Décor at kalyana mandapams: rules worth knowing

Most weddings we decorate in Chennai are held at kalyana mandapams, from small halls in Mylapore and T. Nagar to large ones on the outskirts. Each hall has its own rules, and many families learn them only on the day. Knowing them in advance avoids arguments with the hall manager at 5 am.

Timings are the first thing. Most halls give access to decorators a few hours before the muhurtham, often from 2 or 3 am for a morning wedding, and expect the stage to be cleared within two to three hours after the reception, because another function may follow. We plan our crew around these windows and send a written schedule to the family and the hall a week before.

Open flames come second. Many halls allow traditional brass lamps on the stage and at the entrance, but not rows of open diyas near curtains or fabric backdrops, and some ban camphor near the ceiling. We use oil lamps where permitted and battery tea lights elsewhere.

Third, fixing. Most halls do not allow nails, screws or tape on walls and pillars. We use free-standing frames, clamps and ties so nothing marks the hall, and we bring our own extension boards with switches and earthing. Finally, waste. Halls expect flowers, leaves and banana stems to be removed, not left in their bins. We clear all décor waste and take it to a composting point. When you book a hall, ask for its rules in writing and share them with us; we will tell you if anything in your mood board needs to change.