Question:
Is it possible to incorporate cultural Indian Wedding traditions into a Indian Destination Wedding in a tropical locale such as the Caribbean or Mexico?
Answer:
Absolutely! Indian Destination weddings are completely customizable, so transforming an arch on the beach into a Mandap is effortless with the abundance of beautiful tropical flowers available. Many resorts also have specific Indian Destination Wedding packages that include henna artists and vegetarian menus.
Question:
All-inclusive or not, what’s most popular?
Answer:
All-inclusive seems to win out here. It allows guests the ability to budget the entire cost of the trip in advance, and it means that the wedding couple doesn’t have to, worry about covering the costs for any extra meals… Many all-inclusive resorts also have group perks that provide for private events, which make it very appealing to large wedding groups.
Question:
How many guests usually attend these weddings away and how long do they stay?
Answer:
We find that Indian Destination Weddings have about 100+ guests who stay an average of four nights.
Question:
Typically, what do guests wear to a Indian Destination Wedding?
Answer:
Bold and vibrant colors! Women are encouraged to wear saris or lenghas but wearing a bright colored shawl is respectfully acceptable.
Question:
What about pre-wedding events? Are guests invited to all?
Answer:
Pre-wedding events include the Ganesh Pooja, a ceremony for the bride, groom and family. There are also Mehndi ceremonies where the bride, her wed-ding party, and female family members participate in get-ting henna patterns drawn on their hands. Another traditional pre-wedding event is Sangeet in which all wedding guests are invited. It includes a dinner, dancing and intro-ductions of the soon-to-he-married couple.
Question:
Since a Indian Wedding is usually more than one day, how is this handled as a Indian Destination Wedding?
Answer:
Yes, traditionally there are two afternoon/evening events and one mid-morning event. Therefore, blocking a wedding date truly requires reserving two back-to-back wedding dates and ensuring that a morning ceremony on the second day can be accommodated. Unlike weddings held in the U.S., destination weddings can combine the three main events into two days versus three days.
Question:
What was the most challenging wedding extra you’ve been asked for by a couple?
Answer:
There have been many, ranging from finding a Sikh priest to travel to a destination, to working with hotels that are unfamiliar with specific cultural requirements. Requesting specific ceremonial items can some-times get lost in translation, such as requesting an Agnikunda (which means fire pit) but, it is more of a raised barbeque-like bowl. Once I requested this and was told no because of fire code regulations at the resort. However, when I sent a photo of what was needed, it wasn’t an issue at all.
Hindu wedding at Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort, Cancun, Mexico