Destination Wedding Series: Wedding in Alappuzha

Richard and I have always had an eye for uniqueness and design. With him running his own art studio in Manhattan and I pursing interior designing, our marriage was not only a unison of two minds, but also of two artists. In our mind’s eye, we wanted a wedding which would reflect our choice of expression. So we started…  globe-trotting!

Our search brought us to Tamarind Weddings, one of the leading wedding management companies in India. Their quick and prompt service in suggesting great wedding destinations in the country impressed us.

Our search ended in the lovely tropical land of Kerala in the Indian subcontinent!

Kerala is a tropical paradise, situated at the tip of India. With an entire coastline devoted to the Arabian Sea, the place is perfect for destination weddings! Tamarind Weddings gave us a peek of the tropical destination by mailing us photos and videos of the state.  In two days, Tamarind Weddings made us fall in love the idea of a dream destination wedding in Kerala!

 

Why Alappuzha for the wedding?

 

When we visualized our wedding, we saw a setting in the lap of serenity. We wanted quiet… Away from people. We had decided to invite only our dearest and nearest kin, so that the party would be small and intimate. Tamarind Weddings understood our needs and suggested an exotic beach wedding at a tropical resort on the shores of Kerala bay waters. We liked the concept of having a beach wedding in Alappuzha because Alappuzha was a picturesque destination, perfect for a destination wedding, as it were naturally endowed with beautiful stretches of white beaches and had much to see for the traveller’s eye!

We were curious about Alappuzha initially. Alappuzha had the tag of being the ‘Venice of the East’.

On the initial days of our visit, we went on discovery route to see what Alappuzha was all about! Alappuzha overlooks the Arabian Sea. It is a backwater paradise, stretching for miles across the Malabar Coast.  Its welcome shores are the home to a blossoming fishermen community.  Due to the abundance of sea and shore, Alappuzha was home to some of the best lagoons and estuaries in India. Fringed with coconut trees, Alappuzha provides beautiful walkways with ample shade and sand. This makes the place the perfect honeymoon destination for couples!

Our search resulted in us finding a few must-see heritage spots! The Krishnapuram Palace is one of them! – endowed with archaeological history, the Palace is an exquisite piece of history preserved beautifully. It also houses the single largest mural found in the entire state of Kerala – the Gajendra Moksham! Richard was completely in awe over the mural and enquired many times as to its origin and details. 

Alappuzha is native to the booming choir industry in India! The handiwork of the choir makers in Alappuzha is true artistry!

And then we went on a small tour on the famous Kettuvallam, the large boats with rooms with thatched ceilings that float listlessly over the placid Alappuzha bay waters… – And that, my friends, was a lifetime experience! The Kettuvallam showed us Alappuzha at dusk – a flaming glory as the setting sun washed over us! In both our hearts, we felt peace. As if our soul had just found its resting place among those placid waters, those shady palm groves…

We coursed through the lakes and lagoons in our thatched Kettuvalam, relaxing on our bamboo recliner, gazing up at crystal clear sky, sipping on tender coconut juice, enjoying spectacular views of Alappuzha!

Our only stop on our Kettuvalam ride was for food at a nadaan thattukkada. Fried fish, onions and banana chips! – That was Alappuzha on a platter! Never in our lives had we tasted such rich and spicy food! The meal left us both licking our fingers!

As our wedding approached, nerves began getting to us. We were anxious about how the place would respond to an outdoor beach wedding. Our wedding planner, Tamarind Weddings, was in touch with us often and would update us on the progress of the wedding. But we were still a bit nervous!

As the big day approached, our guests started flying in. Tamarind Weddings was quick to receive them from the airport and accommodate them in the finest of suites. Their tie ups with the hospitality majors in Alappuzha helped us a lot in arranging exclusive tours of the district. Alappuzha was as much a surprise to them as it was to us! The thought of an exotic tropical wedding excited them beyond words!

The build up towards the wedding was not as stressful as we thought it would be as Tamarind Weddings took care of everything under the ambit of wedding planning. At last, all we had to do was come to the venue and be wowed!

On the day of the wedding, Tamarind Weddings had arranged every kind of assistance available. We had our wedding planner assist us in dressing and styling. The coveted wedding gown I had always dreamt of wearing as a child turned out to be a true masterpiece! When I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw the bride in me blushing with happiness!  Our stylist arranged for floral hair pins that added to the blown-away look for the wedding attire. She later adorned me with a pretty jasmine bracelet!

Tamarind Weddings had arranged quite a vivid form of transportation for us! – We arrived at our wedding venue in a decorated golf car! – Initially, quite a shocker for our guests, who later cheered for the variety mode of entry!

The venue arrangements literally took our breath away! We arrived on a walkway of rose petals, lined with flower curtains, to be greeted with two large jasmine garlands. Tamarind Weddings had set up a beautiful beach-themed wedding stage which overlooked the placid Alappuzha backwaters.  Translucent silk curtains with white beads lined the stage. They glistened as the sun shone through them.

The ceremony was simple. We said our vows and exchanged our rings. We walked down the aisle as husband and wife under a shower of white flower petals.

Wedding lunch with dear and near ones under glowing sun with a light breeze added to the magic of the day. Tamarind Weddings had unique wedding arrangements including an exclusive stall for tender coconut drink!  Soft violin music wafted through the air as champagne bottles were uncorked and toasts were raised to us.

As the sun began to lower behind the shadows of dusk, the wedding party picked up pace. Music turned traditional. There were sounds of tap dancing, laughter and bottles uncorking. The entire place was decorated with teeny seed lights and lanterns. A spot of warmth and light on the beach side, with echoes of laughter flooding across the shores, was how our wedding party looked to the outside eye!

Post-wedding, Tamarind Weddings had arranged for us our own private honeymoon at sea! – We had an entire island to ourselves!

Our guests were shown around the other beauties surrounding the place by the tour and treated to rare Kerala cuisine while we were off for our honeymoon. Tamarind Weddings made sure that they got the best of Kerala for this wedding!

I must say that our wedding was such an out-of-the world experience! It would not have been possible without Tamarind Weddings! We sincerely express our gratitude to Tamarind Weddings for giving us this dream destination wedding!

To plan your dream destination wedding in Alappuzha : mail@tamarind.co.in!

 

Wedding venues in Alappuzha :

The Camelot Convention Centre : http://camelotcc.com/

Contour Backwaters : http://www.contourresorts.com/