ASAWP

Association of South Asian Wedding Professionals

A REVOLUTION IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY

September 2002 marked the beginning of a new era in the South Asian Wedding Industry all over the world. Sumit & Shikha Arya launched the much awaited and much needed nonprofit organization called 'Association of South Asian Wedding Professionals' (ASAWP) at an international level.

It also incorporates a sister organization called 'South Asian Photographers & Videographers Association' (SAPVA) which will function separately once ASAWP has enough members from the fields of photography and videography. It becomes necessary due the fact that there are more vendors out there in this category than any other and also they have very specialized needs, issues and concerns.

"Weddings have supported my family since last sixteen years and it's about time we gave something back to the community. We think we can do that best by bringing the whole wedding industry closer together. ASAWP not only helps the service providers to network with each other, but also serves as a liaison between the vendors and the prospective couples. Not too many professional organizations help connect their members with consumers. Our dream is to see all of us mingling with each other at annual dinner events and going out on family picnics together at the personal front, and referring each other, sharing our client base, discussing industry issues and organizing wedding expos together at the professional front," says Sumit Arya.

Today's Wedding Industry

The desi wedding industry in the United States has existed since the eighties and has grown immensely since the past five years. Among immigrant communities around the world it's only second to Great Britain's. Most Indians and Pakistanis settled abroad no longer take their weddings back home, they have them here and mostly at a grand scale. NRI weddings in England, Canada, USA and other foreign lands of late have become an example of creativity, extravagance, elegance, exclusivity, ingenuity and perfectionism. Desis abroad are going all out planning theme oriented fairy-tale wedding affairs.

To fill the need of the time, insurgence of numerous wedding service providers has occurred all across the country. Yesterday's hobbies like Photography, Videography and Decorating have become lifetime career choices for many. New York Tri-State area alone potentially has a thousand plus desi and numerous mainstream wedding related vendors targeting the local South Asian community.

Service providers such as banquet facilities, caterers, photographers, videographers, mandap decorators, florists, beauticians, disc jockeys, drummers, horse and carriage providers, limousines, bakeries, invitation card printers, jewelers and fashion designers alike were in a dire need of a common platform that can address their issues and concerns, arrange group discounts, invent and explore new marketing venues, while providing them with a strong collective referral base. Association of South Asian Wedding Professionals is now fulfilling that need at an international level with full competency and integrity.

ASAWP Meetings & the Initial Success

Association of South Asian Wedding Professionals had their first meeting on September 19, 2002 at Crossroads Restaurant in Woodbridge, New Jersey. The second meeting was held on October 15, 2002 at Milan Banquets in Garfield, New Jersey. The third monthly meeting was organized at Tandoor in Rego Park, Queens on November 19, 2002.

More than a hundred service providers attended these meetings and many of them joined readily. There has been a great measure of excitement among the founders, members and the bridal families alike, since the conception of the association. All in the industry have loved and applauded the concept.

Due to the international scope of ASAWP, local NY/NJ meetings didn't make much sense after the few initial meetings. ASAWP is alive and progressing today rapidly in the form of 16 interactive yahoogroup listservs with 3000+ members.

The Media Connection

The South Asian Media has embraced ASAWP's efforts at an unprecedented level. Major print, television & radio media have been appreciating the efforts and raving about the motivations of this group in the form of write-ups and reviews. Various well-known and effective magazines, newspapers, television channels, radio stations and websites are offering 30-80% in group discounts on their advertising rates for the ASAWP members.

ASAWP has helped put together many Bridal Issues/Supplements/Specials for well-known publications like India Abroad, Desi Talk, Little India, Indian Express, Desi Match and Nirvana. The involvement includes, contributing articles on wedding planning, providing real wedding stock photos, and connecting the vendors with their advertising departments at the group-discounted rates.

ASAWP Meetings & DulhanExpo footage have been televised on the 'Community Roundup' of TV Asia, American Desi, Aaj Tak, DesiVision and many other Channels. TV Asia carried a 30 minute show on DulhanExpo. DhoomFM & EBC Radio aired a weekly Dulhan Radio Show hosted by Sumit & Shikha Arya for more than a year and a half.

The prestigious lineup of ASAWP/DulhanExpo's Media Sponsors includes DirecTV, B4U Movies, TV Asia, AVS, ARY Digital, EBC Radio, Dhoom FM, Sanm Bangla Radio, India Abroad, Indian Express, Divya Bhaskar, Little India, News India Times, Desi Talk, Gujarat Times, Sher-e-Punjab, Desi Match, South Asian Insider, Punjabi Duniya, Gujarat Darpan, Urdu Times, Pakistan News, DesiClub.com, IndianParty.com and Istyle Magazine.

ASAWP Yahoogroups

Yahoogroups are one of the most effective and popular interactive listservs around. Email Ids of 3000+ South Asian Wedding Service Providers are placed in 16 different ASAWP yahoogroups segregated by US National & International geographical territories. These yahoogroups serve as a medium that brings all these vendors all over together under one Virtual Roof.

This effective system makes it very easy for everyone involved to benefit from the International Idea Exchange, Exchange of Technical Know-how, Group Discount Offers, Business Policy Discussions, DulhanExpo Updates, Industry News, Event Announcements, Mutual Recommendations, Bridal Referrals, Networking and Socialization.

ASAWP Today

ASAWP has been instrumental in bringing about a revolution the South Asian Wedding Industry worldwide. It has been acknowledged by most that a progress worth 15 years has been made in just a matter of 3 years in North East USA's wedding Industry.

ASAWP has hosted 2 Wedding Planning Seminars (DulhanSeminar), organized 12 Bridal Shows (DulhanExpo), Hosted 2 ongoing weekly Radio Shows (DulhanRadio), published numerous Bridal Issues or supplements for reputable publications, since this article was last updated. ASAWP has inspired a spate of similar Bridal Shows to it's DulhanExpos & Associations such as itself and thus helped the industry advance even further.

Sumit & Shikha Arya's Dulhan Inc. & ASAWP organize 2 Bridal shows in New York and New Jersey each in fall & spring every year. Virginia/WashingtonDC/Maryland has been added to the list since January 2005. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Dallas, Chicago,
Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Boston wait eagerly to have their very own DulhanExpo, a wish that maybe granted by 2007, God willing. Gradually the increasing demand and the successful formula shall give birth to franchises in India, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Guyana, Dubai and many more nations.

Benefits of ASAWP Membership:

  • Monthly Meetings: ASAWP's monthly meetings have been replaced by weekly networking dance parties/social get-togethers (more info. coming soon) & ASAWP Yahoogroups. Due to the international scope of ASAWP, local NY/NJ meetings didn't make much sense after the few initial ones. ASAWP is alive and progressing today rapidly in the form of 16 interactive yahoogroup listservs with 3000+ members.
  • ASAWP Yahoogroups:These yahoogroups serve as a medium that brings all the vendor members together under one Virtual Roof. These serve as a Newsletter Group where the president keeps all the members updated via emails and also a Networking Tool between all the members. This effective system makes it very easy for everyone involved to benefit from the International Idea Exchange, Exchange of Technical Know-how, Group Discount Offers, Business Policy Discussions, DulhanExpo Updates, Industry News, Event Announcements, Mutual Recommendations, Bridal Referrals, Networking and Socialization
  • Social Nights: Most vendors complain about not having a life outside of their profession, especially on the weekends and during summer. Starting with New Jersey, weekly 'Social Nights' are kicking off soon with... 'No Business, Just Dance' theme. Being on a weeknight, these are sure to be a huge hit among the vendors and their families and an opportunity for everyone to let their hair down. The admission is going to be free of course. Vendors, Media, their families, and Dulhan Models will be frequenting these wild events.
  • ASAWP Certificate: All members get a certificate to adorn their walls that adds to their credibility and shows their dedication and integrity towards their profession.
  • ASAWP logo: Current members will be able to use the ASAWP logo in their advertisements, which will add credibility to their business and in turn also increase their professional responsibility towards their clients.
  • Discount Card: An ASAWP ID card would offer the members a world of group discounts on professional services and retail purchases, advertising and marketing, restaurants, car rentals, airline tickets, insurance products and much more. A full list is available at request.
  • Bridal Referrals: ASAWP prolifically recommends the Paid-ASAWP Members and DulhanExpo Participants to all the prospective brides & grooms who call ASAWP for referrals. 1-866-4DULHAN today has virtually become the 411 of South Asian Wedding Planning.
  • Free Advertising: ASAWP members' list is e-mailed to the brides who request it. ASAWP provides a printed directory of it's paid-members to all the banquet halls in their area. Brides and grooms can also access the directory of members on DulhanExpo.com.
  • Networking: Weekly dance parties start with a networking party, attendees are suggested to bring at least fifty of their business cards to exchange with the others present. Members from branches of the industry, who may never meet each other in person otherwise, come together under one roof and increase their client base by referring each other.
  • Seminars & Workshops: ASAWP invites the pioneers of the South Asian and the mainstream wedding industries to offer seminars and workshops on various subjects. Namely marketing ideas, changing wedding trends, scopes of expansion and advancements in technology.
  • Focus Groups: Concerns and complains the brides have with the industry in general or service providers are compiled into a list. Then these lists are shared with members in the meetings or via online newsletter. Focus Groups raise industry standards, enhance customer service, and thus increase client satisfaction.
  • Free Hotline: Any wedding industry related questions by the members are forwarded to other members for advise. Guidance and problem solving is made available to the members if need arise. The member hotline number to call is 1-866-4DULHAN.
  • Dulhan Expo: ASAWP is hosts bridal trade shows at regular intervals in the Northeast USA so far. Since this list was last updated ASAWP has hosted 12 such events in New York, New Jersey and Virginia Areas.

Biography of the Founders :

Sumit Arya has a bachelor's degree in photography and graphic design from City College of New York. He headed various cultural and professional organizations at the school & college level. He has been photographing South Asian weddings since last nineteen years.

Shikha Arya, the Cofounder of the "Association of South Asian Wedding Professionals" and "Dulhan Inc." has her bachelor's in Psychology. She has been planning Beautiful Dream Weddings since 1997.

More information on the principals click here DulhanTeam

ASAWP Chapters/Dulhan Expo Franchise:

ASAWP is looking for State Representatives for chapters all over the United States and Country Representatives in the rest of the world. Beside representing the association in their territory, these individuals can also multitask as Dulhan Expo Partners and Dulhan Magazine's Bureau Chiefs.

For further information on how to become a state or country rep, a partner, a franchisee, a member, just get involved, contribute and be benefited from the activities of ASAWP, get a booth at a Dulhan Expo or advertise in the Dulhan Magazine, please call 1-866-4 DULHAN. You can also e-mail at asawp@dulhanexpo.com or visit Join ASAWP.