Beach weddings are in vogue

Many youngsters in the State are going the extra mile to give their weddings an 'exclusive' touch, to make them anything but ordinary. Techies by profession, Joseph P and Anna from Kottayam, for instance, decided to the tie the knot at a popular beach in Kerala, inspired by a few of their friends, who exchanged vows amid sea and sand. As more Malayalis are picking beaches as their wedding venue, Trivandrum Times surfs the trend...

No stress, relax and exchange vows

When bankers Aparna and Arun Menon from Trivandrum decided to get married last May, they wanted it to be a peaceful occasion sans tension and hence chose Kovalam beach as the ideal spot. "Nothing could be more beautiful than the beach with its soft and natural light, and the music of the waves. We didn't have to care about any interior decoration," Arun says. He adds, "Many of our guests said that they also felt like being on a holiday, as the brief ceremony was followed with live guitar and light snacks. It was great to know that it was a relaxing affair for them too."

Joseph, who got charmed by a beach wedding he attended, says, "As compared to the usual hustle and bustle of a traditional wedding, where family members run around trying to impress truck-loads of relatives and friends andcouple tire themselves out from numerous customs and mindless photo sessions, beach weddings offer a relaxed, special atmosphere. At the least, you can avoid comparisons, as weddings by the seaside are still not common enough in our State."

Smitha Jose, a wedding planner, explains, "When you invite guests for a beach wedding, expectations are already set in their minds that 'it's going to be different'. That in itself saves you from all the nasty comparisons that are common in our weddings. Moreover, beaches have always been serving as relaxation points, why not bank on their calming effect when you exchange vows which is for a lifetime?"

Variety in dishes, the spice of beach weddings

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Beach weddings are a perfect excuse to try out some naadan food, breaking away from the heavy sadya and elaborate buffet routine. Techie Nixon, who flew down from Dubai recently to marry his girlfriend on Vypeen beach, says, "We had tapioca - fish curry combo as the main item on the menu, with a few seafood dishes made by local women from Vypeen.

The taste was matchless and it felt like a house party." Endorsing his view is wedding planner Smitha, who says that the guests prefer mostly light, local snacks or delicacies at beach weddings. At the same time, those looking for luxurious and elaborate wedding spreads also have the choice of conducting the ceremonies at the private beaches of hotels, where there are options to conduct the function on a large scale as well.

Filmi quotient, nostalgia...

Nixon quotes the 'filmi quotient' and nostalgia as the top attractions of beach weddings. "I grew up abroad, but used to watch Malayalam movies and had a nostalgic connect with the natural beauty of Kerala. My beach wedding served as the perfect means of enjoying a few movie-like-moments, which I can savour for a lifetime," he says.

Wedding planner Arabind Chandrasekhar explains, "The wedding sequences in movies involving beaches, especially with a European aura to it, often inspire couples to go for a beach wedding. Sometimes, chenda performances and cultural shows are also incorporated to make the proceedings colourful."

Wedding planners' gyan

Keep the guest list short.

Avoid the monsoon season for beach weddings

Check weather forecasts and also have a backup foul-weather option, like a shelter

Ask guests to wear footwear and attire appropriate for a beach, while inviting. It is better to wear light fabrics while attending a beach wedding.

Most beach weddings can be conducted for less than Rs 5 lakh, inclusive of food and accommodation.

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