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A moving wedding ceremony
Sailing into the sunset: Couples can choose to tie the knot during a cruise on a Quicksilver Cruise boat
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Sailing into the sunset: Couples can choose to tie the knot during a cruise on a Quicksilver Cruise boat. (Courtesy of Batavia Sunda Kelapa Marina)
If marriage is a journey a couple takes together, perhaps it is fitting for that journey to begin on the move – literally.
You surely want your wedding ceremony to be beautiful, perfect — and most of all — memorable.
After all, a wedding is (supposedly) a once-in-a-lifetime event, and romance is best served with wonderful and unforgettable experiences. And one way to do that is to try an unusual – and moving – venue.
Whether you choose to enter the next phase in your life on a romantic train ride or an exotic cruise, your big day can be truly unforgettable.
“For some people, holding their wedding ceremonies at public buildings, houses or places of worship are so yesterday,” says Rikie Tjandra, sales manager for Quicksilver Cruise. “They want something unique and memorable, something with a story they can pass to their children.”
So, Rikie says, weddings at sea can be one option to create such a beautiful experience. Certainly the idea itself sounds romantic. Just imagine a gentle breeze, beautiful sunset and sparkling water forming the backdrop to your sacred ceremony, while your ship cruises along the panoramic Jakarta coastline. Sounds exotic, doesn’t it?
According to Rikie, most couples usually choose to start their ceremony at around 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. so they can get the dramatic scenery of the dusk. The ritual, he says, starts at Batavia Sunda Kelapa Marina, the city’s first marine center located on the North Jakarta shoreline. Here, a boat from Quicksilver Cruise picks up the bride and the groom, along with their family members and guests.
“But for this [first] ritual, the newlyweds can only take around 130 people with them on the ship’s main and second decks,” Rikie explains. “The ship will take them sailing in the nearby sea for around one hour.”
During the one-hour journey, the main wedding rituals such as the wedding vows and the family gathering take place. When the ship returns to Batavia Sunda Kelapa Marina, the next phase – the wedding reception – begins. Here, the couple can celebrate the night with the rest of their guests.
“When the ship arrives, there is a welcoming session with the waiting guests, where the bride and the groom are bathed by a big spotlight reflecting colorful rays,” Rikie says.
Batavia Sunda Kelapa Marina has a delightful garden near the shoreline, so your nautical-flavored wedding experience can continue. The garden can take up to 200 guests, and those with larger parties can use the function hall, which can take up to 1,500 guests, Rikie says.
Located on the second floor, the function hall offers a beautiful view of the nearby water. Batavia Sunda Kelapa Marina is the city’s gateway to many leisure islands scattered near Jakarta, including the famous Pulau Seribu. These become part of the pretty night view, with the lights from the nearby islands visible through the room’s numerous windows, open so guests can enjoy the caress of the sea breeze.
And how much might you expect to pay for all this romance and wonder?
According to Rikie, wedding packages start from Rp 70 million, including a five-star hotel buffet, standard decorations and entertainment. However, he adds, if you want to charter the ship only and hold your reception onboard, the price is Rp 45 million, which includes buffet, standard decorations and entertainment such as singers, dancers and magic shows. For this price, you can invite up to 130 guests to travel with you for two and a half hours.
The packages are not set in stone. “We’re always open to negotiations about any idea,” Rikie says.
“What matters is that you can have a memorable wedding experience.”
Another adventurous and delightful place to seal your eternal love while on the move is on a train. Just think how fun it would be to recite your wedding vows to the rhythm and beat of a jiggling train. Not to forget the passing scenery, giving you a view of city and rural life.
“Onboard the train, you can get a very unique and memorable wedding ceremony of your life,” says Ahmad Sujadi, executive at the Indonesian Railway Company (PT KAI).
The idea of providing the on-train wedding services came up last year, when a train carriage was used for a national event.
“We later thought ‘why not use it for a wedding?’,” he says, adding it was the company’s original idea, not something they copied from overseas.
The first step in getting married on a train is to decide your destination and carriage. The company provides several destinations, leaving from Jakarta, Solo, Surabaya and several cities in West and South Sumatra. From Jakarta, for example, newlyweds can choose to travel to Cirebon, Bandung, Yogyakarta or Surabaya. Destinations closer to Jakarta include Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi.
After deciding your destination, you can choose your carriage.
PT KAI has three VIP cars to choose from: Nusantara, Bali and Toraja. Previously, only VIPs like
the president or ministers could travel in these carriages, but now those in wedding parties can enjoy
the luxury.
The Nusantara, Bali and Toraja carriages differ in their interiors. The most sophisticated is Nusantara, which combines traditional and modern decor.
The walls are completely decorated with Jepara-style carvings, giving a classic look, whereas the furniture and other items are in an opulent modern style.
The Nusantara car has three rooms — lounge, meeting room and bedroom. A mini-bar is also available in the corridor that connects the lounge and the meeting room. Also provided are a large bathroom, equipped with a shower.
The lounge room – the biggest room – has four sofas, which can seat 12 people. This is where the couple can set up the dais. In combination with the meeting room, the carriage can take around 25 people.
“We also provide television sets in the lounge and meeting rooms, as well as DVD and VCD players and other games so the guests can be entertained during the ceremony,” Ahmad says.
The bedroom, with a bed, vanity table, table lamp and washstand, gives newlyweds a chance to get some rest in the case of a long journey, such as the trip from Jakarta to Surabaya, which can take 10 hours.
The Toraja and Bali carriages are less opulent and have no bedroom, but are very classy and stunning nonetheless.
“If you have many guests, you can rent all three carriages together,” Ahmad says. All three carriages have a balcony at the rear, so the newlyweds can take a romantic moment outside as they take in the scenery.
On your wedding day, your VIP carriage will be attached to a train heading to your chosen destination. If your dream destination is Yogyakarta, for instance, then your wedding carriage will be chained to the Bima Train.
Because the VIP carriages can only accommodate around 25 people, however, train weddings are most likely to suit those who prefer to have a private and intimate ceremony with their family or friends. If you do wish to invite more guests, you can purchase tickets for them to ride in regular cars attached to the same train.
So, if you want an unusual wedding experience like this, which gets you started on your honeymoon right away, what must you pay? Prices depend on your destination and carriage. For example, a one-way trip on the Nusantara from Jakarta to Cirebon costs Rp 6 million, while going to Surabaya costs Rp 12 million. These prices do not include the buffet. Newlyweds can choose to use their own catering services onboard or just leave the food and beverages services up to the train company, Ahmad says, adding “Everything can be discussed with us to meet your satisfaction.”
So if you are looking for a wedding venue that gives you an unusual experience and even gets you moving, a ship or a train could be an option. They might prove more expensive than a conventional wedding, but remember, you’re also getting an unforgettable experience.
After all, we all want our guests to leave our wedding with a lasting impression, saying: “That was the most stunning and memorable wedding!”
Batavia Sunda Kelapa Marina/ Quicksilver Cruise
Jl. Baruna Raya No. 9, North Jakarta 14430
Phone: 021-6915599
Web: www.batavia-marina.com
Contact persons:
Rikie Tjandra (0812 19122080) or
Cindy Ellenora Veronica (0888 9716923)
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI)
Jl. Taman Stasiun Kota No. 1
West Jakarta
(inside Stasiun Jakarta Kota railway station)
Phone: 021-6928261
Web: www.kereta-api.com
