From gardens to glamour: Almatti emerges as a pre-wedding shoot hub

Almatti (Vijayapura): Almatti, long known for its theme-based gardens, dam views and water parks, is now emerging as a popular hub for pre-wedding photoshoots. Couples can choose from a variety of curated backdrops such as moonlight settings, replicas of the Taj Mahal, forest jeeps, antique scooters and more, available at three to four dedicated studios. These new attractions add to existing popular locations such as the Mughal Garden, Rock Garden, Sita Van and Lava-Kusha Garden.Interestingly, some garage owners have ventured into setting up such studios, offering pre-wedding shoot services at more economical rates compared to similar studios in Maharashtra. They are also conscious of the need to regularly update their backdrops and themes with every season. After Honnavar, Almatti has emerged as the only destination catering comprehensively to the pre-wedding photography needs of brides, grooms and their families.Shivalingappa Vitthal Muramatti, proprietor of Pooja Pre-Wedding Set, said he has been engaged in engineering work for over two decades. He recalled that the idea of starting a pre-wedding studio was first suggested by his son-in-law, Niranjan Malgondi, an electrical engineer based in Pune, but he had initially dismissed it. His youngest son, Abhishek, is a diploma holder."When I was away from the station for more than 20 days, our two daughters and son started the pre-wedding facility on a pilot basis in Dec on our 40x60-ft site. The response was overwhelming, which prompted us to take it up seriously," he explained.He said that while Almatti's gardens are a major attraction, couples were finding it difficult to get fire camp-style scenes. To address this, the family created a floating bridge using PVC pipes. Around the same time, a team from Karwar visited the area to conduct a silt survey in the backwaters using two boats. After completing the survey, the team was faced with a transportation cost of Rs 90,000 to take the boats back, and instead sold them to Muramatti for Rs 50,000 along with the licence."We now receive between 10 and 50 pre-wedding shoot parties a day during the marriage season," he said.Vilas Melmani, proprietor of Abhi Film City, Almatti, noted that Almatti is attracting brides and grooms from six to seven districts of the North Karnataka region. "Since there was a heavy rush in the current wedding season, we preferred booking in the interest of couples. Night fire camp, lighting, fibre set, White House, daytime and night-time lighting are much-demanded scenes here. While Almatti gardens attract about 50 couples per day in peak season, few couples come to our studios. Some couples bring their parents too for the shoot," he asserted.Ashlesha and Ajit, a couple, shared that earlier Honnavar was the only spot for such pre-wedding shoots. "It was taking more time for travel and was costly. It is good that we are getting such studios in Almatti," they said.Highlights of Almatti studios* Cost ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 based on couples' preferences* Dress-changing room* Parking available* Washroom facility* Drinking water