· 3 min read · By the Diamond Events team
A checklist for your first meeting with Diamond Events and for your menu tasting: dates, guest numbers, venue details, photographs, and the questions worth asking.
Your first consultation with us is complimentary, relaxed and in person at our office on Milton Road in East Kilbride. There is no pressure and no obligation. Still, the more you bring, the more useful the hour is. A family that arrives with dates, rough numbers and a few photographs leaves with a much clearer picture than one that arrives with a blank page. This is what we suggest you bring.
Choose who you will meet
You can book with either of the two people who will plan with you. Jibran Mahmood, our Event Coordinator and Bespoke Décor Specialist, is the person to see about venues, stages, décor and the running of the day, and meets in English. Mohammed Azeem, who oversees our kitchen, is the person to see about food and menus, and meets in Urdu and Punjabi. You can choose a time with either of them on our booking page.
Bring the people who decide
Weddings are family decisions. If a parent, an aunt or an older sibling will have the final say on the menu or the budget, it saves time to bring them to the first meeting. A small group, rather than the whole family, keeps the conversation easy.
The essentials
- Your dates, or the months you are considering, for each function.
- Which functions you are planning: Mehndi, Nikkah, Baraat, wedding reception, Walima, or something else.
- A rough guest number for each function. A range is fine.
- Your venue for each function, if you have one. If not, the area you would like to be in.
- Anything the venue has already told you: access times, what they supply, any rules on candles or catering.
For the décor conversation
Pictures say more than descriptions. Bring screenshots of stages, aisles and table settings you like, from our stage collections, Instagram or anywhere else. It helps just as much to bring examples of what you do not want. If you have photographs of your venue, or a floor plan, bring those too, because the room shapes what will work.
Think about colours for each function, even roughly. Many families want a bright Mehndi and a calmer white or ivory Walima, but there is no rule. If you have outfits chosen, a photograph of the fabric helps us suggest flowers and drapes that suit them.
For the food conversation
Have a look at our menu before you come, and note the dishes that stand out. Our set menus A to F are a good starting point, and you can change any of them. It also helps to know:
- Whether you would like a buffet, or food served to the tables in shared dishes.
- Roughly how many vegetarian guests and children to expect.
- Any allergies or dietary needs you already know about.
- Which dishes your family always expects at a wedding, and which you would like to try for the first time.
Questions worth asking us
- Which of our stages would suit your venue’s size and ceiling height.
- How the décor changes between functions if you use one venue.
- How food service fits around your running order.
- What the venue is likely to provide, and what we would bring.
- Which suppliers we recommend for photography, DJs, dhol and cars.
Pricing is something we always discuss in person, because it depends on your functions, guest numbers and choices. After the consultation we prepare a tailored proposal covering food, stage, décor and service for each function.
Your tasting
Tasting is part of how we plan menus with families, and it is where the menu becomes real. A few things make it more useful:
- Come hungry, and come with the people who will decide the menu.
- Bring your notes from the consultation and your current shortlist of dishes.
- Taste with your guests in mind, not just yourself. If older relatives prefer milder food, say so.
- Talk about the spice level, portion style and presentation, not only the flavour.
- Ask about timing: which dishes go out first, and how the dessert table fits the evening.
Once you have booked, tasting evenings and the rest of your planning, from guest lists and RSVPs to the décor board, are in your family’s own planning space.
Before you leave
Make a note of what was agreed and what is still open. Then you can carry on at your own pace. If you would like to tell us about your celebration before you visit, build your package online first. It takes about two minutes, and we will have your functions, numbers and favourite stages in front of us when you arrive.
