Page 156 - Masala Weddings in Thailand 2019

ASK THE EXPER TS

How do you feel about hosting Indian weddings at the
Amari Watergate Bangkok?
Indian weddings excite our team as they are not everyday
business. They are a challenge and for a MICE hotel such
as ourselves, it is a new dimension of driving creativity,
being different, and catering to the demands of the family.
Indian weddings inspire our team, and although they
can bring pressure, and long days and nights, they are
rewarding if you deliver the dream.

What are some of the most difficult challenges you’ve
had to deal with?
The main challenge is making the next event even better
than previous celebrations, as the guests were probably
at the last one. It is the creativity that brings the key
challenge. Indian weddings inspire many unusual requests:
white horses, elephants, bands over the pool surrounded
by synchronised swimmers, and wedding initials on the
building. These are just some that we have delivered on!

What are some more of the most unusual requests
you’ve had from the wedding couple?
We had a bride and groom who, on the wedding night,
requested us to book them a room at another hotel so
they could escape their guests and the non-stop party, as
David Cumming they needed to get away!

While in Pattaya, I had a bride and groom who wanted a
Vice President & Area General Manager quiet dinner for two on a boat when they were supposed
Bangkok ONYX Hospitality Group, General to be at one of the ceremonies – yes, they were two hours
Manager of Amari Watergate Bangkok late for their own event!
What surprised you most the first time you hosted an
David Cummings oversees the operations of not only Indian wedding?
Amari Watergate Bangkok, but 14 cluster hotels in Personally, the first time I experienced an Indian wedding,
addition. An industry veteran, he is uniquely qualified what struck me was the sheer energy of the attendees
for this position. Earning his first managerial role in to go for three days eating, drinking and enjoying
1988 at the Britannia InterContinental Hotel in London, themselves. They start late and go all night!
he continued on to work across the world, at George
InterContinental Hotel in Edinburgh, and InterContinental Do you have any absolute no-nos at your hotel regarding
properties in Egypt, Abu Dhabi and Oman. He moved Indian weddings?
to Bangkok to join the Imperial Hotel Group. In 2004, We have very few, if any – we are an extremely flexible
he became the Resident Manager of Amari Watergate hotel, working in sync with the guests needs, and
Bangkok, after which he became the General Manager of focussing on delivering the dream wedding. Our only
Amari Pattaya, and his success in this position earned him major no-no is the music level in the garden after
the role of Vice President of the ONYX Hospitality Group, midnight (we would the rather get them indoors to
and then in addition, the Area General Manager. continue the party!)

"Indian weddings inspire our team, and although

they can bring pressure, and long days and nights,
they are rewarding if you deliver the dream."

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