Decor / Florist

Top South Asian Wedding Decorators & Florists in Texas - Dallas, Houston, Austin

Post your venue selection, the aesthetics of your wedding will come down to the big and little details of the decoration. Your venue will serve as a canvas, while your decorations and florals will paint your vision to life. Whether you want to invoke western, rustic décor, or fusion morocco-themed vibes, you’ll want to put careful thought into one of the most important elements.

Speaking of décor, there are floral arrangements, which are an integral part of, especially, Indian wedding decorations. The versatility of flowers enables you to add a touch of contemporary twist or ethnic charm to the wedding décor. From the Mandap and rangoli to the table centerpieces, from the draping to the rituals and garlands of the bride and groom – trust the décor vendors on The Desi Bride to add elan to rich traditions and customs. We have curated wedding decorators in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and the surrounding suburbs. For more floral and décor inspirations, take a look at our amazing floral and decor vendors below.

FAQ

What prep should we do before reaching out to potential decor vendors?

While Desi wedding decor is definitely intricate, Indian wedding décor not seem as intimidating if you plan ahead. Here’s a list to help you plan:

Create Pinterest or mood boards with inspirational images of the décor you want for key events like the sangeet, wedding ceremony, and reception.
Get a ballpark figure for mandap, floral arrangements, stage and centerpieces, and any other specialty décor you may want from two to three vendors. After you have a line-item level estimate, you can edit it by adding or subtracting items and adjust/negotiate accordingly.
Allocate your total décor budget by the event. Wedding and reception will cost the most, followed by sangeet and then mehendi.
Look for décor items the wedding venue already has and ones you can use to your advantage, such as paintings, fountains, stage or even lighting. This may result in a drastic reduction in your total expense or allow you to re-allocate the budget to different elements. While the venue is less likely to have a Ganesh statue, you might find a fountain or pillars you can use.
Revisit the venue to make sure your décor plans will ensure space is utilized effectively, so the décor doesn’t make the venue look either bare or too cramped. Last-minute discussions should never be ruled out. Remember you heard it here first!

How much should décor at a Desi wedding cost?

Décor costs vary quite a bit. You may want to decorate your mandap at a Hindu wedding or your baraat stage for a Walima. Décor often depends on multiple factors like how large the stage and space you are trying to cover are and what are the different components you want (stage backdrop, sweetheart table, cake table, linens, centerpieces, custom stage, Mandap…the list can go on). Apart from the cost of materials, labor is expensive, so the more time your decorator has to spend creating your dream look, the more expensive it will be. Off-the-shelf inventory is always cheaper.

Ideally, you should allocate about 30% of your total wedding budget to décor and flowers. Décor can easily range from $5,000 to $75,000+ if you are going for a couture look like lots of fresh flowers, intricate centerpieces, a bespoke backdrop, or an outdoor tent. Another important aspect you need to consider is the cost of sound, stage, and lighting aside from décor as these can elevate the décor and can easily cost as much as $50,000 for an outdoor beach or destination wedding.

Note that if you are having a Desi wedding in Austin and end up hiring a wedding decorator in Dallas or wedding decorator in Austin, don't forget to factor in the team's travel costs.

What prep should we do before reaching out to potential vendors?

You’ll want to thoroughly consider and plan out the visual theme(s) of your wedding. This might be more helpful after venue selection because a venue will pose unique constraints or even inspiration for decoration. Here are some basic planning steps you can take:

Consider colors you and your partner like and look for a complementary color palette.
Do a simple internet search, to either find popular color palettes that fit your vision (e.g., under the stars, fairytale wedding, royal wedding, secret garden), or websites to guide you through complementary colors.
Make a mood board with various aspects of decoration that resonate with you, your partner, and your color palette. A mood board allows you to put your vision on paper, and bring clarity to a potential vendor conversation. It’s helpful to have a separate mood board for each event, like ganesh poojan, mehndi, haldi / mayoon, sangeet / garden, wedding, and reception. You may choose to weave the same these through every event or pick a unique theme for each key event.

What questions should we ask when interviewing potential vendors?

You’ll want to thoroughly understand the full scope of all services provided, as decoration is all about the details. Here are some examples:

Will your services include day-of setup, or cleanup afterwards?
How will payment work? Will you be sending me the bill of additional vendors used, or will I pay the total to you directly?
How familiar are you with Desi weddings (if it’s not a vendor who has worked with many South Asian couples before)?
How far in advance will you need access to the venue to set up?

What factors should be kept in mind before choosing designers for décor?

There are many factors that influence the choice of event designers for décor and floral arrangements. Largely, the choice of designers depends on the following:

The theme of your South Asian wedding. More custom or complex themes may require a decorator who is able to build sets from scratch, but if you are looking for pre-existing props (and a lot less expensive), there’s a chance that a decorator may already have these pieces, or similar pieces, at their warehouse.
The location of your Desi wedding
The pre-wedding and wedding ceremonies that are followed by the bride and groom and their families. More events can result in more expensive décor, but you can always reuse sets and props for multiple events, like the grah shanti, haldi / mayoon, mehndi, and sangeet.
The budget. As we mentioned, the budget varies significantly, so once you have your overall wedding budget, you should determine how much you are willing to spend on décor.

Which flowers are used in Indian weddings?

Our vendors can arrange for a variety of flowers for the entire wedding or specific ceremonies such as sangeet, mehendi, jaimala or varmala, pheras, phoolon ki chaadar (for the bride’s entry), stage décor and backdrop, or even the dance floor. Among the popular choice of flowers used in Indian weddings are the following:

Marigolds
Red or pink roses
Orchids
Jasmines
Chrysanthemums
Water lilies
Birds of paradise
Tulips
Gerbera daisies
Freesias
Sunflowers
Hydrangea

How are flowers used in South Asian weddings?

When you plan for fresh flowers or silk flowers, it’s important to decide on the types of flowers and how you will integrate them into your overall décor aesthetic.

Dulhaan and bridesmaids’ bouquets: You can contrast the brides’ color of flowers to the ones in the bouquets of the bridesmaids, or match flowers to the bridal lehenga or saree colors. Flowers can be long-stemmed or cascading depending upon your preference.
Corsages: Wrist corsages or delicate pin-ons can be arranged based on seasonal flowers or even faux flowers. You can pair corsages with leaves and stems or artificial accessories, ribbons, elastic bands, pretty bows or traditional pearl wristlets to make them look even more stunning. You can also customize corsages with fresh blooms, pretty petals for the flower girl, or boutonnieres for the groom and groomsmen from boutique floral design studios and vendors on The Desi Bride.
Floral jewelry: Floral jewelry can be used as a graceful pin-up on hair in your bun or braid or as a maang teeka and ear studs like Kangana Ranaut in Queen. You can choose floral jewelry or haath phool for the mehendi or sangeet for the bride as well as a fun accessory or wedding favor for the bride’s friends and family.
Centerpieces: You should work with your decorator to design centerpieces, either simple vases with flowers or a more bespoke centerpiece with cascading real or silk flowers and petals scattered across the tables. Make sure you understand what flowers are in season in advance of your wedding, and have a conversation with your florist or decoration to determine which flowers will give you the look you are going for within your budget.
Wedding ceremony: From the mandap to the aisle and even entrance, flowers are an important component of especially Hindu wedding ceremonies. These flowers can be used by themselves or in combination with other flowers. For instance, you may like a combination of jasmine and roses for a phoolon ki chaadar for the bride’s entrance or go contemporary with just orchids. In terms of colors, you may opt for traditional reds, yellows and oranges for mandap decorations or if you are going for a more modern look, may lean into pinks and pastels for the canopy.

I am planning my not-so-lavish, simple wedding, which will be a close-knit affair. What are the main décor components I should include?

Below are the basic components of décor for a Desi wedding. You can have a stage with a simple backdrop that costs $2,500 or a stage with a luxury backdrop that costs over $25,000. The cost is all in the details!

Flowers for your sangeet, mehendi, wedding ceremony (pheras), and reception
Mandap decoration
Centerpieces
Reception stage
Dance floor design and lighting, which may be sourced from your DJ
Draping for larger events or at home events like the grah shanti or mehndi
Finally, don't forget about unique elements like ice sculptures

I want to decorate my home for the wedding. How do I go about it?

Decorating your home for the wedding is a great way to get in the mood and kick off the festivities, especially if you are hosting events like a puja or the haldi / mayoon at home, or having a backyard micro wedding! In fact, traditionally and even today in India, the “shaadi waala ghar” (house for wedding) has a different hue to it with bright colors, music or a dholi, flowers, and lights, the hustle and bustle of family and friends, the smell of freshly made sweets – it’s a different world altogether!

In times of COVID-19, it is quite common to see more and more people opting to host the wedding and/or ceremonies in the comfort of their homes. As they say, there’s something good in everything. If anything, the pandemic has brought us closer to our roots, wherever in the world we might be.

Here are a few ideas to get you all set for celebrating your big day or specific ceremonies in home, sweet home:

DIY décor: Recycle and upcycle your mom’s old sarees and bangles to make DIY drapes and decorative counters! To add to the merriment and make the process easier, invite your closest family and friends, order pizza, and over wine, have everyone pitch in to create the DIY look.
Accessories: Even small accent pieces can make a huge impact. You can opt for colorful pieces like pinwheels, clay pots, paper flowers, tassels, to name a few, and create an Insta-worthy splash or backdrop.
Rangoli: Rangoli is an Indian art form that represents strength, generosity, and good luck. Rangolis add a breath-taking dimension to décor. You can make rangoli with flowers, colored wood shavings, rice powder, sand or even chalk powder. For an extra bit of drama, add diyas (earthen lamps) as centerpieces to your rangoli designs.
Lighting: Especially at evening events, lighting can elevate your entire look. From traditional diyas to candles, lighting feels simple but results in a spectacular look.
Other traditional elements: Indian and generally, South Asian, weddings reflect the splendor of rich traditions that are associated with colors and symbols. Choose the ones that resonate with your theme and celebrate your heritage. You can adorn traditional bells, custom-made pillars celebrating temples at your entrance, traditional Indian clothes, musical instrument cut outs like bandhanwar patchwork or toran (entrance décor). There are so many different elements to choose from.

What questions should I ask the decorator and/or florist before hiring them?

How many weddings do you typically book on the same day or weekend? If there are multiple weddings, how do you divide up your team? These questions are important as you want to understand how much attention your wedding will get. Also, it helps to know if they have the needed manpower to manage your dream theme(s).
While talking to the florist or decorator, understand when they will deliver fresh flowers or floral jewelry for the mehendi, sangeet, or other events. You do not want wilting flowers, and similarly, for corsages, you have to make special arrangements for non-seasonal flowers.
Who will be my point of contact leading up to the wedding and on the wedding day(s)? How do I remain in touch with him or her? Ask for a single point of communication to streamline communication for you and your wedding planner, if you have one.
Do you have prior work experience in decorating for desi weddings? It’s always helpful to ask this question if you are working with a decorator who hasn’t done many South Asian weddings.
Can you incorporate personal items I have into the overall décor? If you have a specific vision in mind for your wedding with sentimental or personal items (e.g., a pooja thali your mom loves), you want to be upfront with the decorator instead of having last-minute changes.
How long will you need the venue to prep and decorate? You’ll want to also work with the venue to make sure they are able to release the site with enough time for the decorator.
How far in advance, before the actual event, will the decorations be ready? Ideally, you (or your wedding planner or a delegated person) should be able to see the on-site décor well in advance, in case there are minor changes.
While I want to work with you as my decorator, are you okay with my using a different florist? You may already have a florist in mind, so you want to make sure you clarify this early on.
Do you have a recommended florist and florist partner we can work with?
What are your policies on cancellations or wedding delays, especially given the pandemic? This question is an important one, given Covid and the uncertainty of the coming months. Always ask about the cancellation or date change policy.

What questions should I ask regarding the cost while interviewing decorators or florists?

We recommend regular check-ins with your decorator during wedding planning to make sure you are aligned on your vision but also stick to your budget. We’ve included a list of questions to ask your decorator to ensure you’re not surprised with the final bill:

Do you offer any packages that might help bring down our overall cost? Some vendors may offer packages deal with venue, décor, DJ, lighting and more, where the overall price is better than the sum of the individual services. Other vendors may offer a multi-day package as well.
What services are included in the décor? Are there any extra charges that I should be aware of?
Will you charge extra for clean-up or removal of décor after the ceremony? Are the charges inclusive in the quote, or are there additional charges?
What is the day-of charge, if any?
How much has to be paid in advance, and what is the payment timeline?
What is the preferred mode of payment? Are there any discounts on cash payments?
Do you generally take a refundable security deposit?

How much does a middle-class Indian wedding cost?

While weddings can easily cost $50,000 to several millions of dollars, Hindu Indian weddings in Texas generally cost between $125,000 and $175,000.

Who are the top Indian wedding decorators in Texas?

Click the below links to find your wedding decorator.