Jaipur Unveils Wedding Tale Knot by Knot

WITH JAIPUR benefiting from the spin-off publicity surrounding celebrity weddings that keep Rajasthan in the spotlight (the Priyanka Chopra-Nick Jonas nuptials are still fresh in public memory), the wedding business pie of the city's hotels is showing year-on-year growth.

It all started with Le Meridien and the Fairmont at the Kukas Industrial Area, two hotels flying the flags of two different international brands (Marriott International and Accor, respectively) but with one owner, which made up for their locational disadvantage of being away from the centre of the action in Jaipur, by becoming preferred wedding destinations.

By positioning themselves as wedding destinations, the two hotels also were able to break the seasonality of the hospitality business in Jaipur, where the extended summer months take their toll on room occupancies. The more the number of auspicious days between April 1 and October 1, the better it gets for Jaipur's expanding hospitality sector.

The newest hotel to join the party, the JW Marriott Jaipur Resort and Spa, has only reinforced the tradition, showing to the world that Jaipur's weddings market will only grow with each significant addition to the city's room supply. Destination weddings, in fact, are in a major way responsible for the international-domestic split in tourist arrivals moving from 80:20 in the early 2000s to 65:35 at present.

Eyeing this burgeoning market, and to spread the word that it's right in the thick of all the action in the city, Hilton Jaipur has been organising the Sagai Se Shehnai Wedding Trends show for the past three years. Explaining the rationale behind it, Vishal Gupta, General Manager, Hilton Jaipur, and a reputed motivational speaker, said: "Sagai Se Shehnai was initiated with the intent of personalising a complete wedding experience, right from the perfect venue and décor to great food and hospitality."

It may be a centrally located hotel, with the main attractions of Jaipur within short drives away from it, but Hilton Jaipur cannot take it easy. That explains why the hotel is so diligently targeting the wedding segment. As Gupta put it: "Whether it’s a grand celebration or an intimate one, Hilton’s goal is to provide the best of the best, all under one roof. Hilton prides itself in excelling on all the necessary parameters that come together seamlessly in creating an unforgettable wedding experience."

‘Sagai Se Shehnai 3.0 – Wedding Trends 2019-20’ is an annual promotion of the hotel's wedding-ready facilities and services in collaboration with experts in décor, clothing, make-up and rituals. The programme included talk shows and a royal wedding fashion show to pique the interest of the visitors and provide the hotel an ambience to pitch its wedding services, including pre- and post-nuptials.

“The first and second seasons of Sagai Se Shehnai were huge successes -- the guests even got to see a mock wedding that showcased how grand the lifetime event could get at Hilton Jaipur," Gupta said.

The general manager added that the event this year also aimed at acquainting the audience "about the challenges event organisers face when they are planning weddings" and how the hospitality sector can make the occasion extra special. "Whether it’s a grand celebration or an intimate one, our goal is to provide par excellence services under one roof," Gupta said.

In the past, at the Sagai Se Shehnai powwow, hotels, vendors and couples seek out unique details to include in their wedding events. This year, too, the big event of the evening was a fashion show presenting pre- and post-wedding attire, jewellery and accessories.

The ramp models flaunted a blend of western and ethnic, chic and traditional garments, which will be in vogue in weddings this year. In the year gone by, soothing pastel shades were in fashion, but in 2020, as the experts who had gathered for Sagai Se Shehnai 3.0 predicted, one will see more vibrant and brighter shades trending.

Hilton Jaipur offers 10,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event venues with a dedicated entry, customised wedding-themed food menus, a wedding concierge, and two-hour response guarantee with details regarding spaces, rates and availability of dates.

The hotel also provides outdoor catering services and the experienced catering team takes the guests through the entire planning experience and works closely with them at every step, providing flexible and personalised catering packages, exquisite menus, and inspiring ideas to make the celebration a success.