Posted 06 December 2022

The best Goa places for the perfect destination wedding

Owing to its beautiful beaches, scenic locales, serene views, exotic cuisine and gorgeous resorts and hotels along the coastline, Goa is a perfect destination for hosting your fairytale wedding. It is always buzzing with music and noise and is often referred to as the party capital or the Las Vegas of India. Being such a happening place, Goa has also become one of the most popular places for destination weddings. Here, people never take a break from the endless partying, dancing, singing and eating; and so, many couples select this magical place to begin a new phase of their lives and plan their dream weddings in Goa.

Reasons to have a destination wedding in Goa

With the most magnificent coastline and eclectic cuisine, this state has a beautiful ambience that can pull off any and every kind of wedding.

So, here are a few reasons why Goa should be at the top of your list while planning a destination wedding.

Affordable and budget-friendly

Planning and hosting a destination wedding requires a lump sum amount of money, but if you do not wish to empty your bank account on your wedding, then Goa is the perfect place for you. It has a variety of options available starting from venues to wedding planners. You can easily select the one that suits you and your needs the best and start planning one of the most important days of your life. Additionally, if you hire a local wedding planner or event management company, then they can get you some of the best deals on the hotels and plan your wedding at a very reasonable cost.

Turn your wedding destination into your honeymoon destination

Goa is not only one of the most famous wedding destinations, but it is also a great location to have a romantic honeymoon. This city is filled with an abundance of great food and beautiful beaches and is an excellent place for a newlywed to have an intimate honeymoon. This will save your time as well because you do not need to plan your honeymoon separately and can enjoy the shining white beaches and the romantic environment with your partner.

A customised wedding

On becoming a popular wedding destination, Goa offers various unique facilities to you. Couples can westernise and customise their wedding as per their own wishes. From having a big, fat Bollywood wedding to a small intimate ceremony with just your close relatives, Goa offers you all options to turn your day into the most memorable and special day of your life. From beverages and decorations to custom-made ‘mandaps’, you can choose anything your heart desires that will make your wedding day an unforgettable one for you.

Selective guests

For those who do not like handling big crowds, planning their wedding in their hometown turns into a tiring affair. So, when you plan a destination wedding in Goa, you only invite your close friends and family. This not only reduces the entire cost of the wedding but it also gives freedom to the newlyweds to spend some intimate time and enjoy their wedding while having enough time to interact with their loved ones.

Favourite holiday destination

People often fall prey to the irresistible charm of Goa. A destination wedding on the picturesque beaches of Goa is nothing short of a fairytale. Along with the guests enjoying the wedding, they can also have their own little vacation and take some time off all the hustle and bustle. Goa is there on almost everyone’s wish-list, and so no one would miss out on such an opportunity.

Best places for a destination wedding in Goa

Goa is a dream wedding destination for all couples. With the gorgeous backdrop of the Arabian Sea and the calming sound of the waves hitting the shore, it is undoubtedly the best place for hosting a wedding that is straight out of a fantasy. Be it North Goa or South, this state is filled with venues and places that might offer you a perfect setting for your dream wedding.

Below is a list of some of the best venues (mostly between 15 to 30 lakhs) in Goa that might make the selection of your wedding destination easier.

Radisson Blu Resort Goa, Cavelossim Beach: Nestled along the coastline of South Goa, this resort with its Portuguese style colloquial architecture is be-fitting for an iconic wedding. From a traditional wedding to an outdoor beach wedding, the Radisson Blu Resort in Goa can cater to all your needs and wishes. From cosy indoors to breezy outdoors, this venue is the perfect spot for having a noteworthy wedding. Starting from local and Indian cuisines to fancy continental food, this hotel can serve you any kind of food you want, along with personalised menus by expert chefs. Located on Cavelossim Beach, this property can host 50 to 1500 people. So, Radisson Blu is a great choice for a destination wedding in Goa.

The Zuri White Sands: Listed as one of the top romantic resorts of Goa, Zuri White Sands offers an enchanting venue for a beach wedding. It has a total of four venues, out of which two are set outdoors. The charming beach view along with the intricate Portuguese-inspired architecture makes this location one of the best beach wedding resorts in Goa. The venue is well-equipped with all sorts of lights and audio-visual equipment and can hold approximately 20 to 1000 guests.

Kenilworth Resort and Spa: This 5-star hotel is surely one of the best wedding venues in the southern part of Goa. Located just 12 minutes away from the Dabolim International Airport, this resort exclusively designed 11 venues out of which 8 have an outdoor setting. This property is perfect for hosting a grand Indian wedding as it has a capacity of 85,000 to 1.5 lakh. Kenilworth is an excellent choice for a destination wedding in Goa.

Grand Hyatt Resort: This 5-star property along the Bambolim Bay is perfect for a luxurious and majestic wedding. This hotel is considered one of the largest wedding destinations in Goa and can accommodate 20 to 1500 people. There are lawns and gardens and various indoor and outdoor areas from which you can choose the most appropriate venue for your wedding. Three out of the five venue areas in this resort are located outdoors and are massive in size as the whole property is approximately spread across 28 acres of land.

Marbella Beach Resort: Set on one of the calmest and peaceful beaches of North Goa, this property on Morjim Beach provides luxurious accommodation along with some of the best dishes, party arrangements, photographers and last but not the least, a perfect beach wedding venue. This resort can accommodate 250 to 600 guests, and it has proven to be one of the most popular wedding locations in Goa as it specifically arranges everything required for weddings. This resort has its own hired professionals who help with all the wedding planning and turn it into a grand success.

Vivanta: If you wish to marry with style, then this is the venue for you. Located on Candolim Beach, which is one of the most iconic beaches of Goa, it adds a different charm to your destination wedding. It has one indoor venue of a total of four areas and gives the best of both countryside and touristy vibe to the location. The colourful villas in this resort can house 20 to 3000 guests. Vivanta is undoubtedly one of the most gorgeous and dreamy destinations in Goa for hosting a wedding.

Tips for having a destination wedding in Goa

Goa is an idyllic place for having a perfect wedding; and so, here are a few tips that might help you while planning the wedding of your dreams.

Send “Save the Date” cards to all your guests at least 3-4 months prior to the event so that they get to plan for the wedding as well.

Book your desired location and hotel in advance as the venues become more expensive close to the wedding season.

While booking a venue, keep in mind the location, parking and on-site arrangement provided by the venue.

Book wedding suppliers from beforehand to avoid any chaos during the ceremony.

You might want to hire a professional wedding planner to carry out the wedding in a more smooth and flawless manner.

Shortlist a few venues and visit them once before finalising your wedding destination.

Make sure your guests RSVP to you so that you book only the required number of rooms and there is minimum wastage of food.

How to reach Goa?

By air: Situated in the heart of Goa, Dabolim International Airport is at a distance of approximately 29 km from the capital city of Panaji. The drive from this airport into the main city is filled with scenic beauty. IndiGo offers a range of flights to Goa that connect Goa to all the major cities in India
By rail: Vasco-Da-Gama and Madgaon are the main railway stations in Goa. Most of the major railways in Goa are located in Madgaon or Margao. The South Western Railway and the Konkan Railway serve the state of Goa and are well-connected with other major cities such as Mumbai. So, travelling to Goa via train is quite hassle-free.
By road: People can drive to Goa by themselves as well as travel to the state via a lot of different buses that offer their services to travellers. Kadamba Bus Stand in Panaji is the nearest and the main bus station. The roadways are well-knit in such a manner that they all connect Goa to the other important cities of the country.

Climatic condition and weather of Goa

Lying in the tropical zone, Goa is hot all around the year. The months of March, April and May are the hottest when the temperature goes as high as 34^oC. These months experience very high humidity and the weather is quite unbearable.

Towards the end of May, the monsoons start to kick in. By the beginning of the first week of June, Goa receives frequent rainfall that approximately lasts till the month of September. These rains are caused by the southwest monsoon winds. The temperature, during the monsoon season, is recorded to be around 24^o

Winter in Goa is very pleasant along with the cool sea breeze and the warmth of the sun. With clear skies and low humidity, this city experiences winter from late November till February when the average temperature is approximately 20^o

Best time to plan your destination wedding in Goa

Goa is beautiful all throughout the year; however, if you want your wedding to be a flawless affair, then you must plan it keeping in mind the weather and season of the place as well. The best time to plan a destination wedding in Goa is undoubtedly from October to February. You can easily plan an outdoor wedding with the sea beach as your backdrop, as during this time, the weather is quite pleasant and there are lesser chances of rainfall as the monsoon season in Goa is usually over by September.

If you want to opt for a more budget-friendly wedding, then you might plan an off-season, monsoon wedding between April and September. These months experience hot, humid and rainy weather and so are not meant for an outdoor wedding; however, you can host indoor ceremonies during the day and keep the fun events such as sangeet at night or during sunset. With the cool breeze flowing through and the golden hour setting in, your wedding would be no less than a fairytale.

Conclusion

Whenever someone talks about having a beach wedding, Goa is the first place that comes to mind. With its gorgeous setting and charming beaches, the idea of having a destination wedding in Goa is truly mesmerising. So, if your love is deeper than the ocean and wider than the sea, then getting hitched on the beaches of Goa is an absolute epic idea!