Say ‘I do’ at these off-beat wedding venues like vineyards, trains, and museums

Imagine a 400-year-old heritage stone temple with all its grandeur as the venue of your wedding. Earlier this year, actors Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth lived this dream, with an intimate weddingat the Sri Ranganayaka Swamy temple in Wanaparthy, Telangana, that hosts over 200 weddings a year, all of which are small, intimate, and yet grand. For decades, wedding venues were personal to the families and the couple. Maternal homes, family farms, and temples were top choices.

Over the years, couples have moved on to more commercial venues, capitalising on glitz and glamour. However, after Covid’s necessarily small weddings, there is a trend of couples going back to their roots, and opting for meaningful venues that are closer to their stories.

An off-beat, yet luxurious option is to host your wedding in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. Numerous mansions spread across towns like Karaikudi and Kanadukathan have been restored with care and turned into historical resorts that give tourists a taste of a sect of Tamil culture. Of late, many couples have chosen these mansions to be the backdrop for their intimate weddings. “We recently hosted a big wedding. They came with the wedding planners and booked all the hotels — The Bangla, Chidambara Villas and Vishalam, and had events across the venues,” says Yacob George, General Manager at The Bangla.

Since these properties are hundreds of years old, there are restrictions to protect the integrity of the buildings. “We don’t allow decorators to change anything in the buildings, like nailing the walls or painting. Decorators often come prepared and are respectful of the properties,” he adds. Since the mansions have only 15 to 35 rooms per property, the guest lists are capped at 150-200, which makes for a grand, yet intimate wedding.

Growing up in a costal city, if beaches were a major part of your love story, you can opt to get married by the sea. For example, Samaaya Beachside on ECR, offers seven distinct spaces to choose from, like orchid and tulip lawns, a German style tent, the beach front, a terrace and more. The venue can accommodate as many as 1,500 guests depending on the space. “Celebration is a big part of our culture, and the Bay of Bengal is a very under-utilised coast in our country. We wanted to put it to good use and create a space that can accommodate celebrations of every kind,” says Rajiv Sampat, chairman of Samson group, which owns Samaaya, adding that clients can bring their own vendors and will have complete freedom to curate their weddings.

The ECR is also home to other five-star and boutique properties like the Intercontinental and Sheraton Grand, which host weddings to the sound of the ocean.

Samaaya Beachside on ECR, Chennai
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Special Arrangement

Another option is to look at heritage buildings. Apart from the numerous palaces and forts of Rajasthan that have hosted opulent weddings, there are other heritage properties across the country that have been turned into resorts and hotels, which can make for aesthetic venues for your special day. “There are approximately 170 heritage hotels in India that are part of our association. All of them are located close to big cities, so they make perfect destination wedding venues. We are eco-conscious and don’t allow usage of plastic, or let animals be part of the ceremonies,” says Steve Borgia, vice president, Indian Heritage Hotels Association.

From the mountains of Shimla and Srinagar, to the hidden gems of Kerala, properties that have been heritage homes, forts, and palaces have been converted into resorts that hold up the value and traditions of the properties and the region. They are ideal venues for eco-friendly, low-waste weddings. “We are aiming to reduce the amount of waste generated so we like to use eco-friendly materials for decorations, and even help guests pick thoughtful gifts that are locally made,” adds Steve.

Indeco Hotels Swamimalai
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Taking the mystical route

Perched on the foothills of Nandi Hills, 50 kilometres from Bengaluru city, is a venue straight out of a fairytale. The Amitarasa, a 28-acre space dominated by Nature, is dotted with stone architecture that draws from the heritage of the region.

It has five distinctive spaces — a pavilion (Mantapam), amphitheatre (Kalyani), dining hall (Aahara), the lawns and the villas. Sales and marketing manager Shakeeb Syed says, “This space was designed in such a way that it compliments the aesthetics of a traditional Hindu wedding. We provide the couple with all services, but they are free to pick their own service providers.”

Amitarasa can accommodate anywhere between 300 and 800 guests. Beyond the seven rooms at the venue, it has two sister resorts — Kosh Retreats, and Discovery Village, where guests can be hosted.

Amita Rasa, Nandi Hills
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For the oenophiles among us, walking down the aisle at a vineyard is a dream come true. Nestled on the banks of Gangapur Lake in Nashik, is the Sula vineyards. With a Greek style amphitheatre and a stone stage, this is a memorable destination for a winter wedding. “Apart from the venue, we also provide private taste and tour of the vineyards in small batches of 30 to 35 people during weddings. In harvest season, we do grape stomping,” says Amit Kulkarni, general manager — operations, Sula Vineyards. “We also offer discounts on wine for the wedding along with helping the couple plan the right decor and catering,” he adds. The vineyard can host upto 1,500 guests, and also houses The Source resort with 67 rooms.

Apart from Sula, other vineyards that will host your special day are Soma Vineyard in Nashik, Grover Zampa Vineyard on the outskirts of Bengaluru, and Big Banyan in Bengaluru.

Wedding at Sula
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Special Arrangement

If getting married in a museum excites you, the Dakshina Chitra Heritage museum has been hosting weddings for over 15 years.

“We have multiple venues that can house around 200 guests, and we provide all services required, from catering to decoration. Our vendors are well versed with the rules of the museum, so we recommend them, but you are allowed to bring your own as well,” says cultural tourism manager Francis M.

Wedding at Dakshina Chitra
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Special Arrangement

Wedding at Dakshina Chitra
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Special Arrangement

On the off chance that you and your partner are avid film lovers, getting married on the sets of a film you bonded over might be perfect for the beginning of your happily ever after.

AVM studios, Chennai, and Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad can make your filmy dreams come true. “We do everything from shaadi to bidaai and in any style or theme that you want. Couples have often requested us for unique sets like those from a particular film, village scenes, venues decorated in different aesthetics and cultures belonging to different traditions and states to be built for their functions,” says TLR Rao, associate vice president at Ramoji Film City.

Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad
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Special Arrangement

If you are fascinated by the iconic scene from the Bollywood film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, where the couple rides off into the sunset on a train, get your running shoes ready and hop on any of India’s luxury trains. The Palace on Wheels, Maharajas Express, Deccan Odyssey, and Golden Chariot can be chartered for your wedding party. Hitching a ride as unique as this will definitely make a story of a lifetime to tell.

Maharaj Express
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AFP PHOTO DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY

“Clients can charter the entire train with all 40 cabins for ferrying their guests from one venue to the other,” says Rajiv Varma, director, Royal Indian Trains adding that they have also hosted conferences and business events on board. If travelling with your entire wedding party from one destination to the next sounds like something you would like to add to your big day, hire the luxury on wheels all for yourself, starting from ₹1.5 crore for a three-day package inclusive of a 24×7 concierge service, and all meals. The train can accommodate 80 guests, which makes it perfect for an intimate wedding party.

Maharaj Express
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AFP

Wedding venues, big or small, carry the weight of your visions and breathe life into the ceremonies. Whether it is the stone walls, the sound of the waves, or the history embedded in the space, these venues do not just host the event — they become part of your story.