From Numbers to Nuptials: Arpita McGrath's Journey to Wedding Planning
September 18, 2024
Romance in numbers? Or are numbers romantic?
Let’s check out this anomaly with Arpita McGrath of I Do Shaadi Crew.
Arpita is a graduate from Drexel in Accounting and Entrepreneurship. Along with numbers, she
developed a passion for organizing events and managing them too. “I’ve been involved with event
planning since 2006.When I was a student, every year about 10-12 universities participated in
dance competitions, and I was putting together the details and flow of the events which involved
coordinating and managing them.” Those were good times but once she left college, life took over,
and Arpita started building a path to her career. “After my graduation, I worked at the Big four
accounting firms, then got experience working with mid-sized organizations, and now I am the
Chief Compliance Officer at a startup, working with a company in the sports betting industry.”
And that inspired you to plan weddings? I ask incredulously.
Arpita chuckles. “I’ve been in the business for almost 20 years now, a combination of events and
weddings. In fact, I had stopped working on events after college when I got into a stable, full-time
job. However, when I was getting ready to get married, I was all energized, planning for my
wedding. I did work with a partial planner, but it did not go quite the way I expected. Afterwards, I
figured, why not use my client services background, which helps me work with companies and
people and put that skillset to build a wedding planning/event coordination company. I’ve set up
processes and managed projects for companies of all sizes. Now I decided to help people plan
and execute weddings.” That’s how “The Little Things by Arpita” began. Now almost eight years,
and scores of happy couples, satisfied families, and great memories later, her company has morphed
to ‘The I Do Shaadi Crew’.
So why change the name?
She responds, “The only way to be able to scale and grow to a national level, is to take my name out
of it.”
So how does a number cruncher relate to band baaja and baarat? “Oh on the surface it looks widely
different, but at the core, it still is all the same skill set.”
She reiterates, “It’s the same at the end of it all – people. Trying to help people to reach an end
goal. Yes, there are so many ups and downs with unexpected things that keep cropping up. But the
challenge is in being prepared for things to come and be able to think on your toes and pivot. I’ve
created an entire process that is repeatable and scalable, which helps with the predictable aspects.
Being structured as I am, I have streamlined the process of planning a wedding or an event, and
that helps. The foundation therefore, is the same”, she smiles.
A great vendor network:
Having a good roster of vendors is key to any business, and more so in the services sector. “I have a
robust list of vendors – but that’s not the end all be all. The list is always growing,” she explains.
“I’ve worked with some great people so I will recommend based on my experience working with
them. But my referrals are based entirely on the budget, style and, vision of the couple. For
example, I know what price ranges the couple would be looking at, and then understand the
different facets of their requirements and combine them with the right person.”
Arpita is very clear that finding the right vendor is crucial to planning a successful event. She has
her list, but is open to and loves working with vendors that her clients bring too.
Building success with her team:
Most of my team has been with me since day one, while some are a few years old. We are not
hierarchical, but the job does depend on their years of experience and personal experience. We have
team leads and coordinators. The ‘Day of Lead’ is the main person and point of contact for the
couple. They handle fires that can occur and help create the best flow with all the vendors and
events. ”
Asked about how she hires her team members, Arpita lays it all out. “Where we do make a
difference is in our hiring process. Especially for our team leads. Each of them should have gone
through their own wedding. And that’s how we hire. It’s a prerequisite. I believe that once you’ve
planned and gone through your own wedding, you have a much larger understanding of the
stresses, the emotions that go with being on either side, and you learn to deal with certain things.
That clearly sets us apart. Not all wedding planners/coordinators in the industry have experienced
their own wedding. My team can relate to the people getting married. In fact, a lot of us at The I
do Shaadi Crew, including myself, have gone through fusion weddings. We totally relate to fusion
wedding couples and have been gravitating to that.”
Team structure:
Arpita’s requirements are not all wedding experience based. “Our coordinators come with consulting
or project management background, which is preferred.” Arpita’s management style is evident
through the structuring. “We have senior and junior coordinators, depending on their experience.
They are managed by a Lead . The team of Lead and Coordinators are the boots on the
ground and carry the show effortlessly. Leads work with the couple when we kick off the day of
coordination.”
Which brings me to the question: the effort and toil that goes into making the wedding picture
perfect? “Oh, to me every wedding is perfect. However, a key to success is finding couples whose
personalities align with ours as well as the style in which the process works. It is important that
couples look for personalities (along with work and references) when choosing any vendor.”
But there must be some ripples under that smooth sailing? “Well, from the logistical perspective
yes, or the unknowns and unexpected. Our project management background helps us. We are
prepared for eventualities, and our attitude is to find a solution rather than dwell on the problem.”
It’s an unwritten rule that no matter what the crisis is, they never disturb the couple. “We try to
figure out the solution, or check with the family member, but never the bride or the groom”, she
says . “Although, there have been some interesting experiences where family members who want
to take on the role of an event coordinator which can become tricky, but it’s all about being able to
work together and manage them as well. They should be enjoying the event! I’ve had sisters-in-
law and aunts tell me how some elements were part of their wedding (or other weddings) but
not included here, not being aware of the details.
Wedding hiccups, anyone?
Arpita chuckles as she reminisces. “Oh we’ve had some interesting experiences, that in hindsight
seem funny today, but not so then! There was this time when the baarat car broke down. We had to
decorate a golf cart and have that in place while trying to jump start the car. The family
fortunately was so cooperative as we got the jack and cables to rev it up again!” That must’ve been
quite something. She also talks about the time when the pandit missed the paan leaves that were
packed by the family for the ceremony and her team went hunting in the bushes for similarly
shaped large leaves. And yes, they were successful in their quest too.
Arpita firmly believes the best weddings in her experience, have been the ones where her
coordinators and the couple’s families have had a good relationship and been in sync to make the
event memorable.
Coordination Vs. Consulting:
Yes, it makes a difference how a couple approaches their wedding. If they do have vendors and/ or
venue set, then what they need is coordination support for the day of. If they want to start with a
blank canvas and the only thing they have is (maybe) the budget, then Arpita offers them
consulting services. Either way she’s got them covered and gives them the support they need.
“I’m biased but I would highly recommend that everybody has a coordinator or a
planner/consultant.” Of course, on the face of it, couples feel that they can handle this, but it makes
a world of difference when they do hire the services of a good wedding coordinator. “The
amount of trust couples and their families have put in the team and me is phenomenal. I have to say
we’ve had the most amazing couples to work with.” Makes it all worth it.
And the love story continues. Arpita is a woman on a mission. Which is to help couples make
great memories on the most important day of their lives through The I Do Shaadi Crew.
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