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An Interview with Abhilash Prakash From ‘Taarini Weddings and Events’

On the 9th of June at 6pm, we at team.i-The Entertainment and Media Institute conducted the 3rd session of the 2nd Instagram Live Series. The whole idea behind these series is to address the impact the pandemic has left on the events and entertainment industry and create a common platform for industry experts and the general public, especially aspiring event planners to share their opinions and engage in interactive and stimulating discussions.

For the 3rd session, we were joined by P. Abhilash, the Co Founder of ‘Taarini Weddings and Events.’ Abhilash spent the first 10 years of his career working in the Hospitality industry where he headed the Banquets department.

A dual graduate in Commerce and Hotel management, he even specialised in Floral designing and Wedding planning.

Today, Abhilash has dedicated his career to providing his services to every aspect of wedding planning. Over the years, he has catered to several high grossing weddings of celebrities and sportspersons.

A well molded professional and passionate team player, Abhilash had a lot of work experience in the hospitality sector before he realised he wanted to do something more, be part of something bigger.

He went on to start his own restaurant in Bangalore specialising in Andhra cuisine, which started out really well but later fell through as a result of having to shut down unexpectedly.

This fallout almost led him to bankruptcy before he got an offer to take over the catering services for a client’s daughter. This is where his journey as an event professional began.

Asked to work on the decor and handle the entire event management of the wedding, it gave Abhilash the opportunity to consider pursuing a career in the field.

He came up with the idea to combine the catering service with his knowledge on decor and event management to start something of his own. He then spent a good few years learning and exploring the industry in depth.

Abhilash travelled, experimented and worked with some of the biggest art directors at the time and came to the realization that in order to sustain and grow in the industry, one needed to be extremely passionate and work really hard.

He describes that time of his life as a real eye opening experience that set the foundation for his career.

An alumni of team.i – The Entertainment and Media Institute, for Abhilash hsi time at team.i was a significant turning point to kick-start his career. The knowledge imparted and the experiences made available, prepared him 100% to take on any role in the industry.

On completing his course, he along with a colleague went on to start their own company, ‘Taarini Weddings and Events.’ Today with a total of 1,500 weddings in just 10 years, Abhilash and his team have catered to clients across the country to make their special day extraordinary.

Abhilash does not hesitate to add that when they initially started out, they struggled to find their footing but with each wedding they organised and every new event, they got better.

Eventually, they were able to fine-tune their work, establish and master the technique of detailing and were then unstoppable in their success. An active and dedicated member of KEMA – Karnataka Event Management Association, the networks he has built and the learning he has obtained has contributed greatly to his growth in the industry.

What he’s been up to…

In the month of March, there were still a few weddings that were taking place but towards the end of the month, when things started getting worse, they decided to close and send their staff back home.

The first week following the lockdown, Abhilash spent with his friends and family catching up on old times and enjoying taking a break.

He then sat and analysed what needed to be done next and being the person he is, spent time updating himself on the latest developments, attended workshops, seminars, and appeared on several wedding platforms to share his expertise.

Blessed with an amazing team, Abhilash is grateful for their support and understanding during these difficult times and has assured them that all will be well in due time.

His take on when things will get back to normal

Abhilash had a very interesting opinion to share in this regard. While his team did a few weddings during the initial stages it just wasn’t the same.

So they tried out a new approach wherein they began to educate the couple and their families on the advantages of having small sized weddings popularly called micro-weddings. It would make for the perfect opportunity to celebrate with family and have an intimate, personal and beautiful ceremony.

Clients today are dividing their guests among the different ceremonies in order to maintain government protocol thereby making it easier for everyone.

He is confident that big-fat weddings are going to start back soon and it is this positivity that keeps him going.

His message to the newcomers…

The industry needs young, driven and passionate individuals who will bring in new and innovative ideas into the industry. Abhilash shares,

“It is a huge opportunity for the newcomers to see a downfall like this. Those who have been in the industry for a few decades now have seen the 2008 and 2020 financial market crash and have sailed through that and are today the most successful professionals in the industry. This experience is amazing and you need to embrace it. If you experience it today, tomorrow you will do big things”

Parting thoughts…

“For the millennials looking to make a career in event management, make the best use of platforms like team.i. Without knowledge, no one can survive in the industry.

Those who come in without any prior learning or experience do not survive for long. Learn the basics, and most importantly spend at least 3 yrs working with a reputed event company in order to better your skills.

To my fellow colleagues, we must not be disheartened as it is all happening for a reason and we will come back with a bang very soon. Remember that you might never get back this time so make the most of it”

In case you missed out on this incredibly inspiring discussion, you can click on the link to watch the recording on our Instagram page.

 

 

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