Always wished for an entourage of experts to tend to you on your D-day? Well, you’re now probably just a book away – or so believes Sonam Poddar Hissaria, a Bengaluru-based software engineer turned author. Her recent read, The Great Indian Wedding Planner, which was launched on October 9, aims to rid you off all the concerns on your D-day – with well-curated information, feasible ideas and trends for the wide-eyed enthusiast. In a candid chat, she tells us more…
Speaking about how she got her start as an event planner, Sonam shares, “As a teenager, I got ample opportunities to plan small events for family and friends. Despite the last minute mad rushes and changes. It was that unrivaled high which egged me to pursue it seriously.”
One thing led to the other, and her love for all that wedding glitz and splendour got her pen down insightful inputs. “I had been to many Indian weddings in the past. But the last minute panicking inspired me to help brides in executing their weddings as seamlessly as possible. Working with brides closely, I released what seemed as a logical way to start planning the wedding, was unknown to many. The book is more like a handy bible with tricks, tips and better planning strategies to give you a better insight on what to focus and what not.”
A computer science engineering degree from BIT, and having bagged a lucrative desk job right after, didn’t deter her from stepping out of her comfort zone.
“Initially, people felt I was chasing rainbows as wedding planning is a dicey and competitive field. But again, if you’re really passionate about what you do, ditching a 9-5 is well worth the risk.”
On days when the enterprising 31 year old switches off her ‘work’mode; its about spending quality time with her two year old. “I absolutely dig retail therapy — it works every single time,” chimes the author adding, “I like spending time with kids as I think their energies are so clear. There’s so much to learn from them.”
Riding the wave, she has no plan B for the future. “I like to take one thing at a time. After having a child, I started designing for mothers and kids. I wish to take that forward and develop well thought out and economically priced collections for mothers and children which will be launching by January. I’ll be organising carnivals for kids and plan to conduct activities which will be a session of learning coupled with fun,” signs off the debutante author.
