Tirtha makes wedding dreams come true

Chisato Hara, The Jakarta Post, Uluwatu, Bali

Long known as a paradise for surfers, beach-goers and honeymooners, Bali is fast becoming a haven for couples wishing to take that great leap forward into shared commitment.

Where better to bless such a union than the Island of the Gods?

The wedding market in Bali is booming, with wedding organizers, villas, restaurants and even five-star hotels catering to the practical demands of love.

Among these is Tirtha Bali, established in 1997 by husband- wife team Koji Koreyasu and Yuka Nishizawa, who have been organizing weddings on the island since 1992.

As in many fairy-tale romances, in which fleeting beginnings bloom into the unexpected, the birth of Tirtha was "a coincidence", Nishizawa said.

"My husband had a garment manufacturing business here, and became known among friends as someone knowledgeable about Bali. One day, a friend mentioned that he would like to get married here -- could Koreyasu arrange it?"

Seven years later, having survived the 1998 crises, Tirtha has a showroom in Nusa Dua and a branch office in Tokyo to cater to the Japanese couples, who make up 95 percent of their clientele. Their most recent facility is Tirtha Uluwatu, just opened last June, and the only wedding resort on the island.

Spanning 6,000 sq m atop a cliff overlooking the white shores of Nyang-nyang Beach and the Indian Ocean, where dozens of dolphins can be seen frolicking during fishing season, Tirtha Uluwatu is a one-stop wedding facility that provides all -- and more -- of a blushing bride's dreams -- except the groom.

"Tirtha" is a Sanskrit word meaning "sacred water". As Nishizawa said, "We wanted to create a venue that embodied the idea of water being the source of all life, a place imbued with an ambiance that here was the beginning of all things to come."

The symbolism unfolds down the winding driveway leading to the open entrance, where a pathway traverses small fishponds while radiant water lilies and slender cattails wave in greeting.

The split-level compound holds 15 pavilions -- including dining pavilions and an open bar -- designed by architect Glenn Parker of Grounds Kent Architects, renowned for their Four Seasons Jimbaran. Broad, airy structures in teak, glass and woven rattan lampir ceilings stand amid courtyards framed in the sandy tones of indigenous paras, palimanan and bengkirai stones.

The pavilions, cooled by a silent breeze from hidden air- conditioners, provide sanctuary to bride and groom, family and wedding guests, offering couches and vanity tables dressed in the meditative hues of sage, pale ochre, salmon and sand in moiri silk and fine cotton. Japanese-style sliding doors lead to dressing rooms, and ornamental vases and bowls in mother-of-pearl and Kalimantan mahogany reveal the touch of Ratina Moegiono of Aman Resort International fame.

Hibiscus, bougainvillea and frangipani in shades of vermilion, fuchsia, tangerine and white counterpoint the lush green of the grounds laid by landscape artist Made Wijaya, and descending deeper past sculptures carved by Made Cangker and Dewa Japa, a vast reflecting pool of shimmering aqua stretches out toward the cliff edge.

To the far right is the centerpiece: the floating Wedding Atrium, an A-line structure of white steel, triangular sails and teal-tinted glass panels, reminiscent of the brilliant Air Force Academy Chapel of Colorado Springs.

Tirtha Uluwatu also has a fully equipped kitchen, and offers Asian and French menus designed by Mozaic restaurateur Master Chef Chris Salans.

That no expense has been spared in the design and construction of the resort, which took three years to build, would be a gross understatement. However, the care and attention to detail merely begins with the compound, and trilingual wedding coordinators are on hand to ensure that all is perfect up to the exchange of vows and to the festivities beyond.

Tirtha is also unique in that it offers Balinese Hindu, Christian and Muslim ceremonies, held under license by the relevant religious associations. In the case of Muslim weddings, Tirtha is authorized by the local Islamic religious office not only to conduct the ceremony with an officiating imam, but also to issue wedding certificates. Christian ceremonies are blessed by a priest specifically appointed to Tirtha.

As for Balinese Hindu weddings, the ceremonies are of a cultural nature for both foreign and Balinese couples, as Balinese law dictates that couples must wed in their banjar, or neighborhood community, of origin.

In fact, 80 percent of Tirtha's staff is employed from the local banjar, and it is the Karang Borma villagers -- including village elders, children and gamelan performers -- who grace each ceremony with flower girls, footmen, dancers and musicians, as well as stand in as witnesses.

All arrangements are made at the Nusa Dua showroom where, upon their arrival, couples are guided through every stage of planning, from the rental of handmade Italian wedding dresses and tuxedos to flower arrangements, from booking violinists to professional photographers and cameramen, from selecting guest registries to souvenirs, even scheduling salon treatments for the big day.

"Once, a couple requested piano accompaniment, so we carried a grand piano all the way down to the Atrium for their wedding day," said assistant general manager Muhammad Gusri, smiling.

Whether a traditional wedding or a simple formal exchange of "I do", it is clear all at Tirtha are attendant hand and foot to make the dream wedding a reality, under the azure expanse of a Balinese sky.

For more information, visit www.tirtha.com or contact Tirtha Bali International at: Tel. (0361) 772255; Fax. (0361) 777252; or gusri@tirtha.com.