With growing demand for unique and off-beat destination wedding venues, Tata Group‘s Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) is adding to its portfolio hotels that fulfil this need and also cater to diverse preferences of those looking at both traditional and unique locations, said Parveen Chander Kumar, executive vice president-sales and marketing at IHCL.
Radisson Hotel Group is building a “dedicated wedding concept” to bring all facets of the service under one roof, said KB Kachru, its principal advisor for South Asia.
Under the ‘Wedding Diaries By Hilton’ initiative, Hilton plans to personalise experiences with celebrity chefs and curate sustainable weddings aimed at reducing the carbon footprint in the country, said Manish Tolani, commercial director for India at Hilton. “Simultaneously, our F&B (food and beverages) offerings will expand, incorporating partners committed to conscious practices,” he said.
The tourism ministry, in August last year, launched a campaign to “unlock the potential of India’s huge wedding industry”. Prime Minister Modi, in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio address in November, called for a ‘Wed in India’ campaign to stop people from the country from organising weddings abroad.
Hyatt announced the launch of ‘Perfectly Yours 2.0’ this week for couples who seek a “personalised” wedding experience. Kadmbini Mittal, regional vice president-commercial, India and Southwest Asia, at Hyatt India Consultancy, said the hotel chain has seen a 200% surge in its weddings business since 2019 and 50% since 2022.”We have elevated our offerings in initiatives like Perfectly Yours 2.0 to align with the evolving preferences of modern couples. The new initiative extends beyond the wedding day, encompassing a holistic cultural experience throughout the celebration journey, through events like sangeet, mehendi and other cultural get-togethers,” said Mittal.Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has launched ‘A Moment to Remember’, a marketing campaign tailored exclusively to the Indian wedding market, said its market managing director, Eurasia, Nikhil Sharma. “Our upcoming hotels prioritise wedding functions with purpose-built public spaces and banquets. Designed with versatility, the facilities include a separate banquet kitchen for both non-vegetarian and vegetarian cuisines,” he said.
Sharma said this wedding season outshines the ones in the past, with customers favouring hotels as their preferred venue. “The trend reflects a significant change in preferences, elevating the overall wedding experience for couples and guests alike,” he said.
Espire Hospitality Group CEO Akhil Arora said with domestic weddings getting more popular, the chain has introduced a dedicated weddings team at the group level for its ZANA-Luxury Escapes and Country Inn Hotels & Resorts properties.
“The team will be involved in ideating and creating stunning settings and experiences in the unique venues that we already have, flanked by the great Himalayan mountains, alongside tranquil lakes, in the midst of virgin forests or those bordering wildlife sanctuaries,” Arora said. “We have also introduced eco-friendly choices at Six Senses Fort Barwara, with no usage of plastic and paper materials in our organic spaces.”
The Leela Palace Bengaluru is launching a 10,000 square feet Maharaja Ballroom for “exquisite” celebrations in March, said Madhav Sehgal, area vice president for South India at The Leela Palaces Hotels and Resorts.
Radisson Blu Palace Resort, Udaipur, is looking at collaborating with influencers who have a strong presence in the wedding and hospitality segments, besides offering biodegradable decor and minimalistic designs to sustainable catering choices, said chairman Somesh Agarwal. “Notably, a significant number of non-resident Indians and domestic guests are choosing our venue. This heightened demand has prompted us to project a 40% increase in revenue,” he said.
The Grand Mercure Bengaluru at Gopalan Mall is developing all-inclusive destination wedding packages, besides investing in targeted digital marketing campaigns, said general manager Sachin Maheshwary.
Tamara Leisure Experiences CEO Shruti Shibulal said that the chain is looking at becoming a complete wedding destination. “From providing curated gourmet food, indoor and outdoor venues, and every facility required, including decor, photography, choreography, mehendi, organising religious ceremonies and even being a honeymoon getaway, we do it all,” she said.
“We have formed collaborations with top-tier brands to deliver a holistic solution to our esteemed guests.”
Novotel has designed ‘Shagun at Novotel’, under which it offers personalised gift hampers to the bride and groom’s guests, adding a special touch to their celebration, said Ranju Singh, complex general manager at Novotel Goa Candolim and Novotel Goa Resort & Spa.
