How to Book a Decorator in Kolkata — 8 Questions to Ask Before You Confirm

Booking a decorator for your wedding or event in Kolkata is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your event planning process. The wrong decorator can ruin photographs, show up late, use artificial flowers, or surprise you with hidden charges you weren’t expecting.

Having decorated hundreds of events in Kolkata, here are the 8 most important questions to ask any decorator before you confirm your booking.

1. Do you use fresh or artificial flowers?

This is the first and most important question. Fresh flowers look and smell beautiful — artificial or recycled flowers look plastic in photos and have no fragrance. Many budget decorators in Kolkata use flowers from previous events to cut costs. Always confirm that all flowers will be freshly sourced on your event day. Ask: “Will you bring flowers sourced on the day of my event?”

2. Can I see photos of actual recent events you’ve decorated?

Not stock photos, not photos from 3 years ago — actual recent events. Ask to see photos from the last 2–3 events similar to yours. A decorator who does good work is proud to show recent photos immediately. If they hesitate or show you only 2–3 photos, that’s a red flag.

3. What is included in the quote — and what is not?

Get a written itemised quote that clearly states what is included. Common hidden charges in Kolkata event decoration include: travel charges, worker fees, lighting extras, post-event cleanup charges, and “upgrade” charges that appear on the day. A trustworthy decorator gives you a complete quote upfront with no surprises.

4. Who will actually be doing the decoration on the day?

Some decorators quote you impressively and then send inexperienced workers on the day. Ask specifically: “Will you personally be present on the day of my event?” and “How many experienced team members will come?” This is especially important for large weddings.

5. Have you worked at my venue before?

Familiarity with your venue matters. A decorator who has worked at a venue knows the access timings, structural restrictions, where to place the generator, and how to maximise the space. Ask if they’ve decorated at your hall before.

6. What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy?

Life happens — dates change, emergencies occur. Understand clearly what happens to your deposit if you need to reschedule. A fair policy is: full deposit returned if cancelled more than 4 weeks before the event, partial credit if cancelled within 2–4 weeks.

7. Can you share references from recent clients?

Ask for the phone numbers of 2–3 recent clients you can contact. Alternatively, check their Google reviews and look for detailed, genuine reviews that mention specific events, not generic 5-star ratings. MG Decorators has 41+ verified Google reviews — you can read them all on our Google Business Profile.

8. What time will you arrive for setup, and when will everything be ready?

This matters enormously. Your decorator should arrive with sufficient time so that all decoration is complete at least 30–45 minutes before your first guest arrives — not scrambling to finish as guests enter. Confirm the exact setup start time and completion time when you book.

One More Thing — Check Google Reviews Carefully

Before confirming any decorator, check their Google Business Profile and read at least 10 reviews. Look for: specific mentions of actual events, mentions of punctuality and professionalism, and whether the decorator responds to reviews (this shows they care about their reputation). Avoid decorators with only a handful of generic reviews or unresponded negative reviews.