Featuring Ikjot Sandhu, co-founder of Tannrae, sharing real lessons from planning her own Civil & Sikh wedding with intention, organization, and clarity.
What part of your wedding planning process helped you feel the most organized or at ease?
What helped me most was keeping everything in one place. Being able to walk into vendor meetings with my contracts, invoices, notes, and budget details on hand made a huge difference. During my wedding, I had all vendor contracts and invoices saved in an email folder, which helped - but beyond that, I struggled.
I actually purchased two different wedding planners, but neither really worked for me. One wasn’t customizable enough for our events, and the other was missing key details that mattered for our wedding events. I ended up carrying around a large binder filled with two planners, a notebook, loose receipts, and handwritten notes. While having everything physically together helped, it also felt messy and overwhelming, and that experience really showed me how important it is to have a planner that’s both comprehensive and adaptable to your wedding.
Looking back, what is one detail you wish you had started planning sooner?
Honestly, I wish I had started everything sooner. There are so many moving parts in a wedding: bookings, timelines, vendor coordination, and communication, and without a clear structure, I constantly felt behind. The last two to three months before the wedding were especially overwhelming. Everything felt rushed, and stress became a constant. If I had followed a detailed timeline earlier, the entire experience would have felt more manageable.
What was one expense that didn’t feel worth it, and what was one investment you’re most grateful you made?
Because Jessy and I started saving two years in advance, we were very intentional with our spending. We chose to opt out of certain traditional elements that didn’t feel necessary for us, including:
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Extra DJ lighting, stage setups, and props
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Boutonnieres and corsages
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Professionally designed invitations - I designed and made them myself
The investments I’m most grateful for were our photographer, videographer, rescue decorator, and reception venue. Sutej (@Sutej.Pannu) and Jay @emeraldfilms_), along with their teams, captured our wedding so beautifully, every emotion, detail, and moment felt timeless.
Verin from @SoireebyVdecor was truly a lifesaver. After running into issues with our original decorator for home décor, I reached out to her just days before the wedding. She stepped in, overdelivered, and brought so much calm during a stressful moment.
Our reception venue, Sky Hangars, was also a great decision. The space was unique, fit our 250 guests perfectly, and allowed for the most incredible helicopter entrance, it was truly an unforgettable experience.
How did you stay present and calm during your wedding week, and what would you recommend to other brides?
One of the most important things I learned is to expect that things will go wrong, and that’s okay. On the morning of the wedding, while I was taking family photos at home, I received a call saying the tables at our outdoor venue didn’t have tablecloths. It was also raining, and guests were arriving in under an hour.
Instead of panicking, I decided to go with the flow. I told the coordinator that if the tablecloths couldn't be delivered in time, to pick up plastic tablecloths from the nearest store. Thankfully, the proper table covers arrived just before guests did, but that was just one of many unexpected moments.
My advice is simple: stay calm and trust that things will work out. Guests don’t know the details you planned, so if something changes, they won’t notice. The week goes by in a blink - try to be present, take it all in, and let go of perfection.
What was the biggest surprise (positive or challenging) that came with planning your wedding?
One of the biggest surprises was realizing how crucial clear communication with vendors truly is. While I had many amazing vendors, I also experienced challenges with our wedding planning company and one décor vendor.
Looking back, I think miscommunication played a role, but I also believe those vendors had taken on more than they could realistically deliver. At the time, I didn’t know what questions to ask before booking, and I trusted the process too easily.
That experience taught me how important it is to properly interview vendors upfront. That’s why, in the Our Chapter planner, we included a dedicated section for key questions couples should ask before committing, to help avoid disappointment and misaligned expectations.
If you could relive the planning process, what would you change or do differently?
I would have tackled major tasks much earlier. I didn’t realize how much piles up closer to the wedding, and I recall struggling with final décor decisions to slideshows, dance choreography, and last-minute vendor details weeks leading up to the wedding. That experience reinforced how essential a timeline is. In the Tannrae planner, we created a detailed wedding timeline and added space for customization, because every wedding is unique with its own nuances.
What real, honest advice would you give to a bride just starting her wedding planning journey?
Enjoy the process as much as you can. Try to complete tasks early so they don’t pile up closer to the wedding. Ask for help when you need it, this was something I personally struggled with, but I’m so grateful for the family and friends who showed up for me when I finally did.
Most importantly, at every event, take a moment to step away and truly soak it all in. The love, the energy, the people, it all goes by so fast. Those moments are what you’ll carry with you long after the wedding is over.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
As much as weddings come with trends and expectations, I truly believe the most meaningful moments come from making the experience your own and honouring your love story in a way that feels authentic.
During my pre-wedding ceremony, the love from my family and friends felt overwhelming in the best way. Traditionally, the ceremony is led by the maternal uncle, but I’ve always felt it’s one of the most sentimental parts of the wedding. I chose to invite my closest family and friends to take part, and it’s a decision I’m so grateful I made. That shared moment and love made the moment unforgettable.
Our Anand Karaj felt incredibly peaceful and blissful. The Granthi Ji took the time to explain the meaning behind each Laav, and Jessy and I truly absorbed every word. From the Kirtan to the Ardaas and the Anand Karaj itself, every moment felt deeply spiritual and grounding.
Throughout the events, we made a conscious effort to step away together, even for a minute, just to soak everything in. Those quiet moments, filled with gratitude and love, are some of the ones I’ll cherish forever.
At our reception, Jessy surprised me with a speech where he shared our love story - how we met and how our journey unfolded. Hearing our story reflected back to us, in front of the people we love most, was incredibly emotional and such a beautiful reminder of why we were all there in the first place.
Follow Ikjot on Instagram: @ikjotsandhu_
