As the countdown to Destination Wedding Planners (DWP) Congress 2026 gathers pace, the event is shaping up as a significant moment for India’s luxury wedding industry.

More than 350 delegates are expected to attend the three-day Congress at Fairmont Udaipur Palace, marking the first time in its 12-year history that the global gathering will be hosted in India, following editions across four continents.

The international mix of sponsors and partners, from production companies in France and Italy to resort brands in Jordan and Indonesia, tourism authorities in the Gulf, and established hospitality names from Japan and India, reflects the growing international interest in India as a destination for high-end weddings.

“India has always celebrated with extraordinary scale and emotion, and today that is converging with a new generation of luxury — one that is more experiential, highly personalised and increasingly global,” says Vishrut Gupta, General Manager of Fairmont Udaipur Palace. He notes that couples are increasingly seeking destinations that can serve as the setting for an entire celebration rather than simply selecting a venue.

That shift is also being felt by international production companies. Stéphane Paoli, Director of Business Development at France-based Groupe Novelty, says India is currently among the company’s most exciting markets, driven by demand for immersive lighting, kinetic scenography and high-level audiovisual production.

With an existing network across Paris, Dubai and Doha, Novelty already works with Indian families celebrating overseas. Its participation in Udaipur, Paoli says, represents an opportunity to build that relationship in reverse.

Florian Dewitte of Deco Flamme Live Production, which regularly works with Indian clients on the French Riviera, similarly sees DWP Congress as an opportunity to strengthen relationships directly in India.

For the company, the event offers a platform to meet Indian partners and clients on their home ground while building connections with wedding professionals from across the world.

Massimo Privitera of Privitera Eventi describes DWP as a major international meeting point for destination wedding professionals. He says India’s luxury wedding market, with its emphasis on detail and bespoke experiences, presents substantial opportunities for companies specialising in structural design and technical production. He also highlights the value of face-to-face networking in developing long-term industry relationships.

For destination marketing organisations, India’s emergence represents both a growing source market and an opportunity to present alternative wedding destinations to Indian couples.

Iyad Rasbey of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority says Indian couples are increasingly seeking destinations that offer distinctive experiences for both the couple and their guests.

He adds that the emirate is moving beyond promoting individual venues and facilities to presenting Ras Al Khaimah as a destination capable of supporting a complete, multi-day wedding celebration.

Jordan’s Ayla Oasis, which hosted DWP Congress in 2025, offers an example of the international relationships such gatherings can generate.

Managing Director Sahl Dudin recalls welcoming more than 500 wedding professionals from over 70 countries, describing the relationships developed through the Congress as its lasting value.

Japan is also using the platform to promote experiences beyond the country’s best-known destinations. Shotaro Kasa, COO of Value Management, says the Congress provides an opportunity to connect directly with international wedding planners while communicating the diversity of experiences available across Japan.

In Bali, The Ungasan Clifftop Resort is taking a different approach, focusing on personalised celebrations rooted in the island’s natural and cultural character.

Assistant Director of Weddings & Events Anindita Widyasari says the resort aims to create celebrations that feel authentic rather than simply visually impressive.

In Udaipur, however, the event carries a strong sense of local pride. Prakash and Mahaveer of Prakash Creation, the Congress’s Udaipur-based showcase sponsor, describe the city as central to their growth, saying Udaipur gave them the opportunity to “meet the world,” while DWP gives them an opportunity to take what they have created locally back to an international audience.

Rahul Maini, Cluster General Manager at Taj Lake Palace, says Udaipur demonstrates how an Indian wedding can combine international standards of execution with a distinctly Indian identity. The city’s palaces, lakes, traditions, cuisine, craftsmanship and hospitality, he argues, provide an emotional and visual character that cannot simply be manufactured through event production.

The evolution is also visible through wedding photography.

Rohith Raghuvaran of Weva Photography says Indian weddings have become larger, more elaborate and increasingly intentional, requiring a corresponding evolution in how celebrations are documented.

For Sidh N.C., Director of QnA International, the diversity of DWP Congress 2026’s partners illustrates the broader transformation taking place.

Production specialists, hospitality groups, tourism boards, designers and photographers are converging in Udaipur around a market that is attracting sustained international attention.

The three-day Congress will therefore serve not only as a networking platform but also as a meeting point for different parts of the global luxury wedding ecosystem.

With India hosting DWP for the first time, Udaipur is positioned as the backdrop for discussions about changing client expectations, destination strategies, production standards and the future direction of luxury celebrations. -TradeArabia News Service