It is a truth universally acknowledged that an Indian family preparing for a wedding must be in want of a wedding planner who caters to every last detail for their big day. From the choice of cuisine to the manner of entry of the bride and the groom to the playlist that forms the soundtrack of love, the big fat Indian wedding continues to live up to its name. With the pandemic in the rear view mirror, grand wedding celebrations are back, providing the perfect launching pad for Shaadi by Marriott Bonvoy Reimagined — “the one-stop destination for luxurious weddings, where you dream and Marriott does the rest”.
Initially conceived as Shaadi by Marriott Bonvoy in 2016 and inaugurated in 2017, the second coming of Marriott’s wedding services got underway with a glamorous sangeet ceremony at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar on February 25. Highlighting Marriott Bonvoy’s comprehensive wedding facilities, covering everything from beauty rituals to honeymoons to destination weddings, Shaadi 2.0 involved a musical celebration headlined by Karan Johar, Tiger Shroff and Shiamak Davar. An elegant decor, marked by touches of royal opulence, deployed rustic gold with interspersed floral setups for the venue.
‘With Marriott weddings, love is in the details, not just in the air’
Karan Johar anchored the event for the evening at the JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar
“Yaha kuch kuch nahi, sab kuch hota hai (you don’t just have some things happening here, for you have everything happening),” remarked Johar, cheekily reiterating the vast array of arrangements that the 138 Marriott properties across India offer to prospective couples. “From idyllic hill stations to beautiful beaches to picturesque backdrops in a desert, you name it and Marriott has it. You can customise and personalise everything for your wedding, including who cooks the food and the kind of utensils that are being used. I’m very impressed with the offerings, to say the least. With Marriott weddings, love is in the details, not just in the air,” added Johar, who was his characteristically jovial self as anchor on a pleasant Mumbai evening.
The unveiling of Shaadi 2.0 saw the who’s who of tinsel town in attendance, including Anil and Sonam Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Elli AvrRam, Anita Hassanandani, Ekta Kapoor and Sophie Choudry. Shiamak Davar’s dance troops electrified the audience in the first half of the sangeet, with separate acts dedicated to documenting the cultural essence of the four corners of India. “Shaadi by Marriott Bonvoy is a great concept and I’m delighted to have collaborated for this magical evening. What we delivered was a Shiamak-style performance, a combination of Indo-contemporary mixed with folk and traditional styles,” said Davar.
Tiger Shroff sets the stage on fire
Tiger Shroff wrapped up the ‘biggest sangeet of the year’ with his showstopping dance moves
The final act of the event was a tour de force by Tiger Shroff, who set the stage on fire with a series of superhit dance numbers, closing the show to a rapturous ovation, with confetti decorating his dazzling display. “I’m ecstatic to be a part of this grand celebration at what is the biggest sangeet of the year. Marriott Bonvoy execute their weddings with impeccable precision and I wish the most eligible shaadi makers of the country lots of luck,” said Shroff.
Following the performances, guests were treated to a lavish spread of global delicacies. The culinary team at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, headed by chef Dane Fernandes, served up delectable food zones, comprising Asian and Italian dishes alongside specialties that distinguish the menu at Marriott. The Fermentation Lab and Innova Wagon featured unconventional delicacies while the Dessert Studio proved particularly popular among the guests.
‘Niche, handcrafted weddings’ are coming up along with a rise in sustainable weddings
Ranju Alex highlighted the different ways in which Shaadi 2.0 amps up bespoke weddings by Marriott Bonvoy
“We’re thrilled to have hosted the biggest musical wedding celebration of the year. Shaadi by Marriott Bonvoy Reimagined is all set to make your wedding experiences grander, bigger and more luxurious. We’re extremely grateful to Tiger Shroff, Karan Johar and Shiamak Davar for putting together a great evening for our esteemed guests and for making this celebration a memorable one,” said Ranju Alex, Area Vice President, South Asia, Marriott International.
Commenting on what makes Shaadi 2.0 different, Alex explained: “During the pandemic, the one business that didn’t go out of fashion and returned as soon as hotels were open, was weddings. However, some new trends have emerged in the past two years. People don’t always wait for auspicious dates to get married nowadays. The lead time is also much shorter, sometimes as short as three weeks to a month. Even though grand weddings are still very much in vogue, there’s also an increasing demand for niche, handcrafted weddings where details matter more than the scale. Sustainable weddings are also on the rise. With all this in mind, Shaadi by Marriott Bonvoy Reimagined amps up its offerings, while bringing even more personalisation and curation to the table. This is not only going to encourage Indians to get married wherever they want and however they want, but will also bring in more couples from abroad to mark their special day in India with its unique colour, music and food.”
Besides laying out Marriott’s blueprint to soon double its annual wedding events count of 5,000, Alex shed light on the other recently opened Marriott properties that guests should keep an eye out for: “There’s the JW Marriott Goa Vagator that’s particularly stunning. We have a Marriott coming up in Coorg later this year. We’ve also got a Westin in the Himalayas (in Uttarakhand), which I’d strongly recommend. If you haven’t been there yet, you haven’t seen life!”
