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Marital bliss: Nuptial gets exotic in nature's lap
Fantastic, we were looking forward to exotic, cultural, spiritual, colourful and memorable way of doing it. It was a perfect experience here in Kerala very moving
- John Reinier Sack
Gilvester Assary
Monday, December,17 2007 (Punnamada Lake, Kerala):
After ayurvedic, allopathic, election and dental tourism, it is now the turn of marriage tourism to flourish in the backwaters of Alappuzha, just 40 kilometres from Kochi.

Tour operators say they are increasingly fielding enquiries from couples living abroad, on whether they can organise marriages for them.

One such couple was Maxine Barbara and John Reinier Sack, who got married in a formal Christian ceremony in Bristol, where the former runs an IT firm.

But that ceremony alone wasn't enough, so they headed for Kerala to be married on a houseboat in the sprawling and serene backwaters of Alappuzha.

What followed was a traditional Malayali marriage, the ceremony was simple but memorable. Maxine dressed up as a Malayalee vadhu or bride to take her vows for a second time in 15 days.

"Fantastic, we were looking forward to exotic, cultural, spiritual, colourful and memorable way of doing it. It was a perfect experience here in Kerala, very moving," said John.

"It is going to have a special place in my memory. For a while nothing was moving, everything was like a fairy tale simple and intimate marriage ceremony," added Maxine.

John and Maxine's wedding is not a one off as tour operators have been getting regular enquiries from abroad, on whether marriages can be organised for couples.

Roy Therakath, Kerala Holidays said, "When John and Maxine emailed to me about coming to Kerala, their main purpose was to get married here in Kerala. We want to do it in a very simple way and not in an elaborate way.

"A houseboat (wedding) was going to be unique. Not many people would have done it before and they agreed to it. They were excited."

Marriages on the beach are a done deed but a houseboat venue is still very new, wedding venue. And in case we forgot to mention, you don't need to step off the boat for your honeymoon.

"Like a package we do the whole thing. Each and everything is taken care of, even the small things for the puja. Apart from the boat, the rest of the things are for about Rs 15,000. For one night the boat charge is Rs 15,000," said V S Zachariah, Lakes and Lagoons Tour Co.

It's been a wonderful experience for John and Maxine. So thrilled are they that the couple is already thinking of celebrating their first marriage anniversary in the same house boat next year. Well, this is a very special marriage in God's own country.
 
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