India Takes Centre Stage as the World’s Leading Wedding Planners Head to Udaipur for the DWP Congress

Speakers from Across the Destination Wedding Industry Reflect on What Udaipur Means for the Future of Luxury Celebration

UDAIPUR, INDIA, September 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- There was a time when choosing a destination wedding meant choosing a beautiful setting. Today, the destination itself has become part of the story. That shift is bringing India and Udaipur in particular into sharper focus for the global luxury wedding industry.

QnA International, organiser of the world's largest B2B platform for luxury destination weddings, the Destination Wedding Planners (DWP) Congress, will host the 17th edition of the Congress from 6–8 October 2026 at the Fairmont Udaipur Palace, marking the first time the event comes to Indian soil. Ahead of the landmark edition, leading planners and designers from across the world share their perspectives on why India, and why now.

When the Destination Becomes Part of the Story

For Precious Thamaga, Luxury Wedding Planner & Event Designer at Precious Celebrations, the future of luxury destination weddings is increasingly about choosing destinations with a story of their own. “I am particularly drawn to destinations that do not have to manufacture their identity. They already have one.”

For Elizabeth Priya Kumar, Founder & CEO of Premini Events, Udaipur captures that balance between grandeur and authenticity. “Udaipur has the ability to make a celebration feel cinematic while still feeling deeply rooted in place.”

Ariel Leanne Chen, Founder of Le Reve Events International, sees the same combination driving interest in India: “The main pull is the combination of luxury and authenticity.”

Jess and Nanya Tantapaiboon, Co-Founders of The Wedding Bliss, Thailand, the value lies as much in honesty as in opportunity. While India has yet to feature directly in their own client enquiries, they see the potential clearly, and come to DWP to "stay open to what's happening beyond your own market."

India’s Authentic Grandeur

For Mahesh Shirodkar, Founder of Tamarind Global, India’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths. “India is a continent and not a country.” In Udaipur, that diversity comes alive through palaces, water bodies, heritage, hospitality and craftsmanship.

Kaival Patel, Director of Absolute Events, points to the destination’s royal heritage, lakefront landscapes, world-class hospitality and iconic venues as elements that allow it to deliver everything from “intimate celebrations to grand, multi-day weddings.”

For Bhavnesh Sawhney, Co-Founder of FB Celebrations, India offers something increasingly sought after by luxury couples: “authentic grandeur” — where palaces, lakes, living traditions, craftsmanship and hospitality become part of the celebration itself.

Where Relationships Become Opportunities

DWP Congress, however, is as much about the people as it is about destinations.
“Every industry has a room where the future is rewritten. For luxury weddings, that room is the DWP Congress,” says Bhavnesh Sawhney.
The Congress brings together planners, hospitality leaders, creative professionals, global vendors and other key players from across the destination wedding ecosystem.

As Elizabeth Priya Kumar puts it: “Because relationships are still the currency of our industry.” That emphasis on meaningful connections is also reflected in Mahesh Shirodkar’s view: “In our industry, business is ultimately built between people, not platforms.”

For Matthew Oliver, Director of Matthew Oliver Weddings, who has attended DWP for 10 years, those relationships have become one of the most lasting aspects of the platform. “It’s allowed us to meet amazing people from all over the world who are now great friends.”

India Takes Centre Stage

Together, these perspectives point to a destination wedding industry where luxury is increasingly about more than aesthetics — it is about story, authenticity, culture and connection. Udaipur embodies that evolution, offering a destination where heritage and contemporary luxury can come together to create celebrations that are deeply rooted in place.

As DWP Congress 2026 prepares to welcome more than 350 delegates to the Fairmont Udaipur Palace from 6–8 October, the 17th edition will bring the global destination wedding community together on Indian soil for the first time — creating a space where destinations, ideas, relationships and opportunities converge.

Sidh N.C., Director, QnA International is looking forward to this global gathering and shares his excitement ahead of the event. "What makes this pre-Congress conversation so powerful is that it did not come from us. It came from the planners themselves, from six continents, arriving independently at the same conclusion: that India represents the next chapter for luxury destination weddings. That is exactly the kind of global consensus DWP Congress exists to surface, and to bring into one room."

For more information, https://dwpcongress.com/

Rutuja Naimish
Waffle Communications
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