The spark behind The Wedding Experience
Charannya Seetharam is a dentist-turned-wedding planner, making the leap from being in the medical field to planning events out of sheer passion. She had the opportunity to plan an important event before even starting the brand: her own wedding! “I decided to plan my wedding on my own, because I wanted to fuel my passion for event planning. That gave me the confidence to think, ‘Okay, if I was able to pull off a wedding that over a thousand people attended, I can actually do this for a living.’
When asked about how she made the firm decision to switch careers, she says, “I’ve always been a people person. I can’t do a 9-5 job and sit at a desk. Parental and peer pressure drove me to study dentistry, but I knew it wasn’t the thing for me. I told my parents I wanted to pursue journalism or literature, but they said I had to finish my course. My mom, however, made me a deal. Five years after finishing my course, if I still wanted to leave dentistry, I could, since I’d always have the dental degree to fall back on. Five years later, I made a PowerPoint presentation for my parents, detailing how important it was to follow your passion,” she chuckles. “I convinced them. My dad said if I was passionate enough to make a presentation about this, I should give it a shot. He retired from his job, and now he works at my company. It’s one of my proudest moments.”
Building a brand, building memories
When Charannya started The Wedding Experience in 2020, it was just her and her business partner, Akram, in a 2,000 sq. ft. space, sometimes laughing incredulously, wondering what they were doing in such a large space. Now, they have a team of 20. “It still feels surreal, walking into the office and seeing so many people working here. I always think back to how empty it used to be.”
Recalling the initial days, Charannya says, “We were lucky enough to get some big breaks early on. Clients trusted us with big budget weddings, and we were able to establish our brand relatively quickly.” The first event was an intimate mehendi function. She was with a different company when the client first approached her. After the COVID-19 pandemic and quitting her job, the client returned to her, trusting her enough to offer her the job. They barely made a profit out of it, but it was a step forward. The second wedding had a big budget. The scale was intimidating, but the client was so happy, she flew them to Singapore for her reception as guests. These wins shaped the way the brand would establish itself, not just as an event planning company, but one creating immersive celebrations.
Little details that create the big picture
When asked about the name and the decision to say ‘experience’ instead of ‘planner’, she explains, “Our brand’s vision is to provide a 360-degree experience for your wedding. From designing the wedding invitations, to ideating a logo for the couple, from curating a theme, to the overall decor, from scouting venues, finding photographers, to finalising guest lists, their travel, and menus—we do it all. We always tell our clients: the sky is the limit.”
They aim to transform the entire space to convey the client’s story. A unique aspect of The Wedding Experience is its 3D walkthrough of the venue with all the thematic decor in place. The client gets to visualise the space before execution, so everything is just right. The brand’s attention to detail creates a space for the client’s story to take centre stage.
Storytelling is the star of the show
“We like to first learn about the couple’s story: how they met, what they share in common, and what they enjoy doing together. We draw inspiration from their story and create moodboards accordingly. When it comes to the decor and themes, I truly believe inspiration can be found all around us. I always think it’s better to ideate as a team before going online to fine-tune the ideas—otherwise, everyone’s just going to be following the same trend. I get most of my ideas through travelling. My husband and I visited Morocco, and after coming back, I pitched the idea of a Marrakesh-themed mehendi night, which was immensely appreciated by the client,” she shares.
Culture and tradition across borders
Every business has one experience that stands out in its journey, and for Charannya, it was equal parts challenging and exhilarating. It was a wedding between an Indian bride and an American groom. The Indian family wanted to showcase Indian cultures through their events, so they planned each event in a different style—a Rajasthani mehendi, a traditional temple wedding, and a South Indian reception.
“We travelled across the country to source decor for the events: block print lampshades from Rajasthani artisans and carpets from Jaipur for the mehendi. For the reception, we organised it in an open space; we created an artificial pond and seated the guests around it. We used Athangudi tiles, brass bells, and the pièce de résistance was 8 arches, each one with a Kanjeevaram silk saree motif. We also designed a photobooth to look like a Chettinad home. It was a truly special event,” she says proudly.
The day of the event posed an even bigger challenge: torrential rain. The clients were extremely understanding and patient, and pushed the reception by a few hours. Charannya fondly remembers how the client had more confidence in her than she did in herself, allowing her to pull off a wonderful reception given the conditions. Experiences like these proved to Charannya that she made the right decision in starting the brand. Weddings are more than timelines and checklists; they are a culmination of stories and cultures.
More than just an event
For Charannya, the word ‘success’ has little to do with monetary value or fame. “For me, it is being at peace and going home happy at the end of the day. It also means a good work-life balance, leaving time for my hobbies. Most importantly, I have 5 dogs that demand my attention,” she laughs.
“When you start your own business, you put your heart and soul into it. Since I switched careers, I had a lot to prove, both to myself and others. I used to work 24/7, which led to burnout. I realised then that work shouldn’t take over my life; I had to draw boundaries. Getting out of that headspace was a huge challenge, but now I think I’ve reached the point of considering this venture a success.” Moving towards honing that balance, she turns her focus to what drives her every day.
Beyond the aisle
She wishes that the wedding attendees see something different from the weddings they’ve been to before, and understand the couple’s story through the narrative they’ve created. Hospitality is a crucial part of their experience, no compromises.
What makes her wake up every morning, rearing to go? She puts it simply, but profoundly, “A sense of responsibility and accountability. It’s my own company, I can’t put in my papers and quit when I feel like it. Even on the hardest days, the fact that I provide salaries for people is at the back of my mind. My mood, energy, and motivation matter a lot. I’m lucky enough to have an incredibly supportive family that deals with my uncertain working hours. My husband has taken days off to look after our dogs when I work overnight or travel for events. I’m truly blessed to be where I am today.”
Charannya hopes that The Wedding Experience reaches an international audience, and she can plan weddings in countries like Thailand and Italy in the future. With a strong team of architects, designers, and an in-house repository of decor, they built themselves into a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive wedding experience brand in Chennai.
Charannya has two other businesses called The Hire Experience, where they rent out furniture and decor for events, and The Barkery Co., where she makes home-cooked meals for pets.
