By Ishaani Budhraja
The dhol beats fade, the last petals fall, and a bride bids farewell to her family in a moment that never gets easier, no matter how many weddings you’ve attended. For all the spectacle of an Indian wedding, it is these deeply human moments that remain at its heart. In Thailand, where Indian weddings have evolved from intimate family affairs to grand, multi-day celebrations, tradition continues to find new expression. And while AI may be reshaping the world of work, some things still take a human touch. Sally Mangharam, Founder and Managing Director of Mantra Events, has brought her creativity from fashion and cake design to wedding planning, spending years turning families’ visions into celebrations. She reflects on the industry's evolution and the work behind the weddings.
You were one of the early wedding planners in Thailand. What made you get into wedding planning in the first place, and what was the industry like when you started?
Creativity has always been a huge part of who I am. I have a degree in fashion from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), so art and design have always been passions of mine. My first entrepreneurial venture was Cakes R Us. I started making cakes from home when my children were young and never imagined it would grow into a business producing 60 to 70 cakes a month. These were 3D cakes with figurines that took me two to three days to complete, each completely personalised. I once even made a cake that was too big to fit in our elevator! Eventually, the business grew too big to manage from home, making me reconsider what I really wanted to do.
Party planning had always been another passion. I still remember organising a close friend’s shower in 1989 and creating a huge krathong for her to sit on. Looking back, the event planner in me was already there. Eventually, I joined Devki Hemlani, a pioneer in Indian wedding planning in Thailand, and became a partner at I Do Etc. She was a mentor who taught me so much about the industry. Our first year looked very different from wedding planning today. We did only three or four weddings, with just three of us running each event. Floor plans were drawn by hand. I travelled to India to buy cushions, runners, and décor pieces, and sometimes even put the décor together at the event.
I never planned to become a wedding planner. One creative chapter simply led to the next, from fashion to cakes, parties and eventually weddings.Creativity has always been my driving force. I love innovating and don't enjoy simply recreating what's already been done. For me, no two weddings should ever feel the same.
Tell us the story behind Mantra Events. What’s the story behind its name, and how did you come about founding it and now growing the team?
The name Mantra has always carried a deeper meaning for me. A mantra is sacred, something you return to that grounds you and gives you strength. Indian weddings are rooted in rituals, traditions, and family, and I wanted my business to be that same calm, steady presence: to guide, reassure, and hold everything together so families can be present for the moments that matter. One of my favourite parts of wedding planning is finding unique mantras to play at weddings, so the name felt deeply personal.
Planning a wedding in Vietnam became a turning point in my career. It gave me the opportunity to take everything I had learned and build something that reflected my own vision. That's how Mantra Events began. Nearly 14 years later, I'm incredibly proud of what we've created alongside my partners Neha Gulati and Veena Sachdev and our incredible team. We've evolved tremendously, but the principles we started with remain the same: creativity, integrity, and an uncompromising commitment to our clients
Beyond the numbers, our core team is our real strength. Many have grown with us and carry the same ownership, responsibility and hands-on spirit that have been at the heart of the company from the beginning. I am grateful for everyone I have met along this journey, especially those who are no longer with us, like my late partner, aunty Roma Uttamchandani.
When you look at the Indian weddings you were doing 10 or 15 years ago compared to what you’re doing now, what has changed the most?
The biggest change has been the level of expectation. We were always focused on taking care of our families and guests, but service standards today are on another scale. Dedicated “shadows” for the bride, groom, and immediate family are now almost mandatory, and couples expect every part of the guest journey to be thought through. Entertainment has evolved too. There was a time when a major Bollywood celebrity was the ultimate wedding act. Today, with those costs significantly higher, we’ve seen the rise of wedding-industry stars like DJ Ganesh, One Empire, and Twin Strings. They understand weddings, the audience, and how to create the energy these celebrations need.
But the biggest game changer has been social media. Couples now arrive incredibly informed. They’ve seen weddings from around the world, know what is possible, and often have a clear vision. Content creation has become an experience in itself; one Reel can turn something created for one couple into inspiration for thousands. Social media has raised the bar for everyone.
What has been the scale of one of your largest events? Is there one that immediately comes to mind when I ask you about the most memorable wedding you’ve ever worked on? What made it stand out?
We’ve done large-scale weddings with up to 1,200 guests. But the most memorable weddings aren’t defined by size. We spend months closely connected to our couples and their families, and by the end, they inevitably leave a little imprint behind.
What have been some of the biggest learnings in event planning and life?
When something goes wrong, you immediately become solution-driven. It’s usually only after the wedding that you process what happened and sometimes realise certain moments have scarred you a little. But those moments become lessons, and those lessons become the experience you carry into the next wedding. One of our biggest lessons has been never to take the weather lightly. We set expectations clearly and make practical decisions when the forecast looks risky, even if that means moving an outdoor event indoors.
We pride ourselves on being honest and transparent with our clients from the start, always keeping their best interests at heart.
What does it take to run a team through a four or five-day Indian wedding when everyone is exhausted and things are changing by the hour?
It takes NO sleep, copious amounts of coffee and a lot of 7-Eleven krapao packets to fuel us. Jokes apart, it takes an incredibly strong team. What guests see over four or five days is usually the result of six months to a year of work. Everyone on the ground has to understand the client’s expectations and the running flow because once the wedding begins, things are constantly changing. We have to think on our feet, troubleshoot, pivot, and make decisions in real time, while ensuring the couple never feels the chaos behind the scenes. The end result still has to be what they imagined. It takes a village, and above everything else, teamwork. I’m grateful to have a team that jumps in, supports each other, and does whatever it takes.
How has your own leadership style changed as Mantra has grown? What are your leadership philosophies?
As Mantra has grown, I’ve realised leadership is less about controlling everything and more about creating clarity, structure, and trust. My job is to protect the team from unnecessary chaos, give them ownership, and maintain high standards without creating fear. I want people to challenge my thinking, take accountability, and become stronger over time. My philosophy is simple: be tough on standards, but gentle with the team. Never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself. Give credit downwards and take responsibility upwards. Plan firmly, adapt quickly, and create accountability without blame. Ultimately, good leadership should leave your team better than you found them. I’ve seen many team members move on to start their own ventures, and I couldn’t be prouder to have been part of their journey.
What has wedding planning taught you about people? Has it changed the way you look at families, relationships or even your own life?
Wow, that’s a loaded question! As planners, we get a close look at family dynamics. We watch relationships form, families and cultures come together, and see how differently people navigate that journey. Some do it seamlessly, while others hit a few bumps along the way. Every family has their own story and we become part of some of the most emotional and meaningful moments in people's lives. I never take that responsibility lightly. Sometimes it’s about tough decisions, sometimes reassurance, and sometimes simply listening. Good planning means earning trust and making every family feel cared for throughout the journey.
I believe the clients who come to me are meant to be. I don’t define success by the number of events I organise, but by the networks we build. If families return to us, that is a job well done. I want us to keep trying new things that have never been done before. I hate replicating things. That is how I define success.
It has also taught me how demanding this profession can be on your personal life. We miss family gatherings, celebrations, and important moments because weekends and holidays are often when we are busiest. We couldn’t continue working at this level without our families’ understanding and support. They give us the space to do what we love, and I never take that for granted. But the beautiful part is the relationships you gain along the way. After months of being deeply involved in someone’s life, many clients become friends and extended family, staying with you long after the wedding is over. Occasionally, there is also a wedding where you are quite happy to say, ‘Congratulations, we did it!’ and wave goodbye with love.
What do you hope the next chapter of Mantra will look like?
With so many exciting new hotel projects coming up, I see Thailand continuing to strengthen its position as one of Asia’s leading destinations for Indian weddings.
As for Mantra, the next chapter is about growth. I would love to see Mantra continue growing internationally, with the next generation of leaders taking the business to new heights. But growth, to me, has never been just about doing more weddings or bigger celebrations. It's about continuing to challenge ourselves creatively, nurturing the people who make Mantra what it is, and building relationships that last long after the celebrations end. I hope that ten years from now, people will still recognize the Mantra touch, not just in how beautiful an event looks, but in how thoughtfully it was created and how genuinely cared for they felt. That's the legacy I want to leave behind.