heart?

As early as during my high school days, I knew that I wanted to work with kids. I feel a connection with them as much as  they do towards me.

I decided to combine my love for kids and camera, and thus came up with the idea of a very personalised way of preserving memories of birth  or growing up years of ones child.

What piece of advice would you offer to those interested in getting into newborn photography?

Patience is the key and style is a voice. If you  buy it, borrow it, download it, steal it, it’s not a style. Never look outward for your style. Instead look inwards.

Your lighting is soft and beautiful.  Do you use natural or artificial light?  Or maybe a little of both?

I am most comfortable using natural light. And I assume so are the babies. My work is an output of the natural light and the light that comes incandescence from the childs spirit.

What equipment would I find in your camera bag or studio for a typical shoot?

I recently switched to a canon 6D. You will find this camera body, a prime lens, and a reflector in my heavy-duty bag. I’ve never outgrown my equipment, or felt limited by it.

Could you describe your digital work-flow and the software you use?

I only shoot on Raw and I keep experimenting with the different camera settings. After the shoot my pictures go through a necessary post production work. I mostly use Photoshop Lightroom to treat the images.

Are there any memorable images or shoots you could share with us? What made them special for you?

Sometimes the purity of a child’s soul can create magic despite adverse conditions. A couple of months ago when I was shooting with a two year old boy in Lodhi Garden. I realised that after 2-3 shots the child  fearlessly started chasing the big dogs present out there in the park. I enjoyed the session as much as the child enjoyed with the dogs. The parents were extremely skeptical about where the session was headed but it turned our to be one of the most magical sessions ever which also was featured at a couple of international forums.

I can’t let you go without talking about money really quick.  Can you give us an idea about how much new parents spend on pictures of their newborn, or how much you charge per client?

A basic photography session starts from 10k and goes upto 35, depending upon the deliverables and the number of visits.

And last but not the least, why the name giggles photography?

Because Giggles is a happy word, and reminds you of kids instantly.

Would you like to see even more of Ankit’s wonderful photography?  Make sure you visit his facebook page here – https://m.facebook.com/giggles.clicks  to see his brilliant images!

Contact Ankit at – +919818306658 or write to him at ankit@gigglesphotography.co.in

Decor ideas for Janmasthami celebration..

Janmasthami is around the corner..and I thought of sharing a few pointers on how to celebrate it with your little one..read on..

1) Dress up your lil one as lord krishna.. buy ethnic wear online here –
http://m.snapdeal.com/products/boys-clothing-ethnicwear

And here –

http://m.ebay.in/itm?itemId=121391822541

Although most of the stuff looks similar..The quality of these products may vary..last year Ahaan refused to wear the synthetic krishna dress I got for him..this year I especially got a cotton dress from  Vrindavan..

For girls dressing up as Radhas.. there are cute lehengas at shoppers stop..standard max..biba etc.. or you could get one custom made using your old saree or dupatta..

2) Decorate your mandir.. Buy lord krishna dress.. jhoola..mukut and flute here – http://www.shoppore.com/janmashtami.html?cat=79

You can engage younger kids in flower decoration and the elder ones in rangoli making..

3) Get them into some craft mode.. get them to paint a handi.. or decorate dandiyas.. you could invite friends over a potluck or a high tea party and do this activity in a group..

Decor ideas –
– Use loads of peacock feathers
– Use colored cellotape to decorate dandia sticks
– Use mirror and glitter to decorate dahi handi
– Use color combination of yellow and turquoise
– Use marigold flowers for jhoola decoration
–   create a village scene

Enjoy and have a super Janmashtami!  here are a few pics from our playdate last Janmashtami..

Do let us know of your plans and ideas to celebrate the festival..would love to hear from you!

Celebrate this Janmashtami with a cake !

Lord Krishna’s birthday is celebrated on Janmashtami..so why not cut a cake to mark the special day..

I’ll do a full post on Janmashtami decor and get together in slower time.. here are a few cakes and cupcakes for now..

Get inspired!!

Disclaimer : None of the above images are owned by The Soirée Book.

3000 hits.. And more!!

Hello readers..

I would like to take a moment to thank each and every fan that has been following ‘The Soirée Book’ and has liked us on Facebook! Today we reached the unbelievable milestone of 3000 hits!

Over the past three months I watched the ‘like’ count grow from just a few friends and family members — whom were gently coerced — to more than 100 members now. Slow going at first, we watched the hits trickle in…. passing 100, then 500 and with some late nights and some trial and error we eventually marched into the 3,000 hits club.

In awe to reach that milestone, secretly imagining we just joined to the 3,000 hit club, we started making big plans to take over the world! Over the next few months, I hope to convert the blog into a full website to serve you better. More vendor reviews and interviews will be featured on the website. Thank you for your continued support.

It’s not over though! 4,000 likes is only a few clicks away- keep spreading the word..

Love ‘n’ Luck
Leena