Destination Wedding Planner Abroad for Indian Weddings

A wedding abroad looks simple from a resort brochure. The hard part is everything an Indian wedding needs that a foreign hotel does not do every week: a mandap and pheras, Indian catering for 300 guests, a baraat, a sangeet stage, and visas and flights for families coming from three countries. IWP – Indian Wedding Planners plans Indian weddings abroad from our offices in Jaipur and Mumbai, with 134 hotels listed across 10 countries, from Dubai and Bali to Istanbul and Hoi An.

Planning a wedding abroad? Send us your date, guest count and the countries you are considering. Within 24 hours we reply with three venues that fit, the cost for each, and a 30-minute video call with a senior planner.

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Why plan your wedding abroad with IWP

• An Indian wedding team, not a local events desk. We have planned 250+ Indian weddings since 2013, so the pheras, the sangeet, the haldi and the baraat are planned the way your family expects, wherever the venue is.
• 134 hotels in 10 countries. We list room counts, event spaces and photos for every hotel we work with abroad, so you can compare venues before you fly anywhere.
• The hard parts handled. Indian catering and chefs, a pandit or granthi, mandap and décor, local permissions, and guest visas and flights.
• Budgets in rupees and dollars. All-inclusive bands from about ₹1 crore (US$105,000), then a venue-by-venue proposal for your dates.
• Two offices in India. Meet us in Jaipur or Mumbai, or plan from abroad with one senior planner on video calls.

Compare wedding destinations abroad

Most couples narrow the choice by flight time, guest visas and season first. This is how our ten countries compare for guests travelling from India:

Visa rules change often. Each country guide below has the current details, and we confirm them for your guest list before invitations go out.

Where we plan Indian weddings abroad

Destination wedding planner in Dubai and the UAE

The UAE is the easiest choice for large Indian weddings: short flights, big ballrooms and beach resorts, and hotels used to Indian catering. We plan in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, at hotels such as Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah and Grand Hyatt Dubai. Read our Dubai wedding guide for Indian couples.

Destination wedding planner in Thailand

Thailand gives you beach pheras four to five hours from India, with visa-free entry for Indian guests. We plan in Phuket, Krabi and Hua Hin, at hotels such as JW Marriott Phuket, Banyan Tree Krabi and Anantara Hua Hin. Read our Thailand wedding guide.

Destination wedding planner in Bali

Bali suits couples who want cliff-top and garden ceremonies for a smaller guest list. We plan at resorts such as The St. Regis Bali, The Ritz-Carlton, Bali and The Oberoi Beach Resort. Read our Bali wedding guide.

Destination wedding planner in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is the closest beach destination abroad for families in South India, about 1 to 1.5 hours from Chennai or Bengaluru. We plan at Shangri-La Hambantota, ITC Ratnadipa, Colombo and Taj Bentota. Read our Sri Lanka wedding guide.

Destination wedding planner in Turkey

Turkey has our largest list abroad, from Bosphorus palaces in Istanbul to large resorts on the Antalya coast. We plan at hotels such as Calista Luxury Resort, Cullinan Belek and Six Senses Kocatas Mansions. Read our Turkey wedding guide.

Destination wedding planner in Vietnam

Vietnam is a newer choice for Indian weddings, with beach resorts in Da Nang and Hoi An and city hotels in Hanoi. We plan at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula, Four Seasons The Nam Hai and JW Marriott Hanoi. Read our Vietnam wedding guide.

Destination wedding planner in Qatar, Oman and Bahrain

The Gulf countries are three to four hours from India and suit families who want a beach or desert wedding with short travel. In Qatar we plan at Hilton Salwa Beach Resort and The St. Regis Doha; in Oman at Shangri-La Al Husn and The St. Regis Al Mouj; and in Bahrain at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq and The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain. Read our guides to Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.

Destination wedding planner in Malaysia

Malaysia combines city ballrooms in Kuala Lumpur with island resorts in Langkawi. We plan at The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur and The Westin Langkawi. Read our Malaysia wedding guide.

Choosing between the Gulf and Turkey? Read Dubai vs Qatar vs Turkey for an Indian wedding. We also have guides for a Sikh Anand Karaj abroad and a Nikah abroad.

What a destination wedding abroad costs

These are the indicative all-inclusive bands we share at enquiry. They cover the venue and room block, food and beverage, décor and production, entertainment, guest logistics and our planning fee. The exact cost depends on the country, the hotel and your dates.

For a full breakdown, read our Indian destination wedding cost guide.

How we plan your wedding abroad

1. Enquiry and shortlist (within 24 hours): three venues across your chosen countries, with the cost for each.
2. Meet us or call us: visit our Jaipur or Mumbai office, or book a 30-minute video call. We then walk you through the shortlisted hotels on live video.
3. Booking and budget: we hold your dates, negotiate the room block and give you a line-by-line budget.
4. Guests and paperwork: visa guidance for every guest's passport, flight blocks, arrivals and room allocation.
5. Design and vendors: décor per function, Indian catering, pandit or officiant, artists and local permissions.
6. On the ground: our team travels to run every function, from guest arrivals to the last farewell.

Destination wedding abroad FAQs

Which country is best for an Indian destination wedding abroad?

It depends on your guest list. For large weddings with short flights, the UAE and Qatar work well. For beach weddings with easy visas, Thailand and Sri Lanka are popular. Turkey suits couples who want palace and resort venues in Europe, and Bali suits smaller weddings.

How much does a destination wedding abroad cost?

IWP's all-inclusive bands start at about ₹1 crore (US$105,000) for 50–100 guests over 2 days, ₹3–5 crore for 150–250 guests over 3 days, ₹7–10 crore for 300–500 guests over 4 days, and ₹10 crore and above for 500+ guests or a buyout. The exact cost depends on the country, the hotel and your dates.

Do our guests need visas for a wedding abroad?

It depends on the country and each guest's passport. Thailand and Malaysia are currently visa-free for Indian passports, Bali and Sri Lanka offer visas on arrival or online, and the UAE, Turkey and others need a visa for most Indian passport holders. We check the rules for your guest list and guide each family through the application.

Can you arrange Indian food, a pandit and a mandap abroad?

Yes. We plan Indian catering with the hotel or a specialist chef, arrange a pandit, granthi or other officiant, and design the mandap and décor for every function, so the wedding follows your family's traditions wherever it is held.

Is a wedding held abroad legally valid in India?

Most Indian couples register their marriage in India and hold the ceremony abroad. Read our guide to getting legally married in India as an NRI, OCI holder or foreign citizen, and check the details with a lawyer for your situation.

How far in advance should we plan a wedding abroad?

For peak dates, such as December and January in Dubai, start 10–14 months ahead. For other months, 6–8 months is usually enough to hold the venue, block rooms and give guests time for visas and flights.

Ready to start? Tell us your date, guest count and countries or call +91 94143 66666. You will have three venues and a transparent budget within 24 hours.