30 new wedding planners from Global Wedding Academy by Wizcraft MIME set to debut in the Industry

Being India’s first and only Wedding Academy, it was a landmark moment for GWA

Mumbai, 13^th April, 2019: India’s first and only Wedding Academy, ‘Global Wedding Academy by Wizcraft Management Institute of Media and Entertainment’ (GWA by Wizcraft MIME) hosted their first Convocation at ISME Tower, One IndiaBulls Centre, Lower Parel. The dignitaries for the ceremony were Indian Filmmaker, Subhash Ghai, Special Advisor to Taj Hotels, Mr. Farhat Jamal, Dr Indu Shahani, Founding Dean of Indian School of Management and Entrepreneurship, and the Dice Academy, CEO and Co-Founder, E Factor Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., Samit Garg, GWA Directors, Mrs. Neha Seth Arora, Mrs Sushma Gaikwad, Wiz Viraf Sarkari and Wiz Sabbas Joseph.

After 6 enriching months of India’s first blended wedding management executive program, 30 students from GWA by Wizcraft MIME are set to make their mark in the fast-growing wedding planning industry. They have met the high benchmark of professional training and instruction imparted by the very best in the business, with 25 of them already being placed with reputed organizations across the industry. The guests were welcomed with a scrumptious lunch hosted by Foodlink with an environment of an Indian celebration created by Larly Bahl designs. The event commenced with an inaugural parade by the talented ‘Chosen Ones’ of GWA. The students dressed in graduation robes entered the Convocation hall in a parade ringing bells in a synchronized musical expression. After their grand entry, it was time to invoke blessings on an auspicious note with the lighting of the lamp by all the dignitaries at the event. The propitious atmosphere was enhanced with a mesmerizing dance performance on the soulful ‘Ganesh Vandana’ by Amrita Joshi, renowned danseuse who has mastered myriad dance forms.

Sharing his gems of experience, notable Filmmaker, Producer and Director, Subhash Ghai, said “I feel honoured to be surrounded by young minds like these students. The GWA team has built a dream into reality. They are blessed to have gone through this Academy as it is necessary to train themselves to become what and who they want to be. It is essential for them to be good humans, make ‘People’ their subjects, where they are going to tell stories to and for them. It is essential to be reborn with each project as success doesn’t come easy with any shortcut. Learn from the best, incorporate love and humbleness; all the very best for the future” Congratulating and inspiring the GWA students through the Commencement Address, GWA Director and Co-founder, Wizcraft international Pvt Ltd., Sabbas Joseph, said “I dedicate this special moment to all our partners and colleagues, as we have absorbed innumerable learnings from each other. For my students - your journey has only just begun. Take out your map and chart your course, throw caution to the winds and let your imagination flow. Know your destination and choose your path. Take one step at a time and celebrate each success. Look behind to see what you’ve covered and look ahead to see what is remaining to be done. At GWA, you’ve been through 6 months of discovery, with no better catalyst of success other than curiosity. Find your team, believe in them and depend on them to deliver against all odds. On behalf of the entire GWA Team and Events Industry – I wish you all a great adventure on the road ahead.”

The proceedings opened with a welcome address by GWA Director, Mrs. Neha Seth Arora. Expressing her joy at GWA’s first graduation ceremony, she said “It has been an enriching experience for all involved, with our students becoming better versions of themselves. They are our first batch of phenomenal wedding architects and we are truly proud of our ‘Chosen Ones’ today. The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams and now, it is the beginning for all of them, who will always remain our first brand ambassadors as well.” Speaking about the future that lies ahead for the students, GWA Director and Co-Founder, Wizcraft international Pvt Ltd., Viraf Sarkari, said “It is the beginning of a very exciting future, a creatively empowering life. It is essential for our students to set a purpose for each day, to be more passionate than yesterday. The only competition is one’s self – continue growing, innovating and enhancing your own selves. Learning doesn’t stop here and with a happy heart, I congratulate and welcome them to our world of Event Management.”

Highlighting the exciting aspects of the Industry’s future, Special Advisor to Taj Hotels, Farhat Jamal, said “Big congratulations to the entire team for putting this initiative together as the first education venture for wedding planning and execution. Now is the time to get into the arena. It’s about constantly chasing excellence in everything that one does. Careful planning paves the way for flawless work and the most exciting thing is that these students will get to be a part of someone’s most important day – their wedding! That opportunity is a big blessing in itself.”

While delivering the keynote address, Keynote Speaker, Samit Garg, who is the CEO and Co-Founder of E Factor Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. Speaking about the Wedding Industry and its endless possibilities, said “The size of the global business of weddings is around 330 billion USD, with India contributing around 30 billion dollars’ wedding business to the industry. Each and every student of GWA should be proud of the fact that they are entering such a vast market space, which is expected to grow at the rate of 20-25% in the coming years. We must be ready for the giant leap which will catapult this market to a 2.5-3 times multiplier in the next 5-7 years. My advice to the students is for them to always think big and think difficult, to go and create opportunities whilst sharing the knowledge with everyone around them”

Taking the students on a nostalgic path, Director, GWA, Sushma Gaikwad said – “Today, I feel immense gratitude to be with all my students. It has been my privilege to be with all of them for the past 22 weeks. Hundreds of applicants came our way and only thirty – our chosen ones, found their way to this Academy and our hearts. I have immense gratitude for our partners who have supported us and provided impetus to move forward and create an environment conducive to skill development. Right from master classes and reiki sessions to technical workshops, floral workshops and more – it could not have been possible without the Event and Wedding industry, so much so that the learnings made us extend the course from 18 weeks to 22 weeks. We envisaged an inclusive institute of equal opportunities and that is exactly what we have created. With a big beaming smile in all our hearts – we are always here for them. “

The insightful and wonderful discourses were followed by a nostalgic session wherein students from GWA came together to share their journey, experiences and learnings at the Academy. It was indeed one of the highlights of the ceremony. It was time for the Graduation ceremony, with all the students being presented their degrees, marking the completion of the course.

About Global Wedding Academy by Wizcraft Management Institute of Media and Entertainment :GWA by Wizcraft MIME is a hub of holistic development, interactive learning, and experiential knowledge. The organization’s vision is to shape the future of talent in the wedding/social event planning industry and the experience-industry. The industry can only grow if its leaders and workforce are trained and skilled. Through the Academy, the team would like to gift the event industry a creative, organized, intuitive, skilled and resourceful talent pool that is abreast with the best in global technologies. Their syllabus empowers people to handle large-scale events with complete ease and personalisation. Training here implies embracing key responsibilities even before being hired or starting one’s own wedding business.