Foreign tourists opt for traditional Balinese weddings

By Intan Petersen

DENPASAR (JP): Bali offers tourists more than just beaches and exotic culture, but also a place to solemnize and celebrate one of the most important events in life -- their wedding.

Many still remember that in 1991 the legendary lead singer of The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, married his long-time girlfriend and world-renowned model Jerry Hall in a traditional Balinese wedding. Problems ensued from this, because many prominent officials of the Hindu faith disapproved of non-Hindus having their wedding vows solemnized in the traditional Balinese style.

Tourists find out about the traditional weddings from articles and documentaries on Bali. Many find the rituals very alluring, even if some rituals are closed to them. Nevertheless, the tourists are happy enough to be clad in Balinese bridal attire and have young Balinese girls as their bridesmaids.

Why is getting married in Bali becoming so trendy?

Katrina Simorangkir, of Bali Weddings, a bureau specializing in organizing traditional weddings for tourists, said there are many reasons why foreigners choose to get married in Bali. Topping the list is the price. By getting married in Bali, the couples get their wedding, honeymoon and vacation all in one.

Another reason is that many people under 30 years old no longer want grand ceremonies. Although families aren't as close these days, when the time comes for a wedding they seem to flock together, costing the couple a good deal of money.

"Many prefer to be married in a far-away place, to be left alone. Besides, Bali is so romantic with its beautiful beaches and the sea breeze," said Katrina. "There are many people in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore who prefer marrying in Bali because to them Bali is more beautiful," she added.

The island is also chosen because it is considered neutral territory. Take for example the parents of an Australian bride and groom. One comes from Sydney and the other from Perth. Rather than suffering the headache of finding a way to please the two sets of parents, they choose a neutral place, said Katrina.

Many hotels in Bali, particularly five-star resorts, provide wedding packages, usually arranged through a travel agent.

Since most of the couples aren't Hindu, the hotel allows the tourists to have their weddings solemnized according to their own beliefs. Most weddings are traditional Christian ceremonies conducted by a minister. But many also want to be dressed in traditional Balinese wedding attire.

"There was a couple who wanted to have a jempana (a palanquin), said Rubianti, the assistant sales manager of the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel, "but we explained to them that it was impossible since it could only be used by a bride and groom of the Brahmana caste."

Many German guests at the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel were young couples about to get married.

Joyce Luthe, the public relations manager of the Bali Hilton, said that last year about 30 tourists were wed at the hotel. Most of them were from Europe and Japan. However, since it was quite difficult to get a Shinto priest, the Japanese guests were married at home and then had the wedding reception in Bali.

The Bali Hilton has a wedding package offering special honeymoon services like champagne and a heart affixed to the bed.

The Bali Sani Hotel provides a more special wedding package, called the Bali Village Night, in which the ceremony is conducted during a full moon. Usually the celebration is conducted on the beach with Balinese programs like cock fighting or mekidung (singing Hindu hymns) as highlights.

"At least one foreign couple gets married each month," said Nurpujiwati, the sales executive of the Bali Sani.

Most tourists who marry at the Bali Sani are Germans.

"Usually those wishing to get married in Bali contact their country's consulate here," said Mayke Boestami Couder, public relations manager of the Bali Padma Hotel. "Then the consulate recommends us and we are ready to assist them," Mayke explained.

"Getting married on the beach is what they want," she said.

The Bali Padma's clients are mainly Australians and New Zealanders.

The JTB travel agent from Japan offers special packages to Japanese tourists wanting to marry in Bali, as does a major travel agent in Europe. Kuoni also offers wedding packages to several tourists destinations in Thailand, Malaysia, Fiji and Mauritius.

The hotel usually arranges for the wedding papers to be prepared, including the civil registry documents and the church services. The bride and groom only need to prepare their birth certificates and a letter from their country's consulate. The hotel also provides witnesses to the wedding, since most couples don't bring along family members or friends.

The civil registry of Denpasar says about 150 tourists were married in Bali last year.