Weddings are beautiful and magical. They are a once in a lifetime experience (hopefully) and mark the official beginning of new love, companionship and partnership. In India, weddings hold a completely different level of importance – both spiritual and religious. India is a state of many cultures and with many cultures come different ancient rituals and conventions. Weddings are a serious business in the country. There are many ceremonies, food, drinks, dance, music and entertainment. A typical Indian wedding is nothing short of a party.
India being home to diverse religions has many types of weddings. There are Hindu weddings, Christian weddings, Islamic weddings, Sikh weddings, Parsi weddings and many sub religious weddings. That said, you must wonder about the types of venues that the country has to offer. It is no secret that India is a diverse land boasting many beautiful terrains and historical structures with rich historical and cultural importance. There are many states boasting a different kind of aesthetic beauty like funky beach weddings of Goa, traditional south Indian weddings, royal north Indian weddings and so on. The options are endless and it can be quite confusing to choose one destination for your wedding. Don’t worry, let’s look at a very distinct state where you can have a typical royal wedding.
Jaisalmer – The Ultimate Destination for your Ideal Wedding
Jaisalmer is the beautiful town of Rajasthan home to the absolutely fascinating Jaisalmer Fort. This town is the largest in the state of Rajasthan and has multiple palaces turned hotels. It is located in the heart of India’s largest desert, The Thar Desert. With epic stories of Rajas and Maharajas and intricate architectural landmarks fills the very air of the town and provides it with such a magical fairy tale like aura. Jaisalmer is also called “The Golden City” which completely suits the town for its sandstone walls that fortify the royale Jaisalmer Fort and reflects the sun’s light in a golden sparkling shower.
Jaisalmer undoubtedly offers the best venues for a destination wedding in India with royal undertones accompanied by strong architecture and old interiors. Let’s look at some of the best venues that this town has to offer to complete your dream of a magical wedding.
Best Venues in Jaisalmer for Destination Weddings
Jaisalmer is one of the most beautiful places to exist in today’s time with rich culture, architecture, history and story. If you are envisioning a wedding like royalty, then Jaisalmer is definitely your spot. Let’s look at some of the best venues in “The Golden City” aka Jaisalmer.
Suryagarh
Suryagarh is named very aptly. The word Surya means Sun and with this palace turned hotel settled in the heart of the great Indian desert, Thar desert, this hotel is provided with a beautiful natural lighting of the Sun. Suryagarh is one of the most famous hotels in Jaisalmer and has 83 rooms to accommodate its guests. The rooms are highly furnished with all the amenities. For a wedding, Suryagarh is the best choice as it provides several different lands and grounds for each ceremony. It has a number of beautiful courtyards and well-groomed lawns for ceremonies.
The cost of a destination wedding accommodating about 150 guests at the Suryagarh Palace starts from 62 Lakhs INR.
Nature of venue for the weddings: Courtyards, lawns, bageecha, banquet.
Alcohol permitted: Yes.
Jaisalmer Marriott Spa & Resort
If you are unfamiliar with Indian traditions and all the ceremonies but still want to go for a destination wedding, then trusting a name that you are familiar with is easier and less stressful. Marriott is a world-famous hotel chain known for their beautiful hotels and scrupulous staff members. The Jaisalmer Marriott Spa & Resort is no different. With two outdoor courtyards and a massive ballroom, Jaisalmer Marriott Spa & Resort has it all. It can easily accommodate a wedding with 150 guests in its 135 rooms with all the amenities provided right at your doorsteps. With spa arrangements, your wedding is completely magical in this ornately designed hotel with a touch of antique.
The cost of a destination wedding accommodating about 150 guests at the Jaisalmer Marriott Spa & Resort start from 45 Lakhs INR.
Nature of venue for the wedding: Courtyards, lawns, ballroom’
Alcohol permitted: Yes.
Rang Mahal
Rang Mahal is the epitome of a royal palace. It is huge and carefully adorned with carved hangings and antique pieces to give it the 18th century Maharaja’s Palace aura. Rang Mahal offer inimitable facilities and an ambience that has no match. With 118 rooms, it can easily accommodate a big fat typical Indian wedding. There are separate kitchens for non – vegetarians and vegetarians. With four big venues like a big lawn, a poolside lawn, a Haveli and a Hall, Rang Mahal has the capacity of providing wedding guests with comfortable settings and picture-perfect environments.
The cost of a destination wedding accommodating about 150 guests at the Rang Mahal starts at 25 Lakhs INR.
Nature of Venue for the weddings: Hall, Poolside Lawn, Big Lawn, Haveli.
Alcohol permitted: Yes
Desert Tulip Hotel & Resort
The Desert Tulip Hotel & Resort gives you the Rajasthani feels due to its location. The biggest selling point of this particular hotel is that it is located in the middle of Jaisalmer’s famous sand dunes. Apart from this eclectic fact, The Desert Tulip Hotel & Resort has amazing architecture with intricately carved arches and imposing gateways. With the perfect ambience of a heritage hotel, this fortress has everything – from relaxing spa facilities to stimulating swimming pools. It has a well-groomed lawn and a little courtyard. With 60 rooms, The Desert Tulip Hotel & Resort can easily accommodate guests for an Indian wedding. With both vegetarian and non – vegetarian food options available, this four-star luxury heritage hotel is a dream come true. To top it all off, the welcome of guests is done in a traditional Rajasthani way with the local folks performing the traditional dance Ghoomar. Another plus point of this heritage fortress is that, it is just 20 minutes away from The Jaisalmer Airport which makes it easy to travel. Staying at The Desert Tulip Hotel & Resort is a heart-warming and wholesome experience.
The cost of a destination wedding accommodating about 150 guests at the Desert Tulip Hotel & Resort starts at the price of 27 Lakhs INR.
Nature of venues for the weddings: a large lawn, two restaurants and poolside ambience.
Alcohol permitted: Yes.
Gorband Palace
The Gorband Palace is what one calls the perfect royal destination. With lush green open grounds and brown ancient fortress, this heritage hotel has set the bar quite high for its rivals and competitors. The Gorband Palace is situated at Sam Road in the town of Jaisalmer. With four majestic venues, The Gorband Palace provides exceptional space to organise different wedding ceremonies. The Taal Garden and The Bageecha Garden are two vast lawns showcasing amazing flora and providing ambience for those who prefer an outdoor ceremony. In contrast, The Restaurant Hall and The Conference Hall provide an indoor service for people who prefer indoor ceremonies. Both the halls are fully furnished with air conditioners. There are various food options in both the vegetarian and non – vegetarian categories. The Gorband Palace also allows external caterers. With 83 well-constructed and comfortable rooms, The Gorband Palace is more than qualified to host a big fat Indian wedding.
The cost of a destination wedding accommodating about 150 guests at the Gorband Palace starts at 22 Lakhs INR.
Nature of venues for the wedding: Two lawns and two halls.
Alcohol permitted: Yes.
Best time to visit Jaisalmer for a wedding
Jaisalmer is near the great Indian Thar Desert and is surrounded by sand dunes. These aspects add to the character of the town and gives us aesthetic feels but this also means that the weather is usually hot and dry. To have a destination wedding in Jaisalmer, one must keep a careful eye out on the weather. If the weather is not favourable, no one will be able to enjoy the wedding and everything will be ruined. So, choosing the month and time is of utmost importance.
The summer months are the worst in Jaisalmer. The weather is dry and very hot. The infamous hot air known as loo is very prevalent in this region. This air is very harmful for humans. It induces a high level of dehydration which further causes loose motions, vomiting and other extreme health issues also occur. To hold a wedding in the summer season is a big no.
The best season to visit Jaisalmer and hold a wedding there are from October till March. The winter might be harsh but it still allows outdoor ceremonies. It is generally dry and a little windy but much bearable than the summer months. February especially is a very colourful and eventful month in this region where many competitions like turban wrapping and such take place.
Conclusion
All in all, Jaisalmer is one of the best places to indulge and invest in. With all kinds of amenities and some of the world’s best ambience at your disposal, Jaisalmer surely has a high ranking in regards to destination weddings. With such a rich history, it gives a completely new meaning to the wedding. As every place has its own grace and charm, Jaisalmer is one of the most authentic places to exist. So, if wedding bells can be heard in your corner and you have always dreamt of a fairy tale Indian wedding, then do choose Jaisalmer for its many winning points.
