Hotels tap into wedding season

KOCHI: With the tourism sector on a standstill following Covid-19 outbreak, hotels in Kochi are all set to make the most of the wedding season, which coincides with Onam festivities. Since the dawn of Malayalam month of Chingam, city hotels have started offering attractive and affordable wedding packages. As per the Covid protocol, only 50 persons are permitted for a wedding, prompting many to shift marriages from auditoriums to hotels.

Attractive packages
Almost all major hotels in Kochi are marketing their properties and facilities as wedding venues. Some have even rolled out packages that cost as less as `50,000. Naveen Yadav, director of sales and marketing, Grand Hyatt Kochi,  said ever since Unlock, 80 per cent of social events held at the hotel was marriages. The hotel is also in the forefront to promote Kochi as a wedding destination. He expects the trend to stay for another two months. 

“We recently launched the ‘Grand Weddings’ package that offers a range of varied cuisine options along with welcome mocktails and soft beverages, desired wedding decor, a grand suite with breakfast for the couple and two complimentary day-use rooms for six hours,  all at the price of `1,99,999 plus taxes. This wedding package is available until December 30. Our wedding specialists who include expert chefs and planners, cater to every need of the customers and make the celebration a memorable one,” he said.

Four Points by Sheraton at Kochi Infopark has also launched a package worth Rs 1.25 lakh for a wedding attended by 50 persons. The package includes welcome drinks, non-vegetarian main course buffet, a non-vegetarian starter for 60 mins, wash and change room during the event day, onsite parking for 100 + vehicles, decor, wedding couch and table decor, photo booth, pathway décor and save the date posters. A honeymoon suite at a special price of `6,000 is also provided.

Similarly, Le Meridian Kochi has also launched customised wedding packages starting at `49,999 plus taxes. As many as 10-12 weddings have taken place at the hotel since June. During Chingam,  the hotel authorities expect at least 20 wedding events. 

Shruti Shibulal, CEO and director, Tamara Leisure Experiences Pvt. Ltd said despite Covid-related restriction for events, several persons are considering destination wedding now. “While we expected this to affect the weddings and events vertical significantly, we have found that enquires are coming in and several events have successfully taken place already. Even in terms of willingness to spend on such events, we have not seen any significant decrease,” she said.

Wed in style

Grand Hyatt
K1,99,999 plus taxes - Cuisine options, wedding decor, honeymoon suite, two complimentary day-use rooms for six hours among other facilities.

Four Points by Sheraton 
K1.25 lakh for a wedding attended by 50 persons. This includes varied menu, vehicle parking, honeymoon suite, wash and change room and wedding decor 

O by Tamara (T’puram)
Planning by experts, menu curation, bridal suites, complimentary wedding cakes, vouchers for honeymoon travel

Le Meridian Kochi
Packages starting from K49,999 plus taxes