Thu Dec 22, 2022 02:29 PM Last update on: Thu Dec 22, 2022 02:51 PM
Photo: Orchid Chakma
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Photo: Orchid Chakma
The Bangladeshi wedding scene has exploded with Bollywood-style productions replacing the simpler weddings our parents’ generation had. With that, businesses focused on weddings have also taken new forms, making room for young entrepreneurs in old well-established fields like photography, catering and event management.
Wedding photography has come a long way from the awkward footage of people eating at weddings that we grew up watching. But even modern wedding photography and cinematography have become so saturated that it’s quite difficult to have a presence in this world as a young entrepreneur.
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Ayna Mahal has recently made a solid footing in the world of wedding photography by going back to where it all started. Najmul Nahid, photographer and co-founder of Ayna Mahal, shared his experience saying, “It was not and still is not easy for us to find clients. It’s not that we think generic wedding photography is bad. But we as a team believe that the product we create is intimate, meant to be watched with family at home, not on a big screen.”
Photo: Hill Valley Productions
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Photo: Hill Valley Productions
What initially made it hard for Ayna Mahal to get clients is also what’s creating a brand identity for the team. “We want our photos to reflect a 90s photo album, which is why we focus more on the emotion behind moments that take place in a wedding,” says Nahid.
Md. Anik Faysal, founder of Palmera Events & Catering shared a similar story, saying, “It is not easy to get into the catering business in Bangladesh. Especially considering most catering businesses have decades of experience under their belt which makes people trust them. But the difference in our approach to catering is what’s drawing clientele for us.”
Faysal graduated with a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering but decided to follow his passion and work with food. His business started with him being disappointed with the quality of ingredients and concerned about the hygiene protocols in Bangladeshi catering businesses.
Faysal shares, “Food is related to people’s health and I do not think that is something you should mess with. But many of the established catering businesses in our country do not follow any hygiene protocol, nor do they ensure quality ingredients. With a vision to change this and make health a priority while preparing food, I started my catering business.”
“I let my clients see the ingredients beforehand. They are also welcome to go grocery shopping with us. Additionally, we have a hygiene protocol that we maintain strictly. The transparency we maintain with clients throughout the whole process is what’s helping us create a presence in the catering scene.”
It is not only entrepreneurs offering newer services in previously established businesses that are allowing newcomers to enter the scene. It’s also a fact that the wedding culture in Bangladesh is changing altogether.
The bride and groom now have a more specific idea about what they want from their vendors thanks to social media. Nowrin Amin, mehendi artist and founder of Mehedi by Nowrin says, “Previously brides would just go to their local parlour and get their mehendi done. But now brides want very specific designs like a Pakistani bride inspired mehendi look. Some brides go the extra mile and want an actress or celebrity’s mehendi design copied. Even the type of mehendi they want to use is customised now. Recently, the concept of mehendi night has been popularised by social media. We often get booked for mehendi nights where the bride and her friends or cousins all get their henna done.”
Photo: Mehendi Arts by Prantika
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Photo: Mehendi Arts by Prantika
Media influence and clients who are aware of their preferences are also visible in the makeup industry. Rubaiyet Kabir Rabita, makeup artist and founder of Glamour Beats by Rabita says, “When I started my business, brides rarely had an idea about what they wanted. But brides these days are aware of different looks, styles, makeup products and techniques. I have loved observing this change as a makeup artist.”
Additionally, the need for more creative vendors is giving space to small businesses. Spilled Ink is one such business owned and founded by Fareeha Emdad Kamal. Fareeha is putting a new spin on the old-fashioned wedding invitation cards by offering minimalist designs that are popular abroad.
Nahian Ibnat Beg, co-founder of an event management firm named Trivents also noticed a change in her field. “The industry is moving from conventional packages to customised ones. People are appreciating minimalism,” says Nahian.
