South Asian weddings have a particular reputation for being some of the biggest, most lavish and colourful in the industry. With a strong focus on heritage and tradition, Decor-A-Shaan is one event management business that has carved a name for itself in the niche market.
Beginning Decor-A-Shaan was not Nita Tanna’s original trajectory; she was working as a lending officer at a major bank for 15 years before starting the business. After styling her own daughter’s engagement and wedding, friends started putting in calls for her to decorate their events.
“When I came here 25 years ago I hardly attended a wedding for the first five to seven years, and I used to ask my husband, ‘don’t the Indians get married here? I haven’t been invited to any weddings!’," says Nita.
"Apparently at that time, everyone who migrated [here] always went to back to India to get married because they knew no one here.”
“Then my daughter got engaged. I went overseas and ordered everything myself and brought it all back to set up her whole engagement. It turned out to be absolutely awesome. It was like a dream world we created for her.”
10 years later, the family business operates like a well-oiled machine. With her husband and son and a team of casuals, the business styles upwards of 300 events a year; it’s not unheard of for Decor-A-Shaan to do multiple events in one day.
The Tanna Family and a staff of casuals are the team behind Decor-A-Shaan started 10 years ago. (Supplied) Source: SBS
“We do events of all types, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, sangeets, but in a week at least a minimum of three weddings,' Nita says.
Her son Pratick, Assistant Creative Director adds “we’re doing six or seven a week in off-peak season, and during the busy season it’s 15 a week.”
It’s not just your average styling business either - Nita designs most of her own décor pieces and has them made in India for her events. For example, in Hindu weddings, a ‘mandap’ is compulsory and must be designed and created.
Decor-A-Shaan styles upwards of 300 events ranging from small events to lavish weddings ranging up to $20,000. (Supplied) Source: SBS
“[A mandap] is a four-pillar structure under which Indian Hindus get married. It must have a roof. It can become six pillars, eight pillars but as long as its four pillars with a roof, that is called a mandap," explains Nita.
A big set up can take five hours to complete and costs anywhere from $15-20,000. Demand continues to grow in the emerging market as the Indian population has grown from just under 300,000 in 2011 to nearly half a million people in 2016, according to the Bureau of Statistics.
Decor-A-Shaan's clientele has expanded to include other South Asian cultures, such as the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities.
“It has increased the business to tenfold to what it was before,” Nita says.
And how do her clients feel about the decorations?
Nita designs all her own décor pieces and has them made in India for her events. (Supplied) Source: SBS
“I’m so impressed, she’s exceeded my expectations. We're very happy. I don’t think we could be happier,” says one of her brides, Devina Lal.
There’s no celebration too extravagant for the dynamic team behind Decor-A-Shaan and they show no signs of slowing down.
“We are basically all working around the clock," says Nita.
"It’s a lot of coordination but it’s fun. I love it.”
