From The Peopling of New York City
Wedding business have become a more and more prosperous and successful industry, they have created niches for themselves within the realm that surrounds the idea and concept of marriage, catering to the needs of people of all ethnic, economic and social background, including South Asian immigrants in the US. Event coordinators or more simply put, wedding planners, are essential instruments in order to make a wedding flow smoothly, while incorporating all the cultural, religious and traditional Indian elements that are so important to the bride, groom and their families. Sonal J. Shah is an event consultant, in New York City whose specialty is handling Indian weddings. Her business, Sonal J. Shah Event Consultants, LLC. , is well known for its ability to create the ultimate South Asian celebration. Through an interview conducted both on the phone and online with Ms. Shah, many important aspects of a modern yet traditional Indian wedding were revealed. She stated that her business started five years ago and was initially very small, but almost half it’s capital was invested in advertising which in turn boosted the business. Being based in the United States, Ms. Shah stated that there are many aspects of the Indian weddings that she plans that have been altered or modified in the American tradition. She specifies that the reception is almost entirely American, because in India there are no speeches, first dances, cake cutting and grand entrances, and even no bridesmaids or ring bearers, yet the weddings that she plans include such elements. Mixed marriages are also a very frequent occurrence, Ms. Shah stated that more than sixty percent of the weddings they plan are mixed, but the Indian traditions are maintained so long as both parties agree with and understand all the elements. The company makes sure to explain everything as best as possible to the couple and provides information such as to what to wear and where to buy the necessary attire. Apart from these aspects she states that the entire wedding is otherwise very traditional. All customs are followed from the food to the clothing, including special events such as a traditional gift giving from one side of the family to the other. She also emphasizes on the importance of the seven steps of the ceremony. These are literally steps that the bride and groom take together while making seven promises to each other such as to nourish one another, care for their children, and to be together forever each in a designated order. Sonal J. Shah Event Consultants help the couple with everything from finding a venue to managing their RSVP list and being on site to work with all the different vendors, depending all on what the couple needs. The couples are usually in their twenties and involve the families to a great extent because the parents pay the cost as per tradition, which average guest count being three hundred and a cost of ninety thousand dollars total. Each wedding is unique and specially planned for the engaged couple, whether both bride and groom are Indian or are mixed the company makes sure to put everything together perfectly. This is very reflective of the life that Indian immigrants face in the United States and Sonal J. Shah is a great example of how important the wedding industry is to the economy as her business has grown exponentially, also showing how important it is to people seeking a traditional Indian celebration of marriage.
Sonal J. Shah, Event Consultant
--Igrechtchouk 23:09, 4 April 2009 (UTC)