A great Indian wedding at Ritz-Carlton Doha that lasted over three days with an “extremely happy and satisfied group of over 1,000 guests” has made Doha a top destination in the region for such grand events.
“This has been a fantastic experience for us and our guests," Erden Kendigelen, general manager, Ritz-Carlton Doha told Gulf Times about the wedding which came to an end by 2pm on Tuesday.
Ritz-Carlton Doha general manager Erden Kendigelen and head of marketing Anne Prunier with the vintage car used for the bride and groom. PICTURE: Jayan Orma
Describing the event as 'probably the biggest Indian wedding in Qatar,' he explained that the guests considered several destinations and finally chose Ritz-Carlton Doha as they were highly impressed by the hotel’s ultra-modern facilities as well as the rich culture and traditions of Qatar.
"Doha is already a great destination as we already have more inquiries for such events,” Kendigelen stated. “This is a great landmark for us and Qatar as we competed against several destinations in the Middle East. We have risen up to the expectations of the guests and even beyond. The decision by the Qatar government to waive entry visa requirements for Indian citizens is also another major reason. This would not have been possible without the active support of the government of Qatar, Qatar Tourism Authority, Katara Hospitality and the Indian ambassador,” continued Kendigelen.
Ritz-Carlton Doha general manager recalled that the discussions for hosting the wedding had been going on for over a year. "There were more than 20 trips from the parents of the groom and the bride to the Doha in the last six months and we sent five staff members to India to visit the families, attend Indian weddings and to familiarise with the minute details of an Indian wedding.”
The bride shares a light moment ahead of the wedding (supplied picture).
“We have 374 renovated rooms and could accommodate about 800 guests in the hotel. Over 200 guests stayed in the nearby hotels. The guests started arriving some six days before wedding. Many of the guests have stayed here for almost 10 days," explained Kendigelen.
"We wanted to give the best experience for our guests. We were able to share an emotional engagement with them which conveyed the fact that we really care for them. We also took care of the special details of the entire menu for the wedding and brought in special food items and spices from India. We did not sign any formal agreement with the guests and it was all on mutual trust. Both of us are equally and extremely satisfied with the arrangement and the way the whole wedding took place here in Doha,” explained Kendigelen.
The official also noted that one of the most memorable moments of the whole event was when the guests hosted the entire hotel staff with a party. “We were surprised and touched when the guests invited us for a special party on the day they arrived. Such a gesture made us understand the genuine affinity of the guests for us and we wanted to make sure that they should also be paid in the same fashion and it was a special relationship for all of us,” he recollected.
Two containers of wedding preparation items, including special utensils to cook the specialised Indian cuisine as well as decor items were brought from India while Indian pop band Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy performed at the event.
