Not many Indian destinations evoke the association of destination weddings as well as Jaipur does.
The city’s architecture, heritage, hospitality and connectivity are a few reasons why couples like to celebrate their special day in this vibrant and fascinating destination.
However, once you’ve chosen Jaipur, another question often arises:
Do you choose a wedding palace or a wedding resort in Jaipur?
Both venues create a unique atmosphere and are equally impressive. But the better option depends on the type of celebration you plan.
In this article, we compare these two choices to give you an idea of how different they are.
Overall Atmosphere
The main difference between a palace and a resort wedding lies in atmosphere.
There is nothing as unique as atmosphere that a Jaipur palace gives to your wedding ceremony.
Arched corridors, courtyards, old walls, traditional architecture, all these elements give you an incredible setting that doesn’t need additional decorations at all.
A wedding resort is a more contemporary setting for your celebration.
There are large lawns, pools, ballrooms, landscaped gardens and several event spaces in one property. If you dream about celebrating your wedding in a heritage venue with royal architecture, a palace may be your better choice.
Otherwise, you might prefer a resort that provides more relaxation in a destination setting.
Decorations
Another advantage of a palace is the fact that the venue itself already creates many visual aspects of your celebration. A beautifully decorated courtyard or a heritage facade needs only additional elements of decorations – flowers, lighting and some furniture.
Over-decorating a palace can often ruin its uniqueness. Resort venues give more freedom in designing the decor of your celebration. You can transform a plain lawn or ballroom into the space for mehendi with lots of bright colors or into a stage for the sangeet party with amazing decoration.
Venue Flexibility
Venue flexibility is something a resort often has in abundance. Wedding resorts are usually designed to hold large events and have several lawns, ballrooms and poolside spaces that can host a different type of celebrations.
This way, you will be able to host your haldi by the pool, mehendi on a lawn, sangeet in a ballroom and wedding ceremony outdoors.
While a palace may also offer you various venues, heritage properties have more restrictions regarding installations, sound, fireworks and heavy productions.
All this is done to preserve the integrity of the venue. Your wedding planner should check all the venue restrictions prior to choosing your destination venue.
Accommodations
Accommodations is an important aspect of destination weddings.
Some palaces provide beautiful rooms but there might not be enough of them for all your guests. In such case, you’ll need to find additional accommodations in other hotels that are not located in the same area and this will make your destination wedding planning more difficult.
Larger resorts are usually designed to host larger groups within one property.
When most guests stay together, it gives you more relaxed destination wedding atmosphere since guests can easily meet each other around the property.
For many families, this becomes the most enjoyable moment of the celebration.
Privacy
Privacy level will vary depending on your chosen venue.
In case you rent an entire palace, your wedding celebration will be very private.
However, some heritage hotels will continue to serve other guests during your celebration.
Also, large resorts may have tourists or corporate guests at the same time.
If you wish to have your wedding more private, ask whether you can buy out the whole property for your celebration. Such property buyout will completely change the atmosphere of the celebration since the entire venue will become yours.
Event Production
Modern weddings usually involve some production aspect.
From large LED screens to the moving lights and stage, and sound system and artists’ performance to a dramatic entrance to the stage – all these elements can be used at the sangeet and reception parties.
It is usually easier to arrange the heavy production in a resort than in a palace since the former have accessible loading zones and open spaces for productions.
A palace requires some special considerations some structures of the building may not allow you any rigging, installation or drilling.
However, it is possible to create an amazing event inside of the palace; the design and production team will just need to consider the venue carefully.
Photography
Both venues provide great photographic possibilities although the styles of the photos will differ.
The venue itself can become a background for your beautiful wedding photos since palaces have courtyards, windows, staircases and many heritage details that don’t need any travel to the different locations.
Resorts usually have more variety in landscapes, pools, gardens and modern interiors.
If wedding photography is one of the priorities for your celebration, it is necessary to check the venue with your photographer prior to the booking.
Guests Experience
Think about your guests.
In case your guests include some older relatives, accessibility becomes an important factor.
Heritage properties may have stairs, long distance walk and layout that was not designed for modern events.
Modern resorts usually have lifts, ramps and other accessibility options.
On the other hand, staying in a palace gives your guests an incredible experience in itself. Since most guests travel from outside of Jaipur, heritage atmosphere of the palace will give them a chance to feel the connection with the destination.
Budget
There is a common myth that palace wedding is automatically more expensive than a resort one but it isn’t always so. The cost depends on the specific palace or resort, dates, guests number, room requirements and event production.
A palace may have higher room or venue costs but require less decorating.
A resort may have better room packages but require more money on decorations and production.
Instead of comparing only venue prices, it is better to calculate the total wedding cost.
Destination wedding planner will help you understand the difference.
Weather & Back-up Venues
Jaipur has its preferred wedding season when outdoor events are comfortable but weather is still an important aspect.
Outdoor events in pleasant months still require some back-up plan since unpredictable weather can occur anytime.
Resorts have large indoor ballrooms that may serve as back-up venues in case of some changes. While some palaces also have beautiful indoor venues, their capacity may be limited.
Don’t forget to ask your venue what will happen if the outdoor event becomes indoor.
Back-up venue should never become an afterthought.
Which Venue is Better for Different Functions?
You may consider your wedding celebration function by function.
Heritage courtyard is perfect for a wedding ceremony.
Terrace of a palace can serve as a great place for a welcome dinner.
Poolside of the resort is perfect for haldi party.
Large resort lawn can become an ideal location for a high-energy sangeet party with lots of decoration.
There are no strict rules saying that each function needs to follow one style.
Sometimes couples prefer to host one function in a heritage venue while staying in a resort.
Conclusion
The choice between palace and resort wedding in Jaipur shouldn’t depend on the fact that which one is more impressive on the photos. It should depend on how you want to feel during the celebration. A palace can give you history, character and incredible atmosphere.
A resort can give you flexibility, convenience and possibility to create new experiences in several places.
Before booking any of them, check the venue with your wedding planner and try to imagine your entire celebration from the point of view of guest experience – from the place of staying to the event location.
Because the best venue isn’t necessarily the most impressive one. It is the venue that makes your wedding celebration absolutely yours.
