Udaipur is a much sought after wedding destination globally.  With a reasonable number of royal and palatial weddings having taken place in the city – ranging from high profile politicians, celebrities and business families, those from the city must be on the lookout for destinations outside the country, when it comes to elaborate wedding planning.  Malaysia comes up as a choice…

Our interaction with the Director of Malaysia Tourism, Mohd Hafiz Hashim gave us an insight into what the country has to offer, when it comes to Wedding Tourism. A few excerpts from the information shared by him…

What are the most sought-after destinations in Malaysia for Indian destination weddings?

MHH: “Malaysia has been and is a popular destination for weddings from the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, beach destination Langkawi and tropical paradise Kota Kinabalu– there are numerous places/ locations for an intimate or big Indian wedding in Malaysia.“

MHH: “ Wedding Budget, Connectivity and Cuisine.“

MHH: “Families generally book the weddings, though couple mainly narrow down the destination choices…we observe that couple travel for a recce…“

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MHH: “Mainly US, UK, China, India, Japan, Korea and Indian NRIs’…“

Destination and Wedding focus – Budget | Food | Service | Amenities?

MHH: “This is specific to clients and their preferences, however, for Indian families as well as Indian NRIs’, Food is a major focus.“

What is the general Indian spend on a destination wedding in Malaysia

MHH: “Rs 25 lac to Rs 1 Crore“

Will the market for destination weddings grow – or will it plummet with the Dollar-Rupee plunge

MHH: “Indians love big fat weddings – it is only going to grow with time.  Also, if you see destination weddings work out to be cheaper depending on the size of the group.  An average Indian destination wedding in a resort will have a sample size of 300 – 400 guests in comparison to the one in their home turf where obligation to invite guests increases. As time goes many more families/ couples consider Malaysia for destination wedding or a pre or post wedding celebration- proposal, pre-wedding shoot, pre or post wedding party, etc. Malaysia’s connectivity, hospitality and cultural connect with India makes it an accessible destination with a difference.“

Packages for destination wedding customers? Do these do better than standalone services?

MHH: “No specific packages for destination wedding customers – though it all depends on the clients needs…Customisations are done accordingly. Usually wedding planners create customised packages and the destination adds value if needed…“

3-5 Basic tips for couples/families planning destination weddings

MHH: “FAMILIARITY | CONNECTIVITY | AVAILABILITY

(1) Very important for couples/families to have familiarity with the destination as language can be a barrier in certain countries unless and until one has something specific in mind; (2) Connectivity plays a very important role ease of travelling, visa facilitation etc; (3) Availability of local vendors, event planners, cuisine are also important factors that need to be considered.“