Updated event venue list

A new venue that's come up in the past month is Casa Luxurio at Banjara Hills. They have a capacity for 450-500 people in their banquet hall.See the updated venue list here.As usual , the parameters include : Location, Capacity, facilities provided, pricing etc for some 50+ event venues in Hyderabad for holding parties, weddings , corporate events etc.

Some "surprise" ideas to celebrate a special occassion

Here are some " surprise " ideas to celebrate a special occassion - it could be a birthday , a valentines day, a wedding anniversary or a father/mother's day ...I have actually helped translate some of these ideas into reality for some people , a few of them are new ideas that could be done to show somebody special , how much they mean to you - even if you are not there with them in the same city/ country right now.In some cases , because of the fact that you spend all your time close to your loved one, you might not have the time to carry out your" surprise " without being found out! Either way, either a cousin / friend /"experiential gifting " service provider / event manager could help you plan and carry out a truly unique and memorable surprise .

The ideas are categorised by occassion and relationship:

For the "Love of your life!"

For Her :

1. Courtship:

a. A card a day with flowers / chocolates / trinkets - each day a special gift (from simple to truly breathtaking). You can personalise everything - right from the gift wrapper to the note with your handwriting. This can be for a week , 10 days or even a month..leading upto a special day - like the anniversary of the day you first met , the anniversary of your first date, or even your 10'th wedding anniversary , a valentines day

b. An eyeball grabbing surprise , like a giant balloon delivered to her house with flowers and chocolates and a special note from you.

c. Personalised ideas for setting up a date with your girlfriend/ fiancee / wife. Right from a special hand delivered invitation , to planning the setting , the flowers , a candlelight dinner / wine tasting session /a whole theatre hall just for you .A guitarist to serenade her , a carriage drive along a waterfront , a romantic boat ride, a chauffer driven limo are some other ideas that can make the occassion truly memorable.

d. A treasure hunt for her to find you / your surprise - all over the city / her neighbourhood /or even her house !

2. A Birthday:

1. Specially designed cake with flowers and a gift hand delivered with a hand writted note

2. Personalised gifting options like :

a.A personal pampering kit with her name printed on it , skin care products , perfume etc

b.A "makeover" experience with a good makeup artist , hair stylist and wardrobe consultant.

c.A rejuvenation package at a spa

3. Quirky or fun gifts that hold special meaning for both of you- like a calendar/photoframe etc with your memorabilia printed/ framed on it- like tickets to a play that you went to together , a trinket of hers that you have, a card that she gave you , a letter from her etc.

4. A scrapbook of your memories together - photos, memorabilia etc

3. Wedding Anniversary

a. A "surprise " party for your wife- invite everyone that she would want there to share her very special day and dazzle her with your thoughtfulness by planning every detail , like the flowers, to the cake , the gift , her outfit , the music , the entertainment.

b. A romantic getaway to a place that she'd always wanted to visit just for the two of you.

c.A "no cooking " day for her- be the chef or hire one , get help to clean up so that she does'nt have to lift a finger the whole day.

For Him:

1. A "surprise" dinner where you take him out to his favourite restaurant / cook for him

2. A personalised hamper with a few toys he'd love to own : could be a cell phone, a swiss army knife, a carpentry set for the enthusiast , "the" camera he's been eyeing for sometime

3. A day at a spa

4. A "surprise " party at a sports bar , where all his buddies are invited to catch the action on big screen TV , with the beer flowing freely to celebrate his birthday .

5.A dancing class membershiip for the two of you .

Some ideas for kids :

1. New Borns:

If your friends / children /siblings have just had babies , here's some ideas to make the occassion memorable for them:

a. Gift them a foot print or a hand print cast in metal and plated with gold/ silver

b. Personalised crib sets , sheets , cradle covers , cushions etc for the nursery

c. Infant gear also makes for good gifts- personalised strollers , baby cots , car seats , high chair , bath tub etc

d. A toy chest packed with toys for the special baby.

e. Homecooked meals for the family in the first couple of weeks would really be useful.

2. Bigger kids :

For a birthday :

a. A surprise birthday party never fails. Do ensure that the theme is something the child would like

b. A room makeover - theme based , or with just a few accents according to theme. Send a cake with balloons and chocolates and a certificate for a room makeover according to the theme of his/ her choice

c. A special outing to the zoo , a game zone , a picnic , a nature walk etc would also be memorable

d. Gift a few classes at a local hobby center for a hobby enthusiast

For parents :

For the people who made our childhood special and gave us the best of everything in this world , even small thoughtful gestures , hold a lot of meaning . Here are some ideas to make a special occassion or even any day memorable for them.

1. Fly them to wherever you are / or for a special trip to a place that they've wanted to visit , with the itenary planned out to suit their tastes and age .

2. A conference call with all your siblings , cousins , and everyone's kids to wish them on a special day!

3. CD's with compilations of their favourite music.

4. Tickets to concerts , plays that they would enjoy

5. A scrapbook with your memorabilia that they would cherish

6. A scrapbook with stuff from their grandkids - reflecting their interests , hobbies , with quirky photos and personal notes from them , their friends names ( that would be a big hit!) and photos etc

There are so many more ideas ..and so many more ways to make somebody special feel cherished and loved ..these are just a few ideas ---do write in with any new ideas and your comments. Mail me at creative.events.india@gmail.com .

Updated event venue list

Here's a list of venues in Hyderabad for birthday parties, weddings and other special occasions. I thought I would share this information, that I have compiled in the course of my work as an event manager in Hyderabad.The list in this spreadsheet is not exhaustive, but covers most of the popular and convenient venues. The newer venue options include One Continent Atria, Leonia Resorts and Whisper Valley Walden which are still not common and therefore have some amount of exclusivity. The hotels listed offer excellent service, good food and a nice ambience for most parties. The top choices in hotels are the Taj Group of hotels and The Grand Kakatiya. Among the middle range are Taj Deccan , Green Park ,Minerva Grand and One Continent Atria. All the places have parking facility available, although, for the parks, Tank Bund and Durgam Cheruvu only paid parking is available.

The Hyderabad party venue list includes:

• Alankritha Resorts
• YogiBear Putt and Children's Park
• Sanjeevaiah Park
• Jalavihar
• NTR Garden's Party Area
• Hyderabad Marriott
• Hotel Green Park
• Pingle Venkatramana Reddy Hall
• Hotel Minerva Grand
• Hotel Basera
• Hotel Taj Tristar
• Zoroastrian Garden
• Bantia Gardens
• Chowmoholla Palace
• Durgam Cheruvu
• Party Cruiser on TankBund
• Novotel
• ITC Grand Kakatiya Sheraton
• Golkonda
• Fortune Katriya
• Taj Deccan
• Taj Krishna
• Taj Banjara
• Shilpakala Vedika
• Haveli
• Country Club
• Dhola Ri Dhani
• Tandoor
• Pepper Pods
• Minerva Grand Banjara Hills
• Minerva Coffee Shop
• Leonia Resort
• NKM Grand
• Chillies
• Aditya Park Inn
• Taj Mahal Hotel
• Hotel Silver Park
• Hotel Nakshatra
• Asrani International
• Leo Continental
• Tabla
• Katriya De Royal
• Moksh
• The Grand Solitaire
• Cedar
• Pavillion
• Kasani GR Hotel
• Inner Circle
• Walden Care
• Indu Hospitality
• One Continent Atria
• Sankalpa Grand

I have tried to provide exhaustive information on factors like location, space available, capacities of the halls/lawns, facilities provided, food prices etc.

Ideas for goody bags

Depending on the budget and the level of customisation required there are plenty of options for what goes into a goody bag and how the bag itself looks. Here is a list of types of bags and their probable cost.But we can think out of the box and come up with some more innovative gift giving options :

.A set of Matrushka dolls filled with goodies.(Rs 400 upwards for a set)

2. A small bamboo baby crib filled with candies (for a baby shower or cradle ceremony)(Rs 150-200 per cradle)

3.Hand Made paper Pyramid Boxes filled with goodies( each box is around Rs 25 )

4. A small purse or a pouch filled with goodies( good for a bridal shower)

5.Papier Maiche bowls, jute pouches , leaf bowls (the humble dhonna!) filled with goodies (eco friendly )

6.Custommade wooden carts or boxes in colourful shapes and sizes to go with the party's theme. For e.g. Giraffe , Elephant or deer boxes for a jungle theme.

7. Hand Puppets (going with the theme) filled with goodies.

8.Chocolate Polypacks in decorative shapes like Heart shape, pyramid shape etc filled with goodies

9.Glass Bowl filled with candies and enclosed in gold net pouches look very classy

10. Wire net Baskets in various colours filled with goodies

update on the events venue listing

I've added 5 new venues :
1. Shilpakala Vedika
2.Country Club
3.Sajjan Goth Hall at Dhola ri Dhani
4.Haveli
5.The newly opened Tandoor at Begumpet White House Building
Do check out the updated list.
The more popular places especially in monsoon are now the hotels , shilpa kala vedika and places like Dhola ri Dhani's sajjan goth hall.Tandoor has a very nice ambience and the food is excellent.

Hyderabad event venues

Here's a list of venues in Hyderabad for parties, weddings and other special occasions. I thought I would share this information, that I have compiled in the course of my work as an event manager in Hyderabad.The list in this spreadsheet is not exhaustive, but covers most of the popular and convenient venues. Some party venues like Jalavihar, Chowmoholla Palace, Durgam Cheruvu etc are still not common and therefore have some amount of exclusivity. The hotels listed offer excellent service, good food and a nice ambience for most parties. All the places have parking facility available, although, for the parks, Tank Bund and Durgam Cheruvu only paid parking is available.

I have included the following event venues in Hyderabad:

1. Alankritha Resorts
2.YogiBear Putt and Children's Park
3. Sanjeevaiah Park
4. Jalavihar
5. NTR Garden's Party Area
6. Hyderabad Marriott
7. Hotel Green Park
8. Pingle Venkatramana Reddy Hall
9. Hotel Minerva Grand
10. Hotel Basera
11. Hotel Taj Tristar
12. Zoroastrian Garden
13. Bantia Gardens
14. Our Place Restaurant
15. Chowmoholla Palace
16. Durgam Cheruvu
17. Party Cruisers on Tank Bund
18.Novotel Accord
19 .ITC Grand Kakatiya Sheraton
20.Golconda Resort( Masab Tank)
21. Fortune Katriya
22.Taj Deccan
23.Taj Banjara
24.Taj Krishna

The location, capacity, facilities available, whether lighting , supplies, sound system,food etc is available and the rental charges / rates for each of the venues has been included in the list .If anyone has any further information to add to this list, do mail me, so that I can update accordingly.

A fancy bridal shower

The closest equivalent to a bridal shower in the Indian context is the Mehendi ceremony which is a sort of rite of passage for the bride .

Bridal showers are becoming fairly popular in India, with the brides friends throwing that one last party to their bachelorette friend .There is the fun element of games , music and dancing which gives everyone a chance to bond and unwind a few days before the marriage ceremony.There is also the custom of all the friends and women relatives bringing over gifts for the bride -they could either get anything they want or it could be something relating to a theme- for e.g ,gifts could center around the fact that the bride loves to be a perfect hostess - it could include things like decorative jars for preserves and sauces , wine racks , punch bowl , candy dishes, wine glasses, ice bucket , elegant coasters, candles/holders, flatware etc.

Here are some pointers for throwing bridal showers -

• Who throws a bridal shower - it's usually the bride's friends/family who plan the shower - the bride , her mother and the groom's mother are all consulted about the guest list - it could be a women's only or a couple's only shower also.
• Once the bride's friends decide on the budget , they can either informally invite people over phone or send formal printed invitations or in the case of an informal party - they can send whacky or unusual invitations ( invitation in a bottle - for say a " Beach" theme party)
• A suitable venue has to be fixed keeping in mind the number of guests , the convenience etc.See here for a list of party venues in Hyderabad.
• Engage a caterer to supply the food - they typically charge around Rs 270/- per plate.
  
• If there is a theme , the party venue has to be decorated accordingly - the gifts and the bridal favours could correspond to it.The music , games etc can also correspond to the theme.
  For e.g for a "Romance" theme - pink could be colour of choice for the decoration( balloons, streamers, banners , flowers ,lamps, bride's childhood pictures etc) , soft love songs could play in the background ,candles and flowers will add to the ambience. Going with the theme , a "Flying Wishes" experience will touch a chord in everyone- Ask each of the guests to write a wish /promise to the bride in a piece of paper- allow enough time to the bride to read each one of them- slip these papers inside empty balloons , fill them with helium and tie with a ribbon - let go together.
• By segmenting your shower into three stages, you can keep the party flowing.Don't let it get stale or your guests will get restless. For a three hour party, allow about 45 minutes to an hour per phase.

• First Stage - Introductions, games, setting the mood. As people arrive, introduce them to everyone, serve beverages and hors d'oeuvres. Get one person to conduct easy ice breaking games to get the people mixing.

• Second Stage - Dinner and dessert.

• Third Stage - Play any games or other activities you have planned. The bride then opens her presents. As the guests leave give them the party favours.