My big fat Indian destination wedding in Thailand: 30 hotel floors, 24-hour foot massages for 700 guests, waterfall bars – and a Batmobile

Driven by celebrity trends, social media and amenities, couples from India and Hong Kong are taking over Thai hotels and resorts to host lavish celebrations with exotic flourishes

Anna Cummins

 

The Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen, where Hongkongers Mira and Ravine Mahtani tied the knot – in front of 700 guests. Photo: Ali Ghorbani

 

Fairy tale weddings are proving a dream come true for Thailand’s tourism chiefs, with the country looking to capitalise on lucrative Indian destination weddings in the coming decade.

 

The average cost of an Indian wedding in Thailand is 10 million baht, or US$330,000. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has conducted promotional campaigns in recent years to capture this desirable, high-spending segment.

 

Thailand is a good choice for Indian wedding celebrations, including proximity to India, availability of direct flights, visa-on-arrival for Indian passport holders, overall cost-effectiveness, and the availability of resorts and hotels that can accommodate high numbers of guests.

 

These are just some of the reasons that Hongkongers Mira Mahtani, née Uttamchandani, and Ravine Mahtani chose to wed in Bangkok in February 2018. The much-anticipated “RaRa” wedding featured 10 events over four-and-a-half days. Highlights included the groom entering in a Batmobile driven by Batman (requiring an entire Bangkok street to be closed for 20 minutes), 360-degree LED visuals in the ballroom, waterfall bars, a 3D-motion butterfly installation and light-up trainers gifted to every guest.

 

Full story: https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3047522/my-big-fat-indian-destination-wedding-thailand-30-hotel

 

-- SCMP 2020-01-29

 

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

These are just some of the reasons that Hongkongers Mira Mahtani, née Uttamchandani, and Ravine Mahtani chose to wed in Bangkok in February 2018.

Have there been any more of these or is this another pipe dream from TAT ?

 

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

Highlights included the groom entering in a Batmobile driven by Batman (requiring an entire Bangkok street to be closed for 20 minutes)

I'm sure the locals will be thrilled about that.

This must be some kind of free commercial space for TAT.

1 hour ago, keith101 said:

Have there been any more of these or is this another pipe dream from TAT ?

You're right, the article makes it sound as if all major hotels were constantly hosting $330,000 weddings from India and Hong Kong.

 

In fact these types of weddings are very occasional occurrences. But no doubt TAT will jump on the bandwagon and soon point out how Thailand is oh so popular with thousands over thousands of millionaire bridal couples.

 

With a bit of research you will find that you can have the same extravaganza - and perhaps even more lavish - in a 5-star hotel in Mumbai for 30% less.   

Son's buddy in Chiang Mai works at a famous 5 star hotel, they had one such event 3 or 4 years back, wedding family and guests occupied 80% of the total rooms, massive bill. All done, the hotel resolved to never take such a booking again. Why:

 

- Numerous guests on arrival refused to accept the allocated room, demaning that because it was a large event every guest should be upgraded to a higher level room. Never resolved because not enough higher level rooms to upgrade everybody plus room rates were a bargain anyway.

 

- Beyond belief rudeness to room maids and waiters, pool / gym staff. Four room maids resigned on the spot and walked out after 1 maid had her face slapped because she wouldn't hand over her mobile phone for the guest to use. This was after, on the previous day a room maid did agree to allow another Indain woman to use her phone, it was returned half a day later when the duty GM intervened and inisted the phone be returned. The duty GM also intructed that one of the hotel staff check the phone for usage and discovered there had been 2 X 2 hour phone calls to India. Indian guest confronted and told she had to give the maid xxxxBAht reimbursent, she refused.  Later same day maid on entering guest room to make up the room had her face slapped and told the maid she was slapped because the hotel had insulted her firend (the woman who 'borrowed' maid phone and rang up xxxxBaht bill and hotel had insisted woman reimburse the call costs).

 

- Several times waiters / waitresses seriously abused in the dining rooms because the Indian food the guests wanted was not on the standard a la carte menu but was available at all the planned dinners for the wedding party. This had been explained when the original booking for the wedding was taken.

 

- Two Indian families came to the pool lounge area (already full of guests (some Indian, some

not) and demanded several non-Indian families with kids swimming leave the pool. One family was a senior US military officer, his US wife (also a senior military officer) and 3 kids. This family posted to the US embassy in Bkk and regular guests at the hotel and warmly liked by the hotal staff. Several pool attendants tried to find anothe hotel quickly but couldn't meanwhile the US family discovered that several pieces of clothing of their kids has been forgotten at the pool. An old Indian women abused them for coming back to the pool and it was dsiscover the kids missing clothere were in the Indian womans' bag. 

 

And more.

 

Within 24 hours more than half the non-Indian guests had checked-out early. 

 

off topic posts and replies removed. 

The Indians are spending so much money in Pattaya, supposedly 10,000 bht per day average, that I had to go out and buy a wheelbarrow to make a trip to the bank every ten minutes. Someone please tell them to spend less ????

No mention of ceiling mirrors. 

5 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

With a bit of research you will find that you can have the same extravaganza - and perhaps even more lavish - in a 5-star hotel in Mumbai for 30% less.  

Good luck shutting down traffic in Mumbai for 20 minutes (unless you're a Sheikh or Government official).

Thai workers beware of the Indian caste system - you may be treated as a Dalit (Untouchable)!

Some Hotels belonging to a world known French company would be well advised to start refusing Indians in their hotels . Their behaviour is disgusting and many members have vowed never to return. You just have to read the reviews. I for one am very careful where I book a hotel in Thailand as they tend to favour certain areas. 

On 1/29/2020 at 7:53 AM, webfact said:

The average cost of an Indian wedding in Thailand is 10 million baht, or US$330,000.

That's a bucket-full of Somtam, or do they bring their own "Indian Basmati" ?

Thailands newest BFF.......

Can see the headlines now. Thailand aiming to become the SE Asian hub for Indian weddings.

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

bucket-full of Somtam, or do they bring their own "Indian Basmati"

Slight problem here.  Som Tam is made without rice and Basmati is a type of rice.  Get things right before pressing enter or submitting a reply.

'nuf sed.

I sure I could find  a more beautiful place then dirty pattaya to get married and spend 10 million what a <deleted> hole

1 hour ago, wotsdermatter said:

Slight problem here.  Som Tam is made without rice and Basmati is a type of rice.  Get things right before pressing enter or submitting a reply.

'nuf sed.

No problem here:

Indian weddings in Thailand with local cuisine offered being Somtam [I know what somtam contains] and sticky rice [khao niaw] as first choice... 

Thailand does not produce true Basmati rice which Indians favour at elaborate occasions especially weddings, as none is grown or available here I merely asked if they wanted a traditional Indian wedding they would have to ship some in themselves.!

"nuff-said"

This is completely stupid, and also idiotic, for an Indian to have his/her wedding in Thailand.

 

There are many places in India to do an extravagant wedding, and have the entire hotel/resort to themselves.

 

Are they wishing to have their wedding started off in a country famous for infidelity and very easily accessible women?

 

Crazy Indians.

41 minutes ago, CanadaSam said:

This is completely stupid, and also idiotic, for an Indian to have his/her wedding in Thailand.

 

There are many places in India to do an extravagant wedding, and have the entire hotel/resort to themselves.

 

Are they wishing to have their wedding started off in a country famous for infidelity and very easily accessible women?

 

Crazy Indians.

But they want to show off with add ons to the wedding like 'we took 300 people to Thailand for our son's wedding', etc.

 

If they want to go another country for the wedding they could always go to Pakistan at least they know they are very welcome, just like loving brothers. 

 

 

Edited January 30, 20206 yr by scorecard

Money can't buy taste it seems.

It would be very rare incidents to host a wedding in different country.  It is too inconvenient for the guests.