Annika & Abhishek
Annika and Abhishek came to us eleven months out with their venue and two key suppliers already booked, and a clear idea of the week they wanted: five days, five events, and enough room in each one to actually enjoy it. Their wedding ran across five days in April 2025, from the family home to Dural and then to Miramare Gardens, and we planned and ran every one of them.
The mehendi at home
The first day belonged to the house. Henna started mid-morning for the family and carried through the afternoon for Annika, while the dining room was turned into the main mehendi space and catering set up in the backyard. Guests arrived at six for drinks and entrees, and the hour that followed was given over to games: pin the glasses on Abhishek, musical chairs, and a Bollywood dance-off that ran well past its allotted time. Bangles, gajras, bindis and potli bags went home with the guests, and dinner and dessert closed out the night.
The sangeet at Madison, Dural
Annika’s hair and makeup began early in Box Hill, and by late afternoon she and Abhishek were at Fagan Park for a photoshoot while the decor went in at Madison. Guests came through to live food stations and sparkling wine, with two henna artists working the room. The performances ran one after another from half past seven: Annika with her girls, a dance from her mum, Annika solo, Abhishek with his friends, Abhishek’s parents, and finally the two of them together. Abhishek’s birthday cake was cut at eight, dinner and dessert followed, and the dance floor opened at nine.
The haldi
A short, bright morning back at the house. Decor went in at eight, catering at nine, and guests arrived at eleven for drinks and entrees. The haldi itself ran from midday to one in the backyard, then lunch, then everyone was sent home to rest before the ceremony.
The Hindu ceremony at Miramare Gardens
The longest day, and the one with the most moving parts. Hair and makeup started at a quarter to five in the morning. By half past eight the gardens were ready for the couple’s first look and the gazebo was being dressed. The baraat stepped off at five past ten with dhol and a horse and carriage, and ran a good half hour before Abhishek was welcomed by Annika’s mum, once the bridesmaids had their turn at negotiations. Guests moved through to breakfast and a drinks station, then to the mandap at twenty past eleven for the Ganesh pooja. Annika made her entrance at a quarter to twelve for the garland exchange, the signing ceremony took place beside the gazebo at one, and lunch followed in The Pavilion. The vidai was at half past three.
The reception in the Magnolia Ballroom
Annika and Abhishek spent the afternoon in the city for a pre-reception photoshoot while the ballroom was finished. Guests arrived at half past five, the MC took the room at a quarter past six, and the couple made their entrance half an hour later under fireworks. Cake cutting, entrees, speeches and a game from the MC filled the next hour, dinner ran through to twenty to nine, and after the friends’ speeches and the couple’s own, the first dance at ten past nine came with fireworks and dry ice. The dance floor stayed open until the getaway car arrived at ten, and the night ended with a human arch and a Maserati.
Our role
Annika and Abhishek had their venue and two key suppliers locked in when they came to us, and we planned everything from there. We brought in and managed the rest of the supplier team, built the runsheets for all five events and ran each day on the ground, so the couple and both families could be guests at their own wedding. Meesha led the styling across the week, keeping one thread running from the mehendi at home through to the ballroom. Two of the five events were at the family home, which meant designing around a working house: where the henna happened, where catering set up, how guests moved between rooms. That planning is a large part of why the week felt unhurried.
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What Annika and Abhishek said
Where do we begin? The SBC team have been absolutely fantastic! With both of us having busy work schedules, we knew we needed all the help we could get planning our 5 day Indian wedding. We approached Saurabh and his team 11 months before our wedding and our experience has been nothing short of amazing.
We worked with Saurabh, Varsha and Meesha. Each member of the team was approachable and experienced with a genuine care and passion for their work. All our messages were always responded to in a timely manner. They were proactive and helped us put out fires before they even started, but also were there when hiccups inevitably happened. They were the bridge that linked between us and all our vendors, reinforced by years of experience.
In the lead up to our wedding week and during all of our events, everything was taken care of. It meant that the two of us along with our families could actually enjoy ourselves without worry or stress. We received so many compliments about how well organised and smooth our wedding events were, and it was all thanks to the SBC team.
Throughout our journey I feel like we’ve not only been looked after, but we’ve become friends along the way. We couldn’t be happier with our experience, and we can’t recommend the SBC team enough to anyone needing help with planning their Indian wedding.
Annika & Abhishek
Credits
- Venues: Miramare Gardens (Hindu ceremony & reception), Madison, Dural (sangeet)
- Photography & film: Baqdrop
- Styling & decor: VIP Decorations
- Catering: Maya Da Dhaba (sangeet, ceremony & reception), Chatkazz (mehendi & haldi)
- DJ: DJ BTrix
- MC: Nathan Cassar
- Priest: Pandit Rami
- Dhol: 2Stix Entertainment
- Horse & carriage: Castlereagh Wedding Carriages
- Hair & makeup: Beauty Monks
- Henna: Nabila (bride & family), Mehendi Mogul (sangeet guests)
- Cake: A Slice of Jodie
- Dance floor: Pristine
- Wedding cars: Queen St Car Hire
- Content creation: Content by Kaur
