Big Fat Indian Wedding in Bangkok
Pune business tycoon Suniel Mutha organised the most wow wedding for
his son in Macau. After the magnificent celebration there, it was time
to organise his daughter Shweta’s wedding to US based Mukul Bafana.
This time Mutha’s job was easier, since he was an expert on weddings
thanks to the eleven months spent planning his son’s wedding. This
time for Shweta’s wedding, he spent four months.
Malaysia, Bali or Bangkok
Mutha flew to several destinations to check venues for his daughter’s
wedding. Besides visiting Koh Samui and Hua Hin in Thailand, he
visited Istanbul, Bali, Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi. He felt there would
be too little for his guests to do in Malaysia, and Bali because of
the time it took to get to the Indonesian island. Mutha settled on
Bangkok for its cultural cluster of museums and temples—and good
shopping close to the Intercontinental where the wedding took place.
Mutha flew in the same caterers (Bhagwati Caterers) who prepared the
fabulous food for his son’s wedding in Macau. And so, big containers
of lentils, spices and special cooking utensils were shipped from
India two weeks before the big event. Every day during the wedding, a
variety of fresh desserts were flown in, along with an ample supply of
paneer (the chefs in Thailand were unsuccessful in creating an equally
good cottage cheese)
The bride and groom’s party arrived in Bangkok in great style. In a
procession of BMWs and luxury coaches surrounded by cop bikers with
100 watt sirens. Ahmedabad-based Red Events managed the whole
affair—with support from over twenty agencies and over sixty
performers flown in from India. On the role of Red Events and wedding
planners, Mutha was quoted in a newspaper interview: “What is
different with organizing weddings as compared to other events is that
the event management firm plays the role of a close family member”. He
was obviously most elated with their services.
The five day extravaganza included all the traditional rituals--
Mehndi, Sangeet, Kum Kum, Baraat swagath, sagai, traditional baraat
procession, pheras and bidaai ceremony. A theme party was organised
every evening, and during the lunches, the guests were entertained by
stand-up comedians or local artists.
The entertainers and musicians flown in from India included Bollywood
singers Rahul Vaidya, Akruti Kakar and Vishal-Shekhar, Sufi singer
Raja Hassan and dancers Shweta Salve and Anita Hassandani. Udaya Saha
choreographed the performances by all the family members.
“It was my dream to get my children married like a prince and a
princess. After the fabulous arrangements of my son’s wedding in Macau
last year, my guests correctly anticipated that Shweta’s wedding would
be even bigger. Red Events made mine and my wife’ dream come true”,
said Suniel Mutha. He was very happy with Bangkok as the choice
wedding venue too: “Bangkok is a perfect crossroad between the east
and the west— the perfect symbol of the unifying power of love. The
East and the West, ancient and modern, land and water, masculine and
feminine– Bangkok marries them all”.