Destination wedding vs local wedding: Banker breaks down the shocking cost of destination weddings in India

Dreaming of a royal wedding in Jaipur or Udaipur? Before you start picturing fairy lights, forts, and flower showers, you might want to know the numbers. Destination weddings in India are no small affair—costs can soar anywhere between Rs 75 lakh and Rs 5 crore. Banker Sarthak Ahuja recently shared a detailed breakdown of how much couples actually spend and why a wedding in your hometown might give you more value for the same budget.

Jaipur for destination wedding

Jaipur continues to be the country’s top pick for destination weddings, hosting over 4,000 celebrations last year, with numbers likely to rise this year. On average, a two-night, three-day event with four functions and around 200 guests costs Rs 1.2 to Rs 1.5 crore. The budget typically covers 100 rooms for guests, food and beverages, décor, music, photography, logistics, and other expenses like clothing, gifting, and miscellaneous extras.

The cost structure, Ahuja explained, usually looks something like this: 20% each on accommodation and food, 15% on venues, 10% on décor, 5% each on music, photography, and logistics, with another 20% going towards clothing, gifts, and other add-ons. When you add it all up, the “big fat Indian wedding” lives up to its name.

Destination wedding vs local wedding

But here’s where it gets interesting. He pointed out that the same budget that covers 200 guests at a destination wedding can stretch to nearly 600 people if you host it locally in a city like Delhi. You save significantly on travel and hotel bookings, which lets you invite more people without blowing up the budget.


If Jaipur is the benchmark, other destinations come with varying premiums and discounts. Udaipur is around 20% more expensive, while Pushkar and Jaisalmer cost about 70% of Jaipur’s rates. Ranthambore is roughly half the cost, and places like Rishikesh and Jim Corbett can be as affordable as 40% of Jaipur.

Ahuja summed it up perfectly: it’s “crazy how much people spend on weddings.” Whether you’re aiming for a lavish fort celebration or a grand city gathering, the numbers show just how wide the spectrum really is.

What does survey say about Indian weddings?

A 2024 industry report by SOIC puts the average wedding cost in India at around Rs 13 lakh (about $15,000), while luxury weddings typically fall between Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore, with top-tier celebrations often going much higher. These figures cover multiple-day festivities—usually 5 to 6 functions—along with elegant venues, high-end accommodations, gourmet catering, decor, and entertainment (excluding jewellery, attire, and travel expenses).

India is home to nearly 10 million weddings every year, making it the second-largest wedding industry in the world. SOIC citing, The Economist notes reported that weddings are India’s fourth-largest industry, with an annual spend of around Rs 1,146 crore (US$130 billion).


SOIC, citing WedMeGood’s 2023–24 survey, reported that over 2,400 urban couples, 21% of weddings in India were destination weddings, up from 18% in 2022. On the domestic front, the most popular wedding destinations include Goa’s beaches, the majestic palaces of Udaipur and Jaipur, Kerala’s serene backwaters, and the Himalayan charm of Uttarakhand. Internationally, couples are drawn to romantic hotspots such as Thailand, Bali, Italy, and Dubai, blending cultural allure with scenic beauty for unforgettable celebrations.