Desert Rose

When was the last time you visited a garden? Even if you did, were you there to just stand and admire it’s beauty? Did you stop by to smell the flowers? Did you notice how the birds flock around particular types of plants and trees? It’s exactly these things that make venues like gardens so peaceful and calming.

If you have read the previous post, I had mentioned that I’d visited a beautiful flower exhibition over the weekend. This was solely to see and admire the blossomy beauty. The entire corporate complex in South Mumbai, was full of over 10,00,000 flowers (no exaggeration) varying in colors, sizes and structures and uses. Little gardens were set up to particular themes ranging from the Rajasthan desert garden , the Portugal garden, St. Nicolas’ garden, to the Victoria Orchid Hunter’s garden etc. Not just that, they even had a sparrow garden, which actually had sparrows happily flying around it.

There were huge installations which were marvelous. My favorite flower installation was the Tea- set, I mean you have to see it. The quarter plate even had biscuits and sugar cubes! Simply marvelous.

It is impossible to name all the flowers I’d seen but just the names of a few that I recognized are Asters, Carnations, Chrysanthemum, Daisies, Hibiscus, Lilies, Marigold, Orchids, Roses.

I had pre-decided to take just a few pics at the floral exhibition, but it was challenging to not capture everything. The garden, the water fountains, the navy band, the trams.. everything was spectacular and click worthy! Who wouldn’t be mesmerized, I wonder. I’m glad Nolasco had accompanied me, I didn’t have to bother at all about photography or the quality of my pictures. He’s such a pro, I didn’t even have to tell him what to click or at what angles I want my pictures. He’s fab at what he does. Glancing through the pics, I’m certain you will agree.

This exhibition was beautiful enough to make us feel like we were out of Mumbai on a mini vacation. Sadly this vacation got over quicker than we would have wished for.

Let me know if you enjoyed reading the post or simply liked Nolasco’s photography of my floral experience. We would love to know what you think.

Lots of love,

The Silent Hummer,
Franchua D’Souza

Roses are red my love

Roses are red, yellow, orange, pink, black and what not! Flowers are beautiful, there’s no denying. They smell lovely is an added incentive. Frankly I’m not quite a floral person when it comes to gifting them, as it’s disheartening that they last for just a few days. I’m more into practical gifting. However as I mentioned, flowers are beautiful no doubt and even a bunch of them make can make some peoples’ day bright. They have the ability to turn a dull day into a romantic one and a depressing day into a motivating one. Imagine what happens when you see a complex full of flowers everywhere, like literally. That too in Mumbai!

Over the weekend, a few of us accepted an invitation to attend a flower exhibition put up in town. If you’ve lived in Mumbai, you’d know that unfortunately we are not lucky enough to see nature in all it’s glory. So the invite seemed too lucrative to be ignored. The complex that hosted the exhibition had about 35 gardens with different floral set ups, each one-better-than-the-other. The organisers did everything possible to make this event grand. They set up the place like a dream- the flowers were the stars, they got 1853-style trams to take us around all the gardens, and they even got the navy band to perform live. Refreshments were served at a few corners so even the 4pm heat couldn’t do much to bother us. Looking at all this beauty, we completely forgot that we were still in Mumbai and realization only struck after exiting the complex.

My pics are just a glance of the weekend that was. I bet you will have to return to see the actual flower display. It’s going to blow your mind!

In the mean time you can check the previous time I posted about my floral experience.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram. I’ve even joined Roposo- @franchua  recently, I’m yet to learn it, but join me there too!

Photography credits : Nolasco Alphonso, he’s the best.

Lots of love,

The Silent Hummer
Franchua D’Souza

Count on Me

Yours Truly

When someone dear asks you to be her bridesmaid on her big day, it is understood that she knows she can count on you. Getting to be a bridesmaid is exciting enough, but when it’s a Goan wedding happening in Goa with all the customs and traditions it is a thousand times more amazing! We’d been preparing for this wedding many months prior to the actual day and how it all came and passed is unbelievable. As a bridesmaid, dressing up with that gorgeous dress, hair, makeup and shoes is so cool but I cannot deny that even the fun moments spent in my rugged home clothes during the wedding preparation with close family and friends was such an experience.

Pose ready

 

Vintage wedding car for the bride

Bridesmaids on duty

That’s our ride- Goa!

 

It’s funny how everything becomes chaotic as the day approaches. Mixed emotions – happiness/ sadness/ tiredness/ exhaustion/ stress etc fly high with each passing minute. I’ve actually seen the bride lose weight just running about with all the co-ordinations 🙂
In case there’s a wedding coming up, here’s a little “To-Do List” I’ve prepared for you:

Book the church/ priest/ choir
Find a wedding gown seamstress
Book a Wedding Hall
Book the wedding car
Select a caterer
Order the wedding cake
Select a hall decorator
Select a lighting professional
A master of ceremonies
Select the toast master
A live wedding Band
Card printer
Distribute the wedding cards (Most time consuming task I think)
Make wedding bands for the couple
Book a photographer/ videographer
Book a Make up and Hair professional
Shop for the bride and bridesmaids
Keep her trousseau ready

There are countless other things that I’m probably not even aware of! Besides there are events before the wedding day and after that too. Imagine!!
Preparing for a wedding with/without a wedding planner can drive you nuts, no matter how small the affair is. But do not stress, as no matter how crazy everything is, somehow on the actual wedding day, everything just tends to shape up miraculously.

Wedding cake

All Blue

Jiving my heart out

Wedding March

Hope you enjoyed this post along with the pics. Share your #MemoriesForLife like I’ve done at BlogAdda for HDFC Life. 

Wedding Photography: Nolasco Alphonso

PS: Vellena check this out:  https://memories.hdfclife.com/message/XzRT1HChTG5J9rvzalpH9Q==

Also I would really like you to follow me on Twitter and Instagram. If you enjoyed the read, let me know in the comments below.

Lots of Love,

The Silent Hummer
Franchua D’Souza.