What Went Wrong at My Wedding…(and what you can learn from it)
Let’s be honest—no matter how well you plan, things can and do go wrong at weddings. And when you’re hosting a luxury South Asian wedding or destination celebration, the stakes feel even higher. But here’s the truth: it’s not about what goes wrong—it’s about how you handle it.
At La Rosh Events, we’ve seen it all. We believe in turning stress into grace, and chaos into calm. So here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what went wrong at my own wedding—and the lessons that helped shape how we now support our couples.
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✈️ When the makeup artist’s flight got cancelled…
The day of my destination wedding started beautifully—until I got a 4am phone call from the makeup artist saying her flight had been cancelled. With a major event just hours away, panic started to set in. Thankfully, we found her a flight just two hours later—but it meant reshuffling the schedule, delaying the first event, and quickly coordinating with vendors and guests.
🧘♀️ Lesson: Always have a flexible timeline built in, and consider backup options for key vendors—especially when flying them into destination weddings. Agility is everything.
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🧣 When the groom’s palla went missing…
On the morning of our Sikh Anand Karaj ceremony, my husbands palla (scarf) went missing. This isn't just a fashion piece—it's a spiritual and cultural symbol. During the Palle Di Rasam, the bride’s father hands the palla to the groom, who holds one end while the bride holds the other. It signifies the bride being given away with blessings and trust.
The panic was real. But with calm coordination and a resourceful wedding team, we arranged for a suitable replacement just in time. Although, we did have to track down a local shop and persuade them to open at 3am—only in India! Luckily, we found something that matched his sherwani perfectly.
📿 Lesson: For South Asian weddings, work with a planner who understands the significance of your traditions. Always pack and double-check essentials—and if possible, bring duplicates of ceremonial items like the palla, chunni, kalgi, or jewellery.
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🌩️ When a storm hit the sunset wedding…
Imagine planning a dreamy sunset wedding ceremony, only to be told it might need to move indoors due to a sudden storm—and that doing so would cost an extra £5,000 and take three hours to reset. And as someone who adores sunsets, it felt heartbreaking.
Thankfully, there were no events after us at the venue, so we waited it out. Guests mingled downstairs with chai, biscuits, music, and calm energy. The skies eventually cleared—though we lost the sunset, the wedding took place outdoors under the stars, just a couple hours later. Arguably, it was even more majestic!
🌦️ Lesson: Build buffer time into your run sheet, and have a planning team that can problem-solve under pressure. Calm energy is everything when the bride’s in panic mode.
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🔥 When there was a fire at the mandap…
Just after my bridal entry into the Hindu ceremony, I noticed smoke. A minor fire had started at the mandap due to décor being too close to the ceremonial flames and the SFX.
Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the team quickly put the fire out and adjusted the setup before the rituals resumed.
🔥 Lesson: Never skip health and safety checks for ceremonial setups, especially around open flames. Ensure your vendors—especially decorators, florists and special effects—know how to plan with fire-safe materials and spacing.
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💍 Final thoughts
Weddings are magical, emotional, and full of moving parts. And even when things don’t go to plan (trust me, I’ve got a list), your day can still be utterly unforgettable.
At La Rosh Events, we bring experience, empathy, and quick thinking to every celebration—so you can truly enjoy every moment, even when the unexpected happens.
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✨ Need a luxury South Asian or destination wedding planner who’s ready for anything?
Contact La Rosh Events for a consultation and let’s create your beautiful, backed-up, and stress-free big day.
