Makeup Artist Review : Tanvi Kochar

When I was getting married I was pretty sure what I want and who I want, but for my brother's wedding I just knew that I had to look pretty and different. That's it. I had no inspiration picture, no thoughts, nothing at all.

The trouble this time was that I was wearing the same clothes that I wore for my wedding for 2 major functions!

My Tilak lehenga for Bhaiya's Tilak ceremony 

and 

My wedding Lehenga for Bhaiya's Wedding

So it became essential that I looked different from what I had looked earlier! Now as much as I loved my wedding MUA (Ramita) I really wanted to go for someone different for the following reasons :

1) I strongly feel that every creative person has a 'signature style', and being a designer I know this is true, so even if my old MUA would have created a different look, it wouldn't be TOTALLY different because her signature style would kick in some where.

2) I wanted a little modern approach so wanted someone a little more experimental.

3) I wanted to try a new MUA so I could review it for you guys ;P

After calling, researching and agonizing a LOT I finally decided to go with Tanvi Kochar, and I am glad that I did!

The one thing that I liked about her was that she was on time, and not a lot of MakeUp Artist usually are.

ENGAGEMENT

For Bhaiya's engagement I really wanted a 'married' look, because it was the first major family event after my wedding and I wanted to 'look married'; but after my first meeting with Tanvi I decided to kind off let her do her work and not stress on things, I was pretty much happy with the results.

She gave me bold eyebrows, which she said were the 'in' thing, to be honest I am not the kind of person who likes to follow whats 'in' and I was pretty nervous about it, when I looked into the mirror I thought the only thing noticeable on my face were my eyebrows, but Tanvi reassured me its looking good and it takes time to get use to it, my mom liked it too so I went ahead with it. I feel in love with the look by the time we were in the car.

She also gave me a really bright lip color which I would have never thought I could carry it off but it looked good!

Going to the Venue

In between the ceremonies 

Wedding File 3 : Cousin's Wedding!

I wrote a few weeks back in my 'OMG I am back' post that another one of my brother is getting married, well he is my first cousin, which means its a close family wedding!

We just had his Roka a month back in 'Awad', Ashoka. It was a small family event, everyone was dressed in not-so-heavy and yet not-so-light clothes, if that makes sense. This is what my mom, my nani and I wore :

I have also worn this saree lehenga-style before, for my Father-in-laws birthday :

Wedding Files 2 : What will I wear to my brother's engagement??

Ooh I am so super confused! I have a list of things that the lehenga should make me look like :

a) Royal
b) Newly Wed
c) NOT fat
d) Responsible elder Nand (although my brother is elder than me, because I got married first and my bhabhi is younger I am now older....does that make sense?!)
e) Should look WOW without looking too wow (so as not to over shadow my bhabhi's lehenga, which I am sure it won't my bhabhi's lehenga is totally wow!, but should be 'wow' enough so that it doesn't blend in with other sister's lehenga's :/ )
f) Should be re-usable for another relatives wedding.

Wedding Files 2 : 5 months to go!

Merey Bhai ki shadi hai! OOH Merey Bhaiya ki shaadi hai :D

(OMG, I just realized that I started my wedding files with 5 months minus 1day to go and I am starting my brothers with 5 months minus 2 days to go , lol)

Well you have seen me OBSESSING over all things bridal in my Wedding Files , you saw me become a bride from a bridezilla, you saw things from the bridal-family's eyes, And now its about time I start obsessing over things related to the groom side of the family.

My brother's getting married :D ye! and I am super thrilled because :

a) well its my brother, helloo...obviously!

b) I get to wear sundar sundar clothes again!

So whats happened so far,

Well the roka is done, which is not a huge function in our family (North Indian Brahmins, well Kaushik brahmin if you want details :P ) Its where the bride's family gives a nariyal to the groom.

Now in our side when I got married we gave a green nariyal i.e. kachha nariyal to my husband (well then fiance now hubby), however in my bhabhi's family they give dry nariyal which is what my brother was given.

We in return gave my future bhabhi a gold necklace, however when I got married my in-laws gave me 2 Saree's,  I think these comparisons would be great for us to understand how different families have slightly different traditions.

Well it was just our close family that met that day for dinner and this little ritual and now we are waiting for October for engagement and December for the wedding.

Here is a list of things done and not done :

Tradition #1: Sister's and Cash Flow

A lot of you have written in to ask about 'traditional' part of the wedding and if I could throw some light on it, So here you go :

What better way to start the 'Traditional' series than with the most interesting traditions (which involves a pocket money hike for all us girls ;P )

Indian weddings are a great way to make that extra pocket money, all you have to do is be born as the sister of the groom or the bride :P

If you are the real sister of the groom or bride then you can certainly expect gifts and shagun ka lifafa aka cash on almost each wedding function. So every time your brother/sister gets something, so do you!

Ofcourse the brides Saree's or the grooms sherwani would be a tad more expensive then your salwar kameez and the shagun ka lefafa would not be as fat but hey, something is better than nothing :P

Here are some other situations where you can expect some cash flow your side :

1. Sehra Bandi
When your brother sits all dressed up just waiting for the pagdi to be put on his head, make sure to stand next to him. See that fat envelop your mothers holding, its coming your way!