Versatile Mandap, altar for Civil wedding ceremonies, Chuppah for Jewish ceremonies.

Embracing the versatility of our decorative altar, I wanted to share with you our Mandap/civil ceremony alter/Chuppah. I was approached by a bride back in October 2014 and asked to help her organise her wedding, a mix of English and Hindu traditions. Her ceremony was taking place at the glorious Keythorpe Manor in Leicestershire so it wasn't going to be difficult to make Kayleighs wedding splendid. We designed an elegant decorative ceremony alter that could be used for traditional Hindu ceremonies, English civil ceremonies as well as Jewish wedding ceremonies. With a lightweight structure, its easily transportable and large enough to fit six chairs beneath (the bride & groom, with their parents) and we finally had a chance to see the Mandap installed for Kayleigh's wedding this weekend.

A Mandap is a covered structure with pillars for the purpose of a Hindu or Jain wedding. The main wedding ceremonies take place under the mandap. Traditionally, the wedding mandap is decorated using kalashas (pots filed with water), garlands of mango leaves, coconuts, banana leaves, etc. although modern Mandaps use fabrics, lights, crystals and flowers. A haven kund (fire box) is placed beneath the Mandap and forms part of the wedding ceremony and I cannot wait to see the official pictures from Kayleigh's wedding so I can fully appreciate its beauty. It has been a real pleasure working with Kayleigh and her family, and after countless emails that I will miss! we pulled together a beautiful wedding with lots of lovely elegant touches. 

We lined the aisle with silver lanterns and Kayleigh scattered pretty silk petals between the lanterns, the effect was beautiful. Kayleigh also hired our large floor standing mirror and attached her table plan with pretty peach coloured ribbons, quite striking. She also hired countless little votives and silver candelabras for her wedding tables.
I am always a little sad when I come to the end of styling a wedding where I have worked so closely with the bride but it fills me with joy to see this wedding come together so well. Congratulations Kayleigh and Aman xx