Southeast Asian Destination Wedding

Southeast Asian Destination Wedding

As the world has opened up, many couples seek beautiful and vibrant weddings outside our home countries and still respect their traditions. Whole industries have sprung up in some of the most beautiful and exotic locations that can provide everything you could ever dream of for your Hindu, Sikh or Muslim ceremony and more.
What could surpass having everyone in one beautiful tropical location, allowing your guests to bond and enjoy the celebrations collectively across multiple days? It also offers an opportunity to appreciate local traditions alongside Indian customs, creating a beautiful blend of cultures.
If considering a destination wedding, Mexico and the Caribbean islands are incredibly idyllic locations with so much more to offer than sunny beachside celebrations; they provide a tapestry of scenic beauty, world-class venues and an opportunity to blend cultural richness with tropical flair.

Choosing the perfect resort for your Southeast Asian Destination Wedding

Let’s select the ideal venue for your Southeast Asian Destination Wedding in these exotic destinations.

Cultural Compatibility: It’s essential to ensure that your selected venue respects and understands Indian wedding traditions. Ask our advice about which properties we recommend through many years of arranging beautiful Southeast Asian destination weddings. From the Haldi and Mehndi ceremonies to a colourful and joyful Sangeet, ensuring that the wedding team is experienced and successful in handling these vibrant celebrations is essential.

Wedding Venue Capacity & Capabilities: All-inclusive hotels offer an excellent option for large groups, where cost ceases to become a factor as soon as you walk through the door. But which factors should you consider when making your choice?
Whilst smaller properties can be wonderfully intimate, larger resorts usually boast many ceremony venues, from lush tropical gardens with ocean-view terraces to stunning beaches and grand ballrooms. This variety of locations will make hosting multiple traditional wedding events in one stunning property much more straightforward. When selecting a venue, consider the number of guests you invite—ensuring that the venue can comfortably accommodate everyone and check for facilities such as dance floors, stages for entertainment, and spaces for intimate gatherings and grand celebrations.

Choice in Catering: Larger properties will offer more diverse Wedding and general dining culinary options. Many will have their own Southeast Asian restaurants, while others partner with Indian chefs and external caterers. Don’t forget to incorporate local flavours into your menu – incorporating regional twists can add a delicious layer to your culinary experience.
Look for properties with many restaurant options and proven expertise in providing authentic dishes to satisfy the most discerning palates.

Cost: From a cost perspective, seeking out resorts offering couples incentives to bring a large group is wise. My Wedding Away can help you navigate the complexities of what is available. Many properties will offer free events, rooms and upgrades, which combine to free up more of your budget to spend on the essential touches, such as photography/videography, décor and entertainment. Weddings in Mexico and the Caribbean usually price very favourably compared to those back home and in continental Europe. There is no need to pay for an expensive planner either; our services and the resort’s wedding planners are complimentary when booking your hotel rooms with us.

Simplified Planning: In seeking a resort, we recommend choosing a property that offers everything under one roof so that everything is in-house for you, and you can focus more on enjoying your celebration and less on the logistics. Overall, you will save money that way, too.

Customised Wedding Planning: Some hotels offer Southeast Asian wedding packages, and others are entirely bespoke. Ensure that even set packages are fully customisable, as everyone wants their Wedding to be unique.

Choosing the perfect venue for your Southeast Asian destination wedding is about finding that magical sweet spot where traditional elegance meets tropical vibrancy. With their beautiful landscapes, diverse venues, and a willingness to accommodate cultural nuances, resorts offer an excellent canvas to paint your most precious stories. Take your time to explore, ensure alignment with your vision, and engage with partners who understand the spirit of these celebrations.

From an intimate beachfront ceremony to a grand ballroom gathering, your destination wedding will not only be a celebration of love but a cultural symphony weaving memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Indian Wedding Venues: What to Consider

Indoor venues can offer a more controlled environment, which is especially handy given the vibrant and detailed nature of Southeast Asian weddings.

Pros:

Climate Control: There’s no need to worry about unpredictable weather with indoor venues. You can ensure guests are comfortable regardless of the season, humidity and temperature outside.

Decor Flexibility: Indoor spaces usually allow for elaborate decorations. Think grand mandaps, lavish floral arrangements, and stunning lighting – all protected from the elements. That said, costs for decorating indoor venues are typically more significant when turning an unadorned room into an opulent wedding reception.

Noise Control & Privacy: In resorts where other guests are present, indoor venues provide soundproofing and privacy for essential ceremonies and speeches. You also have the option to continue much later, although this often has cost implications. To save money on extending your indoor function, consider moving to a communal bar or nightclub, where hotels usually reserve a VIP area for you and your guests. You are very important people, after all!

Cons:

Space Limitations: Depending on the venue, you could encounter space restrictions affecting your guest list or decor plans. Equally, a space may be too ample for your party and could lack intimacy.

Ambience: Creating a natural or expansive feel indoors can sometimes be challenging despite fantastic decor. Choose a property where the experienced staff know how to ensure your event has a warm, vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.

Finishing times: there is almost always a time limit for outdoor events. Beach events must generally end by 10 pm due to turtle egg-laying activity on the beach at night. And outdoor terraces, especially in the vicinity of hotel bedrooms, are usually limited to finish at 10 or 11 pm so as not to disturb other guests who may be sleeping.

Outdoor Venues

Provide a magical backdrop, offering natural beauty perfect for the colourful and lively traditions of Indian weddings. As you are choosing a destination wedding for the location, make the most of the stunning tropical surroundings.

Pros:

The beautifully natural backdrop: no decoration needed! Beaches, gardens, or ocean views can create a stunning setting without spending money on adornments.

Spaciousness: Often, outdoor venues provide more space, which is ideal for larger weddings typical of Indian culture. Conversely, you will never feel the space is too ample for your party.

Photographic Opportunities: Natural light and beautiful landscapes can lead to breathtaking wedding photos and videos, significantly when the sun rises and sets at the beginning and end of the day.

Cons:

Precipitation: The most significant risk with outdoor venues is the weather. It can be unpredictable, so the resort must always provide an indoor Plan B, free of charge to change. It offers you peace of mind to plan your outdoor event, safe knowing that a passing shower won’t spoil it.

Heat and Humidity: The tropical climate can be warm and humid, especially from July to September, and even at night. Daytime events can be very hot, and offering your guests shade may be wise. Many hotels have wonderful gazebos, often overlooking the ocean; some are even glass-walled with air-conditioning! Another option is a covered pier over the sea, where the ocean breeze will cool your guests while providing excellent views. Always remember the capacity of these locations versus the size of your group. We are delighted to advise on this. Most hotels will also offer the option of a sun-shaded canopy.

Flora and Fauna: The beautiful surroundings also house their share of insects and other creatures, although some more than others. Avoiding areas with still or standing water or dense vegetation at night will limit the effect of mosquitos and ensure that your guests use an appropriate repellent. From May to October, mosquitos are more prevalent in general.
Despite these considerations, with some good planning and the expertise of My Wedding Away, the charm and allure of an outdoor wedding can make for a truly magical experience.

Ready to start planning your destination wedding?

We know resorts worldwide are doing their part to keep our loved ones safe while travelling. And new airline safety and hygiene protocols make travel safer than ever. So contact My Wedding Away and start planning your destination wedding today!