One in four weddings is now a destination celebration: Reports
From Goa to Tuscany, why destination weddings are becoming India’s new big fat celebration.
Image courtesy: www.diwas.in
By SOH Team
The destination wedding is no longer a niche aspiration for affluent couples. It is rapidly becoming one of the defining trends shaping India’s wedding and travel industries.
According to Skyscanner’s Destination ‘I Do’ survey, 85% of Indians have either had or are planning a destination wedding, highlighting the growing appeal of celebrating milestone moments away from home. The survey found that Gen Z is leading the trend, with 49 per cent considering a destination wedding, compared with 33 per cent of Millennials. It also revealed that 66 per cent of respondents would like to host extravagant pre-wedding celebrations, inspired in part by the growing visibility of celebrity and high-profile weddings.
Gen Z leads the change
But what began as an aspirational travel trend is increasingly becoming a major economic force.
Industry estimates suggest that around 20-25 per cent of weddings in India are now destination-based, while WeddingWire India has reported a 13 per cent year-on-year increase in destination weddings. Meanwhile, WedMeGood’s latest industry report found that one in four weddings in 2025 was a destination celebration, with the average destination wedding budget rising to ₹58 lakh. Among weddings with budgets exceeding ₹1 crore, more than 60 per cent were destination events.
Experiences over indulgence
The shift is being driven by changing consumer preferences. Couples are increasingly prioritising experiences, personalised celebrations and multi-day events over traditional banquet hall weddings. Industry observers note growing demand for curated guest experiences, local cultural immersion and highly customised celebrations that reflect a couple’s personality rather than convention.
Beyond Goa and Jaipur
While international favourites such as Dubai, Bali, Thailand and Italy remain popular, domestic destinations continue to dominate. Skyscanner’s survey identified Goa as the leading choice among Indian couples, while Rajasthan’s palace hotels, the Himalayan destinations of Mussoorie and Dehradun, and emerging locations such as Gokarna and Kalimpong are gaining traction. WeddingWire data also points to increasing interest in lesser-known destinations as couples seek exclusivity and avoid overcrowded wedding hotspots.
The boom is also translating into opportunities for the hospitality sector. Hotels across India are reporting strong growth in wedding bookings, with recent industry reports showing double-digit increases in wedding-related business. Governments, too, are taking notice. States such as Gujarat have launched initiatives to attract wedding tourism, recognising its ability to drive hotel occupancy, local employment and destination visibility.
With India’s wedding services market projected to continue expanding and the destination wedding segment forecast to grow faster than traditional wedding formats, the industry’s next battleground may not be the ballroom but the destination itself.
For couples, the wedding is no longer just an event. Increasingly, it is becoming a journey.
