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Destination wedding in India: Reasons why organizing such a hectic event is a farce!

Destination wedding: Destination weddings are a rage among many and it intensifies after photos of a celebrity wedding go viral on social media. People want a piece of that pie and want to flaunt a lavish wedding at a luxury venue. All this is inspired by the glamorous and fairy-like projection of actors, models, politicians and public figures in media. Some of their followers want to ‘ape’ them and the best way to do so is by organising a similarly styled destination wedding.

But, is it really worth it and what are the downsides of organizing a wedding celebration, thousands of miles away?

What inspires people to go for a destination wedding

We live in the age of social media and everything we do or think is directly or indirectly influenced by the online activity of our network. The veil that existed between celebrities and their followers is now lifted and anyone can have a peek into the lives of those they follow. Every now and then a Bollywood actor or a renowned personality gets married and shares pictures of the same on social media. The viral posts further entice many to follow suit and more people want to look the same as their favourite celebrity couple and also get married in the same destination. It is the urge to live a life, which otherwise is not theirs.

Overspending cannot be ignored

Destination wedding comes with a cost which is way higher than the cost of a wedding organized locally. The cost from which the whole calculation begins is that of travel. If a group of about a hundred people have to travel a couple of thousand kilometres away, the return airfare runs into several hundred thousand and this is just the beginning. Every major destination resort, which is preferred for such a wedding, be it in Jaipur, Goa, Dubai, Singapore or Maldives, has a specially designed package to woo such customers. These packages are planned at a much higher price, which is way higher than the normal tariff of the same resort on any given day. Lack of knowledge about the place and non-verification of the actual pricing leads people to book these given venues at exorbitant prices.

All that glitters is not gold

Bollywood movies had the biggest impact on the psyche of its viewers when it comes to following the trend of destination weddings. Movies like Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani showed the whole concept of a destination wedding with a backdrop of one of the most luxurious hotels in India. For a common viewer, this is how any regular destination wedding would look like, however, it is not the case. Organizing a similar wedding for so many guests would cost millions, way above the wedding budget of most people. The other venues, if chosen, would not be as glorious as the one shown in the movie.

Major impact on the environment

Although a wedding is not planned to keep in mind the environmental aspect, it is one of the outcomes of any such event. When a wedding ritual is planned at local venues, it saves a lot of travel for scores of guests. The travel aspect, further translates to the usage of fuel, in taxis, buses and planes. A few such weddings would not have a major impact, but if more people continue to follow the trend, imagine the amount of fuel spent travelling alone. With the world reeling under the threats posed by climate change and temperature overshoot, this aspect cannot be ignored.

Emergency planning

First is the cultural difference. In the hometown, one is well aware of the various ritualistic articles, products, customary gifting items and all other commodities required for a wedding function. But when it comes to organizing the same function, thousands of kilometres away in an unknown place, organizing the minutest of details is a herculean task. It is an unnecessary added burden on an already stressed individual dealing with wedding planning. Then there are several other emergencies that can crop up at the last moment. Most of the destination wedding venues are away from the town and city and this adds up to anxiety in case of emergency.

The basic aim of celebrating a wedding is to bless the couple entering the married union. Although organizing a destination wedding might seem like a rosy dream, it does not guarantee a happy married life. The happiness of the couple is solely dependent on the understanding that they develop among themselves and it is not driven by the venue of the wedding.

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