From Guest Lists To Atmosphere, Luxury Hotels Share Insider Secrets To Plan Your Dream Wedding

For many couples, the dream wedding begins with a vision—an opulent palace framed by lakes at sunset, a modern ballroom dripping with orchids, or an intimate terrace overlooking the sea. But behind the grand Instagram reels and champagne toasts lies a symphony of planning that can make or break the experience.

Insider Secrets To Plan Your Dream Wedding

To decode what goes into a seamless celebration, two hospitality veterans—Vaibhav Sagar, General Manager of Udaipur Marriott Hotel, and Yashwini Naik, Account Director of Global Sales at Shangri-La Group—share insider wisdom on how to turn a luxury venue into the wedding of your dreams.

Elegance Meets Personalisation

According to Sagar, the magic of a luxury wedding lies in blending opulence with intimacy. “Every detail, from décor and cuisine to guest experience, plays a vital role in creating lasting memories,” he says. “At Udaipur Marriott, we ensure every moment reflects the couple’s unique story through refined hospitality and thoughtful curation.”

Personalisation has become the new luxury. It’s not just about grand venues anymore—it’s about meaning. A mehendi brunch with regional flavours, a sunset pheras setup echoing family traditions, or a playlist curated from the couple’s first date—each layer deepens the connection between guests and hosts.

Naik agrees. “Start with clarity,” she advises. “Know your guest count, your rituals, and whether you want understated elegance or grand festivity. The best hotels are booked 12 to 18 months in advance, so early planning ensures you don’t compromise on vision.”

The Questions Couples Should Be Asking

Luxury hotels field a barrage of questions from starry-eyed couples—and rightly so. Venue capacity, vendor policies, décor flexibility, and cultural compatibility top the list. But both experts agree that the right questions can save couples from chaos later.

Naik emphasises practicalities: “Before signing anything, ask who your primary point of contact will be. Confirm deposit timelines, room block policies, and backup plans in case of weather surprises. Also clarify what’s included—and what’s not—especially when it comes to menus, sound restrictions, and late-night food options.”

Sagar adds that understanding the hotel’s destination wedding experience is key. “Ask about their handling of guest logistics, stay packages, and pre-wedding support,” he says. “A smooth celebration depends on how well the hotel manages flow—from airport pickup to the last toast.”

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The Mistakes Most Couples Make

With Pinterest boards and wedding planners in tow, it’s easy to get carried away by aesthetics and overlook logistics. “One common mistake is focusing only on visuals without evaluating on-ground flow. Many couples skip advance recces or detailed discussions with event teams,” explains Sagar.

Naik echoes this sentiment. “Some couples fall for a venue’s look but forget it must function across multiple events,” she says. “Others book too late or assume dates can shift. It’s also common to ignore accessibility for elderly guests or the flow between venues.”

And perhaps the biggest misstep? Trying to replicate a home wedding in a luxury setting. “Leverage the hotel’s strengths,” Naik advises. “They’re experts at orchestration—let them take the load off families.”

Beyond Budgets: The Details That Matter Most

While finances dominate initial conversations, it’s the intangibles that elevate a wedding from good to unforgettable. “Go beyond décor and costs,” Naik says. “Discuss event flow, food preferences, spa access, elder care, kids’ meals, and transport between events.”

Sagar adds that it’s the smallest touches—personalised welcomes, curated spa sessions, local cultural performances—that linger longest in memory. “These moments of thoughtfulness,” he says, “transform a celebration into an experience of warmth.”

At their best, luxury hotels don’t just host weddings—they choreograph them. Every corner becomes a canvas: a marble staircase for bridal portraits, a courtyard for cocktails, a lakefront lawn for vows.

As Naik puts it, “The most seamless weddings happen when hotels and families work in sync from day one. When couples trust the process, what unfolds is pure magic.”

In the end, whether your dream wedding unfolds under the Udaipur sun or within the hushed corridors of a Shangri-La, it’s not grandeur that defines the day—but how gracefully it mirrors your story.

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Image courtesy: Freepik

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