The best laid plans…

You may have the freedom to select your spouse and decide on the marriage nuptials. But don’t be surprised if your choice of wedding reception venue is denied at the last hour.

This happened in Bombay recently when three days before his daughter’s wedding reception planned at the upmarket Gallops restaurant on the Royal Western India Turf Club grounds on February 29, 2008, Sam Antia was summarily informed by the management that the venue was no longer available to the Antias as it clashed with the wedding reception of the chief minister’s son at the Turf Club some meters away. Security arrangements for the nation’s president and other VIP guests expected to attend the function was the reason cited for leaving them in the lurch.

Having booked the venue a year in advance by paying the requisite Rs 60,000, it came as a rude shock to Antia who told the Mumbai Mirror of February 28, "I chose Gallops because of the ambience. I wanted the invitees to be able to sit on the lawns and enjoy the fresh air.” With the bride, Nazneen, a banker with American Express and the groom, Eddie Parakh, a commercial airline pilot, both residing in Canada, there were many guests from Canada expected for the celebration.

Fortunately for the Antias and the Parakhs, after a lot of frantic calls they were able to shift the venue to the Saher Agiary on Bhulabhai Desai Road. And this meant intimating the hundreds of guests too. Locating caterers, florists, arranging for the music and drinks… was another challenge. Unwilling to divulge any details Rahul Mallick, one of the restaurant co-owners, told the Mumbai Mirror, "I am not at liberty to disclose any information on my client.”

Parinaz M. Gandhi