In a first, over 1,000 people to fly in to Qatar for an Indian destination wedding

Qatar is going to host a big fat Indian wedding for the first time on its shores.

While weddings of long-time Indian residents of the country are not uncommon, it is something new when over 1,000 guests will fly in to Qatar just to be part of a wedding.

Yet, that is exactly what will happen at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel a few days from now.      

Visa-free entry for Indians into Qatar has opened doors for some unique opportunities in the tourism sector as an Indian couple has chosen Doha as the venue for their destination wedding, reported The Peninsula.

To be held at The Ritz-Carlton Doha, the wedding will see guests flown in from all around the world. The wedding party has booked the entire hotel, all 374 rooms, for the event and the celebration will continue for three days including a musical evening by renowned Indian pop band Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy.

It is understood that the bride and groom belong to prominent Indian families and were looking for a destination with a difference to host their dream wedding. 

After a vigorous search, Qatar with its ultra-luxe accommodation options, vibrant culture and incredible hospitality was chosen over other GCC countries, reported Qatar Tribune. 

Prominent Indian names from the world of high-end luxury weddings have been roped in for the occasion.  Luxury wedding planners Divinity Weddings, famed decor designer Heena Patel of Amaahyaaj in Vadodara, and Mumbai’s prominent gourmet vegetarian catering company Popular Caterers will be working hand-in-hand with the Ritz-Carlton Doha teams for the three-day spectacle. 

According to the Ritz-Carlton Doha’s General Manager Erden Kendigelen, negotiations to finalise the venue had been going on for almost a year.

“The fact that we’ve a wonderful and newly renovated property went in our favour, but what really clinched the deal is the announcement by Qatar government in August 2017 allowing citizens of 80 countries visa-free entry to the country. We were also able to anticipate and cater to every need of the family and this created an emotional engagement with them,” he said.

The Ritz-Carlton Doha are no strangers to hosting weddings as they host around 200 local weddings a year including five to six VIP weddings. But what makes this different is that a huge number of people are flying in to attend a traditional Indian wedding infused with Arabic elegance.

This also puts Qatar in the tourism map for destination weddings, which is very popular among Indian elites. 

“We’ve put in a lot of effort into planning the nitty-gritties along with the family and the professionals from India. We even attended a traditional marriage ceremony in India to understand the requirements better. There’s a lot of excitement among our staff as this is a great opportunity to showcase our property and also Qatar as a destination for such huge events,” Kendigelen said.

Around 100 families will stay back after the wedding for a tour of Qatar. During the ceremonial days, Ritz is planning short trips for guests to Museum of Islamic Art, Souq Waqif and shopping centres.