Do you dream of getting married somewhere outside your known periphery? A destination as exotic and special as the occasion of your marriage. Destination wedding in India is now a common trend among the younger generations. India’s rich cultural heritage and a variety of stunning backdrops make it a popular wedding destination around the world.
Indian weddings are by nature, grand. Add to this a picturesque location, and you have yourself an exotic Indian destination wedding. There’s an exciting variety of wedding destinations to choose from in India. From a surreal Himalayan escape or a royal Rajasthani wedding to an open beach-side wedding, you have an overwhelming number of options to choose from.
Popular Read: Honeymoon destinations of Indian celebrities.
We have compiled a list of the top wedding destinations in India:
Udaipur
Jaipur
Kerala
Havelock Island
Sikkim
Goa
Jodhpur
Agra
Kolkata
Who wouldn’t love to make their wedding day all romantic and special? We are sure everyone wants just that. For a traditional destination wedding in India, we recommend Udaipur. The city of palaces and forts never fails to mesmerize and be the best Indian destinations for weddings. With regal palace buildings and beautiful lakes, Udaipur is a perfect choice. Most of the palace buildings are now designed in a contemporary style. Take for example The Leela, Taj Lake Palace and The Trident.
You can also choose from the exotic fort locations like Devi Garh, Manek Chowk, Oberoi Udaivilas, Durbar Hall at the Fateh Prakash Palace and so on.
Best season: Winter (November to March)
Best places:
Devi Garh
Manek Chowk
Oberoi Udaivilas
The Leela
Taj Lake Palace
The Trident
Shiv Niwas Palace
Rajasthan in its entirety is one of the best locations for Indian destination weddings. And, till now it has held the first place. Jaipur is one such place if you want a lovely destination wedding in India. You can very well choose from the palaces like Raj Palace, Gold Palace, Samode Palace and so on. These are considered some of the best palaces in India for wedding.
Best Season: Winter (November-March)
Best places:
Taj Jai Mahal Palace
Raj Palace
Gold Palace
Samode Palace
Fairmont Jaipur
Chomu Palace
ITC Rajputana
Rambagh Palace
Alsisar Haveli
Jaigarh Fort
Must Read: Discover the Most Romantic Places in Jaipur for Couples
Known for its sprawling backwaters, Kerala is yet another perfect location for a destination wedding in India. Even though this concept is quite a novice in Kerala, it still attracts a huge number of aspirants. Quite a lot of South star couples chose to do a beach wedding or backwater wedding in recent years. Mithra Kurian and William Francis, director Alphonso Puthren and Aleena Mary, Muktha and Rinku Tomy, to name a few. Some of the best Indian wedding resorts in Kerala would be The Leela in Kovalam. It would definitely leave anyone spellbound. If you are opting for a beach destination, then Samudra Beach is the perfect fit.
Best season: Monsoons (August-October) or winters (November-February)
Best places:
River Retreat, Thrissur
Le Meridien, Kochi
Palm Grove Lake Resort, Alleppey
Ramada, Alleppey
Taj Kumarakom Resort and Spa
The Leela, Kovalam
Also Read: Top 8 Honeymoon Destinations in Asia
Isn’t it something beautiful to create and design your special day amid blue skies and crystal clear waters? Havelock Island in the Andaman and Nicobar makes for that perfect moment and place for a destination wedding in India.
Also you need to keep in mind the off-season and peak season costs. Rates would obviously be lower during the off-season. So, if you are on a budget, then it is best to book in advance for the off-season. You can very well exclude the monsoon time and opt for the months from September to May. That’s considered the best season to have a Havelock wedding.
Best season: Winters (November-February)
Best places:
Munjoh Ocean Resort
Barefoot Andaman
Peerless Resort
Fortune Resort Bay island
Recommended for you: Must Visit Islands in Andaman
Who wouldn’t love to have a pahaadi wedding? Amid the lush green hills with turquoise streams? We bet, anyone would. And, that’s why off-late Sikkim has become one of the hot favourite locations for a destination wedding in India. Best part? You do not even require any palace, fort or indoor arrangements for your wedding. It can be low-budget as well as beautiful at the same time.
Also, the best season would, of course, be during summer. Winter months would be way too cold, and there’s occasional snowfall which might ruin all your plans. Having a wedding set, there is a dream come true for all the mountain-loving couples.
Best season: Summer (April-June) & (Oct - Dec)
Best places:
Mayfair Resort & Casino
Sterling Resorts
Royal Plaza
Lemon Tree Hotels
North Star Hotels
Yangthang Heirtage
When you talk about a destination wedding in India, Goa is a place which cannot be definitely missed. Much like the serenity of Shimla or the royalty of Rajasthan or the charm of Kerala, Goa has its own set of aesthetics.
Depending on the hotel chosen, a destination wedding in Goa would cost you around 35-55 lakhs. With its fair share of beautiful beaches and a tropical landscape, Goa makes for one of the best locations for a destination wedding in India. This place has also been witness to a number of celebrity weddings like those of Yuvraj Sigh, Lara Dutta, Pulkit Samrat, Anita Hansandani and so on.
Best season: Monsoon and winters (August-February)
Best places:
Riva Beach Resort
Zeebop by the Sea
Alila Diwa
Cidade de Goa
Bogmallo Beach Resort
Joecons Beach Resort
The Lalit
The Golden Orchid
Apart from Jaipur and Udaipur, Rajasthan really doesn’t fall short of exquisite destinations for weddings. Jodhpur is yet another city in Rajasthan known to host some of the grandest wedding celebrations.
Celebrity couple Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar were one of the very first couples to get hitched at the Umaid Bhawan Palace. Destination wedding in Jodhpur or any other city in Rajasthan would cost your around 40-60 lakhs. Other than the Umaid Bhavan Palace, you can also opt for other venue options like Ranbaka Palace. There’s also the Ajeet Bhawan or the lovely Mehrangarh Fort to choose from.
Best season: Winters (November-February)
Best places:
ITC Welcome Hotel
Vivanta by Taj-Hari Mahal
Fort Chanwa Luni
Garh Govind
Amritam Palace
The Marwar Hotel
Also Read: 18 Enchanting Places to visit in November in India
Now, this is a place which needs a mention. In recent years, the place might have been a bit overshadowed by the grandeur of Rajasthan. But, Agra is still a perfect location for a destination wedding in India. And why it wouldn’t be? The might symbol of love, Taj Mahal is situated right in the centre of the bustling city.
You can book any of the hotels in Agra as the place boasts of some of the best ones. Most of them are situated overlooking the Taj. There have been innumerable wedding celebrations in the illuminated light of the Taj.
Best season: Winters (November-March)
Best places:
The Oberoi Amarvilas
Courtyard by Marriott
Hotel Clark Shiraz
ITC Mughal Agra
Jaypee Palace Hotel
This city definitely doesn’t need any introduction. Portraying a Victorian architecture style mixed with tradition, this city is one of the best places for destination wedding in India. Avoid summers and monsoons. The winters are the best season to plan for a wedding in Kolkata.
You can also plan you wedding in the outskirts like Mandarmoni, Digha, Raichak or so on. They are at a distance of about 5-6 hours from the main city. So, prior planning is necessary.
Best season: Winters (November – March)
Best places:
Hyatt Regency
Taj Bengal
ITC Sonar Bangla
P.C.Chandra Garden
The Oberoi Grand
India is a country which can never fail to amaze anyone in general. You can roam around the country as a tourist and find something new on your every trip. Or plan your destination wedding in India. A destination wedding has its own charm and you can’t deny that for sure.