Why Should You Consider Kolkata as a Destination for Your Wedding?

When it comes to deciding a destination wedding location in India, another name after Delhi and other places, which comes in mind is Kolkata. Kolkata, formerly it was known as Calcutta, is the capital of West Bengal, is a city with a unique ethos. The city is famously known as “cultural capital of the country.” It was founded as an East India Company trading post, and was India’s capital under the British Raj from 1773–1911.

Kolkata is known for its grand colonial architecture, art galleries and cultural festivals. The city is a major metropolis of India and an important political, economic, and cultural hub of the country, where heritage and contemporary hues seem to merge in a seamless euphoria of colors. Kolkata is home to Mother House – headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa. And not to forget the world famous bridge – the Howrah Bridge!

And the best part is that the city is well connected to all parts of the country and there are plenty of options available to travel in the city, or intercity or to another country. Kolkata is home to a long and rich history, it was also the seat of the British Empire in India before the capital was shifted to Delhi.

Destination wedding in Kolkata will be full of fun and frolic, once in a lifetime celebration that you will cherish all your life. Destination wedding in Kolkata will offer unique wedding celebrations along with spending the most relaxing time with near and dear ones. If you also wish to enjoy the cultural heritage of India, have an unmatched experience on your wedding, and want to explore it more, then here are top 18 reasons

why should you consider Kolkata as a destination for your wedding. Here we go…

1. Kolkata – ‘Cultural Capital of India’

The uniqueness of the city lies in its rich heritage and culture that is well preserved and thriving to date. For the one who wants to enjoy the old world charm, this city is perfect. The sight of the heritage trams crisscrossing the Kolkata streets are enough to evoke an old world charm. It is not without reason that Kolkata is famously known as the cultural capital of India. In fact, the city offers a unique blend of old and ethnic, from the strains of Rabindra music to the museums of Kolkata, Libraries to literature, music and dance to attire, and not to forget the beautiful sweet Bengali language. Kolkata culture can truly be experienced by an immersive stay in the city. And your destination wedding will be one such stay.

2. A perfect vacation for your wedding guests

Your wedding in Kolkata will not only be a memorable one for you and your partner, in fact your wedding will be a perfect vacation for your wedding guests too. They will never forget your wedding in the cultural capital of India. Kolkata is the perfect location for making your guests more than happy. Your guests will have a lot of stuff to do in the city from visiting old museums of Kolkata to enjoy local music and dance of the city, savoring on delicious cuisine to a romantic ride on trams. They will love to know and explore more about the literature of Kolkata, which they will cherish all their lives. All in all, the place has it all that can turn your wedding experience to the most memorable times of your life.

3. It’s going to be an ethnic celebration

If you wish to make your wedding an ethnic celebration then Kolkata is the place. The ‘cultural capital of the country’ gives you a myriad of options to turn your wedding to an ethnic ceremony and make your destination wedding a unique experience for one and all. Due to its beautiful heritage and culture, the place has emerged as one of the best wedding locations for a destination wedding in India. Thus, many wedding vendors and planners have emerged too. You can make your destination wedding distinct from the usual or normal affairs by wearing an ethnic Bengali attire at your wedding or by having all the Bengali rituals at your wedding. Bengali attires, such as beautiful Bengali Saree not only look stylish but elegant as well. The place has many designers who can help you get the best outfit for your wedding.

4. Reason to enjoy the most authentic Bengali cuisine

When in Kolkata, food is not a problem. Kolkata offers you the most authentic cuisine of all times. You must have tried food from almost all the nations, such as Thai, Chinese, Italian, Mughlai and many more, but the taste of Bengali food is going to be unique. Bengali cuisine is one of a kind, to tickle your taste buds, which you and your guests will remember for a lifetime. Food is an integral part of the culture here and Kolkata is identified with some unique food that is typical Kolkata fare. The legendary sweets Roshogulla, Chom Chom, and Sandesh are known throughout the country and the world. Also, the enticing street food of Kolkata has its own unique variations that tempt the palate. And not to forget Mishti Doi. Kolkata is paradise for non-vegetarians, especially the ones who love seafood. Who would want to ignore Macher Jhol (fish curry), Kosha Mangsho (Mutton curry), Chelo Kebab, so on and so forth.

5. Kolkata is full of wedding planners and wedding vendors

It is easy to plan a destination wedding in Kolkata. With the growing number of destination weddings world-wide have given rise to wedding vendors and wedding planners in Kolkata too. You don’t have to worry while you plan your destination wedding in Kolkata. As, the place offers you myriads of professional wedding planners and wedding vendors who are perfect enough to take care of all your wedding needs. They understand that your wedding is a once in a lifetime event and they are also there to let you have the best of the experience on your wedding. They take care of everything related to your wedding, from booking accommodation to helping you find the best wedding photographer, and taking care of your wedding guests as well.

6. Kolkata is known for its friendly people and amazing hospitality

Kolkata has always been known for its people – Bengali people, they are sweet, trust me! People in Kolkata are very friendly and good hearted. The level of service you will get here will not be anywhere else. For, the place is known for its friendly people and best services. There’s no other place like Kolkata, a great mix of ethnicity and urban culture. You have to see it to believe it. When it comes to hospitality, no other city, state, or the country can beat Bengalis. You and your guests will be taken care of properly. Bengalis will help you make your wedding and the experience the easiest task for one and all.

7. An opportunity to enjoy the traditional culture

If you want to enjoy the traditional culture of Kolkata then destination wedding in Kolkata is the only way to live that culture to the core. Just imagine live Bengali music on your sangeet night will make your wedding a memorable one. Let yourself and your guests tap their feet on the tunes of local music of Bengal. Or plan your sangeet night a little different this time and have some real time dancers, dancing on the local tunes. Wedding in Kolkata give you the chance to turn your otherwise ordinary music night to an extraordinary sangeet night with all the mesmerizing live performances. Think out of the box when planning your wedding in Kolkata and amaze your guests with live performances of music bands and regional artists on your wedding. You and your guests will definitely enjoy the time.

8. Place for perfect excursion

Kolkata, make for a perfect place for excursion. After being tired of hectic wedding planning journey, Kolkata is the place to divert your mind and enjoy a bit and spend some time with your loved ones. Kolkata always offers something or the other to de stress yourself before the D day.

9. Kolkata has something for everyone

Whether you are a backpacker or a newly-wed couple, an adventure freak or looking to host a wedding here in Kolkata. The place has something for everyone. The cultural capital of the country offers tons of fun activities for one and all from visiting Sunderbans to exploring Victoria Memorial Palace, seeing Dakshineswar and Kalighat Temple to enjoying ride at Howrah Bridge, visiting Eden Garden to Shopping in local markets, seeing Mother’s Wax Museum to enjoying at Salt Lake, enjoying Tram ride to visiting Vidyasagar Setu, so on and so forth.

10. Destination weddings in Kolkata are comparatively reasonable

Though destination weddings are already pricey affairs because you need to arrange for to and fro airfare along with the accommodation of your guests. But wedding in Kolkata can still be in your budget. So, saying ‘I Do’ in fairytale style in Kolkata is in your pocket. Cost of hosting a destination wedding in Kolkata will however vary based on the type of your wedding, number of guests, number of days, location etc. However, a budget wedding in Kolkata with 100 guests will cost you around 10-12 lakhs, whereas a mid-range wedding will go up to 18 -20 lakhs, and for a lavish wedding sky’s the limit … it can go up to as high as you want. Kolkata offers many luxury hotels, 4 star properties, 5 star hotels, Wedding Lawns, etc. to hold wedding of your choice.

Related: How Much a Destination Wedding Cost?

11. Best place for hosting a winter destination wedding

In Kolkata, the wet season is oppressive, hot, and overcast and the dry season is warm, humid, and mostly clear. The temperature in Kolkata typically varies from 56°F to 96°F and is rarely below 51°F or above 101°F. Hence, the best times of year to get hitched or visit Kolkata for hot-weather activities are from late February to early April and from late October to mid-November. However, the place is perfect for a winter destination wedding, especially for couples who do not want to get hitched in extreme weather conditions.

12. Place has some seriously amazing wedding venues.

The place has some seriously stunning wedding venues, viz……. Club Verde Vista, PC Chandra Gardens, JMS Villa & Garden, Nalban, Imperial Garden, The lawn at Kenilworth Hotel. For resort wedding you have Vedic village, Calcutta Boating and Hotel Resorts, Eastern Metropolitan Club, Palm Village Resort. Or if you are looking for Banquet Wedding Venues in Kolkata, then you can go for: The Golden Park, Royal Bengal Banquet, The Peerless Inn, Smriti Banquets. And for a destination wedding in a hotel, the best choices are: Pipal Tree, Hotel Sojourn, O2, Floatel, Park Palace Hotel, etc. All these are amongst the most stunning places in Kolkata for getting hitched in a dreamy set-up.

13. An opportunity to try something unique and different

Destination wedding in Kolkata will give you an opportunity to try something unique and different from ordinary. You can try out a Bengali wedding traditions, like their beautiful and colorful wedding attires, the entry style of the Packing Items bride at the wedding etc. Trying out something new will be so much fun at your wedding.

14. Kolkata is easily connected

Kolkata is easily accessible via railways, airways and roadways. It is very easy to commute here, people or tourists have always been traveling to Kolkata to experience its spectacular culture and heritage. You can always catch a flight from your respective cities or locations to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, it is an international airport located in Dum Dum, West Bengal, serving the Kolkata metropolitan area. It is located approximately 17 km from the city centre. There are daily flights to Kolkata, operated by Indian Airlines and Jet Airways for your ease and comfort. Also, if you are coming via train, then Kolkata railway station is there. Local commuting is easier, you can take a cab, or private taxi, or local bus to commute from one place to another.

15. Get best wedding pictures in the city of joy

Kolkata is famously known as the city of joy. And it gives you numerous options to get the best wedding pictures of your wedding. Wedding venues are so beautiful that they work as natural backdrops for mesmerizing bridal portraits. Besides, Kolkata is perfect for your pre-wedding bridal shoot. If you want you can plan a wonderful pre-wedding shoot in Kolkata. Get stunning pre-wedding pictures in Trams, Howrah Bridge, or Eden Garden, the place has it all. Let the cultural heritage be the natural backdrop for your pre-wedding and wedding shoot. The place offers you breathtakingly beautiful backdrops, thereby making for a perfect wedding album. You need not to have any prop for your wedding shoot in Kolkata, place has it all!!

16. Best place for hosting your pre-wedding celebrations or rituals

Kolkata literally offers an array of options for one and all. You can start your pre-wedding bash in the most idyllic and scenic place. Kolkata is full of romantic venues for making your sangeet night extra special, cocktail night extra vibrant, and your bachelorette party extra fun. And the best thing is you don’t need much frill to make your event special. Kolkata – the city of joy is enough to give your event an extra pompous.

17. The city of joy is to have some joyous moments with your loved ones

Your wedding is not only the reason to be happy, but also people who are close to you like your parents and your siblings will be nervous to realize the fact that you will leave them after your wedding. Besides being full of fun, music, dance, and food, weddings are full of emotions and feelings too. The city of joy is the best place to let you and your family have some time with each other and just live every moment. You will have enough time and space in Kolkata to share your heart out to your loved ones and tell how much they matter to you.

18. Wedding with honeymoon destination

Believe it or not but the place had always been the most sought after honeymoon destinations for newly-weds. Getting hitched in Kolkata gives you a wonderful opportunity to honeymoon here and enjoy each other’s company after your wedding. Just bid adieu to your wedding guests and simply start your honeymoon in Kolkata. If you wish you can shift to some new location for your honeymoon. If you are planning your wedding in some five star property, or hotel, you can always extend your honeymoon in the same hotel and enjoy their hospitality even more. Honeymooning in Kolkata will be the most romantic time of your life with your partner. Especially if you two are keen to explore more about the cultural capital of India. This is going to be a perfect honeymoon destination for you.

Also, honeymooning in Kolkata will save you a lot of money and time which you will otherwise spend on travelling to different locations. Just enjoy each other in the beautiful and mesmerizing city and have a lot of fun with each other. Love, shop, eat, and enjoy! The city has it all to make your honeymoon ravishing and romantic!!

To pan out….

While planning a destination wedding in Kolkata, make sure you figure out the type of ceremony and the budget beforehand. Decide in advance whether it is going to be a religious ceremony or a civil or a court marriage with a wedding reception or party in Kolkata. Accordingly, you will need to arrange for other things. The best is to research for the wedding planner or someone locally who can help you with the wedding arrangements.

Also, make sure you do all the bookings well in advance, and if planning to hire a professional, then do it in advance. Also, don’t miss to carry your wedding outfit ready and professionally steam-ironed and packed for the trip. Because, the hotels may or may not be able to have it touched up for you. So, it is better to get your wedding outfit sealed properly beforehand.

If you really want to enjoy the city of joy best is to come a little before the wedding so that you can enjoy your time with your loved ones. Also, you can plan some ME TIME before the wedding to get de-stressed completely. Trust you and your wedding guests are going to enjoy your destination wedding in Kolkata…… So, get ready for an exuberant wedding in the city of joy!!