Prices, timing and a skin plan that suits Kolkata.
Peak: November to February, with a big rush right after Kali Puja. Quiet: June to September, the monsoon.
Bengali Hindu weddings with gaye holud, aiburobhaat, bou bhaat, plus Marwari, Punjabi and Anglo-Indian families.
Humidity, all year. Even in December the evening air is damp and base breaks down by the second hour.
Soft municipal water, which is good, but iron in some ground-water areas stains light hair.
Gaye holud is real turmeric and it stains the face yellow for a day. Schedule it two days before the wedding, not the day before, and skip any bleach or de-tan for a week around it.
Bonedi bari courtyards in north Kolkata, clubs on the Maidan side, and banquet halls in Salt Lake and Rajarhat.
Bride's own makeup and hair on the wedding day: about Rs 12000 to Rs 70000. Family or party makeup: about Rs 3500 to Rs 12000. A full pre-bridal package: about Rs 5500 to Rs 25000. These are ranges people actually pay, not quotes.