Bali at Home

Bali at Home

In Bali, everything, from inanimate stones to beloved family members, is filled with spiritual power. Therefore, all things in the cosmos are to be treated with the utmost care and respect. What better way to begin your lives together than to incorporate such love into your celebration?

Dawn Stone and Scott O’Hara of Embellishmint Floral and Event Design Studio in Coronado suggest brides opt for spiritual simplicity when bringing a Balinese motif to their weddings. “Bali is full of symbols,” says Dawn. “Adapt your own symbols in materials such as stone and water features.”

Many of Bali’s buildings, even resort hotels, are filled with statues, particularly of Hindu gods. But the statues are not merely representations of deities. They also reflect the Balinese love of art.

“Commission a statue,” Dawn says. “It could be just of your hands together, and place it in the entryway to your ceremony or reception. You can have a card by it, asking people to touch the piece and say a prayer of love for you two. It’s a very spiritual way of getting your guests involved. And it makes a wonderful piece for you to have in your home years later.”

Water drenches and permeates the Balinese way of life, from its thousands of miles of coastline to its terraced rice paddies. Water, then, is an element essential to a Balinese motif. “Place two huge fountain urns near the entrance,” says Dawn. “You can also set tiny fountains scattered on tables throughout the reception.”

Celebrating in a location near or on the beach is one of the easiest methods to instantly bring a tropical feel to your wedding. Beautiful landscaping is a must, because this wedding needs to have at least one component outdoors. The venue need not be dedicated to an island décor, according to Scott. It should, however, be dramatic with large-scale foliage, such as the Four Seasons Aviara or Estancia La Jolla.

The two suggest single- and three-tiered Balinese temple umbrellas as part of the event design as a splash of color. The umbul-umbul, or Balinese flag, represents humanity’s relationship with the earth and can help delineate the perimeters of your outdoor space with grandeur.

Diwali, or the Hindu Festival of Lights, can provide inspiration for décor as well, especially for weddings in October or November, the months when the holiday is traditionally celebrated. “You want a lot of white candles,” says Dawn. “Set up handworked bamboo torches through the space, then use them later for parties in your backyard.”bali-inspired wedding centerpiece

Flowers, of course, are at the center of every celebration. Just as with the location, don’t feel restricted to use only tropical blooms. The goal is ambiance, not reproduction. “Big structured plants are best for drama,” says Dawn. “Anthurium, calla lilies and orchids are perfect. But grasses, seeded eucalyptus, sedum, maidenhair fern and dusty miller also have the texture that is wonderful for this kind of look.” Consider lining the aisle with square vessels filled with floating orchids. Drape monstera leaves along the backs of chairs and place gladiola florets on bamboo trays so their aroma can fill the air. “It’s all about the senses,” says Scott. “You have to engage them all.”

The Music of the Gods

The traditional music of Bali is the gamelan ensemble, usually made up of various gongs, metal bars, wooden xylophones and sometimes bamboo flutes. Gamelan music can sound a bit harsh to Western ears, but there is one kind that could provide the perfect ambiance as your guests arrive before the ceremony or for your cocktail hour. Known as the music of the love god Semar, gamelan semar pegulingan dates back to the 17th century when it was played near the royal sleeping chamber for the king and his concubines. Based on an ancient suite of flutes, the music is sweeter than the more modern gamelan compositions.

If you are unable to find a group versed in this type of music, you may want to simply use a CD. A good recording is Bali: Gamelan Semar Pegulingan: Gamelan of the Love God. Recorded in 1972, the CD was re-released in 2003 by Nonesuch Records and is available through amazon.com.