Industrialist Aloke Lohia

It is expected to be the most magnificent Shaadi of the year. The bride-to-be Aradhana is the daughter of Aloke Lohia, the richest Indian and six richest man in Thailand. Aradhana is marrying Kevin Sharma from Kuala Lumpur and expected at the three day celebrations are business tycoons from India, the couple’s family and friends from Thailand and Malaysia and close business associates of Aloke Lohia who is the Vice Chairman and Group CEO of Indorama Ventures PCL. The mega event is being orchestrated by the bride’s mother Suchitra Lohia in association with a prominent Wedding Planner from Delhi. Several other vendors from India including Entertainers and Makeup & Mehendi Artists are excitedly preparing for Destination Florence. The venues for the three day celebrations are the landmark St Regis and Westin Excelsior Hotels and the spectacular estate owned by Italy’s famed Corsini Family. The Lohias have roped in some of the most respected names in the food and floral business from Europe. The Catering is by a famed restaurant from Sorrento and the floral designer is a well-known name from France. With a mix of wedding specialists from India, Italy and France working behind the scenes, this is expected to be an all-new experience for all the wedding professionals.

Landmark hotels St Regis and Westin Excelsior, the venues for the Lohia wedding in Florence.

The last big Indian wedding to take place in Florence was in June 2010 when Industrialist Sajjan Jindal hosted his daughter’s marriage there. Since then a number of Florence based Wedding Planners and venues were looking forward to hosting big and colorful Indian weddings. On that account Florence may have been disappointed, because this is only the second big Indian wedding to take place there.

Villa Le Rose and the spectacular lawns of the Four Seasons, the venues for the Jindal Wedding which took place in 2010

Suchitra and Aloke Lohia have three children. Aradhana graduated from Babson College and was working as a Strategy and Planning Analyst in the family business in Thailand. Their younger son Yash recently joined the family business and youngest son Anuj is studying. Aradhana and Kevin’s engagement was an elegant river side soiree in Bangkok last year.

Soon after Vega, daughter of Achla and Anil Kumar Gupta from Saharanpur got engaged to Delhi boy Aakash Garg Jahajgarhia, her parents were thinking of Mauritius, Italy or Spain as the venues for the Destination Wedding. But the bride-to-be wanted it in Sun City, because she was emotionally attached to Johannesburg, having spent many of her summer holidays and later college years there.

While we have often blogged about shaadis in Thailand and Bali, Mauritius and Malaysia, Macau and more recently Europe this is the first time we’re talking about a Destination Wedding in Africa’s glamorous leisure oasis. Vega and Aakash’s five day wedding celebrations commence at Sun City today, ending with the finale, a royal gala on May 3rd. The different functions are at The Palace of the Lost City, Sun City’s five star flagship Hotel. A fantasy world come to life, the Lost City has incredible jungles, cliff-tumbling gardens, sparkling streams, water falls, swimming pools and entertainment areas.

For the 400 guests, over 200 of who will be flying in from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh this will undoubtedly be an experience with a difference, a rare combination of African luxury and traditional Indian festivities. A number of local guests will be attending the wedding too- the bride’s maternal uncles Atul, Rajesh and Ajay Gupta are the owners of Johannesburg based The New Age Newspaper and Sahara Computers. The celebrations commence with the traditional ‘Godh Bhari’ at the Pool Deck. The Mehendi and Bhajans are at the Elephant Courtyard, the theme of the Engagement is ‘Fashion forward’ and after the traditional nuptials is a ‘Royal’ theme dinner at the Grand Ballroom. The finale is a Royal Gala at the Super Bowl Entertainment Center. In between all the hectic festivities, the guests will spend their leisure time pursuing a variety of leisure and water-borne activities- hot air balloon rides, game drives and water sports on the lake.

A week after the newly-weds and their families return to India, a Grand Reception for over 5,000 guests takes place in Saharanpur, where the bride’s father runs a Chemical, Investment and Real Estate company. Groom Aakash Garg Jahajgarhia, a post graduate in International Business from London works in his family business, the Jahajgarhia Group headquartered in Punjabi Bagh, Delhi.

Wedding Details

Event Management: Wizcraft
Bollywood Extravaganza: Performances by Sonu Nigam, Vishal-Shekhar and Shankar Mahadevan
Special Invitees: Actor Anil Kapoor, Actress Esha Gupta
Bride’s Wardrobe Styling: Manish Malhotra
Food: All-Vegetarian fare, Indian and Continental prepared by a team of Chefs from India and South Africa under the direction of legendary Chef Marut Sikka
Invitation Cards: A colorful box with invitations and six fancy containers containing a delicacy from six different continents, designed by Puneet Gupta Luxury

Prashanthi Ravindran is getting married to Nicolas Mathie in July 2013 at JW Marriott, Mai Khao, Phuket. She blogs about the challenges and joys of planning a fusion Destination Wedding

About Us

Nico and I met in Singapore five years ago. It was instant chemistry, chance encounters followed by an old fashioned courtship that led to us eventually falling in love. In July 2012, on our first trip to Europe together, he proposed in Paris, after a romantic night time cruise on the Seine on board the Bateaux mooches, on a bridge in front of the Notre Dame.

Culturally for me, no matter how prepared my parents were, me marrying into a different culture was a big step. Nico is Swiss/Serbian and I am Sri Lankan/Indian. We both come from traditional families, deeply routed in religion and culture; and so the challenges began, to strike the perfect balance of each of our own heritage and beliefs. And to plan a wedding that was suitable for both. We decided to have a two day celebration, with ceremonies and receptions representing both of our faiths and cultures.

Challenge #1– Which Country?

We were both sure that we wanted to have a destination wedding, a place neutral to us both that would provide the backdrop of our dreams, and elegant luxury, while still providing value for money.

We began to look around the region and settled on three choices– Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. We finally made a decision based on recommendations by friends. The ‘wedding planner’ to me was the key decision. He or she had to be someone who can create what I had always imagined my wedding to be. Word of mouth is really the best way to make a decision, and on my friend’s recommendation I contacted and appointed a planner from Bangkok, who specialized in Indian weddings. And then we set out to find the venue.

Challenge #2 – How do I pick a wedding planner?

I was lucky and chose a planner that was recommended to me. But if I was to have to look for the planner from scratch here are some tips:

- If you’re getting married in Thailand, there are many Bangkok based specialist wedding planners who are extremely professional and efficient. But if you hire a planner from Bangkok, expect most sourcing to also be done from Bangkok. This will include set-ups, décor etc. They are uncomfortable with, and sometimes unwilling to work with regional vendors for many reasons.

- If you want a highly specialized Indian wedding, you may have no choice but to fly everything in and hire the services of an experienced wedding planner from India. However if you are sure of the location, and you want to save money, you can consider the hotel’s in-house wedding planner or source one locally. I know there are a few amazing and very helpful planners (usually expats) in Phuket who have expertise in the area and produce spectacular weddings. You may have to give them lots of guidance with Indian elements though.

Challenge #3 – Which City?

In Thailand you have four main options– Bankok, Phuket, Hua Hin and Krabi. Bankok was too much of a city, Hua Hin added the complexity of car travel from Bankok which we felt would be difficult for our guests flying in from Europe. Krabi, I felt was not experienced enough. So we settled on Phuket. It has very good flight connectivity and lots of experience with Indian Weddings.

Challenge #4 – Which Hotel?

I relied very heavily on my wedding planner’s expertise to choose the venue, and finally we had four choices. With a guest list of 250, which is very small by Indian standards, but very large by Western, Villas and smaller hotels were out of question so we had to rely on the bigger resorts. Then the complexity of weather! July is monsoon season in Phuket and the weather is unpredictable. Therefore, we had to find a hotel with a ballroom that was big enough to accommodate 250 people. This brought down my choice of hotels. But luckily, the options that we had were pretty great. The whole experience of finding venues, doing the research, and finally choosing one took me 3-4 months.

Challenge #5– Food and soft drinks budget

My most important piece of advice to all brides and grooms-to-be is to have a realistic budget in mind when it comes to food. Then source a hotel that can actually provide for that budget. If your food budget is relatively low, 5* hotels are probably not the most cost effective choice. Make sure you ask your wedding planner to do the research for you on food prices to avoid disappointment at the end.

Challenge #6 – Big expenses that you may not think of when budgeting.

1. Hotel deposit – this could be up to 20% of your total F&B bill.
2. Décor – Could be expensive depending on your requirements.
3. Sound and Light– sometimes could be 50% to 70% of décor cost.
4. Entertainment – if you want anything specifically Indian, it will have to be flown in.
5. Photography and Videography –This is the most important aspect of your wedding, as long past the day itself the photography and videography is the only thing you have to relive the day. If you must spare expenses on everything else, do not compromise on this. But they do not always need to be sourced from India. Asia has a wealth of extremely talented suppliers, Malaysia especially has a vibrant industry which is differentiated and who understand our requirements.
6. Plan ahead! I would estimate at least one year of planning for a dream wedding. This also allows you to take advantage of early booking rates for flights for your vendors, and gives you more negotiating potential on service fees.

As a bride embarking on a new journey with no set idea in mind, WeddingSutra.com was a great inspiration to choose outfits, photography, videography and locations. I used it as my benchmark for how my wedding should be. A wedding worthy of being featured on WeddingSutra.com was the base from which I started my plans.

There’s lots of work to be done, but that is always the case a month before any wedding. But I know that with the support of my partner, my family and my capable wedding planner, everything is possible, and I will have the wedding of my dreams.

Costa Cruises- the 65 year old European luxury cruise liner of the Carnival Group is all set to host an Indian wedding on board the ship. Nalini Gupta of Costa Cruises India has a mission for years 2013 and 2014- to make Costa Cruises a preferred venue for Destination Weddings. “A Cruise has everything it takes to appeal to Indian families- each deck has a specific look and feel that is perfect for a variety of Indian celebrations, the option to hold rituals on the land and aboard the ship and the guests get a chance to visit many exotic places.” Gupta tells us how multiple areas can be used for the functions. “For e.g. if the family decides to host the wedding aboard Costa Mediterranea on a 3 Night sailing (cruise leaving from Italy for Spain and France) the Mehendi or Welcome Celebrations can be held on the ship, the next morning the religious function can be held while the ship is docked in Barcelona, Spain. A post-wedding party can again be held aboard the ship and the next day guests can go on an excursion while the ship is docked in the lovely city of Marseilles, France.”

We’ve just returned from a luxurious stay aboard Costa Mediterranea – the majestic ship that has a total of 1057 cabins, 4 restaurants, 12 bars, a spa, sauna and Turkish bath, gym, multipurpose sports pitch, theatre on three levels, casino, discotheque, kids play area and much more. We’re quite convinced Costa Cruises has everything it takes to make for an exotic yet convenient wedding destination. Here is why.

a) A venue with an infrastructure that is convenient for all guests, of all ages.
b) A variety of spaces within each ship, some of which can even accommodate 1,000 guests for a sit-down meal.
c) Options to host ceremonies both in ‘land’ and ‘sea’ venues
d) Many leisure activities and entertainment options every day- dance lessons, quiz games, theatrical performances, musical entertainment, fun@sea program for the kids.
e) A compact, secure space that makes it easy for all guests to stay within one roof and interact easily.
f) A chance for guests to visit different countries, without the hassles of arranging for travel or stay in different venues
g) A cost effective package for everyone- for an intimate celebration or a big fat wedding.

Explains Nalini Gupta: “It is important to make every moment special during the wedding not just for the guests but also for the families of the bride and groom and we understand that at Costa. A wedding can never be a stress-free affair, but a wedding aboard Costa Cruises is an easier and a less-hassle option for families interested in inviting guests for a destination wedding.” Nalini and her colleagues at the Head Office of Costa Cruises in Italy are confident that by 2014, many NRIs and Indian-based families will choose to host a Destination Wedding, pre or post Wedding Celebration aboard one of their many ships.

Plan your wedding on Costa’s luxury Cruiseliners at unbeatable rates- Rs 10,000 per person per night sharing for an ocean view cabin on Costa’s 3 Night, 4 Night or 5 Night sailing. The costs include- accommodation, meals, gym, sauna, theatre performances, musical entertainment and more.. Costa Cruises commence journeys from different destinations like Middle East, Mediterranean, Far East, Northern Europe and more. To know more about the Costa Cruises sailing schedule for 2013 and 2014 email lal@in.costa.it and vasu.gupta@lotusdestinations.com

IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, the sprawling exhibition and celebration venue in Bangkok has launched a wedding promotion campaign to target Indian weddings. One of their unique offerings is a huge venue that that can accommodate up to 3,500 people. According to Mr. Chawanich Sirisinghol, Food & Beverage Director of IMPACT Exhibition Management Co. “An increasing number of Indian families are hosting a destination wedding in Thailand and the next few years will witness a change; bigger scale Indian weddings also taking place there. For many families, Thailand is also a cost-effective option. And just as several hotels and resorts in Bangkok, Koh Samui, Phuket, Pattaya and Hua Hin are focussing on this segment, we too are focusing on this segment- by offering different wedding packages that includes the venue, planning, food and beverages, and space for up to 3,500 guests. The response is already encouraging. In the last few months we have hosted many Indian wedding ceremonies in the Royal Jubilee Ballroom, with full services to thousands of attendees. IMPACT is also attempting to continually improve its service standards for Indian wedding with chef trainings for Indian cuisine.”

Mrs. Kunyanat Chaithanawasith, Assistant Director of Sales says: “Clients opting for the wedding packages can choose from a variety of our venues and banquet halls such as Phoenix, Sapphire, or Jupiter Rooms, Grand Diamond Ballroom, and Royal Jubilee Ballroom with a buffet starting from 1,000 baht per person. The special offers include free honeymoon dinners and stay at pool villas in exotic venues depending on the package the clients opt for.” IMPACT Muang Thong Thani is Asia’s leading venue. The Center is equipped with state-of-the-art integrated facilities on more than 140,000 square meters of floor space. It comprises four large multi-purposed buildings, namely IMPACT Arena, IMPACT Exhibition Center, IMPACT Convention Center and IMPACT Challenger Hall that feature 12 exhibition and convention halls, one arena hall, two large ballrooms, two banquet halls and 52 breakout rooms. The venue also offers a wide range of seven restaurants and 30 international dining outlets. For more information visit http://www.impact.co.th

To read more about Indian Weddings in Thailand visit
http://www.weddingsutra.com/Thailand/index.html

This time the Destination is Cannes. The big shaadi is taking place at the heart of the city that steps into the spotlight once a year when shining stars and international events come together for the film festival. Kunal Grover, the son of prominent London socialite Pamela Grover is marrying Ria Dubash from Nepean Sea Road, Mumbai. The 3 day celebrations take place between 11th and 13th October, and the functions include the formal welcome dinner, Bollywood theme sangeet and the wedding cum reception.

Intercontinental Carlton Cannes

Most of the guests are staying at Carlton Cannes and JW Marriott Cannes, both overlooking the Bay of Cannes, and located on the Boulevard de La Croisette, famous for the Cannes Film Festival and designer shopping. The Groom’s mother is a close friend of many Bollywood bigwigs, so many of them including Gauri and SRK, Pinky and Rakesh Roshan, Neetu and Rishi Kapoor will be there for the celebrations. The wedding is managed by Percept D’Mark for whom it is the second big Europe destination wedding this season. Earlier this month they managed the wedding hosted by Dubai-based Uttamchandanis in Salzberg. The other shaadi specialists involved with the Grover-Dubash wedding include Manish Malhotra who has designed clothes for the groom’s side and Makeup maestro Mickey Contractor who will be dressing up the bride. Bollywood’s favorite dance choreographer for weddings Rajendra Masterji has choreographed the fun Sangeet.

JW Marriott Cannes

Kunal, a graduate of LSE, later studied in Harvard Business School and after a short stint in Booz Allen Hamilton he now works in his family business (Simba Group of Companies) in Lagos. Ria schooled in South Mumbai and she writes on Luxury for some prominent fashion magazines and lifestyle blogs.

With the political unrest in Thailand, is it safe to plan a destination wedding there? Wedding Planners share their opinion.

Armed soldiers with automatic weapons in the streets, nationwide curfews installed and news broadcasts censored; these are some of the updates we are reading in the papers, so naturally everyone is wondering if Thailand, or more specifically Bangkok will be affected when it comes to tourists’ traffic. While tourism is the mainstay of Thailand, WeddingSutra readers will know that Thailand is synonymous with Destination Weddings too. In the last few weeks, we’ve heard some discussions around weddings there and if and how they are likely to be affected; while travel experts state it will be business as usual, we spoke to five Wedding Planners to know their perspective.

Memorable Weddings in Thailand. Seen here, a just married couple at Shangri-La, Bangkok. 
Photo Courtesy- Picture Perfect India

   Rimjhim Bhagchandani- Rimjhim Events, Dubai
My company started planning weddings in Thailand with my own daughter’s wedding in Hua Hin in 2010 after which I have managed ten weddings all over Thailand. It is a preferred venue for destination weddings as the locations are stunning and the hospitality is unmatched. Many of my potential clients are expressing concern about Thailand, and I can understand their perspective, after all safety of their family and friends are paramount. That being said, I have been visiting Thailand for the last 20 years, and my experience has always been positive. I was stranded during the 2008 turmoil in Bangkok and within two days I was put on a flight back home. After all, the Thai Government works hard to ensure tourists’ safety. I am currently busy planning two weddings taking place in Thailand later this year, I really believe marriage is an extremely auspicious time in one’s life and the heavens watch over you. Of course, be prudent in your choice of venue and avoid any areas of unrest. Luckily, there are many stunning locations in Thailand which are not affected by the disturbances.

   Varun Khanna- Advaita Events, Delhi
Our company is a complete wedding management company specialising in Thailand, and the last weddings we managed were at Shangri-La- Chiang Mai, Angsana Laguna Phuket and Siam Kempinski- Bangkok. The next wedding is in Khao Lak in August 2014. Our simple advice to clients is to stay off the areas close to the government offices in Bangkok city, and we reassure them that there is no need to worry.We have seen similar situations in the past; but the country’s citizens are calm and considerate towards others especially foreign visitors. So if you’re planning a celebration there, remember everything is normal and make the most of the situational discounts and schemes which various resorts are offering.

   Keeran Baweja- Weddings by Keeran, Bangkok
I am based in Bangkok and my company ‘Weddings By Keeran’ has been organizing weddings since over ten years in locations like Phuket, Khao Lak, Krabi, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, Bangkok and Chiang Mai.The current situation in Thailand may sound scary to those who are overseas, but all this is temporary. Here, life as well as work is progressing smoothly. We are managing two weddings in June both are at Shangri-La, Bangkok and the next two are in July, in Krabi. My advice to those who are getting married here in 2014, go ahead with everything as planned and I am sure your guests will go back with pleasant memories as always. If you need any further information or clarifications keep in touch with the offices of Tourism Authority of Thailand in Delhi and Mumbai.

   Candice Pereira- Marry Me- The Wedding Planners, Mumbai
Having planned weddings at multiple destinations across the world, we still get the most requests for weddings in Thailand. The Thai hospitality, beautiful beaches, great hotel options, understanding of Indian weddings etc. are some of the many reasons why Thailand is the most popular location for destination weddings and will continue to be so. We have just returned from a trip to Phuket and Bangkok with our clients who are planning a wedding in December 2014. Having been there at this time, I can definitely say that streets are peaceful and everyone is carrying on with their lives normally. I am sure there will be less ambiguity in the near future and I think there should be no reason for anyone to reconsider venue options.

   Ekta Sharma- Krafted Knots, Kolkata
Every client wants a smoothly coordinated and well managed affair to remember.  So my advice for those who are getting married there, follow the Thai media and if required connect with the Tourism Authority of Thailand Offices in Mumbai and Delhi to clarify your doubts. If you can, plan all the events inside the hotel or resort itself, because most of them have fabulous indoor and outdoor venues, and choose locations like Koh Samui, Krabi that will be minimally affected due to the political unrest.

While many Indian families have been hosting grand weddings in glitzy venues in Dubai, in the last one or two years more families have evinced interest in Abu Dhabi and Oman. We spoke to some of the most prominent Destination Wedding Planners to learn more.

   Jai Raj Gupta
   Shaadionline, Delhi
“In the last decade, the most sought-after destinations have been Thailand, Bali and Malaysia. And now many of our clients are interested in exploring the Middle East. Muscat in Oman is an unexplored jewel in the crown and offers quaintness no longer associated with Dubai. It has a warm, welcoming culture and amazing sea facing properties attractive for wedding clients. And the icing on the cake is its proximity- three hour journey from India! Today, families feel there is more value and ‘exoticness’ in taking a select group of friends, families and well-wishers to a new destination. I think the big social change is that at all levels there is a ‘nuclearisation’ of families which is now manifested and reflected in guest lists which are smaller in number. International destinations are no longer taboo from a religious perspective and earlier thoughts that the bride should depart from her own home is giving way to practical considerations of time and space. Select communities can never compromise when it comes to food and a sanitised kitchen may be a must-have for some, but many families are okay with a little compromise- and vegetarian food can be cooked in a ‘non vegetarian kitchen’.

   Hriday Daswaney
   Viwaha Dreamz, Mumbai
Hotels in the Middle East and even the Tourism Boards are going the extra mile to get Indian weddings there. And today, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Ras-al-Khaimah and Lebanon are the ‘Happening Wedding Destinations’. One of the properties many of our potential clients have evinced interest in is Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Oman. The resort consists of three hotels- Al-Waha, Al-Bunder and Al-Husn, with some amazing indoor and outdoor locales for a picture perfect celebration. The Al Bustan Palace, Ritz Carlton and The Intercontinental Hotel in Muscat are some of the other properties our clients have shown interest in.

Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Oman

   Keyur Patel
   Prasang Group, Ahmedabad
The Middle East is sure to get more popular in the next few years. There is easy availability of raw materials, suppliers etc for Indian weddings so an event can be organised there  smoothly but the biggest advantage is the air connectivity, in fact we are getting lots of enquiries from Gujarat itself. The flight time is approximately 3 hours and there are direct flights from Ahmedabad to Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Muscat. A lot of our clients continue to be interested in Turkey and Macau but a wedding in the Middle East is more cost effective than these two destinations. One of the venues we are working closely with is Miramar Al Aqah Fujairah, which is 1.5 hours from Dubai International Airport and we hope to organise an Indian wedding there soon.

   Neha Goenka Shroff
   Momente Wedding Planners, Mumbai
The opulence and grandeurs of the hotels in the Middle East make them a natural fit for big Indian weddings. Some of the most popular locations in the Middle East are– Marriott Dubai, Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi and Shangri-La Muscat.The Shangri-La, Muscat is amazing and Muscat as a place is a great destination to host an Indian wedding. Relatively unexplored, it has great diversity in its offering.  Imagine sailing in a catamaran for a sundowner party with a school of over 400 dolphins for company. Oman is one of the best dive spots in Asia and has a very diverse terrain (not all desert!). You can host a beach front reception for 800 guests at the Ritz Carlton Muscat or at Shangri La Muscat you can choose from 11 indoor and outdoor spaces including a beach front venue with jagged cliffs and pristine blue sea as your backdrop. Or you can even have theMehendi&Sangeet in an Omani Heritage Village.

The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal

   Rimjhim Bhagchandani
   Rimjhim Events, Dubai
Some of the world’s most opulent hotels call Dubai their home so here you are spoilt for choice when it comes to locations. The varied landscape allows you to do one function at a desert resort in the middle of magnanimous sand dunes, the next event can be held on a cruise ship motoring through the beautiful creek and the finale can be at a picturesque resort on the soft sands of a beach. The cosmopolitan population of UAE means that there is availability of all types of cuisines in exceptionally authentic form.  Its connectivity allows guests as well as entertainers from both the Eastern and Western hemispheres to fly in easily. And then there’s the draw of world class shopping. Now it is not just Dubai even cities like Abu Dhabi and Muscat have started garnering interest amongst clients who are looking for a destination-wedding venue. These cities have some spectacular island and resort locations, which provide a brilliant backdrop for wedding celebrations.

Simmi and Chika from Sydney, Australia are getting married in Melbourne later this year. After her engagement Simmi started looking for ideas and inspiration for her wedding, when she found that the market in Australia has little understanding of the unique requirements of an Indian wedding. This motivated her to launch The Crimson Bride to help more brides-to-be like her who are getting married in Australia. Here she shares her story and writes about her wedding planning so far.

“I started my wedding preparations with doing a lot of research on the internet whenever I got the chance- whether it was a spare moment at work or on my phone during my commute to work. My main areas of research were venues, wedding events, decor and fashion. With venues I was trying to look for non-ballroom style event spaces but catered for Indian wedding requirements – such as food and ability to have a fire for the ceremony etc. This was particularly challenging in Melbourne as many non-traditional function centres are quite rigid with their policies around catering etc. I was also disappointed to find that there were hardly any venues with a water view that could comfortably hold over 100 people. Melbourne and Victorian coastline is one of the most beautiful in Australia and I couldn’t help but think how nice it would be to have a resort or a venue that could cater for a big Indian wedding! When I inquired about holding an outdoor marquee style wedding in any location, I found that there were a number of council requirements that had to met or otherwise would cost an arm and a leg to pull off.

These restrictions forced us to think about what was more important to us- did we absolutely need to have Indian food at the wedding? Did we care more about the venue? Was accessibility to the venue for the majority of the guests critical? How many people did we absolutely need to invite? Luckily visiting a beautiful vineyard estate just outside of Melbourne, made the decision a little easier. As soon as we arrived at Stones of the Yarra Valley, we knew it was the one. It’s simply breathtaking! The venue had never held a Hindu wedding on its grounds before, but we knew we just had to make it work somehow. The staff there have been wonderful so far- patiently listening and working with our needs!

Once we locked in the venues, we focused on wedding on events and themes. I researched a lot on the internet again and WeddingSutra was one of my main sources of inspiration here. It was great to read through articles on trends and ideas and I really enjoyed going through the real weddings posts to see how real brides were doing it. But when it came to executing on the ideas we liked, we found there were hardly if any Indian wedding planners or event coordinators who would be able to assist in sourcing the supplies, provide advice and just get things done for us.

The Australian market for Indian weddings is currently underdeveloped. This is maybe because my generation of Indians are the first to get married here, so there have been no services dedicated to the unique celebrations of Indian weddings. The props such as mandaps or decorative items for instance are provided by only a handful of Indian suppliers around Australia. Their range is extremely limited and often not of the best quality. If I wanted anything non-standard or custom built, I was forced to look to non-Indian vendors very few of whom understood what a mandap was. Some even quoted me $10k just to have one built!

When I spoke to friends who got married in Australia, they all told me that they, with the help of their parents had to do everything. They researched and sourced their own suppliers, organised every detail for every event which inevitably left them stressed out during their celebrations. Some even made their own centerpieces because the ones available by local Australian vendors were mostly white or clear to cater for Christian weddings. This was disappointing to hear and I wished we had some of the services and suppliers available in India!

Bridal fashion was another area where there are very limited options available in Australia. There are no dedicated stores for Indian designer wear so it is not uncommon for brides and their families to travel to India to do their wedding shopping. There is also a general lack of awareness of latest trends and fashion designers among the Indian community here. So even when brides go shopping to India, very few actually understood the best ways to shop for their wedding outfits. Many would understandably get overwhelmed with choices when they would ask for a ‘red lehenga’ at a store. From my own experience, I realized one of the most productive ways to shop for bridal wear is to actually do the research on the bridal designers upfront, find the ones you like and go shopping asking for those. Very few people know or understand that there are also some really great online stores now that cater to bridal wear. Many Indian designers now offer fantastic customer service so it may not be necessary to go to India.

Some of these challenges are what led me to develop my own website/blog- The Crimson Bride- Wedding Inspiration for the Modern Indian bride based in Australia and abroad. My mission is to provide a central and reliable resource for other Indian brides who wish to organize beautiful and unique Indian weddings here in Australia. I want to feature real brides and their weddings, take inspiration from the Indian fashion world and raise the bar on what is possible in terms of an Indian wedding here in Australia. A key area of focus is therefore building a credible hand picked collection of vendors who are the best at what they do and have outstanding experience with Indian weddings!”

About Chika and I
“My fiancé, Chika and I met briefly at our university in Melbourne but did not get to know each other until he moved up to Sydney for work. We were both in investment banking at the time and although we were working long hours, it was easy to catchup for coffees or lunches since we worked in the same building. Over time we became really good friends which eventually turned into something more and now we’re about to get married in a few months! We currently live and work in Sydney. Organising a wedding in Melbourne with family living in 4 different cities has meant a lot of emails, long phone calls and Skype sessions. But it’s been great fun! We are so excited about getting married later this year in Melbourne and can’t wait to celebrate with our family and closest friends.

NRI Brides (already-wed or to-be-wed) we’d love to feature your experiences here– what was it like (or what is it like) to plan an Indian wedding abroad- the fun, the travails and the big challenges. Write to us at weddingsutra@gmail.com with your name, date (and venue) of wedding, a few photos (from the engagement ceremony or the wedding) and we’ll get in touch with you!

We wish we can attend all the destination weddings we get invited to by Wedding Planners, Celebrities and our readers, but sadly we can’t. But when Rani of Revel Events, Hong Kong informed us about this upcoming wedding in Cebu, Philippines we knew we had to take a break from work and travel all the way from Mumbai via Singapore to Philippines.

Benita Mahtani and Rahul Chandiramani from London got married in Cebu last week, and while we will be featuring the wedding on ‘Real Destination Weddings’ after we receive more photos from the official photographers (Picture Perfect India) we couldn’t wait to tell you more about Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu and the celebrations there.

Just Married Benita and Rahul

1. So many ‘Party Zones’ at one resort
The General Manager of Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Sparightly referred to their many indoor and outdoor venues as their many ‘party zones’. From the welcome party at the sea-side Cowrie Cove, to the pool party and post-parties at the Ballrooms and the Marquee, each of the traditional and fun celebrations were held at different venues. So while we stayed in the resort for three days, we felt as if we had visited so many places, all just a few minutes away.

Cowrie Cove, the venue for the Welcome Party

Benita and Rahul at Cowrie Cove

2. The Ocean Wing
The Mahtanis and Chandiramanis booked the entire Ocean Wing of the resort. The lobby of the wing where the wedding desk was located has a different feel altogether, unlike the busy lobby of a sprawling resort or hotel. As a unique wing, the Ocean Wing with a separate entrance and quick check-in services offers elegant comfort for discerning travellers who seek the finest in luxury living. Many of Shangri-la’s Resort properties have an Ocean Wing and are now much sought-after for destination weddings.

3. The Special Gesture of Thanks
We witnessed this for the first time at a wedding- at the finale dinner, the hosts called on stage all the members of the core team who worked behind the scenes to thank them for their hard work and dedication- The General Manager and Events team of Shangri-La, Wedding Planner Stanz and her team, Wedding Coordinator Rani Moriani from Hong Kong, Artiste Manager Rahul Idnani from Hong Kong, Entertainment Manager Ankur Sagar and team, Choreographers Swapniel Desai & Dhanraj Panchal and the dance troupe and bundle of ‘energy’ Kubra Sait who was the MC for all the functions.

The families thank the teams at the Grand Reception at The Marquee

4. An ever-smiling Wedding Planner
In the last few years Stanz Catalan from Cebu has organized a few Indian weddings in her city. She tells us that she always looks forward to organizing an Indian wedding despite the huge responsibility that comes with it. And while she is now confident of taking on more shaadis she admits she will call herself a ‘Shaadi Specialist’ after she makes a trip to India. What was special about Stanz was how she radiated warmth and stayed patient and courteous always, even with the last-minute tensions that are inevitable when managing a big Indian wedding.

Mandap by the beach. Stanz Catalan’s team at work

5. Far, yet not far
For guests who were travelling from Singapore and Hong Kong, Cebu is not too far but for guests travelling from India, the journey initially seemed far. At the airport we met some guests travelling back to India- they talked about how they wondered ‘why Cebu’, but now they are so glad they got to stay at the mesmerising resort and attend a super-fun and truly well organised celebration.

Our blog post on Cebu will be incomplete without a mention of the live wedding webcast which Kishore Samtani (the Grooms’ uncle) organized for his mother (i.e. the Groom’s grandmother) to watch the celebrations live in Mumbai. At the finale function the grandmother’s message was live webcast in Cebu. She could not attend the celebration due to her frail health, but the moment the cameras turned to her, seeing the audience she jumped up with joy and exclaimed how she was delighted to see her grandson get married- this was indeed one of the most emotional moments at the magnificent sit-down dinner with lots of teary speeches, dances and live entertainment.

Travel to Cebu- SilkAir operates 12 weekly flights to Cebu from Singapore. As the regional wing of Singapore Airlines; SilkAir is a premium, short-to-medium haul carrier and has a unique appeal amongst leisure and business travelers in Asia Pacific. Singapore Airlines and SilkAir’s combined schedule feature 85 weekly flights from 11 cities (Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram) in India to Singapore. Whilst offering carefully selected meals, a full bar service and elements of in-flight entertainment, SilkAir places great emphasis on providing attentive, friendly and relaxing service. For more details log on to www.silkair.com.

Photos Courtesy- Picture Perfect India

The season’s line-up of high profile shaadis started off in October with a destination wedding in Chantilly, France. Gokul Agarwal, scion of RNA Builders married Shloka, a lifestyle journalist, whose parents are Devangana and Vijay Chhabria (owner of Sea Palace Hotel, Colaba).  The 300 plus guests stayed in different hotels in the lace town and the celebrations began with a ‘Moulin Rouge’ theme sangeet at Le Musee du Cheval, where guests turned up in lace gowns, furs and masks. Day two was an Indian-theme night at an airport hangar where singer Mika performed. The main wedding ceremony was held at a magnificent castle.

Shloka and Gokul Agarwal

Last month, Mumbai was talking about two big ‘Bank’ weddings. Both were not big, fat weddings though. HDFC Bank Chairman Deepak Parekh’s son Siddharth wed his English-American girlfriend Claire O’Neil at an intimate celebration in Jodhpur. The functions included the Sangeet at Mehrangarh Fort, the Christian wedding at the Balsamand Lake Palace, and traditional Indian nuptials at Umaid Bhawan. The groom, an Entrepreneur and his bride, who works with the Taj Group of Hotels both wanted a private ceremony and the wedding was managed by Divinity Weddings from Mumbai. The guest list was small and all were requested not to give any wedding presents and donate to the charity Apne Aap Women’s Collective.

ICICI Bank head-honcho Chanda Kochhar opted for a good ol’ home town celebration for her daughter Aarti’s marriage to Aditya Kaji. The functions all elegant dinners with the who’s who of corporate India in attendance were held at Taj Mahal Palace, Taj Lands End and The Trident. Nita Ambani who is close to the groom’s family hosted a garba theme celebration at Antilla.

Aarti Kochhar and Aditya Kaji

The groom’s mother and bride’s parents with Nita and Mukesh Ambani

Delhi is talking about the big, fat wedding of Pallavi Lodha, daughter of Parasmal Lodha (part-owner of Peerless Finance) and Rahul Jain, son of FIEM Group’s Dr JK Jain. The pre-wedding functions were held at the Lodha’s 150-acre farm at Chattapur where singers Arijit Singh and Atif Aslam performed. The main wedding ceremony was held at a former PM’s sprawling residence.

Jaipur was witness to a ‘starry’ celebration when corporate head-honcho Sunil Alagh and actress Maya Alagh’s daughter Anjori, also an actress wed Delhi businessman Rohit Goyal. The celebrations were held at Samode Palace, Samode Bagh and ITC Rajputana and co-ordinated by Svaha Wedding & Special Events. Over 300 guests including Hrithik Roshan and Zayed Khan were there at the three-day celebrations. DJ Aqeel a close friend of the bride’s brother-in-law (Sameer Nair, Group CEO of Balaji Telefilms), kept the guests grooving till the early hours at the finale party.

If its a celebration in the family of Bollywood’s favorite couturier Manish Malhotra we needn’t tell you that it sparkled with star guests. Or that the bride wore the most mesmerizing Manish Malhotra ensemble! The ace designer’s niece Rriddhi wed Tejas Talwalkar (from the Talwalkar fitness chain family) and K Jo, Rekha, Sridevi, Urmila Matondkar, Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna and Priyanka Khanna were there. All the celebrations (Sangeet, Pheras and Reception) were held at JW Marriott and styled by Gurleen M Puri.

Tejas Talwalkar and Manish Malhotra’s niece Rridhi

Sridevi & Boney Kapoor, Rekha, Sidharth Roy Kapoor & Vidya Balan at the wedding

Rridhi and Tejas with Manish Malhotra and Punit Malhotra

Venue- JW Marriott. The decor for Sangeet, Reception (Banquet Hall) and Wedding (pool-side) by Gurleen M Puri

A blog post on glittering weddings will be incomplete without a mention of the ’21 Carat Weddings’ i.e. of the scions of most well-known Jewellers and Diamond Merchants. Delhi’s Hazoorilal Jewellers hosted the most spectacular celebration in Udaipur and Delhi with each event being styled by ace couturiers and managed by a different event companies. Mumbai’s TBZ family on the other hand hosted a private celebration at Grand Hyatt, Goa. Between this month and next, some of the biggest diamond merchants from India and Belgium are hosting weddings at the city’s newest mega wedding hot-spot- NSCI, Worli

Weddings 2015
The society wedding of 2015 is expected to be that of NRI business magnate Sanjay Hinduja with designer Anu (Mahtani) Mirchandani. According to a relative of the groom, the to-be-weds and their closest friend, a prominent Mumbai socialite are working with the finest talent from the world of weddings to make the Udaipur celebration a truly magnificent affair. After the 3-day celebrations at different venues like Jagmandir Island Palace, The Zenana Mahal and City Palace, the celebrations will continue in Mumbai with a reception at a South Mumbai hotel. In fact the same Udaipur venues hosted a very high profile wedding between November 21st and 24th. Ambika Patni, the daughter of the late IT business magnate Narendra Patni wed Scott Kennedy (from President Kenney’s clan) and guests flew in from over 20 countries for the celebrations at Zenana Mahal and Jag Mandir.

When interior designer and top art collection Kavita Singh and her husband Jasjit Singh (MD of Associated Capsules) hosted their son’s wedding at Umaid Bhawan Palace, The Gipsy Kings were flown in from South of France to perform live, and it was billed as the wow wedding of the year. Now their daughter Nandini Singh is engaged to Tariq Premji, son of of IT Mogul Azim Premji. But this time the Singhs have decided to keep it simple and low-key, much like the way billionnaire Premji known for his austere lifestyle would like it too; most likely the nuptials will be held close to Mumbai, in February or March 2015.

Power Wedding Makers

Decor & Design- Q Events by Geeta Samuel, Gurleen M Puri, Dhun Cordo, Vandana Mohan
Event Planning- Aditya Motwane (MEW- Motwane Entertainment & Weddings), Divinity Weddings, Seven Steps (Seventy EMG), Cox & Kings (Wedding Division)
Catering- Chef Hemant Oberoi (Taj Group), Sanjay Vazirani (Food Link), Puneet Sikand, Virender Handa (Creative Cuisines)

Last month, we told you about the impending wedding of UK based billionnaire Sanjay Hinduja and designer Anu Mirchandani (Anu Mahtani). Click here to read the post. In the last few days, friends of the to-be-weds have been telling us about how this will indeed be the destination wedding of the year. The celebrations commence at the sprawling Hinduja bungalow in Juhu tomorrow, after which the Mahtanis will be hosting a pre-wedding reception at the Taj Mahal Palace in Colaba. And from 10th onwards, it will be three days of traditional festivities and parties in Udaipur. Over 800 guests will be flying in from over 20 countries and the celebrations there will begin with a Cocktail at the Manek Chowk, a poolside Mehendi at Shiv Niwas Palace, the Sangeet at The Zenana Mahal and the mega Wedding at the picturesque Jagmandir Island Palace.

Now the big news is this– Jennifer Lopez will be hitting the stage to celebrate the nuptials of the couple and she will be in Udaipur with her entourage of numerous dancers, backup singers and makeup artists, along with 20 tons of sound equipment. While the company taking care of entertainment for the wedding (Wedniksha- a division of Wizcraft) have kept all details under wraps we are told that in all likelihood Lopez will be staying at the Kohinoor Suite of The Oberoi Udaivilas. At Rs 3 lakh +/ Night it is one of the most expensive suites in the country, spread over 2650 sq ft with expansive views of the City Palace and Aravalli Hills. Obviously that is small price to pay for the stay of a singer who reportedly charges $1 million dollars to perform at a social event.

The Oberoi Udaivilas

And while Wedniksha is taking care of all entertainment for the three days celebrations, the families have roped in Cox & Kings to manage the logistics & hospitality while ace wedding designer Dhun Cordo is styling most of the functions. And how can a mega Indian wedding be complete without star performers from B-town? Malaika Arora Khan and Akshay Kumar, we hear will be present at the lavish celebrations and entertain the elite guests.

WeddingSutra wishes Anu and Sanjay a fabulous life together. Watch this space for more news on their big ticket and rocking affair!

Manek Chowk

Shiv Niwas Palace exterior and poolside.

The Zenana Mahal

Jagmandir Island Palace

Travel + Leisure India & South Asia announced the results of its fourth edition of the India’s Best Awards 2014 at The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences. Thailand bagged ‘The Best Wedding Destination’, this is the fourth year in a row where Thailand has received the best wedding destination award from Travel + Leisure. The polling was conducted as a reader’s choice both through the magazine and online in 2014 over a period of 6 months. In addition to this, opinions of a panel of outstanding experts were also taken into consideration.

Ms. Runjuan Tongrut, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand receives the award on behalf of her organisation.

Thailand’s blissful and spectacular beaches, tropical climate, misty mountains, diverse & fascinating culture, hospitable people, exotic cuisine and world class luxury hotels & resorts attract visitors and keep bringing them back, so much that it features among the most popular tourist destinations in South East Asia. Beside traditional and grand wedding celebrations,Thailand’s Underwater Weddings,Jungle Weddings and Cruise Weddings are also gaining popularity.

Every year around 200 Indian weddings are held in Thailand at different exotic locations- while venues in Bangkok, Hua Hin and Phuket like Shangri-La Hotel and Anantara Riverside Resort & Spa Bangkok, Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa and Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket are some of the venues where many Indian weddings are held, the newer destinations in Rayong and Koh Chang are the new choices for destination weddings and social events.

Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok

Secret Garden at Shangri-La Hotel, Chiang Mai

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket

Not only from India, couples from all over the world choose Thailand for their dream wedding and honeymoon. Besides weddings, celebrations such as birthdays, anniversary parties, family re-unions are a common feature in Thailand. As it is rightly said-  Discover Thainess in Amazing Thailand and get an amazing experience, be it a holiday, honeymoon or a celebration!

http://www.weddingsutra.com/Thailand/

With its coastal beauty, towering mountains, enchanting desert and rich history and culture, Oman is the new luxury destination to say ‘I do’. You can plan a big Indian wedding or an intimate affair by the Omani shores or by the picturesque backdrop of the mountains. Or set sail on a luxury yacht with a small group and discover the dramatic coastline with its secluded coves and private islands. Oman is home to some magnificent and Arabian-palace like hotels & resorts, offering finest, modern infrastructure, with indoor and outdoor settings which are perfect for a 2 day or 3 day Indian wedding. We speak to Lubaina Sheerazi-  India Representative of Ministry of Tourism, Oman, who tells us why many well-heeled Indians want to host a destination wedding in this Oasis of Luxury.

Designer Nishka Lulla is getting married to South Mumbai businessman Dhruv Mehra, and the celebrations commenced with an elegant brunch at Michelan-star restaurant Hakkasan Mumbai. After their temple wedding tomorrow, the post-wedding celebrations take place at the riverside Anantara Bangkok next weekend.

Nishka Lulla and Dhruv Mehra

Present at the intimate afternoon were some well-known faces of Mumbai society including several clients of the bride’s mother, celebrated designer Neeta Lulla. Those who arrived early included Designer/ Politician Shaina NC, Actresses Neha Dhupia, Juhi Chawla, Nimrat Kaur, Tamannaah and Esha Deol who came with husband Bharat Takhtani. Shilpa Shetty’s parents and her sister Shamita were there, while Aishwarya Rai came with father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan.

Just Engaged. With Neeta Lulla, Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Actress Nimrat Kaur

Esha Deol and husband Bharat Takhtani, Neeta Lulla and Neha Dhupia.

Juhi Chawla

Malini Agarwal (MissMalini)

Parthip Thyagarajan (WeddingSutra.com), Designer Anita Dongre, Anjali and Pradeep Jethani of Jet Gems.

Raj Kundra and Shamita Shetty

Sunita and Ashutosh Gowariker

Actress Tammannaah

Nishka wore a Cinderella inspired gown designed by Neeta Lulla, and delicate jewellery by Gehna Jewellers while Dhruv looked dapper in a Nikhil Bhandari suit. Dhruv’s parents and Nishka’s parents and brother Siddharth Lulla (who runs Whistling Woods- Neeta Lulla School of Fashion) played gracious hosts and there was a lot of love and warmth in the air. The very talented and articulate Nishka has been a fan of WeddingSutra fan since long and at the brunch we were thrilled when she informed us how often she logged onto to our pages for help with wedding preps. “I even found the amazing candid photographers– WeddingNama thanks to your Photographers Showcase. And your micro-site on Thailand has the most comprehensive information on how to plan a Destination Wedding there”, she stated.

Here’s wishing Nishka and Dhruv all luck with last-minute wedding preps, a splendid celebration in Bangkok and a beautiful journey ahead!

Photos Courtesy- WeddingNama

Luxurious Oman is looking forward to hosting many more Indian weddings in 2015 and 2016. On Monday this week, Tourism Oman’s Mumbai office hosted an evening for select wedding planners and travel specialists. Among those present were Sushil Wadhwa of Platinum World Weddings, Purvi and Ajay Modgil of F5 Weddings, Sneha Tejwani and Anisha Bathija of Occasionz Unlimited and Manoj Gopalani of Var Vadhu.

Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Tourism Oman

After the presentations by Mr Salim Al Mamari, Director General of Tourism Promotion and Mr Mohammed Al Riyami, Tourism Marketing Specialist and Lubaina Sheerazi, the India Representative the wedding and travel specialists interacted with board officials and representatives from different hotels in Oman. The conversations revolved around how Oman has become the preferred destination for discerning travelers seeking a distinctive experience that is unrivaled. Norman Eleazar of Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa (the 124 acre resort comprises three hotels and is sandwiched between the Gulf of Oman and the mountains) while interacting with Wedding Planners spoke about one of the biggest destination weddings they have hosted till date– a 3 day affair, the majority of guests totaling over 700 were from Gujarat, Mumbai and other parts of the world.

Mostafa Abdelfattah (Six Senses Zighy Bay), Lubaina Sheerazi and Rami Farhat (Al Bustan Palace)

Sneha Tejwani (Occassionz Unlimited), Lubaina Sheerazi, Anisha Bathija (Occassionz Unlimited) and Parthip Thyagarajan (WeddingSutra.com)

Purvi and Ajay Modgil (F5 Weddings), Aman Bhatia and J. Manoj Dass (Tour Oman)

Nomran Elezar (Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa), Lubaina Sheerazi and Aftab Syed (Millennium Resort)

Sushil Wadhwa (Platinum World), Sneha Tejwani and Anisha Bathija (Occassionz Unlimited), Parthip Thyagarajan (WeddingSutra.com)

With its wonderful climate during winter, glorious mountains and a thousand-odd miles of seaside, many resorts in Oman make for a picture perfect wedding venue. Rami Farhat of Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel talked about how many well-heeled Indians are interested in this relatively undiscovered destination for both weddings and social events.  Aftab Syed of Millennium Resort Mussanah, spoke about how they are looking forward to hosting their first big Indian wedding later this year. Mostafa Abdelfattah from Six Senses Zighy Bay, the uber luxury resort on a sandy beach below the sheer Hajar Mountains spoke about how their all-villa resort is ‘the’ destination for those seeking an isolated beach setting and a resort with the most exemplary service. Built in the style of a traditional Omani village, Zighy Bay has villas constructed with local materials, and each comes with its own private pool and butler service.

To know more about Weddings in Oman visit http://www.weddingsutra.com/travel/oman_tourism.asp

Also read
Interview with Lubaina Sheerazi
Our favorite places to stay in Oman

Photos Courtesy- Fotografia 9

Mumbai is talking about the scintillating engagement ceremony held at the Crystal Room of The Taj Mahal Palace on 18th July. Parth Jindal, the youngest son of business magnate Sajjan Jindal and philanthropist Sangita Jindal got engaged to Anushree Jasani and the venues were transformed into a ‘Tropical Forest’. One guest quipped: “This was indeed one of the finest banquet celebrations I have ever attended in Mumbai”. On further probing we learnt Sangita Jindal met with the most sought-after wedding designers in Mumbai and Delhi and the task was finally assigned to Tanaz from Mumbai’s ‘Daver Decorators’ who worked along with top florist Havovi Readymoney to execute the project which was mammoth by Mumbai standards.

When we walked by the lobby of the Taj on Saturday evening, the place was buzzing with shaadi activity, as is always the case on auspicious dates. We spotted Makeup Artist Vipul Bhagat, Saree Drapist Dolly Jain, and the Talent Managers of Singers Pritam and Kanika Kapoor, both of who performed at the celebration on Saturday night.

And now for the all-important question. Where will the wedding be held? The grooms parents hosted one of the most talked about Destination Weddings in 2010 when their younger daughter Tanvi wed Krishna Shete at the Villa Le Rose in Florence. A year later Tanvi’s elder sister Tarini’s was a home town wedding when she married Vikram Handa from Delhi. The pre-wedding party was at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa, Maldives, after which  the mega wedding was held at the Jindal farmhouses in Delhi. So will Parth who is currently pursuing his MBA at the Harvard Business School get married in Mumbai or will it be a destination wedding in Europe or at the finest Taj properties in India like Umaid Bhawan or Rambagh Palace? According to close friends, the wedding will take place next year and in all likelihood the destination is Vienna, Austria. Wow! We’ll be watching and will keep you updated!

Singers Kanika Kapoor and Pritam performed at the Engagement at Crystal Room

You read it here first!

WeddingSutra’s eye in the sky brings you a roundup of the most high profile, fashionable nuptials this season. Across royal palaces in Rajasthan, exotic resorts in the Middle East to the most luxurious villas in Italy, this season too, the big fat Indian wedding is a globe-trotting one.

Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa’s Al Waha Hotel, Oman
“This wedding season it’s R’Oman’ce all the way”, says a top destination-wedding planner. He is referring to Oman, the hottest new wedding destination. Enquiries about how to organize a wedding in the stunning Sultanate of Oman are flooding Indian wedding planners. Krupa Khimji, an Oman based Indian wedding planner is reportedly at the helm of two magnificent weddings taking place there. The venues for the shaadis include the Shangri-La’a Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, a luxurious and romantic wedding venue situated between the Hajar mountain range and the Sea of Oman, and the Al-Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel and the Millennium Resort. The wedding at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, is expected to be a grand destination wedding with Bollywood glitterati in attendance– the bride, Sasha Rawal, is the sister of a leading Bollywood designer (Kunal Rawal) while her fiancé Samarth Bajaj is the scion of a big business family.

Waldorf Astoria, Ras Al Khaimah
A 40-minute drive from Dubai, this beach-front resort offers palatial rooms, stylish dining and an 18-hole golf course. Situated between the desert, the mountains and the shores of Ras Al Khaimah, this property was built with luxurious weddings and big events in mind. One of the biggest destination weddings of the season takes place here in November. The Kolkata based Belanis are hosting their son’s wedding and the functions include a welcome dinner at Amasi Beach at Al Hamra Palace Hotel, the Mehendi on the lawns of the Waldorf Astoria, the Sangeet at Bassata Desert and a reception dinner at the Al Hamra Golf Club.

 Villa Corti, Florence, Italy
“Amiamo l’Italia!” Indians cannot resist this stylish, sparkling gem in Europe. Every wedding season, at least one big Indian wedding finds its way to Florence, which has now emerged as one of our favorite wedding destinations. November will witness a Dubai-London alliance in stunning Firenze. Over 400 guests have received an exquisite invitation to the three-day celebrations (a Florence-Indian themed card designed by Delhi’s Vivek Sahni). Guests will reside at the St Regis and The Westin and the celebrations take place at five different venues including Villa Corti, a lavish renaissance villa set in a small town in the Tuscan countryside near Florence. With its own vineyards and olive groves, this property is a blend of traditional European luxury with modern-day pampering.

Samode Palace, Rajasthan
Rishabh Thakkar, a Mumbai based businessman is tying the knot with writer and actress Sukhmani Sadana, at Samode Palace, Jaipur. The wedding is expected to be a chic, elegant affair. Though Jaipur’s Fairmont is the hottest new venue in Rajasthan, Samode Palace set in a village, a long drive away from Jaipur, deep into the Rajasthan desert, is a popular haunt for the rich and famous seeking privacy for a traditional wedding experience. Last year, actress Anjori Alagh, daughter of Sunil and Maya Alagh also tied the knot there.

Another Jaipur celebration (a post-wedding affair) that is marked on the calendar of the country’s who’s who is of Aditi Kothari, daughter of top investment banker, Hemendra Kothari. Aditi tied the knot with Vikram Desai at a very simple ceremony in Mumbai some months ago but the post-wedding celebrations in Jaipur are expected to be a lavish affair at iconic properties like the Sujan Rajmahal Palace and Jaigarh Fort.

Qasar Al Sarab, Anantara, Abu Dubai
The Anantara managed resort set in the largest uninterrupted desert in the world, spells luxury and opulence like only an Arab experience can. Its villas and spa are designed to reflect the quintessential royal lavishness of the Middle East. This will be the venue for a high profile wedding (the bride’s family is from Dubai while the groom is a scion of the Raheja family). We asked one of the close friends of the groom on why he chose this unusual desert property. “It’s a place where no Indian wedding has ever taken place. Also, Abu Dhabi is just a short flight away from Mumbai so it’s a win-win, offering privacy as well as a novel experience”.

Grand Hyatt Goa
When the bride is the daughter of the owner of India’s top events & wedding company you can be sure that this celebration will be incredible. But Khushi Singh, daughter of Percept’s Chairman & MD Harry (Harindra) Singh who also manages Percept’s wedding division, laughs, “I’ve been busy planning other weddings, so in all likelihood my own wedding will be a simpler affair!” The venue is the Grand Hyatt, Goa. “Needless to say it’s being planned by Percept, with some help from my dear friend and ace wedding planner Aditya Motwane”, states Khushi.

And speaking of old money families, we can’t help mention the home-weddings. After all, some of the most well-heeled yet low profile own the most stunning weekend homes. Later this year, the Crishna’s (actor/ corporate head honcho Vijay Crishna and his industrialist wife Smita Crishna Godrej) host their daughter’s wedding at their beach-side home in Alibaug. The groom-to-be is a scion of Indore’s Holkar family.

And train your sights on Austria in the coming year. Parth Jindal, the son of Sangita and Sajjan Jindal will tie the knot in old world city Vienna. Incidentally, Sangita and Sajjan Jindal hosted one of the first high profile destination weddings in Europe, when their daughter Tanvi wed Krishna Shete in Florence. The Jindals are now in the process of finalizing the venues for the fairytale wedding, which is expected to take place across four different imperial palaces and idyllic venues. Watch this space for more!

The Wedding & Event Management companies planning some of these weddings include:
Motwane Entertainment & Weddings (MEW)
Kamal Khera
Weddings by Tamarind Global
Divinity Weddings
Percept Weddings
Svaha Events
Mosaic Events, Muscat

The much-in-the-news destination wedding this season is of Roshni and Rohan. Roshni is from London and Rohan’s father Yogesh Mehta is a Dubai-based business magnate. Here’s more about the RoRo wedding and the pics courtesy Daily Mail and dotdusk studios (New Delhi).

The three day celebrations took place across different hotels and venues including The St Regis and Villa Corti, a lavish renaissance villa set in a small town in the Tuscan countryside near Florence. Over 500 guests flew in from all over the world to attend the luxe affair.

The wedding was managed by Mumbai’s Aditya Motwane and his team at MEW (Motwane Entertainment & Weddings) while the décor & design was conceptualized by WDC (Wedding Design Company).

The bride & groom wore creations by designers Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra, both of whom were also present at the celebrations. The invites were designed by Vivek Sahni Design.

Initially, the groom was to arrive on an elephant but the city’s council objected to the idea citing health and safety issues and animal welfare concerns. But that didn’t cause any hindrance to the festivities. The groom arrived atop his friends’ shoulders amid a sea of pink turbans while Popular Bollywood Singer Sukhbir belted classic shaadi songs. DJ Zubair and DJ Sameer from Dubai kept the energy levels high at all the celebrations.

The guests feasted on a lavish spread planned by Delhi’s Ritu Dalmia (Diva Restaurants) and Puneet Sikand (The Kitchen Art Co.), luxe restaurant Indian Accent and Italy based Federico Salza.

The groom’s father is one of the largest independent petrochemical distributors in the Middle East. He also owns the Raging Tiger events company, which stages a number of concerts and balls across UAE.

Are you getting married? Is the hunt for the perfect photographer and cinematographer weighing you down? Are you confused by the myriad terms of image-capturing jargon thrown your way? Traditional, journalistic, documentary, cinematic…? If your answer is ‘yes’ to all of the above, breathe easy now, you’re in the right place.

Ace wedding photographer, Arjun Kartha has you covered with everything you need to know about Indian Wedding Cinematography.

What’s the big deal about wedding cinema?
Cinematography is the science or the art of motion picture photography. Simply put, it means shooting videos. The term originates in the film and television industry and has percolated into the wedding film industry now. This is because like wedding photography, wedding cinema has also evolved over the years. The days of rolling video footage documenting every single guest entry and sagan lifaafa delivery are over, thankfully. In fact, I have a video exactly like that from our own wedding and frankly, we’ve never had the heart to watch the entire film. It is hours of footage, spread over 6 DVDs. That’s not my idea of a wedding film.

Wedding Cinema or Cinematic Wedding Films are high quality wedding movies produced in the style of a Bollywood or Hollywood film. There’s dialogue, emotion, music and dancing. They’re creative, intimate and much more personal. Most importantly, they have a story with a clear beginning, middle and end, with the couple playing the central protagonists.

How is this different from “traditional” wedding films?
Traditionally, Indian wedding films were made in a particular way: endless, monotonous footage, merely documenting every single thing that happens at the wedding from start to finish. They were very long and almost always in a common template.

Modern day Wedding Cinema is an almost polar opposite. Today, filmmakers look at each wedding as an opportunity to create a new, unique film. Everyone involved in the filmmaking process – from the director, to the cinematographers or DoPs and the editors, are highly skilled professionals and artists in their own right. There is an effort to know the couple, their families, their story and what makes them click so as to weave that into their film, making it unique.

Apart from the story, there is great emphasis on high quality video capture, interviews to document the couples’ story in their own words as well as those of their close friends and family, and also tight editing. All of this is evident when you watch a complete, meaningful and unique film that contains every single important moment but is pacy enough to keep the viewer hooked.

What has brought on the popularity of this modern style of wedding cinema?
The growing popularity of this genre of filmmaking can be attributed to both, the demand and supply.

Couples getting married today are much more aware of the trends prevalent abroad and expect the same level of creativity and quality for themselves. The new style of wedding cinema is much more intimate and personal, making it more relatable and relevant to them. Also, wedding movie trailers are a byproduct of modern wedding cinema and today, where nothing is real unless it’s on social media, trailers shared online are quite the status symbol for couples. Most importantly, couples have made wedding photography and cinema a priority and are willing to pay the right price for good quality.

On the other hand, film crews also have unprecedented access to high quality video, audio and lighting equipment. The wedding film is approached like a regular production, with a storyline discussion, filming and interview schedule, lighting setup etc., allowing for a higher quality outcome. The crew are all highly skilled professionals in their own respective fields with vast experience in commercial film/TV/news filming. Their decision to channel their expertise towards wedding cinema comes from the satisfaction of creating a personal film as well as the opportunity to earn a fee that properly compensates their talent and creativity.

What should you look out for when looking for a wedding movie crew?
Style: First and foremost, the wedding filmmakers’ style should resonate with you. With so many different crews out there, it’s important to look at their work and decide what kind of movie you want. Do you want it to be more conversational or more documentary? Do you prefer storytelling and substance or you’d like grand frames and special effects? There are no wrong answers, just what is right for you and resonates with your personality as a couple.

Budget: Like wedding photography, wedding films are available across all budgets. The gap between the most reasonable and most expensive is vast and you need to identify the bracket that works for you. Do your research, set the bar by finding out what the industry leaders are charging and try and find a middle path between the style and quality you want and the budget you can afford.

Compatibility: We feel it is important to meet your film crew, specially the director of the film, before you make a decision. The crew will surround you during your wedding and be with you every step of the way. In fact, you will see them more than you will your partner, your parents and your best friends. So it is important that they have a personality that you like and can see yourself spending that much time with them!

Experience: Like every service, the final product of a wedding film is personalized and depends on many factors – the skill and dedication of the crew, the interest taken and involvement of the couple as well as the friends and family, time set aside by the couple to get good shots, open communication between the couple and crew to maintain expectations etc. With so many variable factors, one of the most important ones becomes the crew’s experience – those who have a reputation of consistently delivering a good body of work to their clients, being upfront about deliverables, timelines and other processes would be more preferable to those with bad street cred!

One Stop Solution: Lastly, it would make your life much easier to work with a team that can deliver candid wedding photography and cinematic wedding movies under one banner. It cuts out on duplication of coordination, effort and people management.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction to modern day wedding cinema and will make the right choice for yourself and your wedding. Have any more questions? Leave them in the comments below and we will be happy to help answer them for you.

About the Author
Arjun is a national award winning wedding photographer who believes in creating beautiful, off-beat and fun wedding memories which will last for generations to come. Along with his wife Praerna, they typically work as a husband-wife team, and are pioneers of the fledgling candid wedding photography genre in India. Arjun’s work can be found on his website, the film showcase or on Facebook