Goa - Hot Destination For Weddings
By Armstrong Vaz,
Photographs Courtesy: Stan Martins, South Goa
Doha August 17: The Hindu style wedding of Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar in Rajasthan has made it a hot destination for palace weddings for rich Indians and foreigners. But there is another state that is increasingly trying to project itself as an alternative for the rich and glamorous who want to tie the knot.
Goa, in western India, is offering its beaches and landscapes as a place to tie the knot.
Over the last three decades, Goa has been drawing foreign tourists in the thousands from Europe with its beautiful beaches. In the last few years, tourists who want to get married and those looking for cheap and reliable medical treatment have also been attracted to the state. Goa is also a hotbed for glamorous, high profile rich Indians and non-resident Indians to solemnize their marriage.
Goa is a rich mix of Western culture and traditional Hindu values. Portuguese style houses and churches give an extra dimension to this former Portuguese colony, which gained its independence in 1961 -- not to mention the Hindu temples. The natural beauty of its 105-kilometer coastline adds to its glamour.
Many a romantic union's first steps toward the aisle take place with the sun going down on the beach. Many people prefer to take the important step into holy matrimony with the waves of the sea lashing the shore and palm trees swinging in celebration.
And with the rich and famous making a beeline to get married in Goa, it has stirred up business options for a few Goans. Getting married in Goa and making all the arrangements have sent the various players into a spin.
One such glamour couple to solemnize their wedding in Goa in April was Nirvana Chaudhary and Swasti Mittal. Nirvana is the son of business tycoon Binod Chaudhary and the heir to a multimillion-dollar business empire with diverse interests all over the world. Swasti is the daughter of Ashok Mittal -- the first cousin of L. N. Mittal, the richest Indian in the world.
The wedding needs and demands of the people getting married differ. Some prefer the unusual -- an element of surprise to the guests and some want to plan it in a unique way.
An Indian Hindu wedding is a three-day affair -- the cost of which hovers in the region between 600,000 to 1,000,000 rupees.
A Goan wedding would cost 200,000 to 400,000 rupees, says Stan Matins, a wedding planner from south Goa who has been in the wedding business for the least eight years.
Getting a mahout for the bride and bridegroom to come to the wedding reception hall or take a stroll on the beach after the church ceremony, dropping flower petals from a helicopter and hiring a bullock cart are some of the unusual things wedding planners have made arrangements for.
"I got an elephant for an Indian Hindu style wedding at the Marriott hotel in Goa's state capital Panjim, for a British couple and arranged for a helicopter to drop leaflets for another," recollects Lester Melo a wedding planner from north Goa.
South African Sherwaan Sims and British Elizabeth Bowers got married in a quieter and less expensive way. Sims and Bowers solemnized their wedding in a makeshift church at Palolem beach in south Goa and then took the journey to their hotel by bullock cart. Theirs was a relatively cheap wedding.
But not all weddings are low-key affairs. Most of the weddings are not just confined to the married couple and their small group of friends but to an entourage of their friend's relatives. And with Goa having its share of casinos, the guests have their share of fun off the beach too.
Melo recalls that he booked 230 rooms at the Park Hyatt for an Indian couple who got married and booked the casino for the night as well as a triple-decker cruise Paradise boat for non-gamblers.
The lavish spending on Indian marriages has stirred a few states in their bid to cash-in on the marriage fervor. They are keen to offer a smooth ride for Indians and foreigners to get married.
Goa is increasingly vying with Rajasthan in the marriage market to attract customers.
On offer in Rajasthan are the scores of palaces dotting the state's vast landscape. The publicity that Rajasthan has got for royal weddings, will help them earn more revenue.
Ancient palaces, heritage hotels, colorful traditions and the "shahi" costumes are the main attractions offered by Rajasthan for the tourist wanting to get married. Besides camels, elephants and ethnic jewelries, Rajasthan has other attractions on offer.
"It's a big segment and we are now exploring the idea on a larger scale," says Satyen Nagwekar, marketing manager, Goa Tourism.
"We have been noticing the trend for some time now. There are a number of people from Gujarat and Bengal coming to Goa to get married on the beaches," adds Nagwekar.
Until then the two states will vie with each other and with other smaller players to carve their slice of the wedding tourism pie.
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Photographs Courtesy: Stan Martins, South Goa
Doha August 17: The Hindu style wedding of Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar in Rajasthan has made it a hot destination for palace weddings for rich Indians and foreigners. But there is another state that is increasingly trying to project itself as an alternative for the rich and glamorous who want to tie the knot.
Goa, in western India, is offering its beaches and landscapes as a place to tie the knot.
Over the last three decades, Goa has been drawing foreign tourists in the thousands from Europe with its beautiful beaches. In the last few years, tourists who want to get married and those looking for cheap and reliable medical treatment have also been attracted to the state. Goa is also a hotbed for glamorous, high profile rich Indians and non-resident Indians to solemnize their marriage.
Goa is a rich mix of Western culture and traditional Hindu values. Portuguese style houses and churches give an extra dimension to this former Portuguese colony, which gained its independence in 1961 -- not to mention the Hindu temples. The natural beauty of its 105-kilometer coastline adds to its glamour.
Many a romantic union's first steps toward the aisle take place with the sun going down on the beach. Many people prefer to take the important step into holy matrimony with the waves of the sea lashing the shore and palm trees swinging in celebration.
And with the rich and famous making a beeline to get married in Goa, it has stirred up business options for a few Goans. Getting married in Goa and making all the arrangements have sent the various players into a spin.
One such glamour couple to solemnize their wedding in Goa in April was Nirvana Chaudhary and Swasti Mittal. Nirvana is the son of business tycoon Binod Chaudhary and the heir to a multimillion-dollar business empire with diverse interests all over the world. Swasti is the daughter of Ashok Mittal -- the first cousin of L. N. Mittal, the richest Indian in the world.
The wedding needs and demands of the people getting married differ. Some prefer the unusual -- an element of surprise to the guests and some want to plan it in a unique way.
An Indian Hindu wedding is a three-day affair -- the cost of which hovers in the region between 600,000 to 1,000,000 rupees.
A Goan wedding would cost 200,000 to 400,000 rupees, says Stan Matins, a wedding planner from south Goa who has been in the wedding business for the least eight years.
Getting a mahout for the bride and bridegroom to come to the wedding reception hall or take a stroll on the beach after the church ceremony, dropping flower petals from a helicopter and hiring a bullock cart are some of the unusual things wedding planners have made arrangements for.
"I got an elephant for an Indian Hindu style wedding at the Marriott hotel in Goa's state capital Panjim, for a British couple and arranged for a helicopter to drop leaflets for another," recollects Lester Melo a wedding planner from north Goa.
South African Sherwaan Sims and British Elizabeth Bowers got married in a quieter and less expensive way. Sims and Bowers solemnized their wedding in a makeshift church at Palolem beach in south Goa and then took the journey to their hotel by bullock cart. Theirs was a relatively cheap wedding.
But not all weddings are low-key affairs. Most of the weddings are not just confined to the married couple and their small group of friends but to an entourage of their friend's relatives. And with Goa having its share of casinos, the guests have their share of fun off the beach too.
Melo recalls that he booked 230 rooms at the Park Hyatt for an Indian couple who got married and booked the casino for the night as well as a triple-decker cruise Paradise boat for non-gamblers.
The lavish spending on Indian marriages has stirred a few states in their bid to cash-in on the marriage fervor. They are keen to offer a smooth ride for Indians and foreigners to get married.
Goa is increasingly vying with Rajasthan in the marriage market to attract customers.
On offer in Rajasthan are the scores of palaces dotting the state's vast landscape. The publicity that Rajasthan has got for royal weddings, will help them earn more revenue.
Ancient palaces, heritage hotels, colorful traditions and the "shahi" costumes are the main attractions offered by Rajasthan for the tourist wanting to get married. Besides camels, elephants and ethnic jewelries, Rajasthan has other attractions on offer.
"It's a big segment and we are now exploring the idea on a larger scale," says Satyen Nagwekar, marketing manager, Goa Tourism.
"We have been noticing the trend for some time now. There are a number of people from Gujarat and Bengal coming to Goa to get married on the beaches," adds Nagwekar.
Until then the two states will vie with each other and with other smaller players to carve their slice of the wedding tourism pie.
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=50664
Nice blog, thanks for sharing such blog.
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