Tie a jumbo-style knot
Elephants ensure a romantic start to married life, writesMichael Taylor
What could be more romantic on that special day than to arrive at a wedding pavilion on the back of a pachyderm, chauffeured by a mahout wearing a crisp white cap and tunic and wrapped in an exotic sarong, while being escorted by lovely young attendants wearing beautiful headdresses and exotic Balinese garb?
And you can do this to the accompaniment of musicians playing gamelan gongs.
Such weddings can be organised at several venues in Bali, and one of the best is the Elephant Safari Park Lodge in the village of Taro, a 20-minute drive from Ubud, Bali's cultural and artistic hub, and 75 minutes from Ngurah Rai International Airport. Both day and overnight packages are available.
Elephants can pick up the wedding couple, their attendants and other guests on the front porch of one of the lodge's 25 guest rooms and suites, transporting them across tropically landscaped grounds to a granite and stone wedding pavilion, where both Balinese blessing ceremonies and traditional Western white weddings can be held. Banquets or receptions can be held under the stars in the garden or in the open-air restaurant.
Legally recognised non-denominational, non-religious and special commitment ceremonies can all be arranged. The park offers in-house floral consultants and hair, nail and make-up stylists. Wedding gown and tuxedo rentals for the bride and groom can also be arranged along with photography, video services and entertainment.
If an elephant wedding is not to your liking, Bali offers a mind-boggling array of other options. Many hotels have wedding chapels overlooking the beach - or you can opt for a wedding right on the beach. Will that be white sand or black? With shoes or barefoot?
Thanks to Bali's stunning natural scenery and the innate artistry and hospitality of its people, the possibilities for a memorable wedding are nearly endless.
Clifftop weddings can offer a spectacular backdrop, especially if held at sunset. For a dramatic arrival, how about flying in the couple by helicopter as gathered family and friends look on in awe? Some hotels, such as the Alili Soori in Tabanan, have their own heliport. Or what about having a wedding in the rice paddies?
Nestled amid undulating fields on the outskirts of Ubud, The Chedi Club is a former private estate that has been transformed into a boutique hotel with 20 villas set amid sprawling terraced gardens. Wedding ceremonies can be held in The Restaurant, which overlooks the paddies, or The Amphitheatre, the Bird Lounge, a gazebo or a garden. Several packages are available.
Bali is dotted with thousands of Hindu temples that can provide one of the most dramatic of all locations for a wedding.
The Seven Agency can organise ceremonies at various venues, and that includes royal Balinese weddings at a traditional Balinese temple. The temple will be beautifully decked out with traditional wedding decorations, fresh flowers and a decorated altar.
Festivities will include a traditional orchestra with 15 musicians, dance performances and a Balinese feast. Royal wedding costumes will be provided for the bride and groom. The list goes on.
