The Nikko Hotel Guam is the chosen location of Bridal World’s latest development a 6 948-square-foot Wedding Village.

Trevor Takasu vice president of World Bridal Micronesia Inc. said the new establishment will be just what its title implies. The veteran company of the Asian wedding market will build an all-in-one wedding theme park.

Wedding Village will house a fitting room beauty salon chapel and three reception rooms each with a different theme as well as a boutique where guests will also be able to rent post-wedding cocktail dresses for ladies and matching suits for gentlemen. Takasu said World Bridal holds a land lease with the Nikko but the approximately $3.5 million project is completely funded by World Bridal.

“We want to offer something unique in the wedding market ” he said. “The basic concept is to give the customer everything needed for a wedding. What we are trying to achieve is to give the customer an everlasting memorable experience so they can relax and enjoy the atmosphere.”

Without having to worry about any of the tedious details usually involved in planning a wedding — and a wedding reception — the bride and groom can simply arrive in street clothes and truly sit back relax be pampered and enjoy their special day. The Wedding Village will also offer hair and makeup artists tailors a minister photographers and a caterer. Various packages will be offered in different price ranges each of which can be tailored to fit each customer’s needs. Takasu said packages purchased in Japan will be offered at about $1 500 but that a rate for the local market would also be available.

“It really just depends on what the customer wants. Whatever they want we can provide.”

Eric R. Nelson president of Rim Architects and the architect who designed the project described the wedding village as “A new and innovative wedding chapel concept directed towards the Japanese wedding market. This concept includes a dramatic 1 725-square-foot chapel facility located on the cliff line overlooking Tumon Bay along with three salon buildings and an office structure that surrounds a landscaped courtyard plaza. The salons are individual residential-scale units designed to offer the wedding couple and their family a place to congregate and prepare for the wedding. The three salons allow for various wedding couples to prepare in privacy and in close proximity to the chapel and offer a convenient reception area after the wedding. Located adjacent to the Hotel Nikko Guam the project has a spectacular view of the ocean and offers a world -class wedding experience.”

Each of the three salons will have its own theme:
• Lowest price range — the Balinese-style Garden terrace which offers a casual/modern atmosphere;
• Mid-price range — the American/Hollywood theme a terrace which offers a semiformal 1930s montage;
• Highest price range — a traditional formal Euro-Victorian style terrace.

Takasu described the wedding village itself as reminiscent of a Beverly Hills arrangement. “It’s going to be the landmark of Tumon ” he said. Two Lovers’ Point will be seen in the backdrop on one side of the building and the metropolis of Tumon will be seen on the other side. It will be beautiful at night as well ” Takasu said. “Everything will be lit up on the inside as well as the outside columns so everyone will see exactly what it is.”

The chapel itself will be mostly glass. “I love glass ” he said “I wanted the design of the chapel to give as much exposure to the full surrounding area of the full view of Tumon. Because of the weather conditions on Guam I’ve overdesigned it as far as strength goes. The big cost is in the structure of the buildings; I wanted to make sure it was sound. Safety is our main priority. Our other chapel went through two typhoons and not a scratch; nothing broke. Because of the location on the point we are making the new chapel glass much stronger. It will have UV tint and be able to hold over 200 mph winds.”

Triple L Construction Co. is building the Wedding Village. Won-Cheol “Thomas” Chang general manager of Triple L said “Every building in the village has a good view; it’s sitting on the Philippine Sea. It will be the most beautiful chapel on the island. The construction schedule is very tight but we will do our best to rise to the challenge and plan to finish on time. Most of the weddings take place in October and November. If we don’t finish by November our client will lose money in having to wait — but we don’t plan on being late.”

The Wedding Village is expected to hold its soft opening on Nov. 1 and its grand opening on Nov. 15. The village will offer up to eight weddings per day sunset and night weddings included. Construction for the project is already underway; the groundbreaking took place at the end of March.

World Bridal Micronesia opened the Amantes Chapel on April 5 2002 at the Marriott Resort Guam. Rim Architects were also the architect and interior designer for that project. The Amantes Chapel was brought to Guam ready-to-assemble from Australia. (See “The marriage market ” and “A wedding in Paradise ” in the May 2002 edition of Guam Business.)

The Nikko also hosts the San Vitores Bay Side Wedding Chapel which is managed by Watabi Weddings Inc.

From 8 000 to 10 000 Japanese weddings are held in Guam each year with an average party of 10 including the wedding couple staying an average of 15 room nights. Wedding parties comprise eight to 10 people a number higher than for destinations further from Japan. MBJ