Sophiaa
Destination weddings – “the chosen venue for the blissful beginning”
Whether it’s walking down the Aisle and promise ” I DO”, Or a committed couple encircling the holy fire with a vouch to take care of each other for life, Or the bride nods her head in admission ” Kabul hai” in a Nikhan Nama, Marriage is and will always remain “ The Special moment “ in a persons life. Marriage is not a sole event but a bonding of two families, Start of new relationships and vows of living happily ever after.
The special occasion does call for special moments that human beings love to cherish. These are intangible & priceless moments that every couple & their loved ones would like to cherish memorably. It is ” The Special event ” in every person’s life, regardless of his position, financial status, social status, caste, or religion.
The growth and impact of Covid-19
It was expected that the exponential growth of the wedding industry would surpass 45,000 crore INR by the end of 2020. The sector had registered a steady growth of 25 – 30 % per year till Jan/Feb 2020.
Just like other industries the wedding industry was not spared by the global slump due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The restrictions and strict norms against large social gatherings & Pvt functions broke the backbone of the destination wedding & events industry. It is collateral damage that involved event organizers who were forced to remain out of jobs immediately after the start of the restrictions, the Food & beverage & catering professionals, flower suppliers, event set up makers, decorators, photographers, light & sound equipment suppliers, the travel agents handling post-wedding Honeymoon trip for the newlyweds, all had to suffer due to the slump.
However, after easing the lockdown norms and relaxation of regulations, small size events have started taking place in clusters and people have started taking their wedding vows once again with a renewed zeal and enthusiasm.
The driving force of Destination wedding industry
In a normal scenario, the billion-dollar wedding industry is driven by an emerging strong middle-class society with higher disposable income, high net worth individuals, the advent of well-educated, well placed, and well-traveled people. The huge jump in general awareness of exotic destinations in India and abroad, celebrity endorsements, and their fan following, social media blitzkrieg, etc have contributed directly to the boom of this sector. A couple of decades ago the concept of wedding planners hardly existed. The destination wedding industry in India has evolved in the last 10 years & it is considered a recent evolution.
The destination wedding industry is not a scalable business but considered a high margin B2C enterprise. In India, most weddings take place between October to March due to the auspicious dates and favorable planetary positions as per astrological terms. The wedding events business is a robust and structured industry in India & handled by highly professional and well versed, extremely talented & creative minds.
A wedding event company has been a source of employment to the innumerable skilled or semi-skilled workforce, largely comprising the unorganized sector. The wellbeing of this huge workforce depends on the number of events each season where the hosts are often willing to spend almost a third of their life savings in grandeur, pomp, and show.
For the rich and famous weddings are always a no eye on a budget event where ego and show of money & power is an obsession. A Big Fat Indian Wedding would typically be organized in an exotic location in India or abroad, would have performances by Bollywood A-listers, Menus & cuisines presented by Michelin Star chefs, bride & groom arriving by helicopters, laser fireworks, aerial acts, LCD invites, etc. lacing, The wedding planners have pushed the bar to a new high.
Wedding Venues & destinations in India
The event organizers and the hosts are today spoilt with a choice of world-class facilities and uber class luxurious venues suitable for every budget. Be it a luxury hotel/resort in a picturesque destination, a city hotel with huge pillar-free ballrooms, landscaped gardens for open parties, private beach, or similar for a beachside location, the infrastructure is adequate to host large wedding events. Luxury hospitality chains have started focusing on Indian weddings as they are major money-spinners.
Some of the noteworthy wedding destinations in India are Exotic seaside resorts in Kovalam, backwaters in Kerala, Havlock Island – Andaman, The party beaches & luxury properties of Goa, the uber-luxury palace properties in Rajasthan, the beautiful forts showcasing princely charm, 5-star luxury hotels in Udaipur or serene venues in the lap of the Himalayas.
The million-dollar question that demands an answer is, how much does an Indian destination wedding cost- the answer to this depends on various factors such as destination chosen, venue, Attire, Invites, Creatives, Trips wedding planning, and largely on how much you want to splurge? For a budget destination wedding, you may assume anything between 12-25 lakhs, however, there is no fixed slab for the weddings – the more you spend the better experience you provide your loved ones and guests.
You must make sure that you start to plan the destination wedding well in advance – a minimum of 10 months planning is required to roll out the plan in the most organized manner. This also helps you choose and not compromise on destination or venue selection.
Weddings are a one-time affair and are the most memorable event in one’s life. If you are a person looking for a destination wedding – plan it, select the right wedding planner, identify the venue – go for the best theme and get your wardrobe ready, and last but not least enjoy every moment of planning, execution, and experience.
Plan your wedding now – explore the best destinations and turn your dreams to reality.
