Sheena and Ritesh, one of the most lovely and lively couple we have had is featured on Wedding Sutra.

http://weddingsutra.com/desti_wed/featured_SheenaRadia.asp

Wedding Sutra is well-known as the most popular ezine on Indian Weddings, and the most comprehensive resource on Indian Weddings.

More about Sheena and Ritesh’s Wedding in Goa

Please take a moment to check these Website Links which could be useful for you to chose the Suppliers.

Travel to India
Travel made Easy : Hotel Bookings and online Travel assistance for Wedding Guests

Wedding Photographers
PhotoTantra : Bangalore based Wedding Photography company
Perfect Day Studios : Based in UK and cover Destination Wedding assignments

Kerala

Destination Weddings in Kerala is still a novice and yet to be developed concept but it stands a perfect competitor to any of international destination in the World. Kerala has already marked its powerful presence on world tourist map, several Charter Holiday makers are flying in Groups every year to experience this mini India and enjoy the variety of tourist spots ranging from secluded beaches to backwater Resorts, Spa and Ayurveda Centers, Hill Stations, Wildlife and nonetheless romantic Houseboat breaks.

For those who are new to Kerala, “On the southwestern coast of India, almost touching the tip of the peninsula, Kerala occupies the region known as the Malabar Coast. It is surrounded by the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Kerala is like a narrow strip of land lying between the Arabian Sea to the west and the hill ranges called Western Ghats. This geography defines Kerala’s main identity as a green, rain-rich state filled with inland water bodies.”

Some of the most popular Tourist spots in Kerala are
Kochi – A Metro Town with thousands of year old culture still persisting in everybody’s daily life. It has an International Airport.

Kumarakom – Backwater, Houseboat and Luxury Resorts

Alleppey – Beaches

Munnar – Hill Station and Spice Gardens

Thekaddy – Wildlife

Kovalam – Beach

Trivendrum – Beach and Metro life

Several others such as Palakkad, Iddukki, Kollam etc are equally magnificent.

Kerala - God's own country

If you are Planning a Wedding in Kerala, the first thing to consider is the natural theme and you have so many choices to pick from. The Beaches are generally clean and areas attached to Resorts are isolated. Houseboats are fit for a very small gathering and couple only, Hill Station Resorts have superb green surroundings at an altitude, Backwater Resorts offer variety of cultural experiences with modern day luxury. So not only does you and your guests could have a great time enjoying wedding but also spend their Holidays touring around Kearala.

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Logistically speaking Kerara is very well connected with majority of International Destinations via direct or indirect Flights (via Mumbai). Its easy to move in and around Kerala since the distances are not too large. Traditional as well as Western Weddings could be well planned and there is an easy access to Decorators, Florists, Entertainment companies, services like Wedding Minister, Photographers and Videographers etc. everything is available but need to be sourced in deliberately. It is little difficult to translate the regular Supplier into what is demanded into a Destination Wedding (normally minimalism with a class) however Wedding Planner could play a good role here for you.

Elephants which have been an Indian Icon and a dream for many to have their presence in Wedding could be well taken care of, infact your Wedding procession could have as many as Elephants you want. Folk Dancers would amaze you with live performances while South Indian and international cuisine would add up to memorable wedding.

There are Resorts and Hotels available into various sizes and budgets making it possible to hire out complete place and have a full privacy during the 2-3 days of wedding festivities. In the coming weeks I shall be reviewing several Spots and Venues in specific from Weddings point of view, so if you are leaning for a Wedding in Kearala, do keep reading this section.

Just came across this really amazing piece of Cinematography by Pacific Pictures. A live wedding shot in Udaipur experimented with some planned script.

Kudos to Pacific Pictures! Every couple would now be dreaming of their wedding being shot like this one,

Udaipur looks stunning as always and the movie shows around the Jagmandir, Lake Pichola and old city area very beautifully.

“CITY OF LAKES” The Feature

Chunda Palace is a great example of heritage architecture in modern days. This grand Haveli (no less than a Palace) offers 56 Rooms and Suites at 3 levels. Chunda Palace is located next to Oberoi Udai Vilas with green surroundings and one of the best views from any Room. It overlooks the Lake Pichola, City Palace and Aravali hill ranges.

Chunda Palace

Every level has its own Swimming Pool including the Terrace. Rooms are as large as suites with all the modern comforts like LCD Televisions, Minibar, Jaccuzzi in Bathrooms, Large Beds with really comfortable Mattresses.

The best and unique part of property is the paintings and art work on Walls and Roofs. The paintings resemble the Frescoes of Mandawa region and have been done by the local Artists with lot of intricacy.

In terms of Wedding Venues, I found the Terrace to be simply amazing! It has a capacity of 350-400 guests seated. An airconed indoor hall combined with Terrace makes a logical combination to have early evening functions inside and then rest of event at Terrace outdoor. It has the larges roof top Swimming Pool in Udaipur. The traditional Gazebos (gokhdas) adds upto charm of terrace. There is a separate Bar on the terrace which can hold 80-90 guests conveniently.

There are several other open spaces to have the pre wedding events like Courtyard, Restaurant at the base level. Chunda Palace is planned to be commercially operational by July this year. It surely looks like a very promising spot for holiday and wedding.

Hey Guys!

Am excited to see the new looks of my website
Have tried to make the various sections more visible and presentable.

I am also adding a feature of “instant consultation by Phone/Chat”.
This shall be helpful for couples who are at the very beginning stage of planning a wedding in India and have no idea where to start from. This is going to be a paid session (approx US$2/minute on phone and US$60/hour on Chat).

Please feel free to give your feedback and suggestions

How soon before your wedding should you hire a photographer?
In most cases you should start looking for a photographer almost as soon as you book your other major wedding arrangements like Venue, Hotel and wedding planner. Keep in mind most of the better photographers are taken a year or more in advance.

What is the advantage of hiring a professional?
A professional takes photographs for a living. As a professional, you can be assured of receiving the highest quality in service and photographs. A professional photographer uses the best equipment and labs to assure your satisfaction. Photojournalist approach of a Wedding eveny has gained lot of popularity in India as well and its not very difficult to locate a Photojournalist in India.

What questions should I be asking?
After you have established that your date is available, be sure to ask these questions:

- How long they have been in business?
- Who will be photographing my wedding?
- What kind of packages and pricing are they offering?
- How soon after my wedding will my photos be ready?
- How much time will you be spending at my wedding?
- What style of photography do they use?

Are my wedding photos available online?
Many photographers have website that allow you to view your complete wedding online .These should be password protected and also allow friends and relatives to view and purchase photos from the site safely. If Photographer is not doing it, your Wedding Planner may know options to have Digital Album designed and uploaded on your Wedsite. See a sample Wedding Storybook here

Do you feel comfortable with this photographer?
It is important that after speaking to the photographer that you feel confident in their ability to work with individuals and groups. A professional photographer can make the day go smoothly and help even in a crisis.

Examine the photographer’s work carefully…take note of the little things:
- do the photos or album tell a story of the entire wedding day or just a series of pictures?
- is there a good mixture of portraits and groups?
- has the photographer captured facial expressions well? Photojournalist do this best!
- do the photos capture the detail of the faces and dresses, or is there too much background detail?

Collaborating with the photographer.
Brief the Photographer About the Wedding
Once you have decided to hire the photographer, briefly outline the details of the wedding such as location, date, time, sequence of events, and other aspects that the photographer needs to know. This will give him/ her time to plan his/ her activities as well as come up with creative and innovative ideas or ways in which he/ she can present your wedding with elegance, grace, and charm. You Wedding Planner must be helping you on this aspect.

What about price?
Prices can start from $700 up into the thousands!! Everything depends on what services you require, and the finished products you will receive. If you want good photographs and albums, then be prepared to spend more. Album quality and picture quality are relevant. Research shows that good photographs runs between 10-15% or the wedding budget. Most couples underestimate the cost of a good photographer by as much as 40-50%. Also remember, the photographs are only a portion of the services you receive from a professional photographer.

Check out
Katha Images : http://www.kathaimages.com/

Goa cracks down on drug-fuelled parties (thankfully Wedding Parties is an exception)

PANAJI, India — Organisers of parties and festivals in Goa will now have to seek state government approval to hold events, as part of a crackdown on illegal drug use in the Indian holiday resort state.

A state government order, seen by AFP, said that all dance parties and festivals, except “traditional” dance parties, festivals and weddings will need permission from the Goa home office.

Junior state home minister Siddhivinayak Naik, who signed the edict, said the decision was taken “in view of the law and order problem and reported use of narcotic substances”.

District government officials in the former Portuguese colony, who previously held the power to grant permission for such events, have been instructed to enforce the directive.

The move comes after claims that the image of Goa — famous since the days of the hippie trail in the 1960s and 70s for its laid-back atmosphere and dusk-till-dawn beach parties — was being tarnished by sex and illicit drugs.

The head of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cesar Menezes, said last month: “Tourism in Goa of late is getting a bad name with Goa slowly emerging as a drug and sex destination.

“There is no basic tourism and entertainment infrastructure in the state. Problems of law and order and garbage will spell doom for the state tourism,” he said in a memorandum to the state government, calling for action.

A series of high-profile crimes against foreigners in Goa have prompted concerns about the safety of tourists, as has the widespread availability of drugs, despite previous police and government initiatives to stamp out peddling.

Glimpses of the precious memories are well stored in  Story Book

You require Flash Player to watch the Storybook
1. Click on “FS” button in right corner for a full screen Slide Show.
2. Please be patient while each slide loads
3. Click on “SL” for Slides to load and play automatically.

“”
Hi Ankit!

thanks we are both doing well we have just returned back to london this week after our honeymoon.  The photo storybook looks great looking forward to seeing all the photos.

Thanks again for all your hard work on the wedding it was perfect and everyone really enjoyed it

seema
“”

My first impression is Seema (The Bride) and Nimish (The Groom) together make such a great Couple which is a delight for any Wedding Planner to work with. Since beginning of their wedding plan they were determined what exactly the want and how they want it to be done. Their decisions were thoughtful and quick making it lot easier to proceed with overall plan and blocking Hotels and Venues.

After series of emails daily the Wedding Package was drawn with the broad instructions and preferences. They visited Goa for a short break  (in Nov 09) as well as checking out the venues/hotels they have booked. Meeting with them lasted just a few hours and most of the details were sorted on spot.

Just a week before wedding most of the finer details including the Guests list, check in times, Airport transfers, logistics, timeline of events etc were taken care to have the 3 days events run smoothly as desired.

The Guests started to arrive a few days ahead to enjoy a holiday in Goa and bless the special day. Celebrations opened with the Lunch on 29th of  January. Mehndi and the Sangeet Night was planned at one of the Semi private Beach locations starting from early evening. They opted for an Arabian Setup which was a great choice as as it looks so beautiful at a Beach location. The evening was fun filled, lot of dancing and Music and delicious Sea Food.

In the Morning of 30th January ganpati Pujan, Grah Shani and Pithi was organised followed by a very light Brunch. Guests then started to get ready for the Evening. Early evening everyone gathered in the Lobby of Hotel (it was really tricky to get the Guests transported from 3 different Hotels at right time) to form a procession. Nimish leaded the procession while Drum Players played some good Beats. He was welcomed by Seema’s Mother and family and all Gujarati customs added traditional color to the ambiance.

Seema arrived in a Club Car with her Uncles and Bridesmaids (she looked very elegant in the traditional wedding dress). Ceremony was performed by a Gujarati Pandit making sure that the smallest details are well attended which lasted about one and half hours. After the farewell of Bride everyone went for a wash and change or made themselves comfortable at Hotel’s Bar.

Reception Dinner started later in evening at 7.30 PM in the main lawns. Color theme “Voilet and Cream” was carried in every part of decoration and setup. A formal sit down buffet Dinner started with Couple arriving and cutting the cake. Fireworks went up to surprise everyone! After a few speeches and the Dinner, the couple performed their First Dance (it was a very emotional and romantic movement). Towards the end of dance Emcee invited all the Couples to join in as well. The Party then swinged into an informal mood and everyone danced off their feet. Dance and Music continued till 2.30 AM in an indoor venue making every moment memorable.

The Guests departed with very happy  memories to cherish rest of life, so as the newly married Couple.
Wishing Seema and Nimish a very Happy married life ones again!

Check out the Digital Storybook here

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