# Planning a wedding in India from abroad

Source: https://www.marryloom.com/international

Publisher: MarryLoom (https://www.marryloom.com)
Updated: 2026-11-05

Yes, you can have your wedding in India without living here. Most couples who live abroad marry legally at home, then hold the celebration in India. Some marry here under India’s Special Marriage Act. At MarryLoom we plan it with you over video calls and WhatsApp, and quote in your currency. We meet every guest at the airport.

## The process

1. **A video call in your time zone.** We talk for thirty minutes about where you’d like to marry, how many guests you’re expecting, your dates and your budget. Within 48 hours we send you a shortlist.
2. **A proposal in your currency.** We suggest venues and set out a timeline. The draft budget is in dollars, pounds, euros or dirhams, whichever you use at home.
3. **Planning from home.** We have a call once a month, and in between there’s a shared plan and a WhatsApp group. Most couples visit once before the wedding. Some don’t come until the wedding week.
4. **Save the dates and guest travel.** We make a travel page for your guests. It covers visas, flights, hotels and what to wear.
5. **Wedding week.** We meet everyone at the airport and run every function, so you and your family can enjoy the week.

## Common worries

### Is it legal for foreigners to marry in India?

Yes. Foreign nationals can marry under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. One of you has to have lived in the district for 30 days, and then there’s a 30-day notice period. That takes a while, so most couples marry legally at home and hold their ceremony in India.

### Is it safe for our guests?

All our destinations are established tourist and wedding regions. We plan every transfer and put your guests in hotels we’ve checked. For the whole stay, there’s a help desk and a WhatsApp line they can message.

### Do our guests need visas?

Most will. Many nationalities can apply online for an Indian e-Visa. We send each guest the steps for the passport they hold.

### Will it be cheaper than a wedding at home?

Usually, yes, for the same standard. Rooms, food, décor and staff all cost less in India than in Western Europe, North America or Australia. That’s why couples often spend the same budget on a longer celebration.

### Will it still feel like our own wedding?

Yes. You decide what goes in, and we do the legwork. Plenty of couples keep their own vows and traditions and add a few Indian customs, such as a garland exchange, mehndi (henna), a sadya feast served on banana leaves or Kerala’s chenda drummers.

### What if something goes wrong?

One planner is in charge of the whole plan, so there’s one person to call. Every vendor has a backup, and every outdoor function has a weather plan. Our crew is on site for the set-up and stays until the last guest has gone home.

## By country

- [From the United States](https://www.marryloom.com/international/us)
- [From the United Kingdom](https://www.marryloom.com/international/uk)
- [From the United Arab Emirates](https://www.marryloom.com/international/uae)
- [From Canada](https://www.marryloom.com/international/ca)
- [From Australia](https://www.marryloom.com/international/au)