A Dream Wedding at Destination Gokarna
Over the past two years, many glamorous Bollywood weddings have kept the Indian news mills churning incessantly. Over-enthusiastic reporters and fans have not spared us even the smallest detail of these big events. We were fed to our gills with picture-perfect moments from the Virushka wedding at Tuscany, the Deepveer wedding at Lake Como and Nickyanka wedding at Jodhpur. One of the striking factors about these dream weddings apart from the designer clothes and accessories, the high-profile guest lists and elaborate rituals is the picturesque destinations. Our celebrities seem to have embraced the idea of ‘Destination weddings' quite snugly. And that is hardly surprising. Who among us wouldn’t want their big day to be celebrated in a setting that is dreamy and romantic? “Well, well but living out such dreams are for the moneyed lot’’ you may retort with a sigh! But I tell you, you can’t be more wrong! You can have an unforgettable destination wedding on a limited budget too. You might have to leave Italy and Swiss for the well-heeled Bollywood peeps. But don't you despair. There are locations within India’s borders that are just as gorgeous as those distant lands.
Think of a romantic destination and the scene that hops readily to mind is a breathtaking beach - the sea, the sand and the shade of coconut trees made more resplendent by a glorious sunset. Kumta (near Gokarna) on the western coast of the country with its relatively unsullied beaches could be an ideal destination of your dreams. Who knows, if you choose to light the lamp of your married life here, there are high chances that your big day turns out better than the one you scripted in your dreams.
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Here is why:
1. Resorts with private beaches
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Gokarna and Kumta’s beach resorts have private beaches that can be turned into exclusive uncrowded venues for your big event. Unlike the rigid arrangements that you will be stuck with in indoor venues like marriage halls, you have the freedom to explore different stage settings and decors to suit your taste. The majestic sea and sky will undoubtedly make for a spectacular backdrop.
2. Just the nearest and dearest!
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Just the nearest and dearest! When you take your wedding outside your city to a remote location like Kumta, the guest list tends to get filtered to the ones who are really close to you. Maybe once you are back to your place you can invite those nosy neighborhood aunties and casual acquaintances for a small reception party.
3. Touch of Tradition.
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The advantage that Kumta and Gokarna hold vis-a-vis other beach locations in the country is the spiritual and traditional vibe they carry. For many, marriage is a sacred institution and the rituals and traditions of marriage are often inextricably bound with those of religion. So getting married in a place where the Soul of Lord Shiva resides will make the start of your journey together more auspicious and blessed. The bonus is that the place has a legion of priests familiar with the traditions and rituals of a Hindu wedding and so getting guidance to invoke God’s blessings on your wedded life becomes much easier.
4. Perfect background for your wedding pictures
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We live in the age of social media where our Instagram and Facebook personas over-shadow our real life personas. So it won’t be far from the truth if I say that beautiful, sun-kissed pictures that garner likes and admiration of our social media friends are one of the main reasons why we love beach weddings. The pristine beaches of Gokarna and Kumta will surely add that wow factor to your wedding album.
5. All-in-one package
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Now imagine you have planned your wedding in your hometown or the city you live. It is most likely that you have to choose a different location for your post-wedding photo-shoot and another for your honey moon. But when you choose Gokarna, all these activities can be tied together seamlessly 3 and limited to one place and time span. Pack off friends and family in two days and extend your stay for a week or two to enjoy a blissful honeymoon together. You can probably reserve a couple of days towards the end of the stay for the post-wedding photo-shoot. In addition to the lovely beaches, the Yana hills, the Mirjan Fort, the Hanging Bridge in Honavar and the many waterfalls and rivers in the region make awe-inspiring backgrounds for the photo shoot.
6. Low cost
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The Icing in the cake is that all these benefits come at a reasonable cost. Food, decorations, accommodation for family and guests, photography, make up, music - all these can be arranged as a package deal to keep the whole event easy and stress-free for the couple and their families. The exposure to tourists from all over the world has made such services easily available in Gokarna. Travelling is the only additional cost but the saving you do in the other areas more than make up for this lone concern.
So why waver? Say yes to the call of the waves. Veer off the beaten track of city weddings and take the nuptial plunge in this celestial coast of the Arabian sea !
