Money no matter when wedding<\/p>\n
By Stevie Emilia<\/p>\n
It is the Year of the Golden Dragon, which supposedly brings
\nluck and prosperity for all. Many believe it is the perfect time
\nto get married.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Get married in 2000 or forget it. The appeal of
\nthe new millennium and the Chinese Year of the Golden Dragon are
\nso strong, that it makes many couples want to tie the knot with
\ntheir loved ones this year.<\/p>\n
\"This year is the turn of the century ... It's a good time to
\nstart our life together,\" said Aryanta Sukma, who plans to marry
\nhis girlfriend of three years this July.<\/p>\n
The high number of weddings have forced some couples to change
\ntheir wedding date after failing to reserve one of the limited
\nnumbers of reception halls.<\/p>\n
Aryanta said he and his future bride wanted to marry in early
\nJanuary but when they tried to book a reception hall in Kelapa
\nGading, North Jakarta, last November, there were no dates
\navailable.<\/p>\n
\"We were too late. It was already fully booked until April,\"
\nsaid the 29-year-old accountant, who is allocating over Rp 100
\nmillion for his wedding.<\/p>\n
Unwilling to give up their marriage plans for this year, the
\ncouple then searched for another reception hall which could meet
\ntheir expectations, but to no avail. Finally, they settled on a
\nwedding package at a five-star hotel.<\/p>\n
For most couples, their wedding deserves the best as it is the
\nmoment when they make the most important commitment of their
\nlives.<\/p>\n
Certainly, what is the best for one couple might be different
\nfor another, depending on, among other things, the budget. For a
\nlow-income family, a modest party at their house is still the
\nbest option, while others who want to avoid the hassles of
\nwedding ceremonies might opt for a photo session from the so-
\ncalled \"honeymoon package\" at a bridal photo studio, either to
\nsave time or money.<\/p>\n
But for the rich, a cheap or simple party is not an acceptable
\noption. For them, price does not matter. And hotels, wedding
\nhalls, decorators, beauty salons, photographers as well as
\nprinting companies and business which provides wedding keepsakes
\nfor the guests are ready to please them with grand weddings -- at
\nthe right price.<\/p>\n
At this time of the month, popular wedding halls in Jakarta
\nare busy staging memorable weddings.<\/p>\n
Busy halls are mostly in hotels or prestigious buildings, such
\nas the Jakarta Convention Center, Balai Kartini, Balai Sudirman
\nand Wisma Bidakara. But hotels are still the favorite because not
\nonly do they provide a reception hall, but also food and numerous
\ncomplimentary services to pamper the newlyweds, including a one-
\nnight stay for their wedding night.<\/p>\n
The five-star Hotel Gran Mahakam in the Blok M area, South
\nJakarta, for example, offers three wedding packages priced
\nbetween Rp 55,000 and Rp 75,000 per person, while Hotel Mulia
\nSenayan sets the prices at Rp 65,000 and Rp 75,000. All the
\nprices -- excluding 21 percent tax -- are only for the buffet and
\nhall. For an extra food stall, one has to pay up to Rp 50,000 per
\nperson, depending on the order. A party of 1,000 guests might
\ncost over Rp 100 million for the food and hall alone.<\/p>\n
But the high price does not falter the rich.<\/p>\n
\"We usually host about two weddings a week, but now it might
\nbe double that,\" revealed Mulia assistant public relations
\nmanager Sarah Hutabarat.<\/p>\n
Wedding halls offer relatively cheaper prices than hotels, but
\nthat is only for the hall.<\/p>\n
Balai Sudirman in South Jakarta sets the prices for its two
\nmeeting halls at Rp 10 million and Rp 15 million respectively.
\nBut the price is Rp 750,000 more on the weekends.<\/p>\n
Bidakara's Bina Karna hall in Central Jakarta is available for
\nRp 10 million. But it is fully booked on Fridays, Saturdays and
\nSundays until this November.<\/p>\n
Bina Karna customer relations officer Dessy Agustiany said the
\nmeeting hall hosted 14 wedding receptions in January and there
\nwould be about 19 this month.<\/p>\n
The new millennium and the Year of the Golden Dragon could be
\nresponsible for the wedding fever.<\/p>\n
\"But some couples also told me they're getting married because
\nit was already part of their plan. With the better economy and
\nsecurity, they are rushing to get married before the situation
\ngets worse,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The hall and the food are not the only things they pay for. A
\ncouple still has to buy wedding invitations and gifts, hire
\ndecorators and photographers, and most important of all, order or
\nrent a wedding dress and beauticians to do their hair and make-
\nup.<\/p>\n
Since lavish weddings not only need money but also time and
\nprofessionalism, the service of wedding consultants, who
\nspecialize either in international or traditional weddings, have
\nbecome a popular option even though they cost more.<\/p>\n
For a complete wedding package, which includes a grand
\nreception in a noted reception hall, a wedding consultant company
\nmight charge hundreds of millions of rupiah.<\/p>\n
Paula Meliana of Eva Bun wedding gallery, which provides a
\none-stop wedding service, said for most international weddings
\nmany Jakartans preferred wedding packages to avoid the headache
\nof organizing their own.<\/p>\n
People prefer to hold receptions at hotels, wedding halls or
\nrestaurants instead of in their house not only because it is more
\nconvenient, but also to accommodate the many guests.<\/p>\n
\"About 90 percent of the couples here now prefer to get
\nmarried in hotels, wedding halls or restaurants. These days
\nreceptions at houses are held by those who are on a low budget,
\nor who invite close relatives only,\" said Paula, the wedding
\ngallery's general manager and designer.<\/p>\n
She also recognized that the wedding has become a status
\nsymbol.<\/p>\n
\"Most people use weddings to show off their wealth and status.
\nThey also want weddings to be special since it's a once in a
\nlifetime event,\" said Paula, who will present her latest design,
\nthe Cool Bride, at the Fashion Cafe next Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n
Wedding packages, apart from honeymoon photo sessions, are
\nexpensive. A complete package at Eva Bun, which does not include
\nthe food and reception hall, might cost up to Rp 48 million.
\nEvery month, the wedding gallery serves about 100 couples.<\/p>\n
\"Busy months are usually September to December, but this year
\nis different. We're already busy,\" said Paula.<\/p>\n
Traditional<\/p>\n
Although most Indonesians are strongly influenced by foreign
\ntrends, they still stick to tradition when it comes to weddings.<\/p>\n
Jean Liustina, the salon manager at Martha Beauty Gallery in
\nSouth Jakarta, which provides packages for traditional weddings
\nfrom 26 provinces, said a couple usually complies to their
\nparents' wishes when choosing a traditional wedding.<\/p>\n
\"A wedding here is often considered a social event which
\nconcerns not only the couple but also their family, relatives and
\nneighbors,\" Jean said.<\/p>\n
The gallery, which serves up to 15 couples a month, offers a
\nmake-up service and hairstyling for the bride and groom from Rp
\n1.1 million to Rp 1.75 million. An off-the-rack wedding dress is
\navailable at between Rp 800,000 and Rp 2.5 million. Extra
\nservices, such as make-up and costume rentals for the parents and
\nbridesmaids, will cost more.<\/p>\n
\"If our clients want to have a particular dress for their
\nweddings, we can make them,\" Jean said.<\/p>\n
But traditional weddings are more difficult to handle due to
\ntheir variety and complexity. The entire procession might take a
\nfew days or even the whole week, and this will certainly boost
\nthe prices.<\/p>\n
\"We can adjust the wedding package to suit one's budget, but
\nmost clients do not set a limit as they want their weddings to be
\nmemorable and perfect,\" said Jean.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/money-no-matter-when-wedding-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}