A mala exchange on the scenic beaches of Bali or Thailand, a sangeet at the poolside of a sleek hotel in Dubai or saying ‘I do’ amid the green vineyards of Italy – these images go hand in hand with the idea of destination weddings. But as the last few months have made international travel unpredictable and expensive, along with PM Narendra Modi appealing to Indians to hold off on international weddings, these images may slowly be changing in the minds of Bengalureans.
“Over the past few years, destination weddings have become increasingly popular, and today approximately 30 per cent of our weddings involve guests travelling to a destination outside the couple’s home city. The biggest impact has been that couples and families are spending more time ensuring they have alternative plans, travel insurance, flight connectivity and are prioritising overall guest convenience,” says Roxabell Gomez, co-founder of Elegant Weddings, a city-based wedding planning company. She adds, “Overall, the focus has shifted toward picking venues within India.”
This shift towards India is not being seen as a huge concession, either, with classic destinations like Goa, Rajasthan and Kerala already established as beautiful options within the country. They’ve also felt the benefits of this shift the most, as Arpan Suresh Parihar, business head (destination) of Meragi Events, a wedding planning company in the city, notes, “Previously, we’d have around 100 enquiries for Goa, but in the last few months, that’s increased to 125 or 130. We’ve seen approximately a 30 per cent increase in interest in domestic destinations.”
However, it’s not just the classic spots getting attention as travel influencer Madhu Sarangi notes that couples, inspired by social media, are looking towards intimate and offbeat destinations you wouldn’t normally associate with weddings “These destinations are not so crowded, you get better pricing and the venues’ availability is more flexible. They are cosy, private and perfect for small groups,” she says, pointing to destinations like Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Kumarakom, Wayanad and Rishikesh – places usually associated with a long weekend trip or vacation.
Parihar concurs, adding that the glamorous and royal Rajasthan wedding seekers have shifted their sights to smaller cities and towns close to the established Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur. “People outside Rajasthan are increasingly wanting to get married in smaller places in Rajasthan like Pushkar, Kumbhalgarh and Ranthambore, especially after Katrina Kaif (Fort Barwara in Sawai Madhopur) and Kiara Advani (Suryagarh Palace in Jaisalmer) chose to do so. You get bigger palaces in these places at the same price point as a smaller palace in bigger cities with less crowds and traffic,” he shares, although also pointing out that smaller towns mean less established infrastructure of wedding vendors and stating that the same applies to Chikkamagaluru – though beautiful, it may come with limited local vendor options.
Closer to home, Siddharth Hegde, founder of Dreamstrokes Weddings, notes that in the past two years, Nandi Hills has grown beyond a picnic destination. “Usually, with South Indian inter-state marriages or in case one person in the couple has roots in Bengaluru, Nandi Hills is a top destination because luxury venues like AmitaRasa and JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort and Spa have come up there. Among the luxury-high-end segment, couples end up booking the former venue for the wedding and Marriott properties like Mulberry Shades for rooms. The appeal is mainly the aesthetic of the foothills’ view and South Indian architecture overlooking it.”
Another unexpected spot popular among Bengalureans is Chennai, once a place frequented to visit family or to get visas stamped. “Chennai has long been seen as a metro city, not a destination spot, but we have around 15-18 projects there on the outskirts. People prefer these beach properties for their greenery, the ocean view, as well as good connectivity to Chennai and closeness to Bengaluru,” shares Parihar.
Overall, planners are optimistic about what this year will bring, with Hegde noting, “When weddings were moving out of India, a great chunk of the vendors dependent on them would lose out on business, but I believe this increases the potential for everyone involved.” Gomez adds, “We see this as a positive opportunity. If more couples choose to celebrate within the country, it can really support local businesses, artisans, venues and tourism ecosystems.”