The Destinations Indian Travel to say 'I Do'
In India’s wedding market, valued at a staggering $130 billion, destination weddings take center stage. From Udaipur’s regal lakesides, Havelock Island’s secluded charm to Goa’s sun-kissed beaches, these are the destinations redefining the way Indians celebrate their big day.
By Suman Tarafdar
$130 Billion.
With a B. That is the estimated size of the Indian wedding market—amazingly still largely in the ‘unorganised’ space. That figure—in case you have difficulty comprehending such a number—is larger than the GDP of most countries in the world. Indians do not just love their weddings, rising disposable incomes have seen spends increase astronomically. While we collectively are still getting over the longest one ever witnessed (questions remain over whether it was just a wedding or a marketing-branding exercise, and of course, post post post shenanigans continue), what it has undoubtedly underscored even more is the enormous potential one could spend on a wedding.
An estimated 4.8 million weddings have taken place between November 12 and December 16, 2025, according to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). In a report in Skift, the revenue spent in an approximately corresponding period in 2023 was about $57 billion. In 2023, Marriott reported hosting over 900 weddings in India, contributing nearly 10% to its revenues in India. Prabhudas Lilladher (PL), in its latest report Band, Baaja, Baaraat & Markets, says India will witness approximately 35 lakh weddings between November and mid-December 2024, up from 32 lakh weddings during the same period in 2023, which is expected to generate an estimated expenditure of ₹4.25 lakh crore. CAIT has said that between 15 January and 15 July this year, over 42 lakh weddings were held, generating an estimated expenditure of ₹5.5 lakh crore.
As per WedMeGood’s estimate, in 2024, India’s wedding season broke records, with an estimated 4.8 million weddings between October and December, generating ₹6 lakh crore in business. The priorities emerge from the spends—the average Indian, according to the Jefferies Report released in June 2024, spends twice as much on weddings as on education.
The latest WedMeGood annual wedding report states that the average cost of hosting a wedding in India can cost ₹36.5 lakh. In comparison, the corresponding figure for a destination wedding is about ₹51 lakh. It also records a 10% rise in the hospitality cost of hosting a wedding. There is growing interest in exploring new destinations, and new concepts such as ‘pre-weddings’ are playing their part in expanding to new venues.
“Weddings were, are, and will remain a very important part of the hospitality business for Asia in general, and India in particular,” Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Puneet Chhatwal, Taj Hotels said at the IHCL Analyst Earnings Call for Q2 FY 2024-25. “And we see only more spend on weddings and not less. With 30% higher wedding dates and increase in foreign tourist arrivals expected, we remain confident of comfortably delivering double digit revenue growth.”
In such a scenario, it is no surprise that hotels have a huge stake in doubling up as wedding venues. Weddings for well-heeled Indians are a far cry from the days when the neighbourhood banquet hall or just tents at the nearest open grounds, or failing all, just blocking the street, sufficed! Today’s elaborate affairs are more like events—choreographed to the smallest detail, showcasing the top range of retail, fashion and hospitality, often at dream-like destinations. It is in the last space that hotels are seeing major opportunities. According to a WedMeGood survey, the percentage of destination weddings has grown significantly, rising from 18% in 2022 to 21% in 2023, and is expected to be around 26% in 2024. Within India, Rajasthan, Goa and Kerala are the most popular states for destination weddings.
While destination weddings are perhaps the most sought-after, and most lucrative in terms of margins, there is a significant increase in both big city weddings and those held in Tier II cities and towns—which are also raking in a share of this expanding pie. The number of weddings in Delhi in 2025 is expected to touch about 450,000, with an estimated addition of ₹1.5 trillion to the local economy. Daman, Khajuraho, Mussoorie, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Pushkar, and several other destinations are in the race to get a larger share of the destination wedding cake.
Some recent destinations in India that have been added on as sought-after for that picture-perfect wedding; if you ‘wed in India’, probably it would be at one of these destinations.
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Yes, so sought after is this former Mewari capital that the wait times on ‘auspicious’ days to open up could stretch to well over a year. Aspiring wedding principals have been known to shift their dates to ensure they were getting their ‘perfect Udaipur wedding’. Enough with seven interconnected lakes, it seems the space is inadequate as new hotels jostle for premium spaces, especially those by the lakeside. A number of recent high-profile weddings have raised the demand, which is still outstripping supply.
TOP HOTELS (with the number of rooms):
Aurika (139)
Chunda Palace (50)
The Leela Palace UDAIPUR (80)
Mementos by ITC Hotels, Ekaaya (117)
The Oberoi Udaivilas (87)
Radisson Blu Palace Resort and Spa (245)
Raffles Udaipur (101)
Taj Lake Palace (83)
Taj Fateh Prakash Palace (65)
Raas Devigarh (40)
Trident (141)
Taj Aravali Resort & Spa (176)
Goa
India’s most in demand tourist destination, the compact state of Goa acts as a mega venue when it comes to events, including weddings. A heady combination—beaches big and small, a gently lapping sea, heritage in the form of addictive music, distinctive architecture, a unique sense of style, a combination of being a laidback party and nightlife venue with a vast range of cuisines (from the ever-popular shacks to some of India’s best-known culinary outposts and independent restaurants)— there is a lot happening in Goa, especially during the popular peak season from October to March. Increasingly, a wedding destination for Indians across the spectrum, the state offers wedding venues to cater to different price points, though the top-level hotels in peak season can command huge premiums.
TOP HOTELS (with the number of rooms):
Alila Diwa Goa (153)
Caravela Beach Resort Goa (198)
Grand Hyatt Goa (313)
Hilton Goa RESORT (104)
ITC Grand Goa (252)
Le Meridien Goa (146)
The LaLiT Golf & Spa Resort Goa (263)
Goa Marriott Resort & Spa (172)
Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort (181)
The St. Regis Goa Resort (205)
Taj Cidade De Goa heritage (500)
Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa (143)
TAJ HOLIDAY VILLAGE RESORT & SPA (142)
Taj Exotica Resort & Spa (140)
Vivanta Goa (172)
W GOA (109)
The Zuri White Sands, Goa Resort & Casino (154)
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
This 150-odd-year-old hill station was designated by the British as the summer capital of India—making it one of the most popular tourism destinations for over a century. Its colonial charm still in place, though now sitting cheek-by-jowl with more modern structures, along with its cool summer weather, makes it a sought-after wedding destination, especially in north India. Ideal for the mountain lover, Shimla’s rather cramped location means there is a premium to pay for that snow-capped backdrop—with or without snow.
TOP HOTELS (with the number of rooms):
The Grand White By Parfait (70)
Radisson HOTEL Jass Shimla (67)
WelcomHeritage Elysium Resort & Spa (42)
Wildflower Hall (85)
Havelock Island, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
If it’s an Indian beach wedding that has your fancy, it would be hard to look beyond Havelock Island. Known as much for its pristine beaches and coral reefs, the island is also a hub for watersports in India. Scuba diving to snorkelling, kayaking—through mangroves or in the open waters, game fishing… Then there are sunset cruises, candlelit dinners, romantic getaways, jungle treks and birdwatching, and now weddings. Estimates suggest an average cost of ₹40-50 lakhs for a two-night destination wedding with 100 rooms at a 5-star property in Havelock Island.
TOP HOTELS (with the number of rooms):
Coral REEF Resort & Spa (50)
SeaShell Havelock (66)
Symphony Palms Beach Resort And Spa (104)
Taj Exotica Resort & Spa (54)
Jaipur, Rajasthan
A popular wedding destination in India, the ‘Pink City’ has seen a stupendous rise in the number of weddings, and wedding venues. With its plethora of heritage havelis, grand forts and vibrant colours, coupled with its being the largest city in Rajasthan, it offers advantages of location and infrastructure that few others can match. Even though weddings here are expensive—the average ranging from ₹30 lakhs to ₹2.5 crore for a two-day wedding with around 150-250 guests, the demand for wedding venues in Jaipur has increased exponentially of late. Expect an even greater plethora of choices in the coming years as more premium hotels are slated to open.
TOP HOTELS (with the number of rooms):
Clarks Amer (215)
Intercontinental Jaipur Tonk Road (218)
Fairmont Jaipur (245)
Hilton Jaipur (179)
The Lalit Jaipur (263)
THE Leela PALACE Jaipur (200)
Le Meridien Jaipur Resort & Spa (126)
Jaipur Marriott Hotel (342)
Rambagh Palace (78)
Radisson Blu (182)
Jai Mahal Palace (100)
Raffles Jaipur (50)
Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
A scenic spot in the northern plains, Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is famous for its Chandella temples built between 1,200 and 900 years ago. They form absolutely unparalleled backdrops to any wedding, and people come from a vast surrounding region to get married here. Today, this tiny town has an outsized number of premium hotels, most of which offer generous banqueting facilities.
TOP HOTELS (with the number of rooms):
Clarks Khajuraho (100)
Golden Tulip (71)
The Lalit Temple View Khajuraho (60)
Radisson Hotel Jass Khajuraho (90)
Ramada by Wyndham Khajuraho (97)
Nainital, Uttarakhand
Named after Naina Devi, Nainital was second only to Shimla of the British-era hill stations. To date, it continues to be a very popular tourist destination, combining the local cultural hill town practices with the allure of the Himalayas. Dominated by the central Naini Lake, it is also known for its prestigious educational institutions and schools, with many forming a lifelong bond with this picturesque town.
TOP HOTELS (with the number of rooms):
The Lake Resort (35)
Namah Nainital (67)
The Naini Retreat (46)
Shervani Hilltop (47)
The Swiss Village Resort (47)
Kovalam, Kerala
Arguably the top wedding destination in southern India, Kovalam’s popularity as a beach destination derives strength from its three crescent beaches. Resorts here offer some of the most stunning sea views, providing an incredible and free—well, you pay for the venue from which you can see the ‘free’ backdrop—for weddings. The adjacent Poovar Beach provides one of the rare spaces where the backwaters, river and sea intermingle, creating magic of their own.
TOP HOTELS (with the number of rooms):
Gokulam Grand Turtle on the Beach (44)
Isola Di Cocco Beach Resort (83)
THE Leela Kovalam, A Raviz Hotel (184)
Taj Green Cove Resort & Spa (59)
Agra, Uttar Pradesh
The city of the Taj Mahal is another north Indian favourite for large weddings. As with Khajuraho, its large format hotels and resorts were initially built for leisure guests, but the lack of large venues has meant that the hotels in the city have also doubled as wedding venues. More recent hotels have been expressly built with the purpose of hosting large format venues.
TOP HOTELS (with the number of rooms):
HOTEL Clarks Shiraz (237)
Courtyard by Marriott AGRA (189)
ITC Mughal (233)
Jaypee Palace (341)
THE Oberoi Amarvilas (102)
Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Agra (145)
Taj Hotel & Convention Centre (239)
Trident (135)
Total spends on weddings in India
