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?
