The most important decision while you plan your wedding step by step is deciding on the venue. Each couple is believed to spend a lot of time planning their wedding and for their dream wedding to come true, the pressure of the venue to be perfect to the T is often unrealistic. Some couples have always wanted a beach wedding and some others want it to be as royal as the palace can get in Udaipur.
Keeping in mind these expectations that a couple has from their wedding venue, we are here to help you pick the right space and backdrop for your fairytale to come true, by defining the different types of wedding venues available. Based on the size, style. Location and facilities, the list of types of wedding venues are long.
So here are some of the most popular types of wedding venues available for you to get started with the process of shortlisting!
Hotels
Hotels are one of the first options that come to the millennial to-be-wed couples and the major reason behind this is the convenience. If you decide to host your wedding at a hotel, the package can include accommodation, food, transportation and to top it all some hotels even offer more than one ballroom or hall. This gives you the luxury to choose which space fits best.
Hotels are also often one of the greatest types of wedding venues for couples who plan to host a lot of guests from outstation. Hotels are opulent event spaces available to host your wedding and also offer lawns and poolside to add to the ambience. They often have a capacity, approximately ranging from 50 to 5000 guests.
Marriage Gardens
Marriage gardens are a commonly preferred open space by couples who plan on hosting an intimate wedding. They are mostly located in the city or in the immediate outskirts and are easily accessible for the guests. Most marriage gardens have the facility to deck it up as per your choices and convenience and if your wedding guest list has no more than 500 people (approximately) a marriage garden can be your ideal pick.
With the perfect balance of an outdoor wedding and not being a faraway location for the residential guests, marriage gardens have been a popular pick for many. The marriage gardens offer indoor spaces too like a bridal room or a hall with seating.
Wedding Lawns & Farmhouses
The wedding lawns and farmhouses are almost always located in the suburbs at the far end of the city and are an appropriate choice for the couples who are all set to host more than 1000 guests at their wedding. Out of all the types of wedding venues available, the farmhouse wedding space is the most fun. It often turns out to be a mini destination wedding with the look and feel of the venue. They have rooms available for accommodation and the starry sky above with aesthetic lighting and gorgeous drapes of tents make a farmhouse wedding picturesque event space.
It is feasible for hosting pre-wedding ceremonies like the Haldi ceremony, the Sangeet night, Mehndi and so on at a farmhouse or a wedding lawn. The widespread green area also makes it entertaining for the guests as well as kids. The availability of staff on board with the venue is sparse, but you can always hire your own catering team and service providers separately as long as the venue is just perfect!
Banquet Halls
Banquet halls are a dedicated event space that is used for celebrating various occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and even receptions. If you want it well-equipped with a group of trained staff who will take care of the on-spot coordination, catering, wedding decor, seating arrangement and so on while being an ideal indoor space to host a large number of people, we suggest you pick a banquet hall.
Banquet halls are often a one-stop-shop for wedding venue selection with all your boxes checked especially with a gust list planned between 150 to 800 people. Some banquet halls also offer you the option to bring your own service providers on board. These spaces also include community halls and might even accommodate 1000 people at once.
Private Properties
Many couples who have a beautiful backyard or a terrace that can accommodate all your guests on the final list and at the same time look absolutely gorgeous when decked up with pretty fairy lights and other decor items, pick these private properties to host their wedding. It could belong to a relative or your parents too. These types of wedding venues are often opted by couples who plan intimate gatherings without much hassle. You could plan to deck it up with some DIY decor ideas and get your family to amp it up with you. Private properties are mostly used for intimate wedding ceremonies with friends and extended families making it apt for a guest list of 50-150 people, but a private property can also host 1000 people if it is a farmhouse owned by a relative in the outskirts.
Beaches
Wedding bells ringing already? Well, we are sure you must be hearing a lot of “this marriage is made in heaven” by now. But what no one tells you is how you would have to go through hell to make your dream wedding come true. Among all the decisions you need to take about the invitations, guest list, menu, décor, outfits, gifts and whatnot, the most important and tedious is finalising the place where you wish to get married. We understand just how challenging it can be to choose the best location in India for you and your would-be to exchange the vows, especially if you want a beach wedding.
Here are our suggestions for the best beach wedding destinations in India to celebrate your D-day :
1. Goa
Tying the knot in Goa has been popular since the dawn of big fat destination weddings in India. With time, this gorgeous beach destination has become a favourite with one and all owing to its postcard-perfect resorts, easy accessibility and of course, the stunning beaches.
Far away from the crowd, resorts in South Goa allow you to add a lot of flavour to your wedding with diverse functions. From quiet ceremonies in the garden to endless after-parties on the beach to rain dances amidst the Arabian Sea and informal cocktails by the pool, you can have it all!
Adding to the everlasting experience will be the compelling pictures that you can get clicked for your pre-wedding shoot around the exotic locations, monuments and resorts in Goa. The alluring beaches at the time of sunset further make the perfect backdrop for some really romantic wedding photos.
Best Time to Plan a Beach Wedding in Goa : All year long;
- November to January (perfect weather)
- October and February (slightly warm)
- June to September (preferable for a monsoon wedding)
- March to May (preferable for an indoor wedding)
2. Kerala
Can there be a better place for you and your partner to be united in holy matrimony than God’s Own Country? Probably not! With its clear skies, blue waters, lush greens and numerous resorts scattered along the Malabar Coast, Kerala makes the perfect location for an intimate wedding ceremony.
Be it Kovalam or Varkala, the quaint beaches along the rather large coastline of Kerala offer the most striking views for your special day. Imagine getting married amidst the swaying palm trees, the warm sea breeze, the tranquillity and the limitless horizons of the Arabian Sea… nothing can beat it!
Best Time to Plan a Beach Wedding in Kerala : October to March
3. Alibaug
Over the years, the quiet and peaceful town of Alibaug near Mumbai has been a preferable choice of many celebrities and other people for secluded ceremonies. So if you wish to avoid the tourist crowd in Goa and still have a dreamy beach wedding, this location can actually work wonders.
The calm and pristine beaches of Alibaug are lined with ample number of resorts that offer the most unique wedding decorations and make excellent venues for you and your beloved to get hitched. As per your taste, you can have a lovely white wedding or a colourful desi one at this seaside location.
Best Time to Plan a Beach Wedding in Alibaug : November to June
4. Andaman
If you are looking for a quiet, low-key wedding and not a jam-packed event, then Andaman Islands is the perfect venue for you. The golden sand beaches, soothing and pleasing climate and azure waters of the Bay of Bengal will set the right tone for you and your partner to start a new life together.
There are many resorts at the Havelock and Ross Islands that can help you plan your wedding, as per your budget. Right from making all the ceremonial arrangements to decorators, caterers and florists, these resorts will take care of everything to ensure that you get your fairy-tale wedding.
You also have the choice to say your vows or take the pheras at the beach, have an indoor ceremony or set off for an adrenaline-pumping adventure on a speedboat. Whatever you decide, it is sure that your guests will leave with everlasting memories of a ‘holiday wedding’.
Best Time to Plan a Beach Wedding in Andaman : September to May
5. Lakshadweep
Located off the coast of mainland India, Lakshadweep Islands is one of the best beach wedding spots in the country as it hasn’t been taken over by tourist traps yet. Its unspoilt beaches, pristine environs and isolated charm create the perfect ambience for one of the most romantic days of your life.
When deciding upon this tropical paradise, you must make a note that not all its islands are open to visitors and there are special restrictions for foreigners. You can check out Kalpani, Kavaratti, Agatti or Bangaram Islands, each of which has something unique to add to your special occasion.
There are many resorts and hotels on these islands but if you wish, you can also hire a cruise ship to solemnise your marriage in the middle of the emerald sea. If you are an adventurer at heart, you can even organise water sports activities like scuba diving, kayaking and fishing for guests.
Best Time to Plan a Beach Wedding in Lakshadweep : October to mid-May
Other beautiful and exotic beach destinations in India that can provide a picture-perfect backdrop to your wedding ceremony are Pondicherry (Oct-Feb), Diu (Nov-Mar) and Mahabalipuram (Nov-Feb).
So the next time you feel overwhelmed with all the wedding preps, just picture yourself standing on the beach hand in hand with your special someone, basking in the sun and hearing the sound of the waves amidst the laughs and giggles of your close friends and family members. Heavenly, right?