Why venues now command the biggest share of luxury wedding budgets

As weddings become immersive experiences, couples are spending more on destinations and properties that create memories long after the vows are exchanged

The wedding venue was once little more than a setting. Families looked for a hotel or banquet hall that could accommodate the guest list, serve good food, and fit their budget. Today, it has become the single biggest driver of the wedding budget and, increasingly, the defining element of the celebration itself. Across India's luxury wedding market, the emphasis is shifting from scale to experience - couples are trimming guest lists but investing more in destinations that encourage family and friends to stay for three or four days, discover local culture, and create memories that last well beyond the ceremony.

 

"There has been a clear and measurable shift in how couples are approaching venue selection," says Mehak Sagar, co-founder of wedding planning platform WedMeGood.

 

The data reflects that shift. Destination weddings now account for around 25 per cent of weddings on their platform, up from 18 per cent in 2022. The average destination wedding budget has increased from ₹5.11 million in 2024 to ₹5.8 million in 2025.

 

"Among luxury destination weddings with budgets exceeding ₹3 crore, venue and stay account for 35 per cent of the total expenditure, making it the single largest expense," says Sagar. "Combined with food, hospitality-related expenses consume more than half the wedding budget, underscoring the importance couples place on venue quality and guest experience."

 

Goa, Rajasthan, and Kerala continue to dominate the domestic destination wedding market, while Thailand and Bali remain international favourites. At the same time, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Malaysia are emerging as strong contenders, helped by shorter flying times, better connectivity, and a growing portfolio of luxury hotels.

 

Couples' priorities have changed, too. According to the WedMeGood Annual Destination Wedding Insights Survey 2026, aesthetics account for 24 per cent of venue selection decisions, followed by unique offerings (20 per cent) and guest reviews (19 per cent). Pricing (15 percent) and food (13 per cent), once the defining considerations, now trail behind, while accessibility ranks last at just 9 per cent. "Weddings are increasingly being designed as layered guest experiences," says Sagar. "Live food counters, relaxation zones, technology-led entertainment and multi-day itineraries are becoming standard expectations rather than optional extras."

 

Selecting the Venue

 

Couples are choosing venues based on four broad categories nowadays. Heritage palaces continue to attract couples looking for timeless grandeur, royal architecture, and a strong sense of place. Properties such as Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur and Suryagarh in Jaisalmer offer the romance of courtyards, domes, terraces and ceremonial spaces steeped in history.

 

Luxury resorts are increasingly being chosen for multi-day celebrations that combine accommodation, curated dining, wellness and local experiences, turning weddings into immersive holidays rather than one-day events. Resorts in Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan, and the hills allow couples to host welcome dinners, poolside brunches, spa sessions and destination-led experiences within the same property. Examples include The Leela Goa, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Goa, Kumarakom Lake Resort in Kerala, and Six Senses Fort Barwara in Rajasthan.

 

A third category is wellness and nature-led venues, whose appeal lies in calm surroundings, privacy, and slower celebrations. Properties in Rishikesh, Haridwar, the Himalayas and their foothills, and other scenic destinations are increasingly attracting couples who want yoga sessions, riverside rituals, nature walks, and intimate ceremonies rather than back-to-back wedding functions.

 

Urban venues, too, are reinventing themselves through design. In Delhi, The Zora Estate reflects the growing demand for architecture-led celebrations, where the venue itself becomes part of the experience. Dramatic entrances, landscaped courtyards and bespoke interiors are designed to create a lasting first impression, with wedding packages starting upwards of ₹1.5 crore.

 

"The first feeling we want guests to have is that they can feel the luxury in the air," says luxury wedding designer Abhinav Bhagat, who conceptualised The Zora Estate. "We wanted to create something rooted in India but with a global design sensibility. Every element has been conceived to make the arrival experience as memorable as the celebration itself."

 

Vivek Tyagi, general manager (Operations) at The Zora, says couples today are looking beyond a beautiful banquet hall. "They want a venue with a distinct identity—one where architecture, design and hospitality come together to create an experience that guests will remember long after the wedding."

 

The Social Media Effect

 

Social media has undoubtedly raised the bar for wedding aesthetics, but not quite in the way many assume. Instead of demanding elaborate sets designed purely for Instagram, couples are increasingly looking for settings that feel authentic and tell a story.

 

"Couples now ask for visually distinctive spaces because they want photographs that feel true to the place and the people getting married," says Yashwini Naik, global sales director, Shangri-La Group. "We're seeing a move away from cookie-cutter 'Instagrammable' props towards designs that celebrate local craftsmanship, native flora, historic textures and motifs that reflect the destination."

 

In many ways, social media has made authenticity the new aspiration. Flexible layouts, natural lighting and thoughtfully designed venues encourage candid moments instead of posed photographs, allowing guests and photographers to capture genuine interactions. "Today's couples want spaces that are culturally rooted and camera-ready—venues that look just as beautiful in real life as they do on social media," Naik adds.

 

The Slow Wedding

 

Luxury weddings are becoming longer, but they are also becoming slower. Instead of packing every hour with ceremonies, performances and parties, couples are embracing a more relaxed pace that allows guests to enjoy both the celebration and the destination. The emphasis is shifting from doing more to creating more meaningful moments.

 

"Couples no longer aim to fill every waking hour with back-to-back events," says Naik. "They've adopted a slow-travel mindset where each experience is designed for atmosphere and connection rather than volume."

 

The change is visible in the programming. Welcome dinners featuring regional cuisine, leisurely high teas, wellness sessions and cultural experiences are replacing tightly packed itineraries. Just as importantly, couples are deliberately leaving free time between events, allowing guests to explore the destination, unwind at the property or simply spend time with family and friends.

 

"Guests should feel they're enjoying a holiday, not running a marathon," says Naik. "The most memorable celebrations are those that balance carefully curated experiences with enough space for people to relax and connect."

 

From Grand to Meaningful

 

Wedding planners are witnessing this shift first-hand. Priya Maganti, chief executive officer and co-founder of RVR PRO and RVR Eventz & Design, which has curated landmark weddings including those of badminton champion P.V. Sindhu as well as Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna, says affluent couples are increasingly opting for intimate guest lists while investing more in bespoke, experience-led celebrations.

 

And while guest lists may be getting shorter, spending on venues, hospitality and bespoke experiences is rising. Hotels are no longer selling banquet halls — they are selling destinations, experiences and memories. Wedding planners are becoming experience designers, while venues are evolving into brands with identities of their own. The Indian wedding may still last three days. But increasingly, it is the venue — and the memories it creates — that guests remember long after the celebrations end.