The Geography Of ‘I Do’: Nine In 10 Destination Weddings In 2025 Were Held In India
The modern destination wedding is no longer defined by how far it travels, but by how far it departs from the everyday.
Instagram would have you believe that Indian weddings have gone global, but the data tells a different story. The WedMeGood Annual Wedding Industry Report 2025–26 shows that even as weddings grew more experiential and aspirational, 89% of destination weddings this year were hosted within India, underscoring a clear preference for domestic locations.
The data suggests what has changed is not the desire for destination weddings, but the definition of what 'destination' means.
Destination, Redefined
The modern destination wedding is no longer measured by how far it travels, but by how far it departs from the everyday. According to the report, over 60% of weddings with budgets exceeding Rs 1 crore were held outside the couple’s home city, even though they remained within the country.
This signals a subtle shift. The appeal lies in stepping away from routine — familiar guest lists, predictable venues, inherited formats — while retaining a sense of control. Domestic destinations offer novelty without the friction of visas, currency volatility or logistical overreach. They allow couples to feel transported without feeling overwhelmed.
Budgets Expanding... Borders Not So Much
The average Indian wedding now costs Rs 39.5 lakh, marking an 8% year-on-year increase, broadly in line with inflation rather than excess-driven escalation. Destination weddings, on average, remain more expensive at Rs 58 lakh, but even these higher spends are increasingly channelled within India.
This restraint is mirrored in financing behaviour. The average wedding loan size now stands at Rs 15.5 lakh, suggesting that while couples are willing to spend, they are also conscious of debt and long-term financial trade-offs.
Availability Over Aspiration
One of the most telling insights from the report is what actually drives venue decisions. Nearly 38% of venue-related frustrations stem from limited auspicious wedding dates, making availability a larger determinant than novelty or prestige.
This constraint has nudged couples toward flexibility — in dates, formats and locations — reinforcing the appeal of domestic destinations where options are broader and timelines easier to negotiate.
At the same time, India’s venue mix itself is evolving. The report notes growing interest in unique, experiential spaces, alongside a subtle resurgence in temple weddings (4.13%), signalling a renewed emphasis on meaning over spectacle.
Experience Without Excess
The decision to stay within the country also aligns with a larger experiential shift inside weddings. The study also talks about how couples are investing more in engagement and atmosphere than in scale alone, moving beyond décor into immersive formats that keep guests involved without expanding guest lists indefinitely.
This experience-first mindset is about depth rather than scale. And domestic destinations, with their cultural familiarity and logistical predictability, lend themselves well to that balance.
What emerges from the data is not a retreat from ambition, but a grounded version of it.
Couples are choosing settings that allow them to focus on the ceremony, the people and the experience — rather than paperwork, permissions and unpredictability.
The geography of 'I do' in 2025 wasn’t about how far couples could go. It was about how thoughtfully they chose where to stand.
