DWP Congress debuts in India with three-day Udaipur showcase

DWP Congress held its 17th edition in India for the first time, bringing more than 350 attendees from over 70 countries to Udaipur from 6-8 October. The event mixed business sessions with palace-scale celebrations at Fairmont Udaipur Palace, Chand Baori and Jag Mandir Palace, underscoring India’s pull as a global wedding destination.

Why it matters: - DWP Congress’s first edition in India signals growing global interest in the country as a luxury wedding and destination-events market. - The three-day program in Udaipur paired business content with high-production showcase events, a format that reflects how the industry sells both ideas and experiences. - More than 350 attendees from over 70 countries turned Udaipur into a global meeting point for planners, venues, designers and suppliers.

What happened: - The 17th edition of DWP Congress took place from 6 to 8 October at Fairmont Udaipur Palace, the event’s Host Palace Partner. - The Congress was held in India for the first time. - The event opened with a welcome at Fairmont Udaipur Palace and a night program at Chand Baori titled “Ritual Reimagined: The Haldi Glow – Sunkissed by the Timelessness of Turmeric.” - The second day featured conference sessions at the Jewel Ballroom and an evening gala at the Jashn Lawn. - The final day focused on business sessions in the Jewel Ballroom and ended with an after-party at Jag Mandir Palace, managed by Taj.

The details: - Guests were welcomed with “Padharo Sa,” a reception inspired by the Rajasthani greeting “Padharo Mhare Desh.” - FB Celebrations, led by Bhavnesh Sawhney and Farid Khan, created the Chand Baori welcome night. - The Chand Baori program included “The Mehfil – The Alchemy of Joy,” “Mehndi Majlis – The Art of Storytelling,” and “Sangeet Night – Performance as Power.” - Vishrut Gupta, General Manager of Fairmont Udaipur Palace, said hosting the Congress was a proud moment for the hotel and for Udaipur. - Sidh N.C., Director of QnA International, called the India debut a milestone for the global destination wedding industry. - The opening conference session included welcome addresses from Sidh N.C., Amitabh Rai of Accor South Asia, and Fairmont Udaipur Palace leadership. - The Wedding Design Company, led by Vandana Mohan, served as Conference Creative Partner and shaped the Congress’s creative experiences. - Vandana Mohan’s session was titled “When Creativity Becomes a Signature.” - The day-two keynote, “All for Love,” was hosted by Fairmont Udaipur Palace. - The panel “The 7 Vows of Collaboration Across Destinations, Suppliers and Clients” featured Bhavnesh Sawhney, Mahesh Shirodkar, Kaival Patel, Socorro Morake and Vipin Khattar. - The DWP Atelier Masterclasses featured Precious Thamaga of South Africa, Nadia Duran of Australia and Elizabeth Priya Kumar of the U.S. - The Beautiful Gala at the Jashn Lawn was titled “The Royal Night Out – A Regal Wilderness Experience Beneath the Aravalli Skies.” - Mahesh Shirodkar and Team Tamarind Global curated the gala. - The final-day program, “The Business of Forever,” included sessions on AI, luxury-client psychology, legal structures, digital growth and design collaboration. - Speakers included Anil Lobo, Matthew Oliver, Teddy Manuel, Aarti Manocha, Pranav Bhanot MBE, Pervez Taufiq and Sumant Jayakrishnan. - The after-party at Jag Mandir Palace was curated by Kaival Patel and the Absolute Events team. - The closing event honored the relationships, memories and partnerships built during the Congress.

Between the lines: - The event programming leaned heavily into Indian wedding rituals, but the setting and speaker lineup were international, showing how the category now spans local culture and global luxury demand. - The combination of heritage venues, creative staging and business sessions suggests that destination-wedding conferences are increasingly part trade summit, part live brand experience. - Fairmont Udaipur Palace’s role as host venue and creative backdrop positioned Udaipur as more than a destination; the city was treated as part of the event’s product.

What's next: - DWP Congress is likely to build on the India debut by deepening ties with hotels, planners and suppliers in the regional luxury-wedding market. - The Udaipur showcase may also help reinforce India’s position in future destination-wedding and event-industry conversations. - The Congress’s mix of content and spectacle sets a template that other host cities may try to match.