After ‘fake news’ it is ‘fake marriage’ which is attracting the whole world in a big way. Well ‘fake marriage’ is something that has been launched by the city of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.
It is a way of attracting tourists and getting people together. The theme ‘Marry an Amsterdammer for a day’ has been launched by the city with the aim of getting tourists to interact with the locals.
The price for such a marriage varies. It starts at a 100 pounds (approximately Rs 9,000) and increases depending on the services you want. Yes after marriage, honeymoon for a day is also included in the package.
The tourists bid for a listed bride or groom. Then a mock wedding ceremony is conducted at a shop in Amsterdam called ‘Wed&Walk’. The ceremony includes presentation of flower bouquets, exchange of rings (not diamond though) and if you have the ability to spend a feast also where you can invite your friends and relatives. But then which ‘single’ tourist really moves around with friends and relatives.
True love, that may never happen within a day, but then why miss the chance of experiencing it. And about honeymoon – well first it has to be consensual if one wants physical activity. Otherwise ‘honeymoon’ is all about exploring the quiet and beautiful nooks in Amsterdam by the ‘newly-weds’. At the most a hug is permitted between the newly-weds… nothing more, unless permitted.
Well this innovative idea has been launched by the ‘Untourist Movement’ comprising over 200 social entrepreneurs, hotels and hostels to make Amsterdam a better destination for tourists.
But then this one-day marriage is not the only programme which has been initiated to attract tourists. So, if the commitment-phobic in you is a little wary of the one-day marriage, one can try out ‘Weed Dating’—something akin to ‘speed dating’ but with your hands in mud. It is all about strangers assembling together in a farm. Then conversations start between unknown pairs while they dig deep their hands on a tumbler of mud and knead it continuously.
Earlier the nightlife in Amsterdam and a tour of the red light areas of the city were prime attractions for tourists, more so for those single. However, the Dutch government has already announced that the tours will be banned in January 2020. In fact the government is trying to involve the tourists in positive activities rather than just waste time visiting the ‘not-so-good’ places in the Dutch capital.
Agencies