Destination wedding trends for 2024: What’s in and what’s out

A wedding celebration in India is not just about the wedding day but also about the intimate ceremonies that precede it like Mehendi, Sangeet, Cocktail, Haldi, Phera and Reception. It is the coming together of two families who are celebrating the union of their loved ones. While the couple holds the centre stage, it’s the family that ensures that everybody is having a good time at their wedding. Destination Weddings have emerged as the perfect way to ensure that the wedding is celebrated in style, even as the wedding planner ensures a smooth flow, leading to a stress-free celebration for the family. Here are the destination wedding trends for 2024 that are making the occasion a memorable affair for the couple as well as the guests.

Love for Sustainability and Environment

What’s In: Couples are opting for sustainable eco-friendly weddings with décor that is locally sourced, preferably made of natural or reusable material. Blending with natural surroundings, the décor is being kept to minimal in most instances.The focus is also on locally sourced food and local cuisine. Minimising food waste is top priority while some are even opting for banana leaves to serve food instead of the more prevalent one-time use cutlery. Solar powered venues are also being preferred by the wedding parties.

What’s out: Extravagant décor, transported from different places leading to increased footprint is being cut down

Intimate & Personal Celebrations

What’s in: Small weddings are the flavour of the year as they provide great experience. But such intimate weddings need a deep understanding of the guests and accommodating to their needs. While private tours are arranged for guests on days there aren’t any rituals, gourmet tastings and local experiences are also preferred. A welcome bag containing goodies, some munchies and useful things is always appreciated by guests. Subtlety and customization is the key here.It is essential to note that intimate and personal celebrations mean an eye for detail and making each guest comfortable and happy.

What’s Out: The same size fits all kind of packages are not popular anymore as hosts are often very careful about the experiences being rolled out for the guests.

Extended Celebrations

What’s In: A wedding is usually a 2-3 days event with rituals panning over these days, leading to the wedding day. A welcome party and group excursion to explore the destination is also being included. So, couples prefer to have all the rituals at the destination making it a celebration where guests can soak in on the beauty of the destination.

What’s Out: There was a time when people performed the rituals at home and flew in just for the wedding day, but it ended up creating more chaos. Thus, fly in destination weddings are out, as people now prefer extended celebrations.

Integrating Technology

What’s In: As in all other realms of life, weddings are also not untouched by technology. The virtual guest books ensures that their travel and other needs are being co-ordinated, LIVE transmission is also done for guests who could not attend the wedding. VR is also seen at weddings whereas 360-degree photography gives a completely new perspective to the weddings.

What’s Out: Traditional wedding photography and videography is out as couples are opting for smartly shot reels and photographs that highlight them as a couple.

Destinations Beyond Ordinary

What’s In: Couples are opting for remote locations with the thrill of wilderness or hills and of course the royal wedding in Rajasthan can never be out of fashion. Choosing offbeat destinations, couples are getting married at places that resonate more with their own vibe. And in sync with that, rigid customs are giving way to more flexible options so that guests and couple can enjoy the destination as well as the wedding.

What’s Out:While earlier there was widespread preference for banquets or venues in or on the outskirts of major metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai etc, couples are now more willing to go for remote locations that ensure a more authentic destination wedding kind of feel.

Blending Cultures

What’s In: Local flavours are the highlights for the couple opting for destination wedding. Thus, they opt for local cuisine, local décor and even local folk artists. A wedding in Rajasthan is replete with traditional food, henna artists and folk dancers and singers entertaining the guests. On the other hand, a wedding in Goa will be more laidback with beach settings, and wine and cheese tastings. Often times these weddings are a fusion, imbibing customs of both sides plus with the local flavour making it a unique wedding.

What’s Out: Flying in everything from décor to artists is not something that people are willing to spend much on. While it is expensive and kills the whole purpose of a destination wedding, it is just contrary to the whole concept of intimate weddings, which is indeed quite a personal affair!

(The writer is a Co-founder, Behind The Scene – Destination Wedding Consultants)