Cliff-top wedding bliss at AYANA Resort and Spa Bali

One of southeast Asia’s most awarded resorts, AYANA Resort and Spa Bali offers 77 hectares of stunning cliff-top gardens overlooking Jimbaran Bay on Bali’s south-western peninsula. The only hotel in Indonesia to be listed amongst Asia’s top 15 resorts – and the world’s Top 100 – in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Readers Survey 2009, AYANA’s landscaped tropical gardens are home to six distinct and ultra-exclusive wedding venues, spread out across the property to enjoy maximum privacy. These include:

* Two cliff-edge, all-glass wedding pavilions, Tresna and Astina, with illuminated glass aisles leading to magnificent glass altars
* AYANA Wedding Gazebo, located on the edge of the cliff within the 3,000sqm grounds of the three-bedroom AYANA Villa, Bali’s most exclusive venue for a wedding ceremony, reception and honeymoon all in one location
* Bale Kencana, a traditional Balinese thatch-roofed gazebo secreted behind ornate volcanic and limestone walls and surrounded by a tranquil pond, with 180-degree ocean views
* Asmara, a 350-year-old Javanese joglo, a ceremonial pavilion featured in the palaces of royalty in central Java
* Champa Garden, an avant-garde 20,000sqm multifaceted outdoor event space designed to host grand scale wedding ceremonies and receptions for up to 2,000 guests in complete seclusion

The resort’s latest addition is the ultra-glam Rock Bar, located on natural rocks 14 meters above the ocean at the base of towering cliffs. Accessed via an inclinator, this is a dramatic venue for a sunset cocktail party or recovery brunch to celebrate a new union.

These unique venues are complemented by the dedicated team of wedding specialists, honeymoon planners, hair and beauty stylists, florists and the White Door Bridal Boutique staff. With such a wealth of experience, it is still refreshing to know that no two weddings ever follow a standard formula. There is always something unique; be it special flower arrangements, requests for particular music or a song, to couples creating their own wedding vows, reception themes and menu options.

“It’s a new creation with every bridal couple who choose to marry at the resort. We have to be innovative in raising the bar for unique and tailored weddings as demand for weddings in Bali grows,” says the Resort’s resident Wedding Manager Vivi Susanti.

Taking their vows at AYANA is a very Cinderella-like experience, with special touches such as scented Rose Petal or Frangipani Flower Shower, fireworks over the Indian Ocean or an exclusive horse-drawn carriage riding off into the sunset. And let’s not forget about the cuisine, a major highlight of the AYANA experience. Whether it’s an intimate dinner for two or a wedding feast for 200 prepared by the award-winning team of chefs, a wedding at AYANA is a truly exquisite experience. Everything from an exotic cocktail reception serving canapés, plated sit-down meals to extraordinary banquets is easily accommodated.

With such a stunning range of venues and services to choose from, many couples from around South East Asia and beyond are increasingly favoring AYANA as the place to tie the knot. Traditions such as the bride and groom embarking on a separate voyage for their honeymoon are being replaced by honeymoons shared with family and friends. The more relaxed and informal approach where the whole wedding experience becomes a magical event also provides opportunities for exciting travel and discovery.

“Most bride and grooms are far more relaxed when they have their wedding away from home. Somehow everyone seems to enjoy the celebration more, probably because all the worries of a wedding are really taken care of by somebody else,” comments Vivi.

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Your wedding reception is probably the most important part of your wedding – it is the official celebration of your union with your family and your friends! With endless choices of wedding reception themes and styles, why not try something new and different instead of going with a “ traditional” one?

An “unconventional” reception done properly will have your guests talking about it long after it is over – a sure sign that it was a memorable event. You can be as creative with your ideas as you want, and to help you get inspired, here are some great suggestions :

● Garden reception in the morning with a delicious picnic spread
● Pool side barbeque
● Buffet-style reception with servings of food from all over the world, probably in memory of places you have been together
● Light cocktail reception with great entertainment and lots of mingling and interaction

Things to remember when planning your reception

Your reception style and venue should be one of the first things you decide on. Simply put, no venue means no wedding, and if you are choosing a venue that is very popular for weddings and other events, remember that you will need to make your reservations around 12 months in advance. Before you sign on the dotted line, go through the checklist below to help you decide on your venue :

● Size of your wedding ceremony (will it accommodate all your guests?)
● Price versus your budget.
● If your wedding ceremony takes place on the same day as your reception, will it be convenient for you and your guests to move from one venue to the other?
● Will the venue be exclusive to you, or will you have to share?
● Payment policy (e.g. deposits, full payment, when and how much?)
● Cancellation fees.
● What is included in the wedding package?
● Can you dictate or design the menu?
● Is there a menu sampling?
● Corkage fees, alcohol and related policies.
● Is a wedding cake included in the packages?
● Are reception decorations or flowers included?
● Are you allowed to bring in your own vendors for flowers, cakes, etc?
● Are entertainment and audiovisual systems provided?
● Time limit for your reception and extra charges for running overtime.
● Does the venue offer off-peak rates?
● If you would like to have a dance floor, do they have the space?
● Parking availability and policies.

Tips for cost-cutting :

● Hold your reception on a weekday.
● Cut out a course at your reception and serve your wedding cake as desert instead.
● Keep your guest list to minimum; intimate wedding receptions are a trend these days!