I am a new member, and have been reading up on some of the topics in the wedding section. I am getting engaged this December InshAllah My question is, to those who are engaged or are going to be engaged, what kinds of rasams are involved? What sorts of gifts were given from the girl’s side?
Also, I will be having my engagement at home. I’m thinking up of some cute decor ideas, like small center pieces matching my dress color (which I haven’t gotten yet!). But do let me know what kinds of things you girls did to make your event unique and special! If anyone knows any nice places to get dress in the GTA let me know! I’ve already been to Wraps, Saira Shaikh (who was mad expensive!!) and some of the stores in Brampton. I did like a lot of the things that Saira Shaikh had but they were all above $300! Another thing, did any of you girls get your hair and makeup professionally done? Do any of you know a good makeup artist? I’ve looked into Shirley Wu, Wania and Mindy’s bride, but they are a bit pricey for engagement. I’m looking for someone who can do it around $50 or so. Anywayy, ANY tips, advice and comments would be lovely and very very welcome. Thank you in advance!
Congratss!!
when I got engaged, we just exchanged rings, had a nice dawaat at home with close family members...
I did my own hair and make up because I am a cosmetologist. I decorated with jhoola(swing) in my living room... I put decorative pillows and dupattas on the jhoola...
I am having an engagement party on Jan. 1st.. it will be at a hall. I ordered my outfit online from utsavsarees.com I will recieve my outfit on the 15th and I will let u know how it was. My mom's outfit is more expensive than mine bacause she bought it from a shop here... I decided to save some money by ordering online because I really wanted to wear a lehenga.. I didnt wanna spend too much because I will probably never wear it again unless I get invited to a desi wedding (which rarely happens). lol
hmm I will let u know how my outfit is when it arrives.. I have my fingers crossed!!!
Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I was thinking about a lehnga myself! Since mine is at home, I can't exactly go all out! If it were at a hall, I would have loved to as well, lol. I'm actually planning on wearing a churidaar, hopefully I can get one soon! But for the gifts, did you guys just give a ring? Or did you also give presents to the family of the groom as well?
Does the guy in most cases get a ring? what do u guys think...
In our family my parents gave my sisters inlaws, suits for everyone within the family. This is brothers/sisters and obviously the parents. Other than that the MIL got a small yewellery set and FIL a watch as far as i can remember. Brother in law also got a wacth which he picked out himself...
Rasams: exchanging rings... and giving the watch and yewellery set to the parents of the groom is also kindof a rasm...
Our event was just at home - so we didn't go all out... just had a few cute centrepieces, music, etc. There weren't really any 'rasms' - except feeding sweet stuff to us... giving money.. and thats pretty much it
In terms of presents, we gave:
Fiance - money, 2 sets of outfits (he picked them out himself - pants and shirts), shoes, perfume set
MIL - unstitched outfit (in the $120 range) + chooriyan
FIL - shirt + perfume
BIL - shirt + tie
SIL - unstitched outfit (in the $120 range) + chooriyan
We also gave unstitched outfits to his phoppos and chachis, shirts for chachoos and phoppas, and GUESS purses to the girl cousins.
And ofcourse, mithai!
They did the same pretty much for us:
I got a few gold/diamond presents, money, perfume set, 2 unstitched suits, 2 stitched suits, and I got matching jewelery, shoes, clutch with my engagement outfit
They gave my family clothes aswell
and the mithai stuff
I did my makeup at home ... if yo udon't want to spend too much, you can always try MAC - although I've never gotten it done from there... and don't really know how well they blend makeup
Thank you soooooo much for your input girls! I've learned so much :)
MissSN, I went to MAC to find out how much they would charge for party makeup and they said $50, which isn't too bad. But I was hesitant to confirm with them, because firstly I've never seen the makeup they do on girls of our skin color, secondly my engagement is on Christmas Eve, malls are going to close early so I'll basically be getting my makeup done at 5pm and having the guy enter at 8! Which will be too early! lol! BUT, have any of you gotten your makeup done from there before? I know Sephora also offers makeup applications. Do you girls know of any other makeup artists in the area? I recently got in touch with Manpreet Tumber, she's new and she's offering to do party makeup for $45, which includes her coming to my place, doing the makeup and dupatta setting. It's a good price, but I don't know too much about her. She has a few pics on Facebook, but that's about it, judging from those she's pretty good. Let me know if any of you have an idea of her or any other good makeup artists :)
I would go for MAC or manpreet tumber.
At my place MAC charges 40 euro but you also get to choose/buy products worth of 40 euro... meaning the make-up is free!
Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I was thinking about a lehnga myself! Since mine is at home, I can't exactly go all out! If it were at a hall, I would have loved to as well, lol. I'm actually planning on wearing a churidaar, hopefully I can get one soon! But for the gifts, did you guys just give a ring? Or did you also give presents to the family of the groom as well?
We gave a big fruit basket, lots of mithai, and a cake for his family.. and we gave him a ring.. will also give a watch at the party..
other gifts will probably give at wedding... my mom keeps insisting on giving everyone gifts at the engagement party but i think it will become too expensive.. have 4 SILs and 4 BILs plus MIL and FIL... spending 200$ on every single person does not seem reasonable. we will see..
hmmm
I'm in the same boat! My engagement party is in dec too InshAllah:)
Initially it was supposed to be at home, small and simple. It has now transformed into a hall event with over 100 people and I don't even know how:s... it was like a domino effect - where one family lead to another:| And of course the people who invite themselves.
Anyway, as for rasams I am not familiar with any:( gift exchange, cake cutting and maybe a few speeches?
P.S. for makeup, one of my friends had her eng two weeks ago at home and she just went to a shoppers drug mart and bought one thing and then they MUA there did her whole makeup and it wasn't bad at all. Not too sure if all SDM's do that but its worth a try:)
^ I think its the same here @ MAC. You purchase $50 worth of cosmetics and get the makeup for free.
I actually remembered that I saw one friend of mine who had her makeup done from there... and it was alright (this was on her wedding, and it was kinda light - it would be ideal for engagement tho). She did say that she had to keep telling the makeup artist what she wanted, and showed bridal pics too.
I would try Manpreet if I were you :) Thats a really good price and she'll come to your place and set your dupatta and everything, so I'd go for her :)
I agree mizsani - it does become sooo expensive. I kept telling my mom not to but she didn't want to listen :P but I'm kinda glad we did - because I would've felt really bad if we hadn't given anything cuz they gave me lots of jewellery and clothes n stuff. But yeah, less is better IMO :)
Umm for my engagement, I wore those long shirts with straight trouser. The shirt had kaam on the front - the dupatta and trouser were plain (the dupatta had small dull gold dots on it - i don't know what its called... i think its like printed on the dupatta or something)
Mizsani -- those are a lot of gifts! MashAllah big fam! But yes, I have seen that at most engagement parties they give clothes to the SIL and BIL. I think unstitched should be okay, they can still be pricey (especially here). Things in Pak are sooo much cheaper :S
I've noticed that most girls who get their makeup done from MAC get it very very light and simple. Which I think would be ideal for an engagement party. However, I'd rather save myself the trouble of going to the mall, sitting there for an hour or so, driving back home, etc; So I've decided to book Manpreet. $45 is an amazing price! I will definitely you girls know how it goes :)
Funkynails -- I'm actually in the process of ordering my dress from Pakistan. I'm getting a long straight kameez with a chooridaar. And it's going to be pink, much to my dismay! haha, I wanted white, but my mom thinks white isn't suitable for a bride to be, so she told her pink. I don't mind pink, I actually love the color, but I just wanted something a little different. Most girls tend to wear pink on their engagements.. What colors did you girls wear?
OMG! And another thing, did you guys wear a dupatta on your head? ALSO, how did you guys enter? I'm soooo nervous about the entrance, of how everyone will be looking at me, etc; aahhh
Mizsani -- those are a lot of gifts! MashAllah big fam! But yes, I have seen that at most engagement parties they give clothes to the SIL and BIL. I think unstitched should be okay, they can still be pricey (especially here). Things in Pak are sooo much cheaper :S
I've noticed that most girls who get their makeup done from MAC get it very very light and simple. Which I think would be ideal for an engagement party. However, I'd rather save myself the trouble of going to the mall, sitting there for an hour or so, driving back home, etc; So I've decided to book Manpreet. $45 is an amazing price! I will definitely you girls know how it goes :)
Funkynails -- I'm actually in the process of ordering my dress from Pakistan. I'm getting a long straight kameez with a chooridaar. And it's going to be pink, much to my dismay! haha, I wanted white, but my mom thinks white isn't suitable for a bride to be, so she told her pink. I don't mind pink, I actually love the color, but I just wanted something a little different. Most girls tend to wear pink on their engagements.. What colors did you girls wear?
At my engagement we gave them alot of stuff to take home with them like lots of mithai, big cake, big fruit basket... but they didnt get me anything so I am not sure if i should get more stuff for them at the engagement party because it is really adding up and becoming superr expensive
Yes!!! that is alot of giftss!!! I do not know where to get unstitched clothes here. :(
I am thinking I will do my own make up because I am a cosmetologist and I get picky when other people do my make up... I do not want to look pale!!! But I am considering MAC... maybe I will try it and if I do not like it then I will just wipe it off and do it myself but tht seems like too much trouble!!!! hmm.. idk
Who is Manpreet? I read about it alot here on the forum
I wanted something pink for the party because I hate the color and never owned any pink clothes... so it would be a change for me.. My outfit will arrive on 15th of this month so I will let u guys know how it is :)
I wore black and gold shalwar kurta at the engagement even though every1 told me not too.. lol it was definitely something a lil different
OMG! And another thing, did you guys wear a dupatta on your head? ALSO, how did you guys enter? I'm soooo nervous about the entrance, of how everyone will be looking at me, etc; aahhh
I did not wear dupatta on my head since it was at my house and not too many ppl were there. I just came down the stairs with my friend when people started entering my house.. I said salam to every one and every1 hugged me.. wasnt 2 bad though
I agree mizsani - it does become sooo expensive. I kept telling my mom not to but she didn't want to listen :P but I'm kinda glad we did - because I would've felt really bad if we hadn't given anything cuz they gave me lots of jewellery and clothes n stuff. But yeah, less is better IMO :)
Umm for my engagement, I wore those long shirts with straight trouser. The shirt had kaam on the front - the dupatta and trouser were plain (the dupatta had small dull gold dots on it - i don't know what its called... i think its like printed on the dupatta or something)
They didnt get me anything for the engagement.. so for the party idk if I should get more stuff for them.. I dont wanna be cheap but I do not think they are big on giving gifts. And everytime we give them something, they say "oh, itna saab karney ki kiya zaroorat thi"
now idk if they mean tht or just saying tht out of courtesy
^ I did wear a dupattta - but thats because I cut my hair short recently, so I thought it would be best to keep my dupatta on :) If my hair was longer, I wouldn't wear it and probably have loose curls :)
I totallyy didn't want to make an 'entrance' - I wanted to be there and just greet everyone as they came... but that didn't happen! I walked in with my sisters and then just hugged everyone and then sat down... and then all the sweet-feeding happened.
Mizsani - if you didn't get alot of stuff from them, then you don't have to either :) Do whatever makes you happy and however much you're comfortable with giving.
Some families are really big nto giving gifts, some aren't ... soo juse use your judgement :)
I think a quiet entrance would be good for me as well. I know some girls enter to music and all, I personally will just get too nervous and probably trip down the stairs. Music just builds up the anticipation and it would be too nerve racking, haha :P
How about Mehndi? I was thinking of getting a very light and simple design on just the backs of my hands.
yaa.. its an engagement… walking in on music would be too much. I was polite but not super shy and stuff. I kept talking to my best friend and smiling.
I didnt have any mehendi at my engagement but I would definitely get some done for the engagement party…
I want to get these little stones but idk wht to use to glue them in place…
My question is, to those who are engaged or are going to be engaged, what kinds of rasams are involved? What sorts of gifts were given from the girl’s side?
