Vows by the beach
If the monotonous venues and, not to mention the traffic, feels just too bland when you think of weddings in the city, you wouldn't be the only one. The same falcon this and shena kunja that has been done to death. If you really want your wedding to be memorable, not to mention unique from the rest, why not push the boat out and go for the super cool idea of destination wedding.
This, by no means, is a novel idea, as it's been a thing in the West for quite some time. And why would it not be? Just picture it; the surf hitting your feet as you stare into the limpid pools of desire that are the eyes of your beloved, just as the sun is setting over the ocean on the horizon. Destination weddings are all the rage now; exotic locations like Masai Mara, to the backwaters of Kerala, and in between the islands of Indonesia or Thailand have all been explored, and are almost becoming common choices for weddings now.
Gazing into the depth of each other's eyes and vowing to sew their lives together till eternity; beautiful couples opt for unique locales for their big day, and want to make memories with élan and flamboyance these days.
Walking barefooted on the sandy beach, the bride wearing a cotton Jamdani sari and the groom donning his Rajshahi silk Panjabi, coupled with jasmine tiaras and frangipani garlands, the couples resemble movie stars, and their weddings are scripted as nothing less than the season's blockbuster.
What baffles me though is why couples and families here do not consider our very own Cox's Bazar for such a memorable events. The sandy beach of Cox's Bazar, the longest natural sea beach in the world I might add, the orange marmalade sundown, the conch shells, the swaying coconut trees, the majestic sampans-- all make Cox's Bazar a great choice for a picturesque destination wedding.
And if that has convinced you of choosing this as a destination, then Mermaid Beach Resort is the ideal place to host such a grand event.
"For people of Bangladesh who are planning on destination weddings, and also want to host the extended families or have big families, Cox's Bazar is their best solution. You don't have to deal with the added hassle of visas here as we are still in our own country, something you will face with weddings hosted abroad," says Anisul Haque Chowdhury Shohag, Managing Director of Mermaid Beach Resort, adding that Mermaid can incorporate destination beach wedding settings with a Bangladeshi feel, or give a classic Western look.
The resort premises is about one mile around, and technically boasts a private beach and is highly secure; families can hire the resort, and the groom or bride's parties can have separate cottages, and can also have a common space to host events together.
They can accommodate from 60 to about 100 guests if they use all of their property.
"We did five beach weddings; two for clients and three for friends. Each family can have an exclusive wedding photo session, Rakhine dance, local music, international theatre, stage performances, dramas, musical soirees, for every wedding related occasion. Our added bonus is the mezbaan dinner and sampan boat cruise. During winter, when there is no concern for storms or tidal waves, we can arrange exclusive lunches or brunches with barbeque fish or poultry. And our all-time favourite offer is the moon-lit romantic boat ride with private high tea in the villas. The resort has activities planned from dawn till dusk for guests, in small scale setting or large," he explains.
Since the resort is separated from the ocean by a lagoon, there is no danger of high or low tide, ensuring all water activities are safe. Some of these activities include kayaking, sunset boat cruises, dolphin cruises, moonlit cruise party etc. They also have 24-hour service and restaurants open all day long.
To be honest, what more could you ask for? So I ask you, why bother going through an immense headache, not to mention the financial and visa dropkick of going abroad for a destination wedding, when one of the best destinations in the world is right here in your own backyard to make your fairy-tale dream wedding come alive?
BY RBR
Photo: Hamid, Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Model: Abdullah Al Mahfuz, Efa, Indrani, Mysha, Meghla
Wardrobe: Chondon, Cats Eye, LS
Jewellery: Araaz
Make-up and Hair: Noyon Ahamed and Niloy
Styling: Sonia Yeasmin Isha
Set and Location: Mermaid Beach Resort, Cox's Bazar
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