From Chandra Sagara Convention Centre and Sindhoor Convention Centre in the south to the Sapthapadi Sapthagiri Palace and Sri Rajhans Convention Hall in the west, for decades, Bengaluru’s weddings were synonymous with Kalyana Mantapas in the heart of the city. These halls were compact and functional. But today, couples are stepping away from these local venues, seeking more spacious and picturesque locations, and personalised wedding experiences. Now most of these conventional centres are becoming venues for exhibitions and sales round the year.
Traffic congestion, parking woes, and the rigid structures of older function halls have driven families to explore alternatives that offer both luxury and flexibility. From serene retreats in Nandi Hills to lavish resorts along Kanakapura Road, to modern convention halls at Hebbal, the trend is now more about immersive experiences and not just rituals. With an increasing number of couples opting for grand or intimate, or theme-based celebrations away from the city’s chaos, Bengaluru’s wedding landscape is undergoing a transformation.
The Hindu spoke to wedding planners, convention hall owners, newly married couples and others, who explained that it is not just about space and aesthetics, but there are deeper cultural and economic factors at play too.
Siri Rao, who got married in December last year, shared that resorts or open-air venues feel more relaxed and informal.
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FILE PHOTO
Personal feel
Nanditha Shetty, who is set to get married in June, said that the vibe at a resort is just so much more “chill and scenic.” “It feels personal and exclusive like it is just me and my people having a blast, which is what a wedding should be all about. But convention halls are like wedding factories, just a conveyor belt of events. With a resort it is like a mini destination wedding, but without the crazy price tag.” In her view everything is “right” there — the food, the space, the experiences. “There are only a few things that might need to be outsourced, and that’s a total win in my book,” she added.
Siri Rao, who got married in December last year, shared a similar view, that resorts or open-air venues feel more relaxed and informal. “We had a very specific theme and an open-air venue that really gave us an opportunity to properly personalise the decor and everything. So, it fully fits our personalities. We could also create little nooks and corners for photo booths and other fun stuff,” she said.
Makeup artist Humma Khannam, who does bridal makeup for brides across Bengaluru, said that destination or outdoor weddings have gained immense popularity in recent years due to affordability factors.
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More affordable
On the other hand, Syed Riaz, who got married in November last year, said that regular convention halls have got very expensive. “I had my wedding outside Bengaluru but had the reception in the city. We wanted the wedding at a popular convention centre in south Bengaluru because this is where I have lived all my life, but the place was around ₹5 lakh per day. I got a bigger convention centre in north Bengaluru for ₹2 lakh per day, with double the space and that looked aesthetically better. Accessing convention halls at prime areas is going beyond budget for most middle-class people,” Syed explained.
Makeup artist Humma Khannam, who does bridal makeup for brides across Bengaluru, said that destination or outdoor weddings have gained immense popularity in recent years due to affordability factors. “People prefer destination weddings instead of the traditional ones because couples want something unique and memorable for their big day. The bride and groom get to keep their guests minimal, allowing couples to prioritise their loved ones, which also avoids the stress to invite extended family members. Moreover, the overall cost of the wedding will be significantly lower when compared to that of a wedding in a convention hall in the city,” she added.
One of the marriage halls used for exhibition and sales of the products at Jayanagar.
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K BHAGYA PRAKASH
When the shift began
Neethi Shanthakumar, founder of Bengaluru-based Purplerings has been planning, designing and organising weddings across the country for 15 years, said that the shift from traditional convention halls to destination weddings surged right before the COVID-19 pandemic. “It slowly progressed a lot more after the pandemic. Bengaluru right now has become a place for destination weddings both for local people and people from across the country due to the pleasant weather and the multiple venues on the outskirts of the city. These are spaces where people get off the airport and can easily go to the venue without entering the city and deal with the traffic,” she explained.
Neethi said that a lot of her local clients also prefer the destination venues over the regular convention centres due to its aesthetics. “Most wedding halls within the city are typical halls that have nothing but a stage and chairs. People are past that and focus a lot on aesthetics. We have a lot of local and NRI client who want a cultural experience for their guests.” There are many new venues that have a traditional feel or the look of a temple, although they are quite modern and newly constructed. “There are venues that give a very tropical feel also, that gives a beach wedding-like feel,” she said.
Neethi said that even if a client wants to have their wedding at a convention centre, the management of these halls are not very open to the ideas of wedding planners. “Many Bengaluru clients still do want to have the wedding within the city because it is convenient for their guests to commute. However, convention centres do not adjust to the needs of the couple getting married or the wedding planners. These venues have their own tie-ups with florists, decorators, videographers etc., but when clients like us who do designing and planning with our own vendors show up, they are not very cooperative and do not meet our requirements,” she said.
T. Shivakumar and Mahadev, partners at the Sindhoor Convention Centre in J.P. Nagar which has been a popular wedding venue for more than two decades, agreed that destinations on the outskirts have become more popular, resulting in the older ones changing roles over the years.
“During Dhanur Masa and Ashada months (regarded inauspicious for marriage by some communities), we let the centre out for exhibitions and sales. But there is a shift in the choice of venues couples and families prefer these days. Most of them prefer outdoor venues because all the responsibilities like food, decor and more are taken care of by the venues, and it is just a one-time payment for the clients. Orthodox families still prefer a convention centre like ours that has a solid roof on top for many religious and spiritual reasons, but modern families are definitely shifting towards resorts or destination weddings,“ Mahadev explained.
The downside
However, Mahadev argued that despite resorts being the popular venue choice for the last few years, lately there has been a slight increase in the demand for convention centres due to other logistical reasons. Outdoor weddings on the outskirts did well when Bengaluru did not have the same traffic as we have today. “Even if couples prefer venues on the outskirts, guests find it hard to commute. It is easier for guests to come to Sindhoor which is in a very easily accessible locality in J.P. Nagar. They can board the metro, take a bus, a cab or auto to the venue. But imagine visiting venues on Kanakpura Road or beyond Hebbal that hardly have connecting roads. Cabs and autos are not easily available and no public transport exists. Outdoor venues are suitable for couples that can arrange commute for the guests or only call guests that have their own vehicles,” he added.
Published – February 21, 2025 09:00 am IST