This December, a few friends and I got together to introduce a brand new event, Balagan, into the Mumbai party circuit.
Literally translated as ‘chaos,’ Balagan is a champagne brunch party unlike any other. Starting at 1pm on a not so lazy Sunday afternoon, we offer our guests everything from a specially prepared gourmet four course meal, to great music – a sultry live singer, sexy saxophonist and head banging DJ, to performers who keep the crowd entertained and lots fun freebies for everyone!
The irony is that planning Balagan is anything but chaotic! The event took weeks of meticulous preparation, not to mention our jam-packed schedule on the day of the party itself. Here’s what things looked like behind the scenes on the day of our Balagan Launch party…
8AM: My alarm rings and any hope of beauty sleep before the party is out the window! Time to get into action.
9AM: First thing to do at the venue is to get the sound systems set up. We need to make arrangements for a singer, keyboardist, DJ and saxophonist, a process that could take up to 4 hours.
10AM : Time to arrange a floor plan and set up the tables for all lunch tables booked. On the plus side, we’re sold out (and then some) On the minus, where does everyone sit?!
11AM: We set up the Balagan backdrop outside in our ‘photo booth’ section along with fun props to take pictures with… this should be fun. 😉
12PM: The singer arrives and sound checks begin… we’ve got to make sure the sound levels are just right without waking the rest of the neighbourhood… not an easy task!
1PM: Chefs are prepped, tables set, our menus laid out; all just in time! It’s lunch time and the guests start coming in… here we go!
2PM: Lunch is well underway and the guests are enjoying the food, music and the overall relaxed atmosphere. So far so good! The performers have just arrived and it’s time to start prepping them for the big ‘transition’ between the end of the lunch and beginning of the party.
3.30PM: Transition time! The DJ takes over from the singer, saxophonist sets up next to him and the performers are ready for their entrance, loaded with goodie bags for the guests… it’s time for the party to begin!
3.30- 7PM: It’s party time! Our guests love the fun freebies we’re handing out, cameras are clicking everywhere! I am constantly coordinating between the performers, DJ and musician to make sure that everything is going as per plan. I might be busy, but not too busy to get decked out for an entertaining photo shoot session with the girls!
7PM: It’s time to wind up as the party comes to an end. The experience of putting together Balagan was invaluable and seeing our guests happy and having a good time was worth every bit of the sweat and tears that went into making it happen! While its time for my dancing shoes to retire for the day, my mind is racing and I can’t help but start planning the next party already. 😉
For more information about our upcoming events you can follow us on Facebook or check out our website.