Are you
planning to have a destination wedding? According to wedding planners, more and more Indians are opting
for destination weddings this year and the cost can range from a couple of
lakhs to crores. “Destination weddings business is growing. Of the 15 weddings
we managed this season, 12 are outside India,” said Kunal Rai or a destination
and event management company.
However,
destination wedding doesn’t always mean an extravagant affair. “The cost
depends on the number of people you call and the type of property you opt for,”
said Sanna Vohra of a Mumbai-based wedding portal.
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TOP LOCATION
For overseas
location, the top priority is flight connectivity. According to Rai, the UAE
has emerged as the top wedding destination because of the short duration
flight. He is organising six weddings in UAE between November and March. Turkey
has also picked up as a popular site. “An Indian family needs an
infrastructure. For a 600 people wedding, you will need 300-350 rooms at one
location. In Turkey, there are hotels that host 600-700 people easily. Indians
don’t want to spend money on indoor venue,” said Rai. Vohra says popular
destinations include Thailand, Bali and Sri Lanka. In India the top
destinations are Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Goa. “Lonavala, Mussoorie and
Kerala are popular too,” said Vohra.
THE COST
The cost depends on
how much the family wants to spend. “For a wedding in UAE, you will have to
shell out around Rs 7.5 crore for 600 people for two nights. A UAE wedding
would cost Rs 90,000-1.25 lakh per person excluding airfare for a two-night
event. For Europe, it will cost you above Rs 3 lakh,” said Rai.
If you think domestic
destinations will be cheaper, planners say it is not always the case.
“Rajasthan is not a cheap option. A wedding in Udaipur and in Dubai will almost
cost you the same. If you want to spend money on décor then both places are
expensive. If you want to spend on food, Dubai will be expensive. For the
wedding that I am organising now, there are 40-45 chefs who have travelled to
the UAE just for the food,” said Rai. Sometimes, destination weddings can cost
you less than organising weddings in a city like Mumbai. A wedding in Sula for
150 people will cost you Rs 1.5-3 lakh and will be cheaper than one in Mumbai.
HOW TO CUT COST?
You must start
planning six to 12 months in advance. Start with décor. “Real flowers can be
expensive. You can do a prop-based décor and use more local flowers. Also, you
can opt for a day function as a day menu costs lesser than a dinner one. See if
you can have an outdoor ceremony. See if you can get a friend who can do photography
for you,” said Vohra. The costs also come down as the number of guests for
destination weddings are usually lower.
Courtesy
livemint.com
