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.”
