The Meridian Grand is a dazzlingly transformative London events venue, catering primarily to weddings, whose chief conceptualiser and Managing Director, Mulchandani, is of an aptly ambitious and adaptive mind. The young businesswoman graduated from Warwick University, flirting first with the idea of fashion before moving into the world of advertising and later coming to realise a one-of-a-kind North London structure: “The modern dream, of course, is to be able to work for yourself, and having garnered plenty of commercial experience by my late twenties, it felt exactly the right time to invest in this spectacular project with my entrepreneurial father. The successful owner of a Cash and Carry, he had discovered that many potential customers were struggling to locate a wedding or functions venue that satisfied both the luxurious taste of central London, and the accessibility of where they lived – thus the Meridian Grand was born. I embraced the chance to contribute an unrestricted creativity, growing alongside my business skills, and it certainly helped that I was getting married! It made the final concept very authentic and timely and personal.”
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Indeed, the unique features of the Meridian Grand range from the sparkling, enticing chandeliers, high ceilings and projection screens where luminous photographs of the happy couple coming together can be displayed in the main foyer, to the two grand ballrooms (Grand and Meridian pictured) that can be opened out into one, “and the Infinity and Eternity Suites for afternoon tea, pre-Reception drinks and canapes and civil registry on the same day should the couple wish it,” Mulchandani added. “Our overarching colours are very neutral, consisting of creams and ivories and the occasional touch of gold, because ultimately we wanted the venue to be our customers’ vision to sculpt.” Here, state of the art technology comes in to provide the sleekest finishing touch. Using her iPad, Mulchandani can change the colours of the rooms to match to the wedding outfits and particular ceremonies and all the various little details. It is no wonder then that the Meridian Grand should come across modern yet ethereally fairy-tale like all at the same time: it is not just a feat of impressive, new architecture, but of innovative and passionate thinking. “One of our highlight events was a circus-themed ceremony,” the director gushingly finished. “Event co-ordination– or a source of inspiration – is included as part of the Meridian Grand package, and in this particular case, we ended up having a Ring-Master of Ceremonies, acrobats pouring wine to the guests from the ceilings, and the special couple themselves pop out from a big wedding cake!”
Tell us a bit more about the unique features of the Meridian Grand?
We wanted to create elegant, flexible, easy-to-find and excellent wedding facilities. The venue capacity is 1200 guests, and we have 300 parking spaces. Our kitchens include one that is purely vegetarian, and we have bridal and Groom facilities, providing privacy when the couple are preparing for and in-between their wedding moments. We have a grand staircase from which they can descend too, and the spacious setting makes for good photography. There is a Premier Inn nearby but our USP is that we are not a hotel first, but a function venue. We are always ready to help you on your special day, from the catering to the décor. The kitchen is stocked for banqueting, with the food being a bespoke feature too. We also accommodate any cultural event; the versatility of the Meridian Grand makes it quite cosmopolitan.
Did you have any particular era or style in mind when designing the Meridian Grand?
I am not a fan of pastiche so I wasn’t going to create a period interior when the building itself is so fresh and new. We can adapt any style at the moment, while retaining a sense of elegance.
What is your favourite aspect of the job?
Honestly, the smile at the end of the day and the thank yous from happy customers. We constantly strive to please and achieve people’s visions and it’s incredible when they come together.
Tell us more about the Smart technology that facilitates Meridian Grand planning?
I love asking people, ‘what’s your favourite colour’? and then showing them how the event will manifest at the customised touch of a button! Our tech streamlines the planning process from start to finish without ever compromising the quality of the service.
What’s a key factor to remember as a manager?
Never say no. If the client wants it; aim to provide. If there’s a problem, aim to solve it.
How have you found balancing your personal life and the business side as a woman? How have you sought to overcome challenges?
There is a preconception within Asian culture that women can’t hold positions of power, but you just throw yourself into the work and don’t let it dictate you.
Finally, do you have a business motto?
Yes! If you work as a team, you can achieve the dream.
http://www.meridiangrand.co.uk/